Connector with laterally mounted retainer for supporting and locking a terminal fitting

1. A connector, comprising:

a terminal fitting having opposite front and rear ends, spaced apart front and rear front jaws projecting out on the terminal fitting at positions between the front and rear ends and a groove between the front and rear jaws;

a connector housing including a terminal inserting portion into which the terminal fitting is inserted, a deflectable locking lance projecting into the terminal inserting portion and configured to oppose a surface of the front jaw facing the rear jaw for retaining and locking the terminal fitting, and a retainer mounting hole communicating with the terminal inserting portion and open in one surface of the housing at a position spaced from the front and rear ends of the housing and facing in a direction intersecting an inserting direction of the terminal fitting; and

a retainer to be inserted into the retainer mounting hole through an opening in the one surface of the connector housing and in the direction intersecting the inserting direction of the terminal fitting;

the retainer including a deflection restricting portion configured to restrict the deflection of the locking lance by entering a deflection space for the locking lance with the retainer inserted to a proper depth in the retainer mounting hole and first and second supports configured for supporting the terminal fitting by being located to contact the front and rear jaws of the terminal fitting and a bottom surface of the groove when the retainer is inserted to the proper depth.

2. The connector of claim 1 , wherein the connector housing includes a cavity into which a small terminal having a smaller size than the terminal fitting is inserted, the retainer mounting hole also communicates with the cavity, and the retainer includes a retaining portion configured to retain and lock the small terminal with the retainer inserted to the proper depth in the retainer mounting hole.

3. A connector, comprising:

a connector housing including a terminal inserting portion into which a terminal fitting is inserted, a deflectable locking lance projecting into the terminal inserting portion and configured to retain and lock the terminal fitting, and a retainer mounting hole communicating with the terminal inserting portion and open in one surface facing in a direction intersecting an inserting direction of the terminal fitting; and

a retainer to be inserted into the retainer mounting hole through an opening in the one surface of the connector housing, the retainer including a deflection restricting portion configured to restrict the deflection of the locking lance by entering a deflection space for the locking lance with the retainer inserted to a proper depth in the retainer mounting hole and two supports arranged respectively at opposite sides of the deflection restricting portion configured for supporting the terminal fitting from both side by being located to contact the terminal fitting, wherein:

the retainer is movable with respect to the connector housing to a partial locking position where the retainer is inserted shallowly in the retainer mounting hole and a full locking position where the retainer is inserted to a proper depth in the retainer mounting hole; and

the supports include supporting surfaces at positions higher than the deflection restricting portion and steep wall surfaces extending from a side where the deflection restricting portion is located to the supporting surfaces, the deflection space being configured to allow the deflection of the locking lance at the partial locking position between the wall surfaces of the supports, and the deflection of the locking lance is guided by the wall surfaces.

4. The connector of claim 3 , wherein the terminal fitting includes a groove on an outer surface, and the support is fit into the groove to restrict a displacement of the terminal fitting in the inserting direction when the retainer is inserted to the proper depth into the retainer mounting hole.