connector

Abstract

To prevent a lock member, provided separately from a connector housing, from being detached from the connector housing.SOLUTION: A connector 10 includes: at least one contact 400; a connector housing 100 which internally holds the contact 400, and which has, on one of its outer surfaces, a fixed slot 150 and an introduction opening part 160 communicating with the fixed slot 150 on the rear side in a fitting direction of the connector; a lock member 200 which is inserted from the introduction opening part 160 along the fitting direction so as to be press-fixed to the fixed slot 150, and which holds a fitted condition to a mating connector 90 when locked to a locked part 920 of the mating connector 90; and a detachment prevention member 300 which is inserted from a direction different from the fitting direction so as to be fixed to the introduction opening part 160, thereby preventing the lock member 200 from moving rearward in the fitting direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a connector, and particularly to a connector that maintains or locks a fitted state with a mating connector when fitted to the mating connector. Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, in order to maintain the fitted state of mutually fitting male and female connectors, a cantilevered lock arm has been integrally formed on the upper surface of the housing of the female connector. This lock arm is engaged with a corresponding locked hole in the housing of the male connector, and prevents the fitted housings of the male and female connectors from coming apart from each other. However, in order to maintain the strength of a resin lock arm integrally formed with the housing, a sufficient thickness in the height direction orthogonal to the fitting direction has been required. Accordingly, in order to reduce the thickness in the height direction, there has been a structure in which a metal lock member separate from the housing of the female connector is press-fitted and fixed to the housing of the female connector.

[0003] Further, the metal lock according to the invention described in Patent Document 1 below is provided by forming a slit in a main body portion that covers the upper surface and side surface of the female housing, and the main body portion is provided with a retaining portion that protrudes laterally and is press-fitted to and held by the side surface of the female housing.

[0004] The metal lock described in Patent Document 1 is attached to the female housing only by press-fitting, and there is a risk that it may easily fall off. Furthermore, the falling-off prevention structure for this metal lock has been large-scale. Prior Art Documents Patent Documents

[0005] Patent Document 1 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2005-197184 Summary of the Invention Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] The object of the present invention is to provide a connector equipped with a fall prevention configuration that prevents a locking member, which is provided separately from the connector housing, from falling off the connector housing when it is attached to the connector housing. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To solve the above problems, the connector of the present invention is At least one contact and A connector housing that holds the contacts internally and has a fixed slot on one of its outer surfaces and an entry opening that provides electrical contact with respect to the fixed slot on the rear side in the mating direction of the connector, A locking member is inserted through the introduction opening along the fitting direction, press-fitted into the fixing slot, and when engaged with the locking portion of the mating connector, it maintains the mated state with the mating connector. The device includes a retaining member that is fixed to the entry opening by being inserted from a direction different from the fitting direction, and which prevents the locking member from moving backward in the fitting direction.

[0008] Furthermore, in one embodiment of the present invention, the introduction opening is electrically connected to the outside on the rear side in the fitting direction and on one side in the vertical direction perpendicular to the fitting direction.

[0009] Furthermore, in one embodiment of the present invention, the length of the introduction opening in the width direction perpendicular to the fitting direction on the rear side in the fitting direction is shorter than the length of the retaining member in the width direction.

[0010] Furthermore, in one embodiment of the present invention, the length of the introduction opening in the width direction is such that the front side in the insertion direction, which is perpendicular to both the fitting direction and the width direction, is narrower than the rear side, and the length of the retaining member in the width direction is such that the rear side in the insertion direction is wider than the front side.

[0011] Furthermore, in one embodiment of the present invention, the retaining member has a locking claw, the introduction opening has a locking projection corresponding to the locking claw, and the locking claw and the locking projection are engaged with each other by a snap-type locking structure.

[0012] Furthermore, in one embodiment of the present invention, the locking member is provided with a contact portion at its rear end in the fitting direction that bends toward the front side of the insertion direction, which is perpendicular to both the fitting direction and the width direction perpendicular to the fitting direction, and contacts the retaining member.

[0013] Furthermore, in one embodiment of the present invention, the locking member has a positioning projection on the rear side in the fitting direction that is bent towards the front side in the insertion direction, and the retaining member has a positioning opening that receives the positioning projection. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] According to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to prevent the locking member from falling out of the connector housing.

[0015] According to one aspect of the present invention, the locking member can be introduced into the fixed slot from the rear side in the fitting direction, and the retaining member can be inserted into the introduction opening from a direction perpendicular to the fitting direction.

[0016] According to one aspect of the present invention, the locking member pressed into the fixed slot and the retaining member attached to the entry opening can be prevented from moving backward in the fitting direction of the connector.

[0017] According to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible to prevent the retaining member attached to the entry opening from falling out towards the front in the insertion direction, which is perpendicular to both the fitting direction and the width direction of the connector.

[0018] According to one aspect of the present invention, compared to using a retaining member that does not have a snap-type locking structure, the retaining member can be easily fixed to the introduction opening and the fixed state can be maintained.

[0019] According to one aspect of the present invention, the locking member press-fitted into the fixing slot can be prevented from moving rearward in the fitting direction of the connector.

[0020] According to one aspect of the present invention, the retaining member can be accurately positioned and fixed to the introduction opening, and the locking member can be prevented from moving rearward in the fitting direction. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] [Figure 1] FIG. 1(A) is an external perspective view of the female connector according to the embodiment, and FIG. 1(B) is an exploded perspective view of the female connector. [Figure 2] FIG. 2(A) is an external perspective view of the female connector housing according to the embodiment, FIG. 2(B) is a rear view of the female connector housing, FIG. 2(C) is a top view of the female connector housing, and FIG. 2(D) is a front view of the female connector housing. [Figure 3] FIG. 3(A) is an external perspective view of the locking member according to the embodiment, FIG. 3(B) is a top view of the locking member, FIG. 3(C) is a rear view of the locking member, and FIG. 3(D) is a right side view of the locking member. [Figure 4] FIG. 4(A) is an external perspective view of the retaining member according to the embodiment as viewed from the upper front side, FIG. 4(B) is an external perspective view of the retaining member as viewed from the upper rear side, FIG. 4(C) is an external perspective view of the retaining member as viewed from the lower rear side, FIG. 4(D) is a top view of the retaining member, FIG. 4(E) is a front view of the retaining member, FIG. 4(F) is a rear view of the retaining member, and FIG. 4(G) is a bottom view of the retaining member. [Figure 5] FIG. 5(A) is an external perspective view when the locking member is attached to the female connector housing, FIG. 5(B) is a rear view of FIG. 5(A), and FIG. 5(C) is a top view of FIG. 5(A). [Figure 6] FIG. 6(A) is an external perspective view when both the locking member and the retaining member are attached to the female connector housing, FIG. 6(B) is a rear view of FIG. 6(A), and FIG. 6(C) is a top view of FIG. 6(A). [Figure 7]Figure 7(A) is a cross-sectional view of the VIIA-VIIA line in Figure 6(C), and Figure 7(B) is a cross-sectional view of the VIIB-VIIB line in Figure 6(B). [Figure 8] Figure 8(A) is a perspective view showing the female connector being mated with the male connector, Figure 8(B) is a perspective view showing the female and male connectors mated together, Figure 8(C) is a top view of Figure 8(B), and Figure 8(D) is a cross-sectional view taken along line VIIID-VIII of Figure 8(C). [Figure 9] Figure 9(A) is an external perspective view of a modified female connector, Figure 9(B) is a top view of Figure 9(A), Figure 9(C) is a right side view of Figure 9(A), and Figure 9(D) is a rear view of Figure 9(A). [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0022] The female connector 10 of the embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. The embodiments described below illustrate the connector of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The present invention should equally apply to other forms of connectors described in the claims.

[0023] As shown in Figures 1(A) and 1(B), the connector of the present invention takes the form of a female connector 10, but includes a female connector housing 100, a locking member 200, and a retaining member 300. In the following description, the direction in which the female connector 10 is fitted into the mating connector, the male connector 90 (see Figure 8), will be referred to as the mating direction, with the mating side being referred to as the front and the opposite side as the rear. Furthermore, the direction perpendicular to the mating direction and parallel to the main plane (e.g., the top surface) of the female connector housing 100 to which the locking member 200 and the retaining member 300 are attached will be referred to as the width direction, and the direction perpendicular to both the mating direction and the width direction will be referred to as the up and down direction.

[0024] [Female connector housing] As shown in Figures 2(A) to 2(D), the female connector housing 100 includes a mating portion 110 that is fitted into the male connector 90 and a mounting portion 130 that is mounted on a substrate (not shown). The mating portion 110 has a substantially flat rectangular parallelepiped shape in which the width direction is longer than the vertical direction and the mating direction, and has a mating portion upper surface 111, a mating portion lower surface 112, a mating portion front surface 113, and a mating portion side surface 114, 115. The mounting portion 130 also has a substantially flat rectangular parallelepiped shape in which the width direction is longer than the vertical direction and the mating direction, and has a mounting portion upper surface 131, a mounting portion lower surface 132, a mounting portion rear surface 133, and a mounting portion side surface 134, 135. Note that the width and length dimensions of the mating portion 110 and the mounting portion 130 are not limited to those described above, and the length may be greater than the width.

[0025] The rear part of the mating portion 110 and the front part of the mounting portion 130 are integrally connected to each other, and the upper surface 131 of the mounting portion is raised one step higher than the upper surface 111 of the mating portion. The boundary between the upper surface 111 of the mating portion and the upper surface 131 of the mounting portion is an upper step 136 that abuts against the upper rear surface of the male connector housing 900 (see Figure 8) of the male connector 90. The side surfaces 134 and 135 of the mounting portion are formed in positions that protrude outward in the width direction from the side surfaces 114 and 115 of the mating portion. The boundary between the side surfaces 114 and 115 of the mating portion and the side surfaces 134 and 135 are side shoulders 137 and 138 that abut against the rear side surfaces of the male connector housing 900 of the male connector 90, respectively.

[0026] Furthermore, the rear surface 133 of the mounting portion has the sides 134 and 135 of the mounting portion protruding toward the rear. The substrate mounting bracket 139 is press-fitted or insert-molded into these protruding portions, extending from the lower surface 132 of the mounting portion and forming the fixing portion to the substrate.

[0027] The connector of the present invention comprises at least one contact. In this embodiment, the female connector 10 has 10 female contacts 400 (see Figure 5C). Specifically, the female connector housing 100 has 10 contact housing openings 140 formed so as to penetrate from the front surface 113 of the mating portion to the rear surface 133 of the mounting portion, and each contact housing opening 140 holds one female contact 400 inside. As shown in Figures 7(A) and 7(B), each female contact 400 has a terminal portion 401 that is bent so that its rear portion is exposed from the rear surface 133 of the mounting portion of the female connector housing 100 and is located substantially in the same plane as the lower surface 132 of the mounting portion.

[0028] Furthermore, the female connector housing 100 has a fixed slot 150 on one of its outer surfaces. In this embodiment, the fixed slot 150 is formed to be recessed downward from the upper surface of the female connector housing 100, that is, from the mounting portion upper surface 131 to the mating portion upper surface 111. An introduction opening 160 is formed on the rear side of the fixed slot 150 in the mating direction, and is electrically connected to the fixed slot 150 and opens to the rear on the mounting portion rear surface 133. Therefore, the fixed slot 150 is open at the top and electrically connected to the introduction opening 160 at the rear, and the introduction opening 160 is electrically connected to the outside on both the rear and top sides.

[0029] The fixing slot 150 has a bottom portion 151 that is the same width as or slightly narrower than the locking member 200, which will be described later, allowing the locking member 200 to be pressed in and fixed from the rear. In addition, the width of the upper part of the fixing slot is narrower than the width of the bottom portion 151. In other words, the upper surface 111 of the fitting portion and the upper surface 131 of the mounting portion protrude inward in the width direction above the fixing slot 150, forming lateral protruding edges 152 and 153. A gap is formed between the lateral protruding edges 152 and 153 and the bottom portion 151, and the frame sides 212 and 213 of the locking member 200, which will be described later, are inserted into these gaps. The frame sides 212 and 213 inserted into these gaps are prevented from moving upward by the lateral protruding edges 152 and 153.

[0030] As shown in Figures 2(A), 2(C), and 7(B), the front portion of the bottom 151 of the fixed slot 150 has through slots 154 and 155 formed in addition to the central portion, penetrating through to the front surface 113 of the fitting portion, and a columnar support 156 is formed in the central portion. The upper surface 111 of the fitting portion is connected to the columnar support 156 and covers the upper sides of the through slots 154 and 155 on both sides, forming cover portions 157 and 158. The columnar support 156 prevents the locking member 200, which will be described later, from moving forward by contacting the front frame portion 211 of the locking member 200. In addition, the front frame portion 211 of the locking member 200 is inserted below the cover portions 157 and 158, preventing the locking member 200 from moving upward.

[0031] The entry opening 160 is shaped to accept the retaining member 300, which will be described later, by inserting it from a direction different from the fitting direction, in this embodiment from above. As shown in Figure 2(C), the entry opening 160 includes a front opening 161, a middle opening 162, and a rear opening 163. The widths of the front opening 161, the middle opening 162, and the rear opening 163 are all greater than the width of the fixing slot 150. Also, the width of the middle opening 162 is greater than the widths of the front opening 161 and the rear opening 163. In other words, the width of the rear opening 163 is shorter than the width of the middle opening 162.

[0032] Furthermore, the width of the rear opening 163 is shorter than the maximum width of the retaining member 300, which will be described later. In other words, the length of the introduction opening 160 in the width direction is shorter than the length of the retaining member 300 in the width direction at the rear. Moreover, as shown in Figure 2(B), the rear opening 163 has locking projections 164 and 165 on the upper side of the side wall that correspond to the locking claws of the retaining member 300, which will be described later, and these protrude inward in the width direction. As a result, the length of the rear opening 163 in the width direction is narrower at the front side than at the rear side in the insertion direction of the retaining member 300, which will be described later, that is, the upper side is narrower than at the bottom side.

[0033] [Locking component] The locking member 200 is formed by punching out a metal plate and includes a frame member 210 and a lever member 230 having a roughly rectangular outer shape, as shown in Figures 3(A) to 3(D). The length of the frame member 210 in the fitting direction is approximately the same as the length of the fixed slot 150 in the fitting direction, and its length in the width direction is the same as or slightly wider than the width direction of the bottom 151 of the fixed slot 150.

[0034] The frame member 210 is composed of a front frame portion 211, side frame portions 212 and 213, and a rear frame portion 214. The rear side of the front frame portion 211 is continuously connected to the lever member 230. A recessed frame portion 215 is formed in the front central part of the front frame portion 211, which increases the vertical elasticity of the lever member 230 and also serves as the portion into which the columnar support 156 fits when the locking member 200 is inserted into the fixing slot 150.

[0035] The lever member 230 is separated from the frame sides 212 and 213 by slots 216 and 217, allowing the lever member 230 to be displaced in a cantilevered manner with the connection point with the front of the frame 211 as the pivot point. The outer widthwise portions of the frame sides 212 and 213 have interlocking parts 218 and 219 formed therein, which bite into the side of the fixing slot 150 when the locking member 200 is inserted into the fixing slot 150, maintaining the press-fit state.

[0036] At the rear ends of the frame side portions 212 and 213, contact portions 220 and 221 are formed that protrude outward in the width direction and are bent upward, on the front side in the insertion direction of the retaining member 300, which will be described later. These contact portions 220 and 221 abut against the front end surface of the retaining member 300. The contact portions 220 and 221 may also be formed to protrude slightly rearward from the rear ends of the frame side portions 212 and 213 and then bend upward immediately afterward.

[0037] The rear portion 214 of the frame has a positioning projection 222 that protrudes from the central part of its rear side, bending upwards, towards the front side in the insertion direction of the retaining member 300, which will be described later. This positioning projection 222 is received by a positioning opening 309 formed in the retaining member 300, which will be described later.

[0038] The lever member 230 has a lever front portion 231 that is continuously connected to the frame front portion 211, and includes a locking projection 232 that protrudes upward from the main body portion of the lever member 230 and engages with the locking portion 920 of the male connector 90, which will be described later, and a lever arm 233. The lever arm 233 is flat and functions as a point of force that displaces the main body of the lever member 230 in a cantilevered manner in the vertical direction, with the connection portion between the lever front portion 231 and the frame front portion 211 as the fulcrum.

[0039] [Retaining member] As shown in Figures 4(A)-4(G), the retaining member 300 as a whole corresponds to the width of the introduction opening 160 and is elongated in the width direction. Furthermore, the width of the retaining member 300 is greater than the width of the fixing slot 150. The retaining member 300 is composed of a front body 301 and a rear body 302. The width of the front body 301 is longer than the width of the rear body 302 and is approximately equal to the width of the middle part 162 of the introduction opening 160, and is long enough to be received by this middle part 162. The retaining member 300 has locking claws 303 and 304 projecting laterally from the bottom sides of both sides of the rear body 302. The bottom sides of these locking claws 303 and 304 are separated from the rear body 302 by bottom slots 305 and 306, and are slightly displaceable inward in the width direction.

[0040] Because locking claws 303 and 304 are formed on the rear part 302 of the main body, the rear side of the retaining member 300 is wider than the front side in the insertion direction, that is, the lower side is wider than the upper side. As described above, the corresponding introduction opening 160 has locking projections 164 and 165 protruding inward in the width direction on the upper side of the side wall. Therefore, when the retaining member 300 is inserted into the introduction opening 160 from above, the locking claws 303 and 304 of the retaining member 300 engage with the locking projections 164 and 165 of the introduction opening 160 by a snap-type locking structure.

[0041] A recess 307 is formed on the bottom side of the front portion 301 of the main body of the retaining member 300 to receive the rear frame portion 214 of the locking member 200. In addition, a positioning opening 309 is formed in the central portion of the upper surface 308 of the retaining member 300, which penetrates into the recess 307. This positioning opening 309 receives the positioning projection 222 of the locking member 200.

[0042] The assembly of the female connector 10 with the configuration described above will be explained with reference to Figures 5(A)-5(C) and 6(A)-6(C). First, as can be seen by referring to Figures 1(B) and 5(A), the locking member 200 is attached to the female connector housing 100. The locking member 200 is inserted from the rear to the front of the female connector housing 100 through the introduction opening 160 along the mating direction, and then press-fitted and fixed into the fixing slot 150. At this time, the frame side portions 212 and 213 of the locking member 200 move along the side surface of the bottom portion 151 of the fixing slot 150, and the engaging portions 218 and 219 bite into that side surface, resulting in a press-fitted and fixed state.

[0043] At this time, the front frame portion 211 of the locking member 200 reaches the front end of the fixing slot 150 and enters into the through slots 154 and 155. Also, the columnar support 156 fits into and abuts against the frame recess 215 of the front frame portion 211. At this time, the frame sides 212 and 213 are located below the lateral protruding edges 152 and 153. As a result, the locking member 200 is prevented from moving forward and upward.

[0044] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 5(C), the contact portions 220 and 221 of the locking member 200 are located within the front portion 161 of the introduction opening 160, and the rear portion 214 of the frame is located within the middle portion 162 of the opening.

[0045] Next, as shown in Figures 6(A)-6(C), the retaining member 300 is inserted into the introduction opening 160 and fixed in the introduction opening 160. The retaining member 300 is inserted from a direction different from the fitting direction, but in this embodiment, the retaining member 300 is inserted into the introduction opening 160 from above. At this time, the front part 301 of the main body of the retaining member 300 is received in the middle part 162 of the opening, and the rear part 302 of the main body is received in the rear part 163 of the opening. Then, the positioning opening 309 of the retaining member 300 receives the positioning projection 222 of the locking member 200.

[0046] Here, when inserting the rear part 302 of the main body into the rear opening 163, the locking claws 303 and 304 come into contact with the locking projections 164 and 165, preventing further downward insertion. When the rear part 302 of the main body is pushed further downward while resisting the repulsive force from the locking projections 164 and 165, the locking claws 303 and 304 deform slightly inward in the width direction due to the presence of the bottom slots 305 and 306, allowing further downward insertion. When the retaining member 300 is moved further downward, the locking claws 303 and 304 return to their original state once they have passed the locking projections 164 and 165. As a result, the locking claws 303 and 304 of the retaining member 300 snap into place with the locking projections 164 and 165.

[0047] At this time, as shown in Figure 6(C), the front surface of the front part 301 of the main body of the retaining member 300 becomes the contact surface with the contact parts 220 and 221 of the locking member 200, preventing the locking member 200 from moving backward. In addition, the positioning projection 222 of the locking member 200 is located inside the positioning opening 309, which also prevents the locking member 200 from moving backward.

[0048] As shown in Figure 8, the female connector 10 assembled as described above is mated to the male connector 90. The male connector housing 900 of the male connector 90 has a mating opening 910 that receives the mating portion 110 of the female connector housing 100. A male contact (not shown) extends from within the mating opening 910 and is electrically connected to the female contact held in the female connector housing 100. The upper surface of the male connector housing 900 has a locking portion 920 that takes the shape of an opening.

[0049] The female connector 10 is moved forward, and the mating portion 110 is inserted into the mating opening 910 of the male connector housing 900. Then, the male contact is inserted into the contact housing opening 140, and the female contact electrically connects with the male contact inside. The upper step 136 and side shoulder portions 137 and 138 of the female connector housing 100 then come into contact with the rear end portion of the mating opening 910 of the male connector housing 900, stopping the insertion of the mating portion 110 into the mating opening 910.

[0050] At this time, the locking projection 232 of the lever member 230 of the locking member 200 engages with the locked portion 920 of the male connector housing 900, maintaining the engagement state of the female connector 10 with the mating connector, the male connector 90. The lever arm 233 of the lever member 230 is located behind the rear end of the mating opening 910 of the male connector housing 900 and above the fixing slot 150. When the lever arm 233 is pushed down with a finger or the like, the locking projection 232 moves downward and can be released from the locked portion 920, moving the mating portion 110 of the female connector 10 backward and allowing it to be removed from the mating opening 910 of the male connector 90.

[0051] [Differentiation] In the above embodiment, an example was described in which the female contact 400 has a terminal portion 401 mounted on the substrate surface, but the present invention is not limited to the above form. The contact of the present invention may be of the type that is connected to an electric wire, as shown in Figures 9(A) to 9(D). The modified female connector 10A shown in Figures 9(A) to 9(D) differs slightly from the female connector 10 of the above embodiment in the external shape of the female connector housing 100A and the type of female contact (not shown) housed therein. However, the basic configuration of the fixing slot 150A, introduction opening 160A, locking member 200A, and retaining member 300A formed in the female connector housing 100A is substantially the same as in the above embodiment, so a detailed explanation is omitted.

[0052] In the modified female connector housing 100A, as shown in Figures 9(A)-9(D), four contact housing openings 140A are formed, extending from the front mating portion 113A through the rear mounting portion 133A of the female connector housing 100A. A female contact (not shown) is housed in each contact housing opening 140A. This female contact is connected to a wire W within the contact housing opening 140A, and the wire W is pulled out towards the rear from the rear mounting portion 133A.

[0053] In the above embodiments and modifications, the locking members 200 and 200A are made of metal, but the material of the locking members does not have to be metal; they may be made of resin.

[0054] Furthermore, in the above embodiments and modifications, examples have been described in which the fixing slots 150, 150A and the entry openings 160, 160A are formed on the upper surface of the female connector housings 100, 100A. However, they may also be formed on the lower surface or on one of the side surfaces. In any of these cases, the locking members 200, 200A are press-fitted and fixed into the fixing slots 150, 150A from the rear side of the female connector housings 100, 100A via the entry openings 160, 160A. The retaining members 300, 300A are configured to be inserted from below when the fixing slots 150, 150A are formed on the lower surface. On the other hand, when the fixing slots 150, 150A are formed on the side surfaces, the retaining members 300, 300A are configured to be inserted from the side, thereby fixing them to the entry openings 160, 160A. In either case, the retaining members 300 and 300A prevent the locking members 200 and 200A from moving backward.

[0055] Furthermore, while the above embodiments and modifications describe the case in which the retaining members 300 and 300A are inserted from above, perpendicular to the direction in which the locking members 200 and 200A are inserted, the present invention is not limited thereto, and may be inserted from an oblique upward direction. Similarly, if the fixing slots 150 and 150A and the introduction openings 160 and 160A are formed on the lower surface of the female connector housings 100 and 100A, the retaining member 300 may be inserted from an oblique downward direction. Also, if the fixing slots 150 and 150A and the introduction openings 160 and 160A are formed on the side surfaces of the female connector housings 100 and 100A, the retaining member 300 may be inserted from an oblique side direction. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0056] 10, 10A Female Connector 90 Male Connector 100, 100A Female Connector Housing 110 Fitting part 111 Top surface of mating part 112 Bottom side of mating 113, 113A Front of mating part 114, 115 Side view of the mating part 130 Mounting part 131 Upper surface of mounting part 132 Lower side of attachment 133, 133A Rear side of attachment part 134, 135 Side view of the mounting area 136 Upper step 137, 138 Side of the shoulder 139 Circuit board mounting hardware 140, 140A Contact housing 150, 150A Fixed Slot 151 Bottom 152, 153 Lateral edge 154, 155 Penetrating Slots 156 Column support 157, 158 Cover section 160, 160A introduction opening 161 Front of opening 162 Middle of the opening 163 Rear of opening 164, 165 Locked protrusion 200, 200A locking member 210 Frame member 211 Front of frame 212, 213 Frame side 214 Rear of frame 215 Frame recess Slots 216 and 217 218, 219 Attached part 220, 221 Contact part 222 Positioning projection 230 Lever component 231 Front of lever 232 Locking protrusion 233 Lever Arm 300, 300A retaining member 301 Front of the main unit 302 Rear of the main unit 303, 304 Locking claws 305, 306 Bottom slots 307 Recess 308 Upper surface of retaining member 309 Positioning opening 400 Female Contact 401 Terminal section 900 Male Connector Housing 910 Fitting opening 920 Locked part

Claims

1. At least one contact and A connector housing that holds the contacts internally and has a fixed slot on one of its outer surfaces and an entry opening that provides electrical contact with respect to the fixed slot on the rear side in the mating direction of the connector, A locking member is inserted through the introduction opening along the fitting direction, press-fitted into the fixing slot, and when engaged with a locking portion provided on the connector housing of the mating connector, it maintains the mated state between the connector housing of the mating connector and the connector housing of the mating connector. A connector comprising: a retaining member that is fixed to the entry opening by being inserted from a direction different from the aforementioned fitting direction, and which prevents the locking member from moving backward in the aforementioned fitting direction.

2. The connector according to claim 1, wherein both the rear side in the mating direction and one side in the vertical direction perpendicular to the mating direction are electrically connected to the outside.

3. The connector according to claim 2, wherein the length of the introduction opening in the width direction perpendicular to the fitting direction is shorter than the length of the retaining member in the width direction on the rear side of the fitting direction.

4. The connector according to claim 3, wherein the length of the introduction opening in the width direction is narrower on the front side than on the back side in the insertion direction perpendicular to both the fitting direction and the width direction, and the length of the retaining member in the width direction is wider on the back side than on the front side in the insertion direction.

5. The connector according to claim 4, wherein the retaining member has a locking claw, the introduction opening has a locking projection corresponding to the locking claw, and the locking claw and the locking projection are engaged with each other by a snap-type locking structure.

6. The connector according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the locking member has a contact portion at its rear end in the fitting direction that bends toward the front side of the insertion direction perpendicular to both the fitting direction and the width direction perpendicular to the fitting direction, and contacts the retaining member.

7. The connector according to claim 6, wherein the locking member has a positioning projection on the rear side in the fitting direction that is bent toward the front side in the insertion direction, and the retaining member has a positioning opening that receives the positioning projection.

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