Female connector and connector assembly

Abstract

To reduce a height of a whole connector as compared with the one having a construction where a CPA member is inserted between a housing and a lock arm in a wedge shape to be operated.SOLUTION: A female connector 10 contains: an arm member 119 that is extended to a fitting direction rear side in a cantilever state from a housing main body, and includes a lock projection 123 near a free end; a female housing 100 having regulation projections 115 and 116 that are projected to the rear side of the housing main body; and a CPA member 20 that is movably combined between a temporal engagement position and a main engagement position to the arm member 119. The CPA member 20 comprises: a release part 205 that becomes an action point where the lock projection is depressed toward the housing main body; and an operation part 204 that becomes a force point. The operation part 204 is on a rear side of the regulation projections 115 and 116 at the temporal engagement position, and is positioned at a position where the movement to the housing main body at the main engagement position is regulated by the regulation projections 115 and 116.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a female connector and connector assembly having a connector position assurance member (CPA member) for preventing incorrect connection of a male connector and a female connector. [Background technology]

[0002] The connector assembly includes a connector position assurance member (hereinafter referred to as a CPA member) that detects proper mating of the male connector and the female connector.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 listed below discloses a connector in which a CPA member is inserted in a wedge shape below a locking arm while the hook portion of the locking arm, which is formed in a cantilevered shape protruding from the connector housing, is engaged with a latch portion of the mating connector.

[0004] Furthermore, the following Patent Document 2 discloses a connector including a housing having a locking arm with a locking protrusion that engages with a locked portion formed on a male housing, and a mating detection member that is inserted below the locking arm. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] JP 2006-260869 A [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 6966341 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] According to the configurations disclosed in the above Patent Documents 1 and 2, the CPA member or the mating detection member is structured to fit between the lock arm and the housing. Therefore, a connector with this configuration has a problem that the overall height of the connector is higher by the thickness of the CPA member than a connector that does not use a CPA member. That is, when the CPA member is in the provisional locking position, the lock arm needs to be pushed downward by the upper side of the CPA member to release the lock with the mating connector, and when in the full locking position, the CPA member needs to be interposed below the lock arm. In other words, the overall height of the connector requires the thickness of the lock protrusion formed on the lock arm, the thickness of the stroke for moving the lock protrusion downward, and the thickness of the CPA member.

[0007] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a female connector and a connector assembly that can reduce the overall height of the connector compared to a configuration in which a CPA member is inserted in a wedge shape between the housing and the lock arm to be activated. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to solve the above problems, one aspect of the present invention is a female housing including a housing body, an arm member extending from the housing body in a cantilever shape rearward in a mating direction and having a locking projection near a free end, and a restricting projection protruding from the housing body rearward in the mating direction relative to the free end of the arm member; a CPA member that is movably incorporated into the arm member of the female housing between a provisional locking position and a final locking position, the CPA member having a release portion that serves as a point of application for pressing the lock projection toward the housing main body, and an operation portion that serves as a force point for moving the release portion toward the housing main body, The operating portion of the CPA member is a female connector that is located rearward of the regulating protrusion in the mating direction in the temporary locking position, and is in a position where its movement toward the housing body is restricted by the regulating protrusion in the full locking position.

[0009] In addition, in one embodiment of the present invention, the CPA member has a support portion that serves as a fulcrum for moving the release portion toward the housing main body, and a retaining space is formed near the fixed end of the arm member to hold the support portion when the CPA member is in the temporary engagement position.

[0010] In addition, in one aspect of the present invention, when the CPA member is in a provisionally locked position, the support portion is configured so that the fixed end of the arm member restricts rearward movement of the CPA member in the fitting direction.

[0011] In addition, in one embodiment of the present invention, the CPA member has a locking mechanism protruding between the support portion and the release portion, and when the CPA member is in the temporary locking position, a locking claw formed on the locking mechanism engages with a locking protrusion formed on the housing main body, thereby preventing the CPA member from moving forward in the mating direction.

[0012] In one aspect of the present invention, the locking claw is formed at one end of the locking mechanism protruding in a T-shape from the connection portion, with the portion between the support portion and the release portion being the connection portion, and the other end is formed as an operating end that functions as a force point for releasing the locked state between the locking claw and the locking projection, with the connection portion as a fulcrum.

[0013] Another aspect of the present invention is a connector assembly comprising: a male connector having a locked projection that is engaged with the locking projection and a pressing projection that releases the engaged state between the locking claw and the locking projection by pressing the operating end when the CPA member is in the main locking position; and the female connector of the above-mentioned aspect. Effect of the Invention

[0014] According to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide a female connector and a connector assembly that enable the overall height of the connector to be reduced compared to a configuration in which a CPA member is activated by inserting it in a wedge shape between a housing and a locking arm.

[0015] In addition, according to another aspect of the present invention, when the CPA member is in the temporary engagement position, the release portion can be moved toward the housing main body using the support portion as a fulcrum, thereby moving the locking protrusion toward the housing main body.

[0016] Furthermore, according to another aspect of the present invention, when the CPA member is in the partial locking position, the CPA member can be made movable only toward the full locking position.

[0017] Furthermore, according to another aspect of the present invention, when the CPA member is in the provisionally locked position, it is possible to hold the CPA member in that position.

[0018] Moreover, according to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide a locking mechanism that can release the CPA member from the provisionally locked position.

[0019] In addition, according to one embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to provide a connector assembly that enables the overall height of the connector to be reduced compared to a configuration in which the CPA member is inserted in a wedge shape between the housing and the locking arm to be activated. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0020] [Figure 1] FIG. 1(A) is an exploded perspective view of a female connector of one embodiment when viewed obliquely from above, and FIG. 1(B) is an exploded perspective view of the female connector of FIG. 1(A) when viewed obliquely from below. [Diagram 2] Figure 2(A) is an external oblique view of a female housing that constitutes a female connector of one embodiment, Figure 2(B) is a rear view of the female housing of Figure 2(A), Figure 2(C) is a plan view of the female housing of Figure 2(A), and Figure 2(D) is a front view of the female housing of Figure 2(A). [Diagram 3]Figure 3(A) is an external oblique view of one embodiment of a CPA member viewed from above, Figure 3(B) is an external oblique view of the CPA member of Figure 3(A) viewed from below, Figure 3(C) is a plan view of the CPA member of Figure 3(A), Figure 3(D) is a right side view of the CPA member of Figure 3(A), Figure 3(E) is a rear view of the CPA member of Figure 3(A), and Figure 3(F) is a front view of the CPA member of Figure 3(A). [Figure 4] Figure 4(A) is an oblique view of the appearance of the male connector, Figure 4(B) is a rear view of the male connector of Figure 4(A) when viewed from the rear in the mating direction, Figure 4(C) is a plan view of the male connector of Figure 4(A), Figure 4(D) is a cross-sectional view along line IVD-IVD in Figure 4(B), Figure 4(E) is a right side view of the male connector of Figure 4(A), and Figure 4(F) is a cross-sectional view along line IVF-IVF in Figure 4(B). [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a cutaway perspective view of the external appearance of the female connector with the CPA member assembled into the female housing. [Figure 6] Figure 6(A) is an external perspective view showing a portion of the female connector cut away when the CPA member is in the temporary locking position, Figure 6(B) is a front view of the female connector in Figure 6(A), and Figure 6(C) is a cross-sectional view along line VIC-VIC in Figure 6(B). [Figure 7] Figure 7(A) is a rear view of the connector assembly when the female connector and male connector are being mated and the CPA member is in a temporary locking position, Figure 7(B) is a cross-sectional view taken along line VIIB-VIIB in Figure 7(A), and Figure 7(C) is a cross-sectional view taken along line VIIC-VIIC in Figure 7(A). [Figure 8] Figure 8(A) is a cross-sectional view corresponding to line VIIB-VIIB in Figure 7(A) of the connector assembly when the female connector and male connector are in a fully engaged state and the CPA member is in a temporary engagement position, Figure 8(B) is a cross-sectional view corresponding to line VIIC-VIIC in Figure 7(A) of the connector assembly in the state of Figure 8(A), and Figure 8(C) is a cross-sectional view corresponding to line VIIIC-VIIIC in Figure 7(A) of the connector assembly in the state of Figure 8(A). [Figure 9]Figure 9(A) is a cross-sectional view corresponding to line VIIB-VIIB in Figure 7(A) of the connector assembly when the female connector and male connector are in a fully engaged state and the CPA member is in a final engagement position, Figure 9(B) is a cross-sectional view corresponding to line VIIC-VIIC in Figure 7(A) of the connector assembly in the state of Figure 9(A), and Figure 9(C) is a cross-sectional view corresponding to line VIIIC-VIIIC in Figure 7(A) of the connector assembly in the state of Figure 9(A). DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0021] A female connector 10 according to an embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the embodiment described below is an example of the female connector and connector assembly of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The present invention should be equally applicable to female connectors and connector assemblies of other forms as described in the claims.

[0022] As shown in Figs. 1(A) and 1(B), the female connector 10 includes a female housing 100 and a CPA member 200 that is incorporated into the female housing 100 when used.

[0023] In the following description, the direction in which the female connector 10 and the male connector 30 are mated will be referred to as the connector mating direction, or simply the mating direction, or the front-rear direction. In particular, the male connector 30 side will be referred to as the front side, and the female connector 10 side will be referred to as the rear side. Also, of the directions in which the top surface 101 of the female housing 100 of the female connector 10 extends, the direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction will be referred to as the width direction. Furthermore, the direction perpendicular to both the front-rear direction and the width direction will be referred to as the up-down direction. In particular, the side on which the top surface 101 is provided will be referred to as the upper side, and the opposite side will be referred to as the lower side.

[0024] [Female housing] As shown in Figures 2(A) to 2(D), the female housing 100 is formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape and includes a housing main body having an upper surface 101, a lower surface 102, a right side surface 103, and a left side surface 104. A mating terminal insertion opening 107 and a terminal accommodating opening 108 are formed to penetrate a front surface 105 and a rear surface 106 of the female housing 100, and are internally conductive. When the female connector 10 and the male connector 30 are mated, the male contacts 301 of the male connector 30 are inserted into the mating terminal insertion opening 107. The terminal accommodating opening 108 accommodates female contacts (not shown) connected to conductors.

[0025] A guide rib 109 is provided on the right side surface 103 of the female housing 100, and a guide rib 110 is also provided on the left side surface 104. These guide ribs 109, 110 are inserted into guide slots 309, 310 formed correspondingly on the inner surfaces of the right side plate 305 and the left side plate 306 of the male housing 300 of the male connector 30 when mating with the male connector 30. This ensures that the female connector 10 is mated with the male connector 30 without any rattling.

[0026] Platforms 111, 112 are provided on both the left and right sides of the top surface 101 of the female housing 100, elevated by a predetermined height from the top surface 101, and extend in the front-rear direction in the mating direction. Locking projections 113, 114 protruding upward are formed in the center of the front-rear direction of these platforms 111, 112. In addition, restricting projections 115, 116 are formed on the rear side of the top surface 101 of the female housing 100 in the mating direction, protruding obliquely from the top surface 101 along the widthwise inner sides of the platforms 111, 112.

[0027] Further, guide ribs 117, 118 are formed on the outer widthwise edges of the platforms 111, 112, and extend upward from the right side surface 103 and the left side surface 104, respectively. The guide ribs 117, 118 extend forward and backward in the fitting direction.

[0028] Between the platforms 111 and 112 on the top surface 101 of the female housing 100 constituting the housing main body, an arm member 119 is provided in a cantilever shape so as to extend rearward in the mating direction. The arm member 119 has a fixed end 120 and a free end 121. The fixed end 120 is connected to the top surface 101 by a connecting portion 122, and the free end 121 is provided on the rear side of the arm member 119 in the mating direction. A lock projection 123 protruding upward is provided near the free end 121 of the arm member 119. A forward protrusion 124 protruding forward in the mating direction is provided on the fixed end 120 of the arm member 119, and a holding space 125 for holding a support portion of a CPA member 200 described later is formed so as to be surrounded by the top surface 101, the connecting portion 122, and this forward protrusion 124.

[0029] The arm member 119 is supported by a connection portion 122 from the top surface 101 of the female housing 100 so that the free end 121 of the arm member 119 is positioned above the stroke that the locking projection 123 presses down to release the locking projection from the locked projection of the male connector 30.

[0030] [CPA components] 3(A)-3(F), the CPA member 20 is assembled to the arm member 119 of the female housing 100 so as to be movable between a temporary locking position and a full locking position, which will be described later, and has two rods 201, 202 extending parallel to each other in the front-rear direction of the mating direction. The distance between the two rods 201, 202 is approximately equal to the width of the arm member 119, and the arm member 119 is received between the two rods 201, 202.

[0031] The front end portions of the two rods 201, 202 in the fitting direction are connected by a horizontal member whose lower portion extends in the width direction, and this horizontal member functions as a support portion 203. The rear end portions of the two rods 201, 202 in the fitting direction are connected to each other by a button-shaped operating portion 204 that extends in the width direction. The central portions of the two rods 201, 202 in the fitting direction are connected by a horizontal member that extends in the width direction, and this horizontal member functions as a release portion 205.

[0032] When CPA member 20 is in a temporary locking position, which will be described later, support portion 203 serves as a fulcrum for moving release portion 205 toward female housing 100. When CPA member 20 is incorporated into arm member 119, release portion 205 serves as a point of action for pressing lock protrusion 123 toward upper surface 101 of female housing 100, and operation portion 204 serves as a force point for moving release portion 205 toward upper surface 101. Operation portion 204 is formed so as to be located rearward in the fitting direction from restricting protrusions 115, 116 when CPA member 20 is incorporated into arm member 119 and in the locking position.

[0033] The lower surfaces of the two rods 201, 202 are formed to have inclined surfaces 206, 207 that are tapered upward on the rear side in the mating direction from the release portion 205. This increases the space between the rods 201, 202 on the rear side in the mating direction from the release portion 205 and the upper surface 101 of the female housing 100, thereby providing a larger stroke distance for the operating portion 204.

[0034] Locking mechanisms 208, 209 are provided symmetrically on the widthwise outer sides of the two rods 201, 202, protruding between the support part 203 and the release part 205. The right locking mechanism 208 has a connection part 210 at the part of the rod 201 between the support part 203 and the release part 205, protrudes in a T-shape from the connection part 210, and has a locking claw 211 protruding in a hook-like shape on the inside in the widthwise direction at one end branching off from the connection part 210 on the rear side in the fitting direction. The other end branching off from the connection part 210 on the front side in the fitting direction is provided with an operating end 212 that protrudes in a rounded shape on the outside in the widthwise direction.

[0035] Locking claw 211 is locked to locking projection 113 when CPA member 20 is incorporated into arm member 119 of female housing 100 and is in the locked position. In addition, actuating end 212 is pressed by pressing projection 315 formed in the hood of male housing 300 of male connector 30, and functions as a force point that releases the locked state between locking claw 211 and locking projection 113 with connection portion 210 as a fulcrum.

[0036] The left locking mechanism 209 has a similar configuration to the locking mechanism 208, but the portion of the rod 202 between the support portion 203 and the release portion 205 is a connection portion 213, and it protrudes in a T-shape from the connection portion 213. One end of the branched portion branching off from the connection portion 213 toward the rear side in the fitting direction has a locking claw 214 that protrudes in a hook-like shape toward the inside in the width direction. The other end of the branched portion branching off from the connection portion 213 toward the front side in the fitting direction has an operating end 215 that protrudes in a rounded shape toward the outside in the width direction.

[0037] Locking claw 214 is locked to locking projection 114 when CPA member 20 is incorporated into arm member 119 of female housing 100 and is in the locked position. In addition, actuating end 215 is pressed by pressing projection 316 formed on the lower surface of upper plate 302 of male housing 300 of male connector 30, and functions as a force point that releases the locked state between locking claw 214 and locking projection 114 with connection portion 213 as a fulcrum.

[0038] As shown in Figures 4(A)-4(F), male connector 30 that mates with female connector 10 described above has male housing 300 and multiple male contacts 301 fixed to male housing 300. Male housing 300 is hood-shaped and composed of top plate 302, bottom plate 303, front plate 304, right side plate 305, and left side plate 306, and a mating opening 307 for inserting female connector 10 is formed on the rear side in the mating direction. Male contacts 301 are fixed to front plate 304 and protrude into mating opening 307 toward the rear in the mating direction.

[0039] A downwardly protruding locking projection 308 is formed on the underside of the rear end of the upper plate 302 in the mating direction. Also, guide slots 309, 310 are provided on the inner surfaces of the right side plate 305 and the left side plate 306 so as to receive the guide ribs 109, 110 of the female housing 100.

[0040] Additionally, guide ribs 311, 312 are provided on the lower surface of the upper plate 302, protruding downward at a predetermined gap from the right side plate 305 and the left side plate 306, and extending forward and backward in the mating direction. Between these guide ribs 311, 312 and the right side plate 305 and the left side plate 306, there function as guide slots 313, 314 that receive the guide ribs 117, 118 of the female housing 100. Additionally, on the front side of the mating direction and on the inner side in the width direction of the guide ribs 311, 312, there are provided pressing protrusions 315, 316 that protrude inward in the width direction in a tapered shape.

[0041] [Incorporation of CPA components] Next, a method of incorporating the above-described CPA member 20 into the female housing 100 will be described. The CPA member 20 is placed on the arm member 119 on the upper surface 101 of the female housing 100, as shown in Fig. 5. At this time, the two rods 201, 202 of the CPA member 20 are located on both sides of the arm member 119 in the width direction, and the support portion 203 is located on the front side in the fitting direction of the holding space 125 surrounded by the upper surface 101 of the female housing 100, the connecting portion 122, and the forward protruding portion 124.

[0042] At this time, the release portion 205 is placed on the arm member 119, further forward in the mating direction than the lock protrusion 123. The inclined surfaces 206, 207 at the rear portions of the rods 201, 202 in the mating direction are placed on the restricting protrusions 115, 116. Furthermore, the locking mechanisms 208, 209 are placed on the platforms 111, 112 on the upper surface of the female housing 100, forward in the mating direction.

[0043] In this state, when the CPA member 20 is slid backward in the mating direction, the CPA member 20 reaches the provisionally locked position shown in Figures 6(A) to 6(C). That is, the rods 201, 202 move along both sides in the width direction of the arm member 119, and the support part 203 is held in the holding space 125. When the CPA member 20 is in this provisionally locked position, the movement of the support part 203 backward in the mating direction is restricted by the fixed end 120 of the arm member 119, i.e., the connection part 122. This restricts the CPA member 20 from moving further backward in the mating direction.

[0044] At this time, the release portion 205 is placed on an adjacent portion of the arm member 119 on the front side in the mating direction of the lock protrusion 123. Furthermore, the inclined surfaces 206, 207 of the rods 201, 202 are located rearward of the restricting protrusions 115, 116 in the mating direction, and can be moved downward by pushing the operating portion 204, which protrudes rearward beyond the rear end of the female housing 100, downward.

[0045] Furthermore, the locking mechanisms 208 and 209 are arranged on the platforms 111 and 112 in the mating direction. The CPA member 20 slides rearward and the locking claws 211, 214 are locked by the locking projections 113, 114 on the platforms 111, 112. This restricts the CPA member 20 from moving forward in the fitting direction at the provisionally locked position.

[0046] [Connector Mating] With the CPA member 20 in the provisionally locked position, the female connector 10 is mated with the male connector 30. Specifically, the female housing 100 is inserted into the mating opening 307 of the male housing 300. Then, the guide ribs 109, 110 of the female housing 100 are inserted into the guide slots 309, 310 of the male housing 300. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 7(B), the guide ribs 117, 118 of the female housing 100 are inserted into the guide slots 313, 314 of the male housing 300.

[0047] Furthermore, when the female connector 10 is mated with the male connector 30, as shown in Fig. 8(C), the male contacts 301 protruding into the mating opening 307 of the male housing 300 are inserted into the mating terminal insertion opening 107 of the female housing 100. Then, the male contacts 301 are connected to the female contacts (not shown) accommodated in the terminal accommodating opening 108.

[0048] As shown in FIG. 8B, the locked protrusion 308 of the male housing 300 is locked by the locking protrusion 123 of the arm member 119, and the female connector 10 and the male connector 30 are in a mated state. At this time, the CPA member 20 is still in the provisionally locked position. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 8B and FIG. 8C, the operating portion 204 of the CPA member 20 and the inclined surfaces 206, 207 of the rods 201, 202 are located rearward in the mating direction from the restricting protrusions 115, 116. Therefore, when the operating portion 204 is pushed downward, the support portion 203 serves as a fulcrum because it is held in the holding space 125, and the release portion 205 serves as a point of action that presses the locking protrusion 123 downward toward the female housing 100. Then, the locked state of the locking protrusion 123 with respect to the locked protrusion 308 can be released.

[0049] When the female connector 10 and the male connector 30 are mated, as shown in Fig. 8(A), the pressing protrusions 315, 316 provided on the guide ribs 311, 312 of the male housing 300 press the operating ends 212, 215 of the locking mechanisms 208, 209 of the CPA member 20 inward in the width direction. Then, the T-shaped locking mechanisms 208, 209 rotate with the operating ends 212, 215 as the force points and the connecting parts 210, 213 as the fulcrums, and the locking claws 211, 214, which are the points of action, move outward in the width direction, and the locking state with the locking protrusions 113, 114 of the female housing 100 is released. This makes it possible to move the CPA member 20 forward in the mating direction.

[0050] [Final locking position] In the above state, when the CPA member 20 is moved forward in the mating direction as shown in Fig. 9(A)-Fig. 9(C), the CPA member 20 is placed in the main locking position. At this time, the rods 201 and 202 move forward along the arm member 119. Accordingly, the support portion 203 moves forward in the mating direction of the holding space 125, and the release portion 205 also moves forward in the mating direction from the lock protrusion 123 on the arm member 119. Furthermore, the inclined surfaces 206 and 207 of the rods 201 and 202 and the operation portion 204 are placed on the restricting protrusions 115 and 116. Therefore, even if the operation portion 204 is pushed down to move it toward the upper surface 101 of the female housing 100, the downward movement of the rods 201 and 202 is restricted by the restricting protrusions 115 and 116, and the release portion 205 cannot push the lock protrusion 123 downward. This maintains the locked state between locking projection 123 and locked projection 308, and maintains the mated state between female connector 10 and male connector 30.

[0051] At this time, the locking claws 211, 214 of the locking mechanisms 208, 209 of the CPA member 20 are positioned forward of the locking projections 113, 114 in the mating direction. The rearward surfaces of the locking claws 211, 214 in the mating direction face the vicinity of the forward surfaces of the locking projections 113, 114 in the mating direction, and the rearward movement of the CPA member 20 in the mating direction is restricted. The CPA member 20 is moved from the full locking position to the temporary locking position rearward in the mating direction as shown in Figures 8(A)-8(C) by fingers or a tool. Then, the support portion 203 is held in the holding space 125, and the release portion 205 is placed on the adjacent portion of the arm member 119 on the front side of the lock projection 123 in the mating direction. Furthermore, the inclined surfaces 206, 207 of the rods 201, 202 are positioned rearward of the restricting projections 115, 116 in the mating direction.

[0052] In this state, it is possible to press operating portion 204 downward. When operating portion 204 is pressed downward, rods 201, 202 of CPA member 20 use support portion 203 as a fulcrum, and release portion 205, which serves as the point of action, moves downward. This causes locking projection 123 of arm member 119 to be pressed downward and released from locked projection 308 of male connector 30, enabling the engagement between female connector 10 and male connector 30 to be released.

[0053] In the above, the CPA member 20 is described as being mounted on the upper surface 101 of the female housing 100. However, the present disclosure is not limited to the above embodiment, and the CPA member 20 may be mounted on the lower surface 102 of the female housing 100. In that case, it will be clear to those skilled in the art that it is necessary to form all related members upside down. Similarly, the CPA member 20 may be formed on the right side surface 103 or the left side surface 104 of the female housing 100. [Explanation of symbols]

[0054] 10 Female Connector 20 CPA components 30 Male Connector 100 Female housing 101 Top surface 102 Bottom surface 103 Right side 104 Left side 105 Front 106 Rear 107 Counterpart terminal insertion port 108 Terminal housing 109, 110 Guide rib 111, 112 Platform 113, 114 Locking protrusion 115, 116 Regulating protrusion 117, 118 Guide rib 119 Arm parts 120 Fixed end 121 Free end 122 Connection 123 Lock protrusion 124 Forward protrusion 125 Holding space 200 CPA parts 201, 202 Rod 203 Support part 204 Operation section 205 Release section 206, 207 Slope 208, 209 Locking mechanism 210 Connection 211 Locking claw 212 Working End 213 Connection 214 Locking claw 215 Working End 300 Male housing 301 Male Contact 302 Upper Plate 303 Bottom plate 304 Front Panel 305 Right side plate 306 Left side plate 307 Fitting opening 308 Locked protrusion 309, 310 Guide slot 311, 312 Guide rib 313, 314 Guide slot 315, 316 Pressing protrusion

Claims

1. a female housing including a housing body, an arm member extending from the housing body in a cantilever shape rearward in the mating direction and having a locking projection near a free end, and a restricting projection protruding from the housing body rearward in the mating direction relative to the free end of the arm member; a CPA member that is movably incorporated into the arm member of the female housing between a provisional locking position and a final locking position, the CPA member having a release portion that serves as a point of application for pressing the lock projection toward the housing body, and an operation portion that serves as a force point for moving the release portion toward the housing body, A female connector in which the operating portion of the CPA member is located rearward of the regulating protrusion in the mating direction in the temporary locking position, and is in a position where its movement toward the housing body is restricted by the regulating protrusion in the full locking position.

2. A female connector as described in claim 1, wherein the CPA member has a support portion that serves as a fulcrum for moving the release portion toward the housing main body, and a retaining space is formed near the fixed end of the arm member to hold the support portion when the CPA member is in a temporary engagement position.

3. 3. The female connector according to claim 2, wherein the support portion is configured to restrict rearward movement of the CPA member in the mating direction by the fixed end of the arm member when the CPA member is in the provisionally locked position.

4. The CPA member has a locking mechanism formed between the support portion and the release portion and protruding therefrom, A female connector as described in claim 2 or 3, wherein when the CPA member is in the temporary engagement position, a locking claw formed on the locking mechanism engages with a locking protrusion formed on the housing body, thereby restricting forward movement of the CPA member in the mating direction.

5. 5. A female connector as described in claim 4, wherein the locking claw is formed at one end of the locking mechanism protruding in a T-shape from the connection portion, with the portion between the support portion and the release portion as the connection portion, and the other end is formed as an operating end that functions as a force point for releasing the locked state between the locking claw and the locking projection, with the connection portion as a fulcrum.

6. a male connector having a locked projection that is engaged with the lock projection, and a pressing projection that releases the engagement between the locking claw and the locking projection by pressing the operating end when the CPA member is in a full locking position; A connector assembly comprising the female connector according to claim 5.

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