Connector with locking lance for retaining terminal fitting
It is aimed to improve the stiffness of a locking lance and prevent the deformation of the locking lance. A connector is provided with a housing ( 10 ) including a terminal accommodation chamber ( 11 ), a terminal fitting ( 30 ) to be inserted into the terminal accommodation chamber ( 11 ) from behind the housing ( 10 ), and a locking lance ( 20 ) arranged to face the terminal accommodation chamber ( 11 ) and retain the terminal fitting ( 30 ) in the terminal accommodation chamber ( 11 ). Both front and rear end parts of the locking lance ( 20 ) are connected to the housing ( 10 ). A front end supporting portion ( 17 ) for supporting the front end part of the locking lance ( 20 ) is located forward of a foremost end ( 20 F) of the locking lance ( 20 ).
1 . A connector, comprising:
a housing including a terminal accommodation chamber;
a terminal fitting to be inserted into the terminal accommodation chamber from behind the housing; and
a locking lance for retaining the terminal fitting in the terminal accommodation chamber, the locking lance including
a front end part that includes a foremost end connected to a front end supporting portion of the housing, the front end supporting portion supporting the front end part and being located forward of the foremost end, and
a rear end part that includes a rearmost end connected to a lower wall portion of the housing,
the front end part of the locking lance including a plate-like portion having a plate thickness direction oriented in a resilient deflection direction of the locking lance and a pair of wall-like portions in the form of ribs rising from both side edges of the plate-like portion, and
the front end part of the locking lance having a U-shape constituted by the plate-like portion and the pair of wall-like portions, the U-shape having an open side facing the terminal accommodation chamber.
2 . The connector of claim 1 , wherein:
a retaining portion to be locked to the terminal fitting is formed in a region of the locking lance behind the foremost end.
3 . The connector of claim 1 , wherein a foremost end of the plate-like portion and those of the wall-like portions are connected to the front end supporting portion.
4 . The connector of claim 1 , wherein:
an outer wall surface of the housing is formed with an opening for exposing an outer surface of the locking lance on a side opposite to the terminal accommodation chamber, and
the locking lance is displaceable into the opening due to interference with the terminal fitting in an insertion process of the terminal fitting into the terminal accommodation chamber.
5 . The connector of claim 4 , wherein the outer surface of the locking lance is located inwardly of the outer wall surface of the housing in a state where the locking lance is not resiliently deformed.
6 . The connector of claim 5 , wherein a distance between the outer wall surface of the housing and the outer surface of the locking lance in a resilient deflection direction of the locking lance is set to be smaller than a resilient deflection amount of the locking lance in the insertion process of the terminal fitting into the terminal accommodation chamber.