JP2013101869A - Connector - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To suppress contact of a lock piece with other members without enlarging a connector housing and the catch when locking into a counterpart housing.SOLUTION: In a connector 10 comprising a female side housing 20 for housing a female terminal 24, and a retainer 40 having a pair of lock pieces 46 capable of being elastically deformed to the outside in the width direction at both edges in the width direction, lock piece housing parts 29 housing the lock pieces 46 inside of both side walls 20A of the female side housing 20 are formed in the female side housing 20 respectively, a temporary locking projection 30 and a main locking projection 31 for locking by elastically-deforming, running on and elastically-returning, are formed inside of the lock piece housing part 29 in the width direction, and a through hole 32 allowing for elastic deformation of the lock pieces 46 is formed on a side wall 20A of the female side housing 20 by penetrating through the side wall 20A.

Description

  The present invention relates to a connector provided with a retainer.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a connector described in Patent Document 1 below is known as a connector including a retainer that prevents a terminal fitting housed in a connector housing from coming off.
The retainer is inserted into a retainer insertion hole provided at the bottom of the connector housing, and is provided with a retaining portion that prevents the terminal fitting from coming off, and is elastically deformable outward in the width direction on both sides in the width direction of the retaining portion. A pair of locking pieces are provided.
The pair of lock pieces are formed so as to be able to be accommodated in lock piece accommodating portions provided on both sides in the width direction of the connector housing, respectively, while the lock piece accommodating portions are formed to open sideways and downward. Then, when the retainer is assembled to the connector housing from below, the lock piece elastically deforms and rides on the lock portion formed in the lock piece receiving portion, and over the lock portion and elastically returns, so that the lock piece becomes the lock portion. The retainer is locked to the connector housing. Further, the lock piece is accommodated in the lock piece accommodating portion, thereby constituting an outer side wall at both end portions in the width direction of the connector housing.

JP 2003-229197 A

However, according to the connector described above, since the lock piece constitutes the outer side wall on both sides in the width direction of the connector housing, other members can easily come into contact with the lock piece, and other members can be locked during assembly work. If it comes into contact with the piece, the lock piece may be damaged or deformed.
Further, in this type of connector, the depth dimension of the lock piece accommodating portion is formed larger than the plate thickness dimension of the lock piece, and when the lock piece is accommodated in the lock piece accommodating portion, both side surfaces of the connector housing The lock piece is prevented from protruding outward. For this reason, even after the lock piece is accommodated in the lock piece accommodating portion, the portion of the lock piece accommodating portion is slightly recessed from both side surfaces of the connector housing, and during the fitting operation with the counterpart housing, There is a case where the mating operation cannot be smoothly performed due to the counterpart housing being caught by the lock piece housing portion.

  In order to solve the above problem, a lock piece housing portion is formed inside the side wall located at both ends in the width direction of the connector housing, and the lock piece housed in the lock piece housing portion is protected by the side wall of the connector housing. However, it is necessary to provide a flexure space that allows elastic deformation of the lock piece inside the side wall, and the connector housing becomes large in the width direction.

  The present invention has been completed on the basis of the above circumstances, and it is possible to prevent other members from coming into contact with the lock piece without increasing the size of the connector housing, and to engage with the mating housing. The purpose is to suppress catching during work.

  As means for achieving the above-mentioned object, the present invention is a connector comprising a connector housing that accommodates terminal fittings, and a retainer having a pair of lock pieces elastically deformable outward in the width direction at both ends in the width direction. The connector housing is formed with lock piece accommodating portions for accommodating the lock pieces inside both side walls located at both ends in the width direction of the connector housing. A lock portion is formed on the inner surface of the connector housing. Is characterized in that it is formed through the side wall.

  According to the connector having such a configuration, since the lock piece housed in the lock piece housing portion is protected by the side wall, the lock piece is damaged or deformed by contact of the lock piece with another member. This can be suppressed. Further, since the through-hole allowing the elastic deformation of the lock piece is formed in the side wall, it is not necessary to separately form a bending space of the lock piece in the connector housing, and the connector housing can be prevented from being enlarged. .

The following configuration is preferable as an embodiment of the present invention.
The connector housing is formed to be able to fit in a housing accommodating portion provided in the counterpart housing, and the side wall surrounding the through hole is adjacent to the through hole in a direction intersecting with the fitting direction. The side wall may be configured to be formed continuously in the fitting direction of the connector housing.

  For example, when the lock piece accommodating portions for accommodating the lock pieces are formed to be exposed at both end portions in the width direction of the connector housing, both sides of the connector housing are provided even after the lock pieces are accommodated in the lock piece accommodating portions. There may be a step on the surface. When a step occurs, when the connector housing is slightly inclined in the width direction when the connector housing is fitted into the counterpart housing, the opening edge of the counterpart housing and the step portion of the lock housing portion are There is a possibility that the fitting operation cannot be performed smoothly due to being caught. However, according to the above configuration, among the side walls surrounding the through hole, at least the side wall adjacent to the through hole in the direction intersecting the fitting direction is formed continuously with the outer wall of the connector housing in the fitting direction. The fitting operation can be smoothly performed without being caught between the opening edge of the counterpart housing and the side wall.

Of the side walls surrounding the through hole, the side wall adjacent to the through hole on the front side in the accommodation direction of the lock piece may be configured to press the outer surface of the elastically deformed lock piece inward in the width direction.
According to such a configuration, by pressing the outer surface of the lock piece whose side wall is elastically deformed and supporting the lock piece, it is possible to prevent the lock piece from being inadvertently elastically deformed and It is possible to suppress hitting.

The lock portion is formed at a temporary locking projection that holds the retainer at a temporary locking position that allows insertion and removal of the terminal fitting, and is formed on a deeper side of the lock piece housing portion than the temporary locking projection. A main locking projection for holding the retainer at a final locking position for locking the terminal metal and preventing the terminal metal from being detached from the connector housing; A locking prevention projection that can be locked with the opening edge on the front side of the lock piece in the receiving direction is formed, and when the locking piece is locked with the temporary locking projection, the opening prevention projection is formed by the opening edge. It is good also as a structure latched in the removal direction of the said lock piece.
When a large force is applied when moving the retainer from the final locking position to the temporary locking position for maintenance, etc., the lock piece is released not only from the temporary locking protrusion but also from the temporary locking protrusion. There is a possibility that the retainer may come off the connector housing excessively. However, according to the configuration as described above, when the locking piece is locked with the temporary locking protrusion, the locking protrusion is locked in the unlocking direction of the locking piece by the opening edge of the through hole, so that the retainer is It can suppress that it remove | deviates from a connector housing.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent the other member from coming into contact with the lock piece without increasing the size of the connector housing, and to suppress the catch during the fitting operation with the counterpart housing.

The side view which shows the state by which the retainer was hold | maintained in the temporary latching position in the female side housing concerning Embodiment 1. The bottom view which shows the state by which the retainer was hold | maintained in the temporary latching position in the female side housing concerning Embodiment 1. The longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the state by which the retainer was hold | maintained in the temporary latching position in the female side housing concerning Embodiment 1 AA line sectional view of FIG. The perspective view which looked at the retainer concerning Embodiment 1 from diagonally back Side view of the retainer according to the first embodiment. The rear view of the retainer concerning Embodiment 1. The longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the state by which the retainer was hold | maintained in the main latching position in the female side housing concerning Embodiment 1 Sectional drawing equivalent to the cross section of the AA position of FIG. 1 in the state by which the retainer was hold | maintained in this latching position in the female side housing concerning Embodiment 1. Sectional drawing equivalent to the cross section of the AA position of FIG. 1 in the state which the retainer concerning Embodiment 1 got on this latching protrusion The rear view of the retainer concerning Embodiment 2. Sectional drawing equivalent to the cross section of the AA position of FIG. 1 in the state by which the retainer was hold | maintained in the temporary latching position in the female side housing in Embodiment 2.

<Embodiment 1>
Embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
In this embodiment, a synthetic resin female housing (an example of a “connector housing” of the present invention) 20 that can be fitted in a housing (not shown) of a male housing, and a female mold accommodated in the female housing 20. The connector 10 includes a terminal (an example of a “terminal fitting” according to the present invention) 24 and a retainer 40 made of a synthetic resin that prevents the terminal 24 from coming off.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the female housing 20 is roughly formed in a vertically long block shape in the front-rear direction. A lock arm 21 extending in a cantilevered manner from the front to the rear is formed on the upper portion of the female housing 20. The lock arm 21 is formed so as to be elastically deformable in the vertical direction. On the upper surface of the lock arm 21, a locking projection 21 </ b> A that can be locked to a locked portion (not shown) formed in the housing portion of the male housing. Is formed. When the female housing 20 is fitted into the housing portion of the male housing, the lock arm 21 is elastically deformed, and when the female housing 20 and the housing portion of the male housing are properly fitted, the lock arm 21 is engaged. By the elastic return, the locking projection 21A and the locked portion are locked, and the female housing 20 and the male housing are held in a fitted state.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a terminal housing portion 22 that is slightly narrower than the width of the female housing 20 is formed inside the female housing 20. The terminal accommodating portion 22 has a plurality of cavities 23 that penetrate in the front-rear direction. As shown in FIG. 4, a plurality of cavities 23 are formed side by side in the vertical direction and the width direction. In the cavity 23, as shown in FIG. 3, a female terminal 24 connected to the end of the electric wire W. Can be accommodated from behind.
The front part of the female terminal 24 is a rectangular tube-shaped connection part 25, and the rear part is crimped to the end of the electric wire W. The female terminal 24 is retained in the cavity 23 by the connection portion 25 being locked from the rear by a lance 26 that cantilevered forward from the inner wall of the cavity 23.

  When the female housing 20 and the male housing are properly fitted, a male terminal (not shown) held in the housing portion of the male housing enters the connection portion 25 of the female terminal 24, The female terminal 24 and the male terminal are connected so as to be conductive.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a retainer mounting hole 27 is formed at a substantially central portion in the front-rear direction on the bottom surface of the female housing 20. The opening of the retainer mounting hole 27 is formed in a substantially U shape. The retainer mounting hole 27 includes a retaining portion 28 that is horizontally long in the width direction, and a rear portion from both ends of the retaining portion accommodating portion 28. It is comprised from a pair of lock piece accommodating part 29 long longitudinally extended in the front-back direction.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the retaining portion accommodating portion 28 is recessed upward from the bottom surface of the female housing 20, and the inner space of the retaining portion accommodating portion 28 is provided in each terminal accommodating portion 22. It communicates with the cavity 23.

  The pair of lock piece accommodating portions 29 are formed inside the side walls 20 </ b> A located at both ends in the width direction of the female housing 20. Specifically, the lock piece accommodating portion 29 is formed between the terminal accommodating portion 22 and both side walls 20 </ b> A of the female side housing 20, and is configured along the side surface of the female side housing 20. In addition, the lock piece accommodating portion 29 has a shape that is recessed upward from the bottom surface of the female housing 20, similarly to the retaining portion accommodating portion 28.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, a temporary locking projection for holding a retainer 40 (described later) in a temporary locking position is formed on the inner surface of the lock receiving portion 29 on the terminal receiving portion 22 side, which is the inner side in the width direction. 30) and a final locking projection (an example of the “locking portion” of the present invention) 31 that holds the retainer 40 in the final locking position are formed. The temporary locking protrusions 30 and the main locking protrusions 31 are formed so as to protrude from the inner surface on the terminal accommodating portion 22 side toward the outer side in the width direction, and extend in the front-rear direction.

The temporary locking protrusion 30 has a temporary locking surface 30A extending from the inner surface on the terminal accommodating portion 22 side in the width direction at the upper portion, and extends slightly downward from the outer end of the temporary locking surface 30A. As it extends downward, it approaches the terminal accommodating part 22 side.
The main locking protrusion 31 is located above the temporary locking protrusion 30 on the back side of the lock piece housing portion 29, and the main locking surface 31A extending in the width direction from the inner surface on the terminal housing portion 22 side is located above The cross section is formed in a substantially rectangular shape.

  On the other hand, the retainer 40 includes a retaining portion 41 that can be fitted into the retaining portion accommodating portion 28 and a pair of lock plates 42 that can be respectively fitted into the pair of lock piece accommodating portions 29. Yes.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the retaining portion 41 has a substantially U shape when viewed from the back, and a plurality of substantially rectangular terminal insertion holes 43 penetrating in the front-rear direction are formed in the vertical direction and the width direction. It is formed in a lattice shape that is horizontally long in the direction.

  On the bottom surface of each terminal insertion hole 43 and the top surface of the retaining portion 41, there are terminal locking portions 44 for locking the connection portion 25 of the female terminal 24 inserted into the cavity 23 of the female housing 20 from the rear. A plurality are formed corresponding to the cavities 23.

  Further, the retaining portion 41 is a main locking position where the terminal locking portion 44 protrudes into the cavity 23 to lock the female terminal 24 from the rear and prevent the female terminal 24 from falling into the cavity 23. (Refer to FIG. 8) and the terminal locking portion 44 retracted from the cavity 23 and can be moved between the temporary locking position (see FIG. 3) allowing the female terminal 24 to be inserted into and extracted from the cavity 23. Has been. Accordingly, when the retaining portion 41 is fitted to the main locking position in a state where the female terminal 24 is accommodated in the cavity 23, the female terminal is moved by the terminal locking portion 44 as shown in FIG. 24 connecting portions 25 are locked from behind, and the female terminal 24 is double locked by the lance 26 and the terminal locking portion 44.

  As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the pair of lock plates 42 has a flat plate shape and is formed adjacent to the rear of the retaining portion 41. The lock plate 42 includes a base body 45 that extends rearward from both widthwise ends of the retaining portion 41 and a lock piece 46 that rises upward from the base body 45. In FIG. 5, the left front side of the page is the rear side, and the right back side of the page is the front side.

Each of the base bodies 45 has a rectangular flat plate shape, and is formed integrally with the rear end portion of the retaining portion 41 so as to face each other.
The lock piece 46 is formed in a rectangular flat plate shape that is thinner than the base body 45. The lock piece 46 is integrally formed on the outer side in the width direction at the upper end edge of the base body 45, and can be elastically deformed outward in the width direction with a base end connected to the base body 45 as a fulcrum. Further, a slit 47 extending vertically is formed at a position where the lock piece 46 and the retaining portion 41 are adjacent to each other, and the lock piece 46 and the retaining portion 41 are separated from each other. Thereby, the lock piece 46 can be elastically deformed independently without causing the lock piece 46 to interfere with the retaining portion 41.

  A lock claw 48 that can be locked with the temporary locking protrusion 30 and the main locking protrusion 31 in the lock piece housing portion 29 is formed at the upper edge of the lock piece 46. The lock claw 48 is formed so as to protrude inward in the width direction from the upper end edge of the lock piece 46, and the lock-side locking surface 48 </ b> A which is the lower surface of the lock claw 48 has the retaining portion 41 at the temporary locking position. When arranged, it can be locked to the temporary locking surface 30A of the temporary locking projection 30 from above and the retaining portion 41 can be held in the temporary locking position. Further, the lock side locking surface 48A is locked to the main locking surface 31A of the main locking projection 31 from above when the locking portion 41 is arranged at the main locking position, and thus the locking portion 41 is locked. It can be held at the main locking position.

  The lock claw 48 extends in the front-rear direction, and the length dimension in the front-rear direction of the lock claw 48 is substantially the same as the length dimension in the front-rear direction of the temporary locking protrusion 30 and the main locking protrusion 31. Set to dimensions. Thereby, in the temporary locking position and the main locking position, the locking side locking surface 48A, the temporary locking surface 30A, and the main locking surface 31A are brought into surface contact with each other in the front-rear direction, so that the retaining portion 41 is fixed. It can be securely held at the temporary locking position or the final locking position.

  Further, a reinforcing portion 49 that protrudes inward in the width direction is formed on a side edge portion adjacent to the retaining portion 41 in the lock piece 46. The reinforcing portion 49 is formed integrally with the lock claw 48 and suppresses the lock piece 46 from sagging due to elastic deformation.

On the other hand, both side walls 20A of the female housing 20 are formed with substantially rectangular through holes 32 that are vertically long in the front-rear direction. The through hole 32 is formed through the side wall 20 </ b> A in the width direction at a substantially vertical central portion of the side wall 20 </ b> A of the female housing 20. Further, the through hole 32 is arranged at a position where the peripheral portions of the temporary locking protrusion 30 and the main locking protrusion 31 can be visually recognized from the outside in the width direction through the through hole 32. For this reason, in a state where the retaining portion 41 is held at the temporary locking position, the upper end portion of the lock piece 46 can be visually recognized through the through hole 32, and in a state where the retaining portion 41 is held at the final locking position, Through the through hole 32, a portion above the base end portion of the lock piece 46 can be visually recognized.
That is, the base 45 and the base end portion of the lock piece 46 are arranged inside the side wall 20 </ b> A located below the through-hole 32, regardless of the temporary locking position or the final locking position. It is possible to prevent other members from coming into contact with the base end portions of the base body 45 and the lock piece 46. Thereby, compared with what the lock piece 46 is completely exposed to the width direction outer side, it can suppress that the lock piece 46 is damaged or deform | transformed because another member contacts. .

  Further, the side wall 20 </ b> A adjacent to the through hole 32 in the vertical direction is formed continuously in the front-rear direction, which is the fitting direction of the female housing 20. That is, the side wall 20A positioned above and below the through hole 32 has no step, and the female housing 20 is fitted into the housing portion of the male housing with the fitting posture of the female housing 20 slightly inclined in the width direction. Even in the case of fitting, the fitting operation can be smoothly performed without hooking the opening edge portion of the housing portion and the side wall 20A of the female housing 20.

  Further, the internal space of the through hole 32 is a bending space when the lock piece 46 is elastically deformed. Therefore, in the process in which the retaining portion 41 moves from the temporary locking position to the final locking position, the lock claw 48 rides on the main locking projection 31 and the lock piece 46 is elastically deformed outward in the width direction. It is possible to allow the distal end portion of the lock piece 46 to enter the internal space (deflection space). When the lock claw 48 gets over the main locking projection 31, the lock piece 46 is elastically restored, and the lock side locking surface 48 </ b> A of the locking claw 48 and the main locking surface 31 </ b> A of the main locking projection 31 are locked. By doing so, the retaining portion 41 is held at the final locking position.

  That is, the distal end portion of the lock piece 46 is accommodated in the internal space (deflection space) of the through-hole 32, so that a flexure space spreading in the width direction is formed between the side wall 20 </ b> A of the female housing 20 and the lock piece accommodation portion 29. Without being provided, the lock piece 46 can be elastically deformed. Thereby, compared with the case where the bending space of the lock piece 46 is separately formed in the female side housing 20, it can prevent that the female side housing 20 enlarges.

  Further, when the lock claw 48 rides on the main locking projection 31 and the lock piece 46 starts to be elastically deformed outward in the width direction, the lock piece 46 is positioned below the through hole 32 (below the through hole 32). It will be in the state contact | abutted to 20 A of side walls which adjoin. When the lock piece 46 is further elastically deformed, the side wall 20A located below the through hole 32 is in a state of supporting the outer surface of the base end portion of the lock piece 46 by pressing it inward in the width direction. As a result, the insertion force necessary for elastically deforming the lock piece 46 is adjusted to a predetermined magnitude, and the lock piece 46 is inadvertently elastically deformed, whereby the retainer 40 is moved into the temporary engagement position and the final engagement position. It can suppress moving between. Further, it is possible to suppress the lock piece 46 from being slackened.

The present embodiment is configured as described above. Next, a method for assembling the connector 10 will be briefly described, and the operation and effect thereof will be described.
First, the retainer 40 is fitted into the retainer mounting hole 27 from below the female housing 20, and the retainer 40 is moved upward with respect to the female housing 20. In this process, the lock claw 48 of the lock piece 46 rides on the temporary locking protrusion 30 and the lock piece 46 is elastically deformed outward in the width direction with the base end portion of the lock piece 46 as a fulcrum. At this time, the lock piece 46 rises upward from the upper edge of the base body 45 and is separated from the retaining portion 41 by the slit 47. It can be elastically deformed without causing interference.
In other words, the lock piece 46 is elastically deformed by being inclined in a direction different from the normal direction as compared with the case where the lock piece and the retaining portion are integrally formed and the lock piece is elastically deformed while expanding backward. Can be prevented. Moreover, since it can suppress that the lock piece 46 and the temporary latching protrusion 30 mutually wear because the lock piece 46 inclines, the latching state of the lock piece 46 and the temporary latching protrusion 30 is stabilized. Can do.

  Next, when the lock claw 48 riding on the temporary locking projection 30 gets over the temporary locking projection 30, the lock-side locking surface 48 </ b> A of the locking claw 48 is temporarily engaged with the temporary locking projection 30 as shown in FIG. 4. The retaining surface 41A is retained from below by the retaining surface 30A, and the retaining portion 41 is held at the temporary retaining position. In this state, as shown in FIG. 3, the terminal locking portion 44 of the retaining portion 41 is retracted from the cavity 23, and the female terminal 24 can be inserted into and removed from the cavity 23. .

  Then, the female terminal 24 connected to the end of the electric wire W is inserted into the cavity 23 from the rear, and the female terminal 24 is inserted to the proper position so that the female terminal 24 is inserted into the cavity 23 by the lance 26. It is prevented from coming off.

When the female terminal 24 is prevented from coming off in each cavity 23, the retainer 40 is moved further upward with respect to the female housing 20. In this process, the lock claw 48 of the lock piece 46 rides on the main locking projection 31 and the lock piece 46 is elastically deformed outward in the width direction with the base end portion of the lock piece 46 as a fulcrum. At this time, as shown in FIG. 10, the distal end portion of the lock piece 46 is accommodated in the internal space of the through hole 32 of the female-side housing 20, and the lock piece 46 is allowed to elastically deform outward in the width direction. Further, the lock piece 46 elastically deformed outward in the width direction is in a state of being supported by being pressed inward in the width direction by the side wall 20A located below the through hole 32, and the lock piece 46 is inadvertently elastically deformed. In addition to suppressing this, it is possible to suppress the lock piece 46 from sagging.
Further, when the lock claw 48 of the lock piece 46 rides on the temporary locking projection 30 and the lock piece 46 is elastically deformed, the lock piece 46 is moved in a direction different from the normal direction as in the case of the temporary locking projection 30. Can be prevented from being elastically deformed.

  Then, when the lock claw 48 of the lock piece 46 gets over the main locking projection 31, the lock side locking surface 48 A of the locking claw 48 is lowered by the main locking surface 31 A of the main locking projection 31 as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 8, the retaining portion 41 is held at the final locking position. Further, in this state, as shown in FIG. 8, the terminal locking portion 44 of the retaining portion 41 protrudes into the cavity 23 and locks the connecting portion 25 of the female terminal 24 from the rear, so that the female type The terminal 24 is retained in the cavity 23. Thereby, the female terminal 24 is doubly locked by the lance 26 and the terminal locking portion 44.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the base end portions of the base body 45 and the lock piece 46 in the lock plate 42 are accommodated in the lock piece accommodation portion 29, so that other members are separated by the side wall 20 </ b> A of the female housing 20. Therefore, it is possible to prevent other members from coming into contact with the base end portion of the lock piece 46 and causing the lock piece 46 to be damaged or deformed.
Further, by forming the through hole 32 in the side wall 20A of the female housing 20 that protects the lock piece 46, the lock piece 46 is allowed to be elastically deformed, and the bending space of the lock piece 46 is separately provided in the female side housing. Compared with the case where it forms, it can prevent that the female side housing 20 enlarges.
Furthermore, according to the present embodiment, the side wall 20A of the female housing 20 positioned above and below the through hole 32 is formed continuously in the front-rear direction, which is the fitting direction of the female housing 20, so that the male housing 20 When the female housing 20 is fitted into the housing, the fitting operation can be smoothly performed without hooking the opening edge of the housing and the female housing 20.

<Embodiment 2>
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
In the second embodiment, the shape of the lock piece 46 of the retainer 40 in the first embodiment is changed, and the configuration, operation, and effect common to the above-described embodiment are duplicated, and thus the description thereof is omitted. Moreover, the same code | symbol shall be used about the same structure as the said embodiment.

  In the retainer 140 according to the second embodiment, an escape prevention protrusion 150 is formed on the outer surface in the width direction of the lock piece 146 of the lock plate 142. The slip-out preventing projection 150 extends outward in the width direction from the lock piece 146, and is configured to approach the lock piece 146 as it extends upward from the outer end thereof, and the retainer 140 is held by the female-side housing 20. In FIG. 2, the female housing 20 is accommodated in the through hole 32. Further, the lower surface of the removal preventing projection 150 can be locked with the lower opening edge of the through hole 32 when the retaining portion 41 is disposed at the temporary locking position. That is, when the lock side locking surface 148A of the lock claw 148 of the lock piece 146 is locked from below by the temporary locking surface 30A of the temporary locking projection 30, the lower surface of the removal preventing projection 150 is the through hole. 32, the retainer 140 is double-locked in the removal direction. Therefore, when the retainer 140 is moved from the final locking position to the temporary locking position for maintenance or the like, even when a large force is applied to the retainer 40 in the pulling direction, the lock claw 148 and the locking prevention protrusion At two locations with 150, the lock piece 46 is locked from below, and the retainer 140 can be prevented from being excessively detached from the female housing 20. Accordingly, it is possible to suppress the retainer 140 from dropping from the female housing 20 as compared with the case where the removal preventing protrusion 150 is not formed on the lock piece.

<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) In the above embodiment, the lock plate 42 is configured to be adjacent to the rear of the retaining portion 41, but the present invention is not limited to such a mode, for example, in front of the retaining portion 41. A lock part may be comprised and a lock part may be comprised in the width direction outer side of the retaining part.
(2) In the above embodiment, a plurality of the cavities 23 are arranged in the vertical direction and the width direction in the terminal accommodating portion 22. However, the present invention is not limited to such an aspect. Alternatively, a plurality of cavities may be arranged only in the width direction.
(3) In the above embodiment, the through hole 32 is configured in a substantially rectangular shape. However, the present invention is not limited to such a mode. For example, the through hole may be configured in a circular shape or a triangular shape. Good.

10: Connector 20: Female housing (connector housing)
20A: Side wall 24: Female terminal (terminal fitting)
29: Lock piece accommodating portion 30: Temporary locking protrusion (lock portion)
31: This locking protrusion (lock part)
32: Through hole 40, 140: Retainer 46, 146: Lock piece 150: Protrusion prevention protrusion

Claims (4)

A connector housing that contains a terminal fitting, and a retainer having a pair of lock pieces elastically deformable outward in the width direction at both ends in the width direction,
The connector housing is formed with lock piece accommodating portions for accommodating the lock pieces inside both side walls located at both ends in the width direction of the connector housing,
On the inner surface in the width direction of the lock piece accommodating portion, a lock portion is formed that is locked by elastically deforming and getting on the lock piece, and returning elastically.
The connector housing is characterized in that a through hole that allows elastic deformation of the lock piece is formed through the side wall of the connector housing. The connector housing is formed so as to be able to fit in a housing accommodating portion provided in the counterpart housing,
2. The side wall adjacent to the through hole in a direction intersecting the fitting direction among the side walls surrounding the through hole is formed continuously in the fitting direction of the connector housing. The connector described.   The said side wall adjacent to the said through-hole in the accommodation direction near side of the said lock piece among the said side walls surrounding the said through-hole presses the outer surface of the said lock piece elastically deformed inside the width direction, It is characterized by the above-mentioned. Item 3. The connector according to item 1 or 2. The lock portion is formed at a temporary locking projection that holds the retainer at a temporary locking position that allows insertion and removal of the terminal fitting, and is formed on a deeper side of the lock piece housing portion than the temporary locking projection. A final locking projection for holding the retainer at a final locking position for locking the terminal metal and locking the terminal metal from the connector housing;
The lock piece is formed with an anti-disengagement protrusion that can be locked with an opening edge on the front side in the accommodation direction of the lock piece in the through hole,
4. The method according to claim 1, wherein when the lock piece is engaged with the temporary engagement protrusion, the opening prevention protrusion is engaged in the removal direction of the lock piece by the opening edge. The connector according to any one of the above.

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