connector

Abstract

To provide a connector capable of making a position of a locator visible to improve connection reliability and securing a required strength.SOLUTION: A locator 60 of a connector 20 is mounted in a shell 50 so as to be movable from a first position to a second position. The shell 50 is metallic, and a first hole 541 and a second hole 543 are provided on each sidewall 531. A protrusion 641 is provided in the locator 60. When the locator 60 is at the first position, the protrusion 641 is positioned in the first hole 541. When the locator 60 is at the second position, the protrusion 641 is positioned in the second hole 543. The shell 50 is metallic, thereby having a predetermined strength even if the first hole 541 and the second hole 543 are provided. The first hole 541 and the second hole 543 penetrate the sidewall 531 in a width direction, such that the protrusion 641 of the locator 60 is visible. Thus, the position of the locator 60 can be grasped.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a connector, and more particularly to a connector having a structure for connecting an electric wire and a terminal by movement of a locator. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a connector for insulation displacement connection.

[0003] 20, a connector 90 in Patent Document 1 includes a wire holding block (locator) 92 and a contact block (housing) 94. The contact block 94 holds insulation displacement terminals (not shown) that protrude into a receiving portion (not shown) that receives the wire holding block 92. The wire holding block 92 is formed with holding holes (not shown) that hold the respective wires 96, and receiving grooves (not shown) that receive the insulation displacement terminals.

[0004] 20 , the wire holding block 92 is provided with a temporary fixing protrusion 921 and a projection 923. The wire holding block 92 can be held in a temporary fixing position in the contact block 94 using the temporary fixing protrusion 921. The wire holding block 92 can also be held in a pressed-in position in the contact block 94 using the projection 923.

[0005] 20, with the wire holding block 92 held in the temporary fixing position of the contact block 94, the tip ends of the wires 96 can be inserted into the holding holes (not shown) of the wire holding block 92. From this state, when the wire holding block 92 is pushed into the receiving portion (not shown) of the contact block 94, an electrical connection is made between the insulation displacement terminal (not shown) and the wire 96. The wire holding block 92 is then held in the pushed-in position of the contact block 94 by the action of the protrusions 923. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-236855 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] In the connector 90 of Patent Document 1, it is difficult to confirm whether the electric wire holding block 92 is positioned at the pressed-in position of the contact block 94. Therefore, in the connector 90 of Patent Document 1, there is a risk that the electric wire 96 may come off the insulation displacement terminal during use.

[0008] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a connector that can improve connection reliability by making the position of the locator visible. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In the present invention, the protrusions on the locator are visible through the first and second holes, respectively, making it possible to reliably grasp the position of the locator, and strength is also ensured by providing the first and second holes in a metal shell.

[0010] In particular, the present invention provides a connector that is attached to an electric wire as a first connector, comprising: the connector is mateable with a mating connector having mating terminals, The connector includes a housing, at least one terminal, a shell, and a locator; The terminals are held in the housing, the terminal has a contact portion that comes into contact with the mating terminal when mated with the mating connector, and a connection portion that is connected to the electric wire, The shell is made of metal and has two side walls spaced apart in a width direction, Each of the side walls has a first hole and a second hole, the first hole and the second hole penetrate the side wall portion in the width direction and are spaced apart from each other in a first direction perpendicular to the width direction, The locator is movable in the first direction from a first position to a second position. The aforementioned It is attached to the shell The locator has a first end surface, a second end surface, a receiving hole, an allowance portion, and two protrusions, the first end surface and the second end surface are located at both ends of the locator in a second direction that is perpendicular to the width direction and intersects with the first direction, the receiving hole penetrates from the second end surface to the first end surface and is capable of receiving a tip end of the electric wire; the permitting portion communicates with the receiving hole and permits movement of the connecting portion when the locator moves; The protrusions correspond to the side wall portions, Each of the protrusions protrudes outward in the width direction, When the locator is in the first position, each of the protrusions is positioned within the first hole of the corresponding side wall portion; When the locator is in the second position, each of the protrusions is positioned within the second hole of the corresponding side wall portion, and the connecting portion is partially positioned within the receiving hole. Provide a connector.

[0011] The present invention also provides a first connector as the second connector, the connecting portion is a bifurcated pressure-contact piece extending in the first direction, the locator has a main portion and two support portions extending from the main portion in the first direction; The receiving hole is provided in the main portion, The support portions are elastically deformable and correspond to the protrusions, respectively. Each of the protrusions is supported by a corresponding one of the support portions and is movable at least in the width direction, When each of the protrusions is positioned within the second hole of the corresponding side wall portion, movement of the locator from the second position toward the first position is restricted. Provide a connector.

[0012] The present invention also provides a third connector, which is the first connector, the housing has a receiving surface that intersects with the second direction, the receiving surface of the housing and the side wall portion of the shell form a receiving portion that receives the locator, When the locator is in the second position, an area occupied by the receiving hole in the first direction overlaps an area occupied by the receiving surface, When the locator is in the first position, a portion of the area occupied by the receiving hole in the first direction overlaps with the area occupied by the receiving surface, while a remaining portion of the area occupied by the receiving hole is outside the area occupied by the receiving surface. Provide a connector.

[0013] The present invention also provides a fourth connector, which is the first connector, the housing has a receiving surface that intersects with the second direction, the receiving surface of the housing and the side wall of the shell form a receiving portion that receives the locator, In the second direction, The aforementioned the first end surface is closer to the receiving surface of the housing than the second end surface of the locator; When the locator is in the first position, the tip of the wire inserted into the receiving hole can abut against the receiving surface, In the second direction, there is a gap between the first end surface of the locator and the receiving surface of the housing. Provide a connector.

[0014] The present invention also provides a fifth connector, which is the first connector, a third hole and a fourth hole are provided in each of the side wall portions of the shell, the third hole and the fourth hole penetrate the side wall portion in the width direction and are spaced apart from each other in the first direction, the first hole and the third hole are positioned apart from each other in the second direction, the second hole and the fourth hole are positioned apart from each other in the second direction, The locator is provided with two auxiliary protrusions, The auxiliary protrusions correspond to the side wall portions, Each of the auxiliary protrusions protrudes outward in the width direction, the auxiliary protrusion is located away from the protrusion in the second direction, When the locator is in the first position, each of the auxiliary protrusions is positioned within the third hole of the corresponding side wall portion; When the locator is in the second position, each of the auxiliary protrusions is positioned within the fourth hole of the corresponding side wall portion. Provide a connector.

[0015] The present invention also provides a sixth connector, which is the fifth connector, The third hole and the fourth hole are positioned to overlap the connection portion of the terminal in the second direction. Provide a connector.

[0016] The present invention also provides a seventh connector, which is the first connector, the locator is provided with a guided portion extending in the first direction, The housing is provided with a guide portion that receives and guides the guided portion. Provide a connector.

[0017] The present invention also provides an eighth connector, which is the first connector, The shell is provided with a crimping portion for holding the electric wire. Provide a connector.

[0018] Furthermore, the present invention provides a first connectorized electric wire, which is an electric wire having any one of the first to eighth connectors attached to the electric wire. [Effects of the Invention]

[0019] In the connector of the present invention, the locator is attached to the shell so as to be movable from a first position to a second position. The shell is made of metal, and each of the side wall portions has a first hole and a second hole penetrating in the width direction. The locator has a protrusion that protrudes outward in the width direction. When the locator is in the first position, each of the protrusions is located in the first hole of the corresponding side wall portion. When the locator is in the second position, each of the protrusions is located in the second hole of the corresponding side wall portion. Because the shell is made of metal, it has a predetermined strength even though it has the first hole and the second hole. Because the first hole and the second hole penetrate the side wall portion in the width direction, the protrusion of the locator is visible. This makes it possible to grasp the position of the locator. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0020] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing a connector-attached electric wire according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] 2 is an exploded perspective view showing a connector included in the connector-equipped electric wire of FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 3] 3 is another exploded perspective view showing the connector of FIG. 2. FIG. [Figure 4] 2 is a perspective view showing a main part of the connector and an insulated wire included in the connector-attached electric wire of FIG. 1. In the main part of the connector, the locator is located in a first position, and the main part of the connector and the insulated wire are separated from each other. [Figure 5] 5 is a perspective view showing the connector body and the insulated wire of FIG. 4. In the connector body, the locator is in a first position, and the insulated wire is partially inserted into the receiving hole of the locator. [Figure 6]6 is another perspective view showing the main part of the connector and the insulated wire of FIG. 5. FIG. [Figure 7] 6 is a plan view showing the main part of the connector and the insulated wire in FIG. 5. The locator and its surrounding area are shown enlarged. [Figure 8] 6 is yet another perspective view showing the main portion of the connector and the insulated wire of FIG. 5, with the locator in the main portion of the connector in a second position. [Figure 9] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a locator included in the connector of FIG. 3. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is another perspective view of the locator of FIG. 9. [Figure 11] 5 is a side view showing the main part of the connector of FIG. 4, with the locator in a first position. [Figure 12] 12 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of the main part of the connector of FIG. 11. [Figure 13] 5 is another side view showing the main part of the connector of FIG. 4, with the locator in the second position. [Figure 14] 14 is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB showing the main part of the connector of FIG. 13. [Figure 15] 9 is a perspective view showing the main part of the connector and the insulated wire of FIG. 8. The locator is not shown. [Figure 16] 9 is another perspective view showing the main part of the connector and the insulated wires of FIG. 8. The locator and the first shell are not shown. The insulating coating of one of the insulated wires has been partially removed. [Figure 17] 2 is another perspective view showing the connector-attached electric wire of FIG. 1. The hood is not shown. The second shell has not yet been attached to the first shell. [Figure 18] 18 is a perspective view showing the connector-attached electric wire of FIG. 17. The second shell is attached to the first shell. [Figure 19] 2 is yet another perspective view of the connectorized wire of FIG. 1, with the hood not yet attached to the shell. [Figure 20] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a insulation displacement connection connector disclosed in Patent Document 1. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021] Referring to Fig. 1, a connector-equipped electric wire 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a connector 20 and a cable 80. In this embodiment, the cable 80 includes two insulated electric wires 82 (electric wires, see Fig. 4), and the connector 20 is attached to one end of the insulated electric wires 82. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The connector 20 may be connected to at least one electric wire.

[0022] The connector 20 shown in FIG. 1 can be mated with and separated from a mating connector (not shown) having mating terminals (not shown) in the front-to-rear direction. In this embodiment, the front-to-rear direction is the Y direction. The -Y direction is the front, and the +Y direction is the rear. In this embodiment, the connector 20 is a plug connector for single pair Ethernet. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The present invention can also be applied to connectors other than those for single pair Ethernet. The present invention can also be applied to connectors other than plug connectors, for example, relay connectors.

[0023] 2 and 3, the connector 20 includes a housing 30, at least one terminal 40, a shell 50, a locator 60, and a hood 70. In this embodiment, the housing 30 includes a first housing 32 and a second housing 38. In this embodiment, the number of the at least one terminal 40 is two. In this embodiment, the shell 50 includes a first shell 52 and a second shell 58. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The housing 30 may be formed from a single member. In addition, the number of the at least one terminal 40 may be one, or three or more. Furthermore, the shell 50 may be formed from a single member. Furthermore, the hood 70 is not essential.

[0024] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 , the terminals 40 are arranged in a width direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction. In this embodiment, the width direction is the X direction. Each terminal 40 is made of a single metal plate and has a held portion 401, a support portion 403, a contact portion 405, and a connection portion 407. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The shape of each terminal 40 is not particularly limited as long as it has the contact portion 405 that contacts a mating terminal (not shown) when the connector 20 is mated with the mating connector (not shown), and the connection portion 407 that connects to the insulated wire 82. For example, the terminals 40 may be compression-type terminals.

[0025] 2 and 3, the held portion 401 of the terminal 40 is at least partially held by the housing 30. In this embodiment, the held portion 401 is partially held by the first housing 32.

[0026] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the support portion 403 of the terminal 40 extends forward in the front-rear direction from the held portion 401. The support portion 403 supports the contact portion 405. In this embodiment, the contact portion 405 is a part of the surface of the support portion 403. The support portion 403 is elastically deformable. The elastic deformation of the support portion 403 allows the contact portion 405 to move in the up-down direction, which is perpendicular to at least both the front-rear direction and the width direction. In this embodiment, the up-down direction is the Z direction. The +Z direction is upward, and the -Z direction is downward.

[0027] As can be seen from Figures 2 and 3, the connection portion 407 of the terminal 40 extends from the held portion 401 in a first direction perpendicular to the width direction. Here, the first direction is the movement direction of the locator 60, as will be described later. In this embodiment, the first direction coincides with the vertical direction. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The first direction may be inclined relative to the vertical direction as long as the locator 60, as will be described later, is capable of movement.

[0028] 2 and 3, in this embodiment, the connecting portion 407 of the terminal 40 is a bifurcated insulation displacement piece. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The connecting portion 407 may also be a piercing piece that pierces the insulated wire 82.

[0029] As can be seen from FIGS. 2 and 3 , the first housing 32 has a front portion 321 and a rear portion 323. The rear portion 323 has a base portion 34 and a front wall 36. The front wall 36 extends upward from the front end of the base portion 34. The front portion 321 protrudes forward from the base portion 34. The support portion 403 of the terminal 40 extends forward from the front portion 321. The base portion 34 is provided with a guide portion 341 and two recesses 343. The guide portion 341 is a bottomed hole that opens upward. The guide portion 341 receives and guides the guided portion 66 of the locator 60, which will be described later. The recesses 343 are located outside the guide portion 341 in the width direction. Each of the recesses 343 opens upward and outward in the width direction. The recess 343 partially receives the support portion 64 of the locator 60 (described later) and allows elastic deformation thereof. In the front-rear direction, the connection portion 407 of the terminal 40 is located between the front wall 36 and the guide portion 341. In this embodiment, the first housing 32 is made of insulating resin and is integrally molded with the terminal 40. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The terminal 40 may be held in the first housing 32 by another method, such as press-fitting.

[0030] As can be seen from FIGS. 2 and 3 , the second housing 38 is attached to the first housing 32 and, together with the first housing 32, constitutes the housing 30. The second housing 38 is made of an insulating resin that may be the same as or different from that of the first housing 32. When attached to the first housing 32, the second housing 38 accommodates the front portion 321 of the first housing 32 therein. The second housing 38 has an accommodation groove 381 that at least partially accommodates the support portion 403 of the terminal 40. When the second housing 38 is attached to the first housing 32, the contact portion 405 of the terminal 40 is positioned outside the accommodation groove 381 of the second housing 38. In this embodiment, the contact portion 405 of the terminal 40 is part of the surface of the support portion 403 and faces upward. This allows the contact portion 405 of the terminal 40 to come into contact with a mating terminal (not shown) of a mating connector (not shown) when the connector 20 is mated with the mating connector.

[0031] 2 and 3, the first shell 52 has a front portion 521 and a rear portion 523. The front portion 521 has a generally rectangular cylindrical shape with its longitudinal axis extending in the front-rear direction. A lock arm 537 is provided on the upper surface of the front portion 521.

[0032] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the rear portion 523 of the first shell 52 is open upward. More specifically, the rear portion 523 of the first shell 52 has two side walls 531 spaced apart in the width direction and a bottom portion 533 connecting these. The bottom portion 533 has an electric wire support portion 535 extending rearward in the front-to-rear direction. The first shell 52 is made of metal. In this embodiment, the first shell 52 is formed using a single metal plate. The use of a metal plate ensures sufficient strength.

[0033] 2 and 3, each of the side wall portions 531 of the first shell 52 is provided with a first hole 541, a second hole 543, a third hole 545, and a fourth hole 547. However, the third hole 545 and the fourth hole 547 are not essential in the present invention. More specifically, if an auxiliary protrusion 629 (described later) is not present, the third hole 545 and the fourth hole 547 are not essential.

[0034] 2 and 3, and also referring to FIGS. 11 and 13, the first hole 541, the second hole 543, the third hole 545, and the fourth hole 547 penetrate the side wall portion 531 in which they are formed in the width direction. The first hole 541 and the second hole 543 are spaced apart from each other in the first direction. In this embodiment, the first hole 541 and the second hole 543 are spaced apart from each other in the up-down direction. Similarly, the third hole 545 and the fourth hole 547 are spaced apart from each other in the first direction.

[0035] As shown in FIGS. 11 and 13 , the first hole 541 and the third hole 545 are spaced apart from each other in a second direction that is perpendicular to the width direction and intersects with the first direction. In this embodiment, the second direction is the front-rear direction. In this embodiment, the first hole 541 and the third hole 545 are spaced apart from each other in the front-rear direction and also in the up-down direction. Similarly, the second hole 543 and the fourth hole 547 are spaced apart from each other in the second direction. In this embodiment, the second hole 543 and the fourth hole 547 are spaced apart from each other in the front-rear direction and also in the up-down direction. Note that, as shown in FIG. 11 , the third hole 545 and the fourth hole 547 are positioned so as to overlap the connection portion 407 of the terminal 40 in the second direction. This is to maximize the distance between the connection portion 407 and the side wall portion 531 as much as possible.

[0036] As can be seen from FIG. 4, the first shell 52 accommodates substantially the entire housing 30 therein. The side wall portions 531 of the first shell 52 extend in the front-rear direction to substantially the rear end of the first housing 32. Furthermore, the side wall portions 531 of the first shell 52 extend in the up-down direction to substantially the upper end of the front wall 36 (see FIG. 6) of the first housing 32. As a result, a space sandwiched between the side wall portions 531 of the first shell 52 is formed behind the front wall 36 of the first housing 32. This space constitutes a storage section 56 that accommodates the locator 60. For more details, referring to FIG. 15 in addition to FIG. 4, the front wall 36 of the first housing 32 has a receiving surface 361 that intersects with the second direction. This receiving surface 361 and the side wall portions 531 of the first shell 52 constitute the storage section 56 that accommodates the locator 60.

[0037] As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 , the locator 60 has a generally rectangular parallelepiped main portion 62, two support portions 64, and a guided portion 66. The locator 60 is formed using insulating resin. The support portions 64 are located at both ends of the main portion 62 in the width direction and extend from the main portion 62 in a first direction. The guided portion 66 extends from the lower surface of the main portion 62 in the first direction. In this embodiment, both the support portion 64 and the guided portion 66 extend downward. The locator 60 has a first end surface 621, a second end surface 623, two receiving holes 625, two allowable portions 627, two protrusions 641, and two auxiliary protrusions 629. The first end surface 621, the second end surface 623, the receiving holes 625, the allowable portions 627, and the auxiliary protrusions 629 are provided on the main portion 62 of the locator 60. The protrusions 641 are provided on the support portions 64 of the locator 60, respectively. In other words, the support portions 64 of the locator 60 correspond to the protrusions 641, respectively, and support the corresponding protrusions 641. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The number of receiving holes 625 and the number of tolerance portions 627 each depend on the number of terminals 40. Also, in the present invention, the auxiliary protrusions 629 are not essential.

[0038] 9 and 10, the first end face 621 and the second end face 623 of the locator 60 are located at both ends of the locator 60 in the second direction. In this embodiment, the first end face 621 and the second end face 623 are located at the front end and the rear end of the main portion 62 of the locator 60, respectively.

[0039] As can be seen from FIGS. 9 , 10 , 12 , and 14 , the receiving holes 625 of the locator 60 penetrate the main portion 62 from the second end surface 623 to the first end surface 621. Furthermore, as can be seen from FIGS. 4 and 5 , each of the receiving holes 625 has an inner diameter large enough to receive the tip of the insulated wire 82. In this embodiment, when viewed in the front-to-rear direction, each of the receiving holes 625 has a circular shape. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The shape of the receiving holes 625 may be a shape other than a circle, such as an ellipse, a racetrack shape, or a polygon. Furthermore, the shape and size of the receiving hole 625 in the first end surface 621 may be different from the shape and size of the receiving hole 625 in the second end surface 623. For example, the size of the receiving hole 625 in the second end surface 623 may be larger than the size of the receiving hole 625 in the first end surface 621. Furthermore, the multiple receiving holes 625 may be in communication with each other in a plane perpendicular to the front-rear direction.

[0040] As can be seen from FIG. 9, the allowable portions 627 of the locator 60 correspond to the receiving holes 625, respectively. Also, as can be seen from FIG. 3, the allowable portions 627 correspond to the connecting portions 407 of the terminals 40, respectively. Each of the allowable portions 627 is open downward and communicates with the corresponding receiving hole 625. The allowable portions 627 receive the connecting portions 407, and the locator 60 Movement of It has an acceptable size.

[0041] As can be seen from FIGS. 9 and 10 , each of the protrusions 641 of the locator 60 is supported by a corresponding support portion 64 and protrudes outward in the width direction. The support portion 64 is elastically deformable, and the protrusions 641 can move at least in the width direction due to the elastic deformation of the support portion 64. The protrusions 641 have an inclined surface 643 and an upper surface 645. In this embodiment, the inclined surface 643 is a surface that is parallel to the front-rear direction and obliquely intersects with the up-down direction. The inclined surface 643 faces downward in the up-down direction and faces outward in the width direction. In this embodiment, the upper surface 645 is a surface that is perpendicular to the up-down direction. The upper surface 645 faces upward. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The upper surface 645 of the protrusions 641 may be slightly oblique to the up-down direction.

[0042] 12 and 14, the size of the inclined surface 643 of the protrusion 641 in the width direction is larger than the size of the side wall portion 531 of the shell 50. This makes it easier for the protrusion 641 to come out of the first hole 541 when the locator 60 is moved from the first position to the second position. On the other hand, the size of the upper surface 645 in the width direction is the same as or slightly larger than the size of the side wall portion 531 of the shell 50. This makes it difficult for the protrusion 641 to come out of the first hole 541 when it is in the first hole 541, and difficult for the protrusion 641 to come out of the second hole 543 when it is in the second hole 543, when an upward force is applied to the locator 60.

[0043] As can be seen from FIGS. 9 and 10 , the auxiliary protrusion 629 protrudes outward in the width direction from the side surface of the main portion 62. The auxiliary protrusion 629 is also positioned away from the protrusion 641 in the second direction. In this embodiment, the auxiliary protrusion 629 is positioned in front of the protrusion 641 in the front-rear direction. In this embodiment, the auxiliary protrusion 629 is positioned above the protrusion 641 in the up-down direction. The protrusion 641 acts mainly to maintain the position of the locator 60 in the first direction, and the auxiliary protrusion 629 acts mainly to maintain the posture of the locator 60. In this embodiment, the size of the auxiliary protrusion 629 is smaller than the size of the protrusion 641. In particular, the protrusion amount of the auxiliary protrusion 629 is smaller than the protrusion amount of the protrusion 641 in the width direction.

[0044] As shown in FIGS. 4 to 8, the locator 60 is attached to the shell 50. Specifically, the locator 60 is attached to the first shell 52 so as to be movable in a first direction from a first position (FIGS. 4 to 7) to a second position (FIG. 8). As can be seen from FIGS. 11 to 14, the locator 60 attached to the shell 50 is at least partially located within the accommodating portion 56 formed by the receiving surface 361 of the first housing 32 and the side wall portion 531 of the shell 50. However, this does not apply to the protrusion 641 and the auxiliary protrusion 629. Furthermore, the guided portion 66 of the locator 60 is at least partially located within the guide portion 341 of the first housing 32. Furthermore, the connection portion 407 of the terminal 40 is at least partially located within the allowing portion 627 (see FIG. 9).

[0045] 4 to 8, the protrusions 641 of the locator 60 correspond to the side wall portions 531 of the shell 50, respectively. The auxiliary protrusions 629 also correspond to the side wall portions 531 of the shell 50, respectively.

[0046] 11 and 12, when the locator 60 is in the first position, each of the protrusions 641 is positioned within the first hole 541 of the corresponding side wall portion 531. Also, each of the auxiliary protrusions 629 is positioned within the third hole 545 of the corresponding side wall portion 531.

[0047] 12 , when locator 60 is in the first position, a portion of the area occupied by receiving hole 625 of locator 60 in the first direction overlaps with the area occupied by receiving surface 361 of first housing 32. On the other hand, the remaining portion of the area occupied by receiving hole 625 of locator 60 is outside the area occupied by receiving surface 361 of first housing 32. In other words, when receiving hole 625 is viewed from the rear, receiving surface 361 can be seen, and the situation in front of receiving surface 361 can also be seen. Furthermore, in this embodiment, connection portion 407 of terminal 40 cannot be seen within receiving hole 625.

[0048] 4 to 7 , when the locator 60 is in the first position, the tip of the insulated wire 82 can be inserted into the receiving hole 625. As described above, a portion of the area occupied by the receiving hole 625 of the locator 60 in the first direction overlaps with the area occupied by the receiving surface 361 of the first housing 32, so the tip of the insulated wire 82 inserted into the receiving hole 625 can abut against the receiving surface 361 of the first housing 32. Meanwhile, the remaining portion of the area occupied by the receiving hole 625 of the locator 60 is outside the area occupied by the receiving surface 361 of the first housing 32, so the tip of the insulated wire 82 can be seen from the front or diagonally forward, as shown in FIG. 6 . In other words, it is possible to visually determine whether the insulated wire 82 is in the appropriate position relative to the locator 60.

[0049] As shown in FIG. 7 , in this embodiment, the first end surface 621 of the locator 60 is closer to the receiving surface 361 of the housing 30 in the second direction than the second end surface 623 of the locator 60. A gap 68 is formed between the first end surface 621 of the locator 60 and the receiving surface 361 of the housing 30 in the second direction. Specifically, a protrusion 363 that protrudes in the second direction and extends in the first direction is formed on the receiving surface 361 of the first housing 32. The protrusion 363 forms a gap 68 between the first end surface 621 and the receiving surface 361. Whether the tip of the insulated electric wire 82 is appropriately positioned relative to the locator 60 can be visually confirmed through this gap 68. Additionally, the protrusion 363 prevents contact between the tips of the insulated electric wires 82. This prevents the insulated electric wires 82 from shorting out.

[0050] As can be seen from FIG. 13 , when the locator 60 is in the second position, each of the protrusions 641 is positioned within the second hole 543 of the corresponding side wall portion 531. Furthermore, each of the auxiliary protrusions 629 is positioned within the fourth hole 547 of the corresponding side wall portion 531. The movement of the locator 60 from the first position to the second position is achieved by moving the locator 60 along the first direction. In this embodiment, the locator 60 moves from the first position to the second position by being pushed downward. When the locator 60 is pushed downward, the protrusion 641 moves out of the first hole 541 and into the second hole 543 due to elastic deformation of the support portion 64. The auxiliary protrusion 629 moves out of the third hole 545 and into the fourth hole 547 due to elastic deformation of at least one of the locator 60 and the first shell 52.

[0051] 13 and 14, each of the protrusions 641 is positioned in the corresponding second hole 543 of the side wall portion 531, thereby restricting movement of the locator 60 from the second position toward the first position. Furthermore, each of the auxiliary protrusions 629 is positioned in the corresponding fourth hole 547 of the side wall portion 531, thereby preventing or suppressing tilting of the locator 60.

[0052] 14 , when locator 60 is in the second position, the area occupied by receiving hole 625 overlaps with the area occupied by receiving surface 361 in the first direction. In other words, when receiving hole 625 is viewed from behind, the situation in front of receiving surface 361 cannot be seen. Therefore, when the tip end of insulated wire 82 is appropriately positioned with respect to receiving hole 625, the tip end of insulated wire 82 is covered by or faces closely to receiving surface 361. As a result, the tip end of insulated wire 82 is protected by front wall 36.

[0053] 14 , when locator 60 is in the second position, when viewing receiving hole 625 from behind, connection portion 407 of terminal 40 can be seen. This means that when locator 60 is in the second position, connection portion 407 of terminal 40 is partially positioned within receiving hole 625. In other words, when locator 60 is moved from the first position to the second position with the tip end of insulated wire 82 inserted into receiving hole 625, connection portion 407 is pressed into contact with the corresponding insulated wire 82.

[0054] 15 and 16, when the locator 60 moves from the first position to the second position, the connecting portion 407 of the terminal 40 tears the insulating coating of the insulated wire 82 and comes into contact with the core wire 821. If the connecting portion 407 is a crimping piece, the insulated wire 82 may receive a reaction force from the connecting portion 407, which may act on the locator 60 toward the first position. Even in such a case, as described with reference to FIG. 13, the protrusion 641 and the auxiliary protrusion 629 are located in the second hole 543 and the fourth hole 547, respectively, so that the locator 60 is prevented from moving from the second position to the first position. In this way, each of the terminals 40 and corresponds Insulated wire 82 Electrical connection with Furthermore, by visually confirming that protrusion 641 and auxiliary protrusion 629 are positioned within second hole 543 and fourth hole 547, respectively, it can be ascertained that locator 60 is in the second position. At the same time, it can be determined that connection portion 407 of terminal 40 is electrically connected to insulated wire 82.

[0055] 17 and 18, the second shell 58 has a cover portion 581 that covers the locator 60 and the rear portion 523 of the first shell 52. The cover portion 581 has a top plate portion 583 and a side plate portion 585. In the present embodiment, the second shell 58 is provided with a crimped portion 587 that holds the cable 80. The crimped portion 587 is connected to the cover portion 581 by a connecting portion 589 that extends rearward in the front-to-rear direction from the top plate portion 583. The second shell 58 is attached to the first shell 52 and covers the locator 60 from above. The cover portion 581 also covers the side wall portion 531 of the first shell 52 from the outer side in the width direction. The cover portion 581 is fixed to the side wall portion 531. In order to fix the cover portion 581 to the side wall portion 531, in the present embodiment, a window portion is formed in the cover portion 581 and a cut-and-raised portion is formed in the side wall portion 531. In addition, the crimping portion 587 is crimped to the cable 80 and the wire supporting portion 535 of the first shell 52. In this manner, the cable 80 or the insulated wire 82 is held by the crimping portion 587.

[0056] 19, the hood 70 is attached to the cable 80 in advance. After the second shell 58 is attached to the first shell 52, the hood 70 is attached to the shell 50 from the rear so as to cover the second shell 58. In order to secure the hood 70 to the shell 50, in this embodiment, a window portion is formed in the hood 70, and a cut-and-raised portion is formed in the side plate portion 585 of the second shell 58. The hood 70 has an operating arm 701. As shown in FIG. 1, the operating arm 701 is partially located above the locking arm 537 when attached to the shell 50.

[0057] As described above, according to the present embodiment, during the manufacturing process of connector 20, it is possible to confirm that locator 60 is in the second position by visually confirming that protrusion 641 is located within second hole 543 of first shell 52. If locator 60 is located in the second position, it can be determined that insulated wire 82 is properly connected to connection portion 407 of terminal 40, and high connection reliability can be obtained. Moreover, because first shell 52 is made of metal, necessary and sufficient strength can be ensured even if third hole 545 and fourth hole 547 are provided in side wall portion 531 in addition to first hole 541 and second hole 543.

[0058] The present invention has been described above by presenting an embodiment thereof, but the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the gist of the present invention.

[0059] For example, in the above embodiment, the first position of locator 60 is located above the second position in the up-down direction, but the first position of locator 60 may be located below the second position. In this case, rear portion 523 of first shell 52 opens downward, and connection portion 407 of terminal 40 extends downward. Furthermore, first hole 541 is located below second hole 543, and third hole 545 is located below fourth hole 547. However, due to the positional relationship between lock arm 537 and locator 60, assembly is easier in the above embodiment.

[0060] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, connector 20 is a straight type in which the mating direction and the extension direction of cable 80 are the same or parallel to each other, but it may be a right-angle type in which the mating direction and the extension direction of cable 80 are perpendicular to each other. In this case, the first direction coincides with the front-rear direction, and the second direction coincides with the up-down direction.

[0061] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the guide portion 341 and the guided portion 66 only guide the movement of the locator 60, but they may also be provided with a locking mechanism to enhance the function of maintaining the locator 60 in the second position.

[0062] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the first direction and the second direction are perpendicular to each other, but they may be slightly oblique as long as the space for locator 60 to move can be secured.

[0063] In the above embodiment, auxiliary protrusion 629 is provided on the side surface of main portion 62 of locator 60, but may be supported by an elastic support portion similar to protrusion 641. Auxiliary protrusion 629 may have the same shape as protrusion 641. [Explanation of symbols]

[0064] 10. Wires with connectors 20 Connectors 30 Housing 32 First Housing 321 Front 323 rear 34 Base 341 Guide part 343 Recess 36 Front wall 361 Receiving surface 363 protrusion 38 Second Housing 381 Storage trench 40 terminals 401 Holding part 403 Support part 405 Contact area 407 Connection 50 shells 52 First Shell 521 Front 523 rear 531 Side wall 533 Bottom 535 Wire support part 537 Lock Arm 541 Hole 1 543 Hole 2 545 Hole 3 547 Hole 4 56 Storage section 58 Second Shell 581 Cover part 583 Top plate 585 Side plate part 587 Crimping part 589 Connecting part 60 Locators 62 Main Section 621 1st end face 623 Second end face 625 Receptor hole 627 Tolerance Section 629 Auxiliary protrusion 64 Support part 641 protrusion 643 Slope 645 Top surface 66 Guided part 68 Gap 70 Food 701 Operating arm 80 Cable 82 Insulated wire (electric wire) 821 Core Wire

Claims

1. A connector to be attached to an electric wire, the connector is mateable with a mating connector having mating terminals, The connector includes a housing, at least one terminal, a shell, and a locator; The terminals are held in the housing, the terminal has a contact portion that comes into contact with the mating terminal when mated with the mating connector, and a connection portion that is connected to the electric wire, The shell is made of metal and has two side walls spaced apart in a width direction, Each of the side walls has a first hole and a second hole, the first hole and the second hole penetrate the side wall portion in the width direction and are spaced apart from each other in a first direction perpendicular to the width direction, the locator is attached to the shell so as to be movable in the first direction from a first position to a second position; The locator has a first end surface, a second end surface, a receiving hole, an allowance portion, and two protrusions, the first end surface and the second end surface are located at both ends of the locator in a second direction that is perpendicular to the width direction and intersects with the first direction, the receiving hole penetrates from the second end surface to the first end surface and is capable of receiving a tip end of the electric wire; the permitting portion communicates with the receiving hole and permits movement of the connecting portion when the locator moves; The protrusions correspond to the side wall portions, Each of the protrusions protrudes outward in the width direction, When the locator is in the first position, each of the protrusions is located within the first hole of the corresponding side wall portion, When the locator is in the second position, each of the protrusions is positioned within the second hole of the corresponding side wall portion, and the connecting portion is partially positioned within the receiving hole. connector.

2. 2. The connector of claim 1, the connecting portion is a bifurcated pressure-contact piece extending in the first direction, The locator has a main portion and two support portions extending from the main portion in the first direction, The receiving hole is provided in the main portion, The support portions are elastically deformable and correspond to the protrusions, respectively. Each of the protrusions is supported by a corresponding one of the support portions and is movable at least in the width direction, When each of the protrusions is positioned within the second hole of the corresponding side wall portion, movement of the locator from the second position toward the first position is restricted. connector.

3. 2. The connector of claim 1, the housing has a receiving surface that intersects with the second direction, the receiving surface of the housing and the side wall portion of the shell form a receiving portion that receives the locator, When the locator is in the second position, an area occupied by the receiving hole in the first direction overlaps an area occupied by the receiving surface, When the locator is in the first position, a portion of the area occupied by the receiving hole in the first direction overlaps with the area occupied by the receiving surface, while the remaining portion of the area occupied by the receiving hole is outside the area occupied by the receiving surface. connector.

4. 2. The connector of claim 1, the housing has a receiving surface that intersects with the second direction, the receiving surface of the housing and the side wall of the shell form a receiving portion that receives the locator, In the second direction, the first end surface of the locator is closer to the receiving surface of the housing than the second end surface of the locator, When the locator is in the first position, the tip of the wire inserted into the receiving hole can abut against the receiving surface, In the second direction, there is a gap between the first end surface of the locator and the receiving surface of the housing. connector.

5. 2. The connector of claim 1, a third hole and a fourth hole are provided in each of the side wall portions of the shell, the third hole and the fourth hole penetrate the side wall portion in the width direction and are spaced apart from each other in the first direction, the first hole and the third hole are positioned apart from each other in the second direction, the second hole and the fourth hole are positioned apart from each other in the second direction, The locator is provided with two auxiliary protrusions, The auxiliary protrusions correspond to the side wall portions, Each of the auxiliary protrusions protrudes outward in the width direction, the auxiliary protrusion is located away from the protrusion in the second direction, When the locator is in the first position, each of the auxiliary protrusions is positioned within the third hole of the corresponding side wall portion, When the locator is in the second position, each of the auxiliary projections is positioned within the fourth hole of the corresponding side wall portion. connector.

6. 6. The connector of claim 5, The third hole and the fourth hole are located at positions overlapping the connection portion of the terminal in the second direction. connector.

7. 2. The connector of claim 1, The locator is provided with a guided portion extending in the first direction, The housing is provided with a guide portion that receives and guides the guided portion. connector.

8. 2. The connector of claim 1, The shell is provided with a crimping portion for holding the electric wire. connector.

9. A connector-equipped electric wire, comprising the electric wire and any one of the connectors according to claims 1 to 8 attached thereto.

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