connector

Abstract

This connector allows for efficient use of space within the housing, thereby contributing to the miniaturization of the connector. [Solution] The detection member 30 comprises a base portion 31, a detection piece 32, and a pair of holding arms 34. The pair of holding arms 34 are shorter in length from the base portion 31 than the detection piece 32. The holding portion 20 that holds the detection member 30 comprises an upper holding portion 22 provided above the lock arm 13 relative to the housing 11, which holds the holding arms 34 so as to be movable in the front-rear direction, and a lower holding portion 21 provided below the lock arm 13 relative to the housing 11, which holds the base portion 31 so as to be movable in the front-rear direction.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a connector having a detection member for detecting a fitting state with a mating connector.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a connector having a fitting detection function by a detection member. This connector has, in a housing, a lock arm extending in a cantilever manner from an outer surface, and a detection member provided so as to be movable forward from an initial position to a detection position inside the housing. The detection member includes a detection piece whose movement to the detection position is permitted when the fitting with the mating connector is held by the lock arm.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Generally, there is a desire to miniaturize a connector. However, simply miniaturizing the housing leaves no room for the arrangement space of the terminals inside the connector and the space for arranging the detection member, which may hinder the functions of the connector itself. Therefore, there is room for improvement in miniaturizing the connector.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] The connector of this disclosure is a connector that can be mated to a mating connector and comprises a housing having a lock arm that holds mating with the mating connector, and a detection member that detects whether or not mating with the mating connector is held by the lock arm, wherein the lock arm extends cantilevered rearward from the outer surface of the housing, and the housing has a holding portion provided on the rear end side that holds the detection member so as to be movable between an initial position and a detection position in the front-rear direction toward the lock arm, and the detection member comprises a base portion, a detection piece extending from the base portion toward the lock arm and allowing movement to a detection position when the lock arm holds mating with the mating connector, and a pair of holding arms provided on the base portion spaced apart in the width direction that intersects the front-rear direction and extending forward above the detection piece, wherein the pair of holding arms has a length dimension from the base portion that is shorter than that of the detection piece, and the holding portion comprises an upper holding portion provided above the lock arm relative to the housing and holding the pair of holding arms so as to be movable in the front-rear direction, and a lower holding portion provided below the lock arm relative to the housing and holding the base portion so as to be movable in the front-rear direction. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] According to this disclosure, the space below the lock arm in the housing can be effectively utilized, which in turn can contribute to miniaturizing the connector. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a perspective view of the connector from the front at an oblique angle. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a plan view of the connector seen from above. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a rear view of the connector, seen from the rear. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a perspective view of the detection element from an oblique front angle. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the housing body at the CC cross-sectional position shown in Figure 3, with the detection member not shown. [Figure 6]Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of the housing body at the BB cross-sectional position shown in Figure 3, with the detection member omitted from the illustration. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view showing the housing body at the AA cross-sectional position in Figure 2, with the mating connector and the other connector in a partially mated state. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of the housing body at the BB cross-sectional position in Figure 3, showing the state before the mating connector and the other connector are mated. [Figure 9] Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view showing the state in which the mating connector and the other connector are in the process of mating at the CC cross-sectional position in Figure 3. [Figure 10] Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view showing the state at cross-sectional position AA in Figure 2, where the connector is mated and the detection member is moving from the initial position to the detection position. [Figure 11] Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view showing the state at the AA cross-sectional position in Figure 2, where the connector is mated and the detection member has reached the detection position. [Figure 12] Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view showing the state at the BB cross-sectional position in Figure 3, where the connector is mated and the detection member has reached the detection position. [Figure 13] Figure 13 is a cross-sectional view showing the state at the CC cross-sectional position in Figure 3, where the connector is mated and the detection member has reached the detection position. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0008] [Description of Embodiments in this Disclosure] First, the embodiments of this disclosure will be listed and described. [1] The connector of the present disclosure is a connector that can be mated to a mating connector and comprises a housing having a lock arm for holding mating with the mating connector, and a detection member for detecting whether or not mating with the mating connector is held by the lock arm, wherein the lock arm extends cantilevered rearward from the outer surface of the housing, and the housing has a holding portion provided on the rear end side for holding the detection member so as to be movable between an initial position and a detection position in the front-rear direction toward the lock arm, wherein the detection member comprises a base portion, a detection piece extending forward from the base portion and allowing movement to a detection position when the lock arm holds mating with the mating connector, and a pair of holding arms provided spaced apart in the width direction intersecting the front-rear direction on the base portion and extending forward above the detection piece, wherein the pair of holding arms has a length dimension shorter from the base portion than the detection piece, and the holding portion comprises an upper holding portion provided above the lock arm and holding the pair of holding arms so as to be movable in the front-rear direction, and a lower holding portion provided below the lock arm and holding the base portion so as to be movable in the front-rear direction.

[0009] In the connector with the above configuration, the pair of retaining arms of the detection member are held by an upper retaining part located above the locking arm, and the base is held by a lower retaining part located below the locking arm. This allows the pair of retaining arms of the detection member to be held above the locking arm located on the upper outer surface of the connector, thereby enabling more effective use of the internal space of the housing compared to when the retaining arms are held in the space below the locking arm. Furthermore, since the pair of retaining arms and the base are movably held by the upper and lower retaining parts, it is possible to prevent the detection member from detaching from the retaining part during movement from the initial position to the detection position, even if the length of the pair of retaining arms is shorter than that of the detection piece. Here, the detection member detaching from the retaining part means that the detection member moves from its intended state relative to the retaining part. The same applies to the retaining arms. As a result, the size of the upper retaining part located above the housing can be suppressed as the retaining arms are miniaturized, and the connector can be miniaturized.

[0010] [2] The detection member is provided above the base portion and includes arm support portions whose widthwise ends extend outward from the base portion, and preferably the pair of holding arms extend forward from both widthwise ends of the arm support portion. With the above configuration, the pair of holding arms can be deformed in the widthwise direction starting from both ends of the arm support portion, making it easier to move smoothly from the initial position to the detection position within the arm housing space, thereby improving the operability of the detection member.

[0011] [3] The housing has a flexure space below the lock arm that allows for flexure deformation of the lock arm in the vertical direction. The lower holding portion has a base accommodation space for accommodating the base portion that communicates with the flexure space. In the initial position, the detection piece is located within the flexure space, and it is desirable that the length dimension of the detection piece in the width direction is shorter than the separation distance between the pair of holding arms in the width direction. With the above configuration, even in a configuration where the detection piece of the detection member is located within the flexure space of the connector at the initial position, the space required for the intrusion of the detection piece inside the housing can be made compact. Thereby, the space below the lock arm in the housing can be utilized more effectively.

[0012] [4] The pair of holding arms includes a main locking protrusion that protrudes inward in the width direction and a flexure regulation protrusion that is provided behind the main locking protrusion and protrudes outward in the width direction. The upper holding portion includes an inner wall provided inside the pair of holding arms and an outer wall provided outside the pair of holding arms. An arm accommodation space for accommodating the pair of holding arms is formed in the space sandwiched between the inner wall and the outer wall. The inner wall includes a wall-side protrusion that protrudes outward in the width direction. The pair of holding arms preferably reaches the detection position from the initial position by the main locking protrusion overcoming the wall-side protrusion due to flexure deformation on the outer side in the width direction within the arm accommodation space with the flexure regulation protrusion abutting against the outer wall.

[0013] In the above configuration, by the pushing operation on the detection member, the pair of holding arms flexure-deform outward within the arm accommodation space, so that the main locking protrusion overcomes the wall-side protrusion of the upper holding portion and reaches the detection position from the initial position. At this time, the flexure regulation protrusions of the pair of holding arms abut against the outer wall of the upper holding portion, preventing the pair of holding arms from flexure-deforming greatly in the width direction and suppressing the holding arms from coming off the upper holding portion.

[0014] [Details of Embodiments of the Present Disclosure] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 13. The present disclosure is not limited to these examples, but is shown by the claims, and it is intended that all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the claims be included. In each drawing, for convenience of explanation, a part of the configuration may be exaggerated or simplified.

[0015] In the following description, the direction indicated by the arrow Z is defined as upward, the direction indicated by the arrow X is defined as forward, and the direction indicated by the arrow Y is defined as leftward. Then, the direction in which the arrow X extends is referred to as the "front-back direction X", the direction in which the arrow Y extends is referred to as the "width direction Y", and the direction in which the arrow Z extends is referred to as the "up-down direction Z". Note that for a plurality of identical members, only some members may be labeled, and the labels of other members may be omitted.

[0016] As shown in FIG. 1, the connector 10 includes a housing 11 that fits with a mating connector 60 on the front side, and a detection member 30. In this embodiment, the housing 11 is made of synthetic resin. As shown in FIG. 7, the mating connector 60 that fits into the housing 11 includes a mating housing 61 made of synthetic resin. The mating housing 61 has a cylindrical hood 62 that opens forward. At the front end of the upper wall of the hood 62, a lock receiving portion 63 for locking a lock arm 13 (described later) of the connector 10 is formed. The lock receiving portion 63 is a through hole that penetrates the upper wall in the up-down direction.

[0017] The housing 11 is made of synthetic resin and includes, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a block-shaped housing body 12, a lock arm 13 integrally connected to the upper outer surface of the housing body 12, and a holding portion 20 provided on the rear end side of the housing body 12 for holding the detection member 30.

[0018] Multiple terminal housing chambers 14 are formed inside the housing body 12, where terminals are housed. The terminal housing chambers 14 are spaces that penetrate the housing body 12 in the front-to-back direction X, and in this embodiment, each terminal housing chamber 14 is formed inside the housing body 12, arranged in the width direction Y and the vertical direction Z, respectively. In the housing body 12, approximately in the center in the width direction Y, a lock arm 13 and a deflection space 15 (shown in Figure 7) that allows the vertical deflection of the lock arm 13 are formed, and each terminal housing chamber 14 arranged on the upper side is formed on the left and right sides in the width direction Y, flanking the lock arm 13.

[0019] The lock arm 13 is a portion that extends cantilevered from the front to the rear of the housing body 12 on the upper outer surface of the housing body 12. That is, the lock arm 13 has a base end on the front side of the housing body 12 and is configured to bend and deform in the vertical direction Z. The lock arm 13 is provided with a lock projection 16 that protrudes upward. The lock projection 16 is the portion that is inserted into the lock receiving portion 63 when the connector 10 is mated with the mating connector 60. As shown in Figure 7, the lock projection 16 is provided with a receiving recess 17 that opens downward and accommodates the upper tip of the detection piece 32 of the detection member 30, which will be described later. A release operation portion 18 is provided on the lock arm 13 behind the lock projection 16. The release operation portion 18 is the portion that receives a pressing operation on the lock arm 13 to release the mating with the mating connector 60.

[0020] In the housing body 12, a flex space 15 is formed below the lock arm 13 to allow elastic deflection of the lock arm 13 during the process of the connector 10 and the mating connector 60 mating. As shown in Figure 7, the flex space 15 is a space in the housing body 12 that extends from the front end to the rear and communicates with the base housing space 40 of the holding part 20, which will be described later, at the rear of the housing body 12.

[0021] As shown in Figure 1, a holding portion 20 is provided at the rear end of the housing body 12 into which the detection member 30 is inserted and held. The holding portion 20 is located approximately in the center in the width direction Y at the rear end of the housing body 12, and is also a portion that extends above and behind the housing body 12. The holding portion 20 has an opening at the rear, through which the detection member 30 can be inserted and held so that it can move in the front-rear direction X.

[0022] The detection member 30 is a member that detects whether or not the lock arm 13 is maintained in a mating position with the mating connector 60. As shown in Figure 4, the detection member 30 comprises a base portion 31, a detection piece 32 extending forward from the base portion 31, an operating portion 33 provided above the base portion 31, and a pair of holding arms 34 spaced apart in the width direction intersecting the direction in which the detection piece 32 extends (forward). In this embodiment, the detection member 30 is integrally formed from synthetic resin, and the pair of holding arms 34 are elastically deformable.

[0023] The base portion 31 is a movable part along the bottom surface of the holding portion 20 and is rectangular in shape when viewed from above. The base portion 31 is provided with a detection piece 32 that extends forward. The detection piece 32 extends diagonally upward from the base portion 31 at a predetermined angle, and its tip is raised. The tip of the detection piece 32 is provided with a detection projection 35 that engages with the lock projection 16 of the lock arm 13. The tip of the detection projection 35 is provided with a forward-extending contact portion 35A, which, as will be described later, is the part that contacts the bottom surface of the lock projection 16 in the standby position.

[0024] Above the base portion 31, a plate-shaped operating portion 33 is provided, extending in the width direction Y. The operating portion 33 is a part that allows a finger or jig to be hooked onto it, thereby sliding the detection member 30 in the front-rear direction X. The operating portion 33 has a larger dimension in the width direction Y than the base portion 31, and both ends extend beyond the base portion 31 in the width direction Y.

[0025] A pair of holding arms 34 are provided at both ends of the operating section 33 in the width direction Y. The holding arms 34 extend forward from both ends of the operating section 33 in a cantilevered manner with their thickness direction in the width direction Y, and are capable of bending and deforming in the width direction Y with both ends of the operating section 33 as fulcrums. The length of the pair of holding arms 34 from the operating section 33 is shorter than the length of the detection piece 32 from the base section 31. In this embodiment, the operating section 33 is an example of an arm support section.

[0026] The tip of the retaining arm 34 is provided with a main locking projection 50 that protrudes inward in the width direction Y, and an upper anti-detachment projection 51 that is located behind the main locking projection 50 and protrudes outward in the width direction Y. The upper anti-detachment projection 51 is longer in the width direction Y than the main locking projection 50 and has a sloping shape on the front side. Furthermore, a locking groove 52 is provided on the retaining arm 34 behind the main locking projection 50, on the inside in the width direction Y. In this embodiment, the upper anti-detachment projection 51 is located on the tip side of the retaining arm 34, and the distance to the main locking projection 50 is short. The locking groove 52 is located below the neck of the main locking projection 50 in the front-rear direction X and also functions as a thin-walled portion of the retaining arm 34. In this embodiment, the upper anti-detachment projection 51 is an example of a deflection-restricting projection.

[0027] The base portion 31 is provided with a pair of lower anti-detachment projections 53 that protrude outward in the width direction Y. The lower anti-detachment projections 53 have a shape that is inclined towards the front. The lower anti-detachment projections 53, together with the upper anti-detachment projections 51, are parts that prevent the detection member 30 from falling off the holding portion 20.

[0028] Next, the detailed configuration of the holding portion 20 provided by the housing 11 will be described. As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the holding portion 20 includes a lower holding portion 21 that holds the base portion 31 of the sensing member 30 so as to be movable in the front-rear direction X, and an upper holding portion 22 located above the lower holding portion 21 that holds a pair of holding arms 34 so as to be movable in the front-rear direction X.

[0029] As shown in Figure 5, the lower retaining portion 21 is provided with a pair of lower retaining walls 23 that rise from the bottom wall in the vertical direction Z. The pair of lower retaining walls 23 are spaced apart by a distance corresponding to the width Y dimension of the base portion 31, thereby forming a base housing space 40 inside which the base portion 31 is housed. The base housing space 40 communicates with a flex space 15 provided inside the housing body 12 in the front-rear direction X.

[0030] The lower retaining wall 23 is provided with a lower locking portion 27, which is a projection that extends inward in the width direction Y. The lower locking portion 27 is a part that prevents the detection member 30 from falling out of the base housing space 40 by locking with a lower fall prevention projection 53 provided on the base portion 31 of the detection member 30.

[0031] As shown in Figure 6, the upper holding portion 22 comprises a pair of outer walls 24 rising upward from the upper outer surface of the housing body 12, and a pair of inner walls 25 located inside each outer wall 24 and rising upward from the upper outer surface of the housing body 12. Furthermore, the upper holding portion 22 has a horizontal, flat ceiling wall 26 (shown in Figure 2) that is installed in conjunction with the upper ends of each inner wall 25 and each outer wall 24. The rear end of the ceiling wall 26 is provided with a notch 26A that is cut out in a substantially semicircular shape.

[0032] Each outer wall 24 is provided at a predetermined distance apart in the width direction Y, and also functions as a side wall of the holding part 20. The distance between each outer wall 24 corresponds to the maximum dimension in the width direction Y of the detection member 30 (i.e., the dimension between the pair of holding arms 34).

[0033] Each inner wall 25 is spaced apart in the width direction Y to avoid the release operation portion 18 of the lock arm 13. In this embodiment, the spacing distance of each inner wall 25 is approximately the same as the spacing distance of the lower holding wall 23 described earlier. As a result, the connector 10 is shaped such that the release operation portion 18 of the lock arm 13 is positioned in the space enclosed by the pair of inner walls 25 and the ceiling wall 26 of the holding portion 20, and the release operation portion 18 can be operated from the notch 26A at the rear end of the ceiling wall 26.

[0034] Between the outer wall 24 and the inner wall 25, an arm housing space 41 is formed into which the holding arms 34 of the detection member 30 are inserted and held. The arm housing space 41 extends in the width direction Y by a distance corresponding to the thickness dimension of the holding arms 34, and is also a space that extends in the front-rear direction X. As shown in Figure 6, the rear end position of the inner wall 25 in the front-rear direction X is set back further than the rear end position of the outer wall 24. This allows the pair of holding arms 34 of the detection member 30 to bend and deform inward, be inserted between the outer walls 24, and then, by bringing the inner wall 25 into contact with the holding arms 34 from the inside, the pair of holding arms 34 can be spread outward and housed in the arm housing space 41.

[0035] As shown in Figure 6, each inner wall 25 is provided with a first upper locking portion 28 that protrudes outward in the width direction Y. Each outer wall 24 is provided with a second upper locking portion 29 that protrudes inward in the width direction Y. The second upper locking portion 29 is located further rearward than the first upper locking portion 28 in the front-rear direction X. In this embodiment, the first upper locking portion 28 is an example of a wall-side projection.

[0036] In the connector 10 with the above configuration, the detection member 30 is inserted into the holding part 20 from the rear side, thereby housing and holding the base part 31 in the base housing space 40 of the lower holding part 21, and housing and holding the holding arm 34 in the arm housing space 41 of the upper holding part 22, thereby holding the detection member 30 in its initial position. At this time, in the lower holding part 21, as the detection member 30 is inserted, the pair of lower holding walls 23 bend outward, causing the lower anti-detachment projection 53 of the base part 31 to overcome the lower locking part 27, and the base part 31 is held in the base housing space 40 at the position shown in Figure 9. In the upper holding part 22, the pair of holding arms 34 bend inward and are housed on the front side of the upper holding part 22, and then are pushed outward by the inner wall 25, causing the pair of holding arms 34 to be inserted into the arm housing space 41 between the outer wall 24 and the inner wall 25 shown in Figure 8.

[0037] As shown in Figure 8, in the initial position, the tip of the main locking projection 50 on the holding arm 34 abuts against the first upper locking portion 28 within the arm housing space 41 of the upper holding portion 22, thereby restricting the forward movement of the holding arm 34. Furthermore, as shown in Figures 8 and 9, the upper fall prevention projection 51 goes over the second upper locking portion 29, and the lower fall prevention projection 53 goes over the lower locking portion 27, thus preventing the detection member 30 from falling rearward from the holding portion 20.

[0038] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 7, in the initial position, the contact portion 35A located at the tip of the detection projection 35 in the deflection space 15 is in contact with the lock projection 16 on the lock arm 13 from below.

[0039] (Explanation of connector operation while mating is in progress) Next, the operation of each part when the connector 10 is mated with the mating connector 60 will be explained. During the mating process in which the housing body 12 is fitted into the hood 62 of the mating housing 61, as shown in Figure 7, the lock projection 16 of the lock arm 13 is pushed down by the inner wall of the hood 62 of the mating housing 61, causing the lock arm 13 and the detection piece 32 to begin to bend downward. As mating with the mating housing 61 progresses, the lock projection 16 is pressed against the hood 62, and the lock arm 13 is pushed down into the bending space 15. When the housing 11 is properly fitted into the mating housing 61, the pressure from the hood 62 on the lock projection 16 is released, and as shown in Figure 10, the lock arm 13 elastically returns to its original position, and the lock projection 16 enters the lock receiving portion 63 from below. As a result, both housings 11 and 61 are held in the properly fitted state by the lock arm 13.

[0040] In the normal mating state, the detection projection 35 of the detection piece 32 is pressed downward by the hood 62, releasing the contact between the contact portion 35A and the lock projection 16. As a result, the detection member 30 is kept in a standby position where the detection projection 35 of the detection piece 32 is separated from the lock arm 13 and in contact with the mating housing 61. In the standby position, the detection piece 32 is bent and deformed by the hood 62, taking on a nearly horizontal tilted position.

[0041] When a forward pushing force is applied to the detection member 30 in the standby position by pressing the operating unit 33, the tip of the detection projection 35 slides under the lock projection 16 of the lock arm 13, causing the detection piece 32 to bend and deform further downward. As a result, the detection piece 32 can move further forward, inserting the detection projection 35 into the housing recess 17 of the lock arm 13.

[0042] As shown in Figure 11, the detection member 30 reaches the detection position when the detection projection 35 is fitted into and housed in the housing recess 17 of the lock arm 13. In other words, the detection member 30 is permitted to slide to the detection position. From this point onward, even if the operating part 33 of the detection member 30 is pressed, the detection projection 35 abuts against the front surface of the inner wall of the housing recess 17 of the lock arm 13, thereby preventing the detection member 30 from advancing any further.

[0043] Furthermore, as the detection member 30 moves from its initial position to the detection position, the pair of holding arms 34 deform outward in the width direction Y within the arm housing space 41, causing the locking projection 50 to overcome the first upper locking portion 28 and reach the position shown in Figure 12 within the arm housing space 41. At this time, the tip of the upper fall prevention projection 51 abuts against the outer wall 24, making the holding arm 34 more susceptible to deformation in the width direction Y, starting from the locking groove 52 (i.e., the thin-walled portion) located below the neck of the locking projection 50. This prevents the holding arm 34 from deforming significantly in the width direction Y within the arm housing space 41. As a result, the locking of the upper holding portion 22 to the holding arm 34 weakens before and after the locking projection 50 overcomes the first upper locking portion 28, preventing the holding arm 34 from coming off the upper holding portion 22.

[0044] As the detection member 30 reaches the detection position, as shown in Figure 12, the first upper locking portion 28 is inserted into the locking groove 52 of the holding arm 34 in the arm housing space 41, restricting the forward movement of the holding arm 34. As a result, the detection member 30 suppresses the downward bending movement of the lock arm 13, and the proper fitting of both housings 11 and 61 is firmly maintained.

[0045] During the process of the detection member 30 moving from its initial position to the detection position, the base portion 31 of the detection member 30 advances within the base housing space 40 to the position shown in Figure 13. Here, since the base portion 31 is less prone to bending deformation than the holding arm 34, it advances while appropriately contacting the lower holding wall 23 with the tips of the lower anti-detachment projections 53 that extend from both ends in the width direction Y.

[0046] On the other hand, if the housing 11 is not properly fitted into the mating housing 61 but remains partially fitted, the lock arm 13 will be pressed against the hood 62 and remain in a downwardly bent and deformed state. As a result, even if an attempt is made to push the detection member 30 forward, the detection projection 35 of the detection piece 32 interferes with the lock projection 16, preventing the detection piece 32 from entering the bending space 15 provided below the lock arm 13. Consequently, movement of the detection member 30 to the detection position is not permitted. Therefore, it is possible to determine whether the housing 11 is properly fitted into the mating housing 61 by whether or not the detection member 30 can move to the detection position.

[0047] To separate the two housings 11 and 61 from their normal mating state, first place your finger or a jig on the operating part 33 of the detection member 30, and then pull the detection member 30 backward. The backward pulling force applied to the detection member 30 will pull the detection member 30 back to its initial position.

[0048] Subsequently, a finger or tool is inserted into the notch 26A provided in the ceiling wall 26 of the holding part 20, and the release operation part 18 is pushed downward. By performing the release operation on the release operation part 18, the lock arm 13 elastically flexes downward, the lock projection 16 separates from the lock receiving part 63, and the engagement between the lock arm 13 and the lock receiving part 63 is released. After this, while maintaining the position of pushing down the release operation part 18, the housing 11 is pulled away from the mating housing 61, thereby separating the two housings 11 and 61 from each other.

[0049] (Effects of the embodiment) (1) In the connector 10, the pair of retaining arms 34 of the detection member 30 are held by an upper retaining portion 22 provided above the lock arm 13, and the base portion 31 is held by a lower retaining portion 21 provided below the lock arm 13. As a result, by holding the pair of retaining arms 34 of the detection member 30 above the lock arm 13 provided on the upper outer surface of the connector 10, the internal space of the housing 11 can be used more effectively compared to when the retaining arms 34 are held in the space below the lock arm 13 in the housing 11. Furthermore, since the pair of retaining arms 34 and the base portion 31 of the detection member 30 are held by the upper retaining portion 22 and the lower retaining portion 21 respectively, even if the length dimension of the pair of retaining arms 34 is shorter than that of the detection piece 32, it is possible to prevent the detection member 30 from coming off the retaining portion 20 during the process of moving from the initial position to the detection position. As a result, the size of the upper holding portion 22, which is located above the housing 11, can be reduced as the holding arm 34 is miniaturized, thereby miniaturizing the connector 10.

[0050] (2) The operating section 33 of the detection member 30 is provided above the base section 31, with both ends in the width direction Y extending outward from the base section 31, and the pair of holding arms 34 extend forward from both ends in the width direction of the operating section 33. This allows the pair of holding arms 34 to bend and deform in the width direction Y, starting from both ends of the operating section 33, making it easier to move them smoothly from the initial position to the detection position within the arm housing space 41, thereby improving the operability of the detection member 30.

[0051] (3) The detection piece 32 of the detection member 30 is located in the deflection space 15 in its initial position, and its width dimension is shorter than the distance between the pair of holding arms 34 in the width direction Y. This suppresses the increase in the space required for the detection piece 32 to enter the deflection space 15 provided inside the housing 11, and allows for more effective use of the space below the lock arm in the housing 11.

[0052] (4) When the detection member 30 is pushed in, the pair of holding arms 34 deform outward within the arm housing space 41, and the locking projection 50 moves over the first upper locking portion 28 of the upper holding portion 22, moving from the initial position to the detection position. At this time, the second upper locking portion 29 (bending restricting projection) provided on the outside of the pair of holding arms 34 abuts against the inside of the outer wall 24 of the upper holding portion 22, thereby preventing the holding arms 34 from deforming significantly in the width direction Y, and preventing the holding arms 34 from coming off the upper holding portion 22.

[0053] (Other embodiments) The above embodiment can be implemented with the following modifications. The above embodiment and the following modifications can be combined with each other to the extent that they do not contradict each other technically. In the above embodiment, one locking projection 50 and one upper fall prevention projection 51 were provided on each side of the pair of retaining arms 34 in the width direction Y. Alternatively, two or more projections may be provided on each side of the pair of retaining arms 34 in the width direction Y. Furthermore, the pair of retaining arms 34 may have only the locking projection 50 and not the upper fall prevention projection 51.

[0054] In the above embodiment, the lock arm 13 was formed on the upper outer surface of the housing body 12, but the lock arm 13 only needs to be formed on the outer surface of the housing body 12, and may be formed on the side or bottom surface of the housing body 12. [Explanation of symbols]

[0055] 10: Connector 11: Housing 12: Housing body 13: Lock Arm 14: Terminal housing room 15: Flexible Space 16: Locking protrusion 17: Recessed recess 18: Release operation section 20: Holding part 21: Lower holding part 22: Upper holding part 23: Lower retaining wall 24: Outer wall 25: Inner wall 26: Ceiling and Wall 26A: Notch 27: Lower locking part 28: First upper locking part 29: Second upper locking part 30: Detection element 31: Base section 32: Detection piece 33: Control section 34: Holding arm 35: Detection protrusion 35A: Contact part 40: Base containment space 41: Arm housing space 50: Main locking projection 51: Upper fall prevention protrusion 52: Locking groove 53: Lower fall prevention protrusion 60: Mate connector 61: Opponent's Housing 62: Food 63: Locking mechanism

Claims

1. A connector that can be mated to a mating connector, A housing having a locking arm that holds the mating with the mating connector, The system includes a detection member that detects whether or not the mating with the mating connector is maintained by the lock arm, The lock arm extends cantilevered rearward from the outer surface of the housing, The housing includes a holding portion provided at the rear end, which holds the detection member so that it can move between an initial position and a detection position in the front-rear direction toward the lock arm. The detection member is The base part, A detection piece extending forward from the base portion, which is permitted to move to the detection position when the lock arm is maintaining mating with the mating connector, The base portion comprises a pair of holding arms, which are spaced apart in the width direction intersecting the front-rear direction and extend forward above the detection piece, The pair of holding arms have a shorter length dimension from the base portion than the detection piece. The aforementioned retaining part is An upper holding portion is provided above the lock arm relative to the housing, and the pair of holding arms are held so as to be movable in the front-rear direction. A connector comprising: a lower holding portion provided below the lock arm relative to the housing, and the base portion being held so as to be movable in the front-rear direction.

2. The detection member is provided above the base portion and includes arm support portions whose widthwise ends extend outward from the base portion. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the pair of retaining arms extend forward from both ends in the width direction of the arm support portion.

3. The housing is provided below the lock arm with a flex space that allows for vertical deflection of the lock arm. The lower holding portion has a base housing space in which the base portion is housed that communicates with the bending space. In the initial position, the detection piece is located within the bending space. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the length dimension of the detection piece in the width direction is shorter than the distance between the pair of holding arms in the width direction.

4. The pair of retaining arms are The aforementioned locking projection that extends inward in the width direction, It comprises a deflection-restricting projection provided rearward from the aforementioned locking projection and extending outward in the width direction, The upper holding portion is, An inner wall provided inside the pair of retaining arms, It comprises an outer wall provided outside the pair of retaining arms, An arm housing space is formed in the space sandwiched between the inner wall and the outer wall, in which the pair of holding arms are housed. The inner wall is provided with a wall-side projection that extends outward in the width direction, The connector according to claim 1, wherein the pair of retaining arms, with the deflection restricting projections in contact with the outer wall within the arm housing space, move from the initial position to the detection position due to outward deflection deformation in the width direction, causing the locking projections to overcome the wall-side projections.

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