US-12620759-B2 - Connector with restrained movement between locking positions

US12620759B2US 12620759 B2US12620759 B2US 12620759B2US-12620759-B2

Abstract

A connector includes a housing and a detection member. The housing can be engaged with a mating housing. The detection member is movably mounted to the housing, and detects an engagement state of the mating housing and the housing by moving between a temporary locking position and a final locking position. The housing is provided with a restrained portion. The detection member is provided with a restraining portion that is engaged with the restrained portion in the final locking position of the detection member to restrain a movement to the temporary locking position of the detection member.

Inventors

Tomoya Sato

Assignees

YAZAKI CORPORATION

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20231020
Priority Date: 20221024

Claims (4)

1 . A connector comprising: a housing that can be engaged with a mating housing; and a detection member that is movably mounted to the housing, and detects an engagement state of the mating housing and the housing by moving between a temporary locking position and a final locking position, wherein the housing is provided with a restrained portion, the detection member is provided with a restraining portion that is engaged with the restrained portion in the final locking position of the detection member to restrain a movement to the temporary locking position of the detection member, the housing is provided with a locking portion that is engaged with a locked part of the mating housing, to maintain the engagement state of the mating housing and the housing, the detection member is provided with a detection locking arm, which is elastically deformable, having an engaging portion that contacts the locking portion in the temporary locking position of the detection member to regulate a movement to the final locking position of the detection member, the detection locking arm is elastically deformed to release a contact of the locking portion and the engaging portion in a state where the locked part and the locking portion are engaged with each other, and the restraining portion is provided on the detection locking arm and is positioned to be engageable with the restrained portion by restoration of the detection locking arm from elastic deformation, in the final locking position of the detection member.
2 . The connector according to claim 1 , wherein the detection member is provided with an operating portion that elastically deforms the detection locking arm.
3 . The connector according to claim 1 , wherein the restraining portion is located at a different position from the engaging portion in the detection locking arm.
4 . A connector comprising: a housing that can be engaged with a mating housing; and a detection member that is movably mounted to the housing, and detects an engagement state of the mating housing and the housing by moving between a temporary locking position and a final locking position, wherein the housing is provided with a restrained portion, the detection member is provided with a restraining portion that is engaged with the restrained portion in the final locking position of the detection member to restrain a movement to the temporary locking position of the detection member, and a detachment prevention portion is provided between the housing and the detection member, the detachment prevention portion preventing the detection member from moving in a direction in which the detection member is detached from the housing in the temporary locking position of the detection member.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS The present application is based on and claims the benefit of priority from the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2022-169707, filed on Oct. 24, 2022, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference herein. TECHNICAL FIELD The disclosure relates to a connector. BACKGROUND Conventionally, a connector has an inner housing as a housing that can be engaged with an outer housing as a mating housing. Also known are those equipped with a slide member as a detection member that is movably mounted to the inner housing and detects an engagement state of the outer housing and the inner housing by moving between a temporary locking position and a final locking position (see Patent Document 1 (JP 2017-157454 A)). In this connector, when the outer housing and the inner housing are engaged with each other, the detection member can be moved from the temporary locking position to the final locking position. Due to this, the detection member can detect the engagement state where the outer housing and the inner housing are engaged with each other. On the other hand, when the outer housing and the inner housing are not engaged with each other, the detection member cannot be moved from the temporary locking position to the final locking position. Due to this, the detection member can detect a semi-engagement state where the outer housing and the inner housing are not engaged with each other. SUMMARY By the way, in the connector disclosed in the Patent Document 1, the placement position of the detection member is not maintained with respect to the housing in the final locking position of the detection member. Therefore, under a state where the housing and the mating housing are engaged with each other, if an external force is applied to the detection member, there is a possibility that the detection member moves toward the temporary locking position. The detection member that has moved to the temporary locking position protrudes from the housing. If an external force is applied to the detection member protruding from the housing, there is a possibility that the detection member is damaged. The disclosure has been made in view of such a conventional problem, and it is an object of the disclosure to provide a connector that can hold a detection member in a final locking position. A connector in accordance with an aspect includes: a housing that can be engaged with a mating housing; and a detection member that is movably mounted to the housing, and detects an engagement state of the mating housing and the housing by moving between a temporary locking position and a final locking position, wherein the housing is provided with a restrained portion, and the detection member is provided with a restraining portion that is engaged with the restrained portion in the final locking position of the detection member to restrain a movement to the temporary locking position of the detection member. According to the disclosure, it is possible to provide a connector that can hold a detection member in a final locking position. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a connector in a state where a detection member is in a temporary locking position, according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the connector in the state where the detection member is in in the temporary locking position, according to the embodiment. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the connector in a state where the detection member is in the temporary locking position and a detection locking arm is elastically deformed, according to the embodiment. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the connector in a state where the detection member is in a final locking position and the detection locking arm is restored from elastic deformation, according to the embodiment. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the connector in the state where the detection member is in the temporary locking position and the detection locking arm is elastically deformed, according to the embodiment. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the connector in the state where the detection member is in the final locking position and the detection locking arm is restored from the elastic deformation, according to the embodiment. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the connector in a state where the detection member is in the final locking position and the detection locking arm is elastically deformed, according to the embodiment. FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a part of a housing and a terminal of the connector according to the embodiment, wherein the part of the housing is illustrated in cross-section. FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the detection member of the connector according to the embodiment. FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a mating connector with which the connector according to the embodiment can be fitted. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Hereinafter, a connector according to an embodiment will be described in detail with re