A divided connector, a method of assembling it and a method of connecting it with a mating connector

The present invention relates to a divided connector, to a method of assembling or mounting it and to a method of connecting it with a mating connector.

Divided connectors are used as some of multi-contact connectors in order to ensure, for example, good operability upon inserting terminal fittings into the connectors (see, e.g. Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2000-331738). A divided connector is, for example, constructed such that a plurality of cavities into which terminal fittings are accommodated are separately provided in a housing main body and an auxiliary connector housing separate from the housing main body, and the auxiliary connector housing is mounted into an accommodating portion provided in the housing main body.

Upon connecting the multi-contact divided connector as above with a mating connector, due to a heap of insertion resistance crated between the individual terminal fittings and corresponding mating terminal fittings, a force required to connect the two connectors tends to become considerably large. Particularly in the case that a multitude of terminal fittings mounted are of the same shape and the connection thereof with the mating terminal fittings starts at the same time, a peak value of the connecting force becomes extremely large, thereby causing a problem of poor operability.

The present invention was developed in view of the above problem and an object thereof is to improve operability in connecting a divided connector with a mating connector.

This object is solved according to the invention by the features of the independent claims. Preferred embodiments of the invention are subject of the dependent claims.

According to the invention, there is provided a divided connector, comprising: <ul id="ul0001" list-style="none" compact="compact"><li>a housing main body formed with one or more cavities into which one or more respective main-body side terminal fittings are at least partly mountable or insertable, and an accommodating portion, and</li><li>an auxiliary connector housing formed with one or more cavities into which one or more respective auxiliary-connector side terminal fittings are at least partly mountable or insertable, the auxiliary connector housing being at least partly mountable or insertable into the accommodating portion,</li></ul>    wherein mount positions or insertion depths of the main-body side terminal fittings and mount positions or insertion depths of the auxiliary-connector side terminal fittings are displaced or offset substantially along a connecting direction of the divided connector with a mating connector with the housing main body and the auxiliary connector housing assembled with each other.

Since the mount positions of the main-body side terminal fittings are displaced or offset from those of the auxiliary-connector side terminal fittings substantially along the connecting direction, an insertion resistance created between the main-body side terminal fittings and mating terminal fittings substantially peaks at a timing shifted from an insertion resistance created between the auxiliary-connector side terminal fittings and the mating terminal fittings upon connecting the divided connector with the mating connector. Thus, a peak value of a connecting force to connect the two connectors is reduced, thereby improving a connecting operability.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the auxiliary-connector side terminal fittings have the substantially same shape as the main-body side terminal fittings.

According to a further preferred embodiment, there is provided a divided connector, comprising: <ul id="ul0002" list-style="none" compact="compact"><li>a housing main body formed with cavities into which main-body side terminal fittings are mountable, and an accommodating portion, and</li><li>an auxiliary connector housing formed with cavities into which auxiliary-connector side terminal fittings having the same shape as the main-body side terminal fittings are mountable, and mountable into the accommodating portion,</li></ul>    wherein mount positions of the main-body side terminal fittings and those of the auxiliary-connector side terminal fittings are displaced along a connecting direction of the divided connector with a mating connector with the housing main body and the auxiliary connector housing assembled with each other.

Preferably, one or more auxiliary-connector side front walls for stopping the auxiliary-connector side terminal fittings at their front end positions are provided at the front ends of the cavities in the auxiliary connector housing, one or more main-body side front walls for stopping the main-body side terminal fittings at their front end positions are provided at the front ends of the cavities in the housing main body, and/or at least one front wall for stopping the auxiliary connector housing at its front end position is provided at the front end of the accommodating portion.

Further preferably, a sum of the thickness of the auxiliary-connector side front walls and that of the front wall of the accommodating portion is set to be larger than the thickness of the main-body side front wall.

Most preferably, auxiliary-connector side front walls for stopping the auxiliary-connector side terminal fittings at their front end positions are provided at the front ends of the cavities in the auxiliary connector housing, main-body side front walls for stopping the main-body side terminal fittings at their front end positions are provided at the front ends of the cavities in the housing main body, and a front wall for stopping the auxiliary connector housing at its front end position is provided at the front end of the accommodating portion, and    a sum of the thickness of the auxiliary-connector side front walls and that of the front wall of the accommodating portion is set to be larger than the thickness of the main-body side front wall.

Since the sum of the thickness of the auxiliary-connector side front walls for stopping the auxiliary-connector side terminal fittings at their front end positions and that of the front wall for stopping the auxiliary connector housing at its front end position is set to be larger than the thickness of the main-body side front walls for stopping the main-body side terminal fittings at their front end positions, the mount positions of the auxiliary-connector side terminal fittings are displaced backward from those of the main-body side terminal fittings by this thickness difference. In this way, the connection timing of the auxiliary-connector side terminal fittings with the mating terminal fittings can be shifted from that of the main-body side terminal fittings with the mating terminal fittings by a simple construction.

According to a further preferred embodiment of the invention, a retainer to be mounted at a restricting position in or on the housing main body to lock the main-body side terminal fittings at least partly mounted into the housing main body.

Preferably, in the process of assembling the retainer into or onto the housing main body, the auxiliary connector housing does not interfere with the retainer to permit the retainer to be mounted at the restricting position when being located at a substantially proper mount position in the housing main body while interfering with the retainer to prevent the retainer from being mounted to the restricting position when being located at a position displaced backward from the substantially proper mount position.

Most preferably, the retainer is integrally or unitarily provided on the housing main body.

According to the invention, there is further provided a method of mounting or assembling a divided connector, comprising the following steps: <ul id="ul0003" list-style="none" compact="compact"><li>providing a housing main body of the divided connector formed with one or more cavities and an accommodating portion,</li><li>at least partly mounting one or more respective main-body side terminal fittings into the cavities,</li><li>providing an auxiliary connector housing formed with one or more cavities,</li><li>at least partly mounting one or more respective auxiliary-connector side terminal fittings into the cavities,</li><li>at least partly mounting the auxiliary connector housing into the accommodating portion,</li></ul>    wherein mount positions or insertion depths of the main-body side terminal fittings and mount positions or insertion depths of the auxiliary-connector side terminal fittings are displaced along a connecting direction of the divided connector with a mating connector with the housing main body and the auxiliary connector housing assembled with each other.

According to the invention, there is still further provided a method of connecting a divided connector with a mating connector, comprising the following steps: <ul id="ul0004" list-style="none" compact="compact"><li>providing a divided connector comprising a housing main body formed with one or more cavities, into which one or more respective main-body side terminal fittings are at least partly mounted, and an accommodating portion into which an auxiliary connector housing formed with one or more cavities is at least partly mounted, wherein one or more respective auxiliary-connector side terminal fittings are at least partly mounted into the cavities,</li><li>providing a mating connector comprising a corresponding number of mating connector terminal fittings being connectable with the respective main-body side terminal fittings and auxiliary-connector side terminal fittings,</li></ul>    wherein the main-body side terminal fittings and auxiliary-connector side terminal fittings are provided or mounted such (preferably their insertion depths are preferably set such) that upon connecting the divided connector with the mating connector so that an insertion resistance created between the main-body side terminal fitting(s) and the mating terminal fitting(s) peaks at a timing shifted from an insertion resistance created between the auxiliary-connector side terminal fitting(s) and the mating terminal fitting(s).

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the auxiliary-connector side terminal fittings have the substantially same shape as the main-body side terminal fittings.

These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon reading of the following detailed description of preferred embodiments and accompanying drawings. It should be understood that even though embodiments are separately described, single features thereof may be combined to additional embodiments. <ul id="ul0005" list-style="none" compact="compact"><li>FIG. 1 is a side view in section showing a state before male and female connectors are connected in one embodiment of the invention,</li><li>FIG. 2 is a front view of a housing main body,</li><li>FIG. 3 is a side view in section showing a state before an auxiliary connector is assembled into the housing main body,</li><li>FIG. 4 is a rear view of the female connector,</li><li>FIG. 5 is a front view of the auxiliary connector,</li><li>FIGS. 6(A) and 6(B) are partial enlarged sections showing a state where a retainer is mounted at a partial locking position and a state where the retainer is mounted at a full locking position, respectively,</li><li>FIG. 7 is a side view in section of the male and female connectors when the retainer is located at the partial locking position,</li><li>FIGS. 8(A) and 8(B) are side views in section showing a state where a movement of the retainer by pushing is prevented and a state where the retainer is pushed to the full locking position,</li><li>FIG. 9 is a plan view in section showing a state where a jig for unlocking the auxiliary connector is inserted,</li><li>FIG. 10 is a side view in section showing a state where the jig for unlocking the auxiliary connector is inserted,</li><li>FIGS. 11 (A) and 11 (B) are partial enlarged plan views in section showing a state where the jig is in contact with a locking piece and a state where the locking piece is unlocked by the jig,</li><li>FIG. 12 is a front view of the male connector,</li><li>FIG. 13 is a plan view in section showing a state before the male and female connectors are connected,</li><li>FIG. 14 is a graph showing transitions of insertion resistances created between male and female terminal fittings, and</li><li>FIG. 15 is a side view in section showing a state where the male and female connectors are properly connected.</li></ul>

One preferred embodiment of the present invention is described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 15.

A female connector 10 (corresponding to a preferred "divided connector") of this embodiment is comprised of a housing main body 11, at least one auxiliary connector housing 30 (hereinafter, "auxiliary connectors") to be at least partly accommodated into the housing main body 11, and one or more, preferably a pair of retainers 40 to be mounted into a part, preferably a lower part of the housing main body 11, and is connectable with a male connector 50 (corresponding to a preferred "mating connector"). In the following description, sides of the male and female connectors 50, 10 to be connected with each other are referred to as front side.

The housing main body 11 is made e.g. of a synthetic resin and preferably substantially in the form of a laterally long box as a whole, and an accommodating portion 12 having an at least partly open rear end is formed in an intermediate portion (preferably substantially in the transverse center) of the housing main body 11 as shown in FIGS. 2 to 4. The auxiliary connector 30 to be described later can be at least partly accommodated or inserted into the accommodating portion 12 in an insertion direction ID. The front surface of this accommodating portion 12 is at least partly covered by a front wall 13 for stopping the auxiliary connector 30 at its front end position, and one or more tab insertion holes 13A penetrate this front wall 13 at positions substantially corresponding to one or more cavities 32 of the auxiliary connector 30. One or more, preferably a plurality of cavities 16 into which female terminal fittings 15 (corresponding to a preferred "main-body side terminal fittings") are directly (at least partly) inserted are preferably substantially vertically symmetrically arranged at one or more, preferably at two (upper and lower) stages at the opposite sides of the accommodating portion 12 in the housing main body 11. Each female terminal fitting 15 is provided with a resilient contact piece 15A at its front side, and is electrically connectable with a male terminal fitting 53 by at least partly receiving a tab 53A of the male terminal fitting 53 into a space defined between the resilient contact piece 15A and a receiving portion 15B projecting from the surface substantially facing or opposite to the resilient contact piece 15A. Further, a main-body side front or abutment wall 17 for stopping the female terminal fitting 15 at its front end position is provided at the front end of each cavity 16, and a tab insertion hole 17A penetrates this main-body side front wall 17. The main-body side front walls 17 of the cavities 16 and the front wall 13 are substantially aligned at their front ends, and the thickness of the main-body side front walls 17 of the cavities 16 is set to be slightly larger than that of the front wall 13 (see FIG. 13). Further, a locking portion 18 preferably supported at both front and rear ends is provided at a position of the lateral (bottom) surface of each cavity 16 substantially near the front end. This locking portion 18 is vertically or laterally resiliently deformable and engages the at least partly inserted female terminal fitting 15 for primary locking. Further, in the lower part of the housing main body 11, a pair of retainer mount holes 19 are formed at positions corresponding to the groups of the cavities 16 at the lateral (left and right) sides near an intermediate portion (preferably substantially a middle portion) with respect to forward and backward directions FBD (see FIG. 1). The respective retainers 40 are mounted into the corresponding retainer mount holes 19 in a direction intersecting the forward and backward directions FBD, preferably substantially normal thereto or from below. Further, a vertically or laterally resiliently deformable lock arm 21 preferably supported at one end (or having a substantially cantilever shape) is formed in transverse intermediate position (preferably substantially in the transverse center) of the lateral (upper) surface of the housing main body 11.

The auxiliary connector 30 is likewise e.g. made of a synthetic resin and preferably substantially in the form of a laterally long box and can be at least partly accommodated into the accommodating portion 12 of the housing main body 11 from an inserting side, preferably substantially from behind, as shown in FIGS. 3 to 5. A plurality of cavities 32 into which female auxiliary-connector side terminal fittings 31 (corresponding to preferred "auxiliary-connector side terminal fittings") are at least partly insertable are formed at one or more stages, preferably at two (upper and lower) stages in the auxiliary connector 30. Each female auxiliary-connector side terminal fitting 31 is provided with a resilient contact piece 31A at its front side, and is electrically connectable with the male terminal fitting 53 by at least partly receiving the tab 53A of the male terminal fitting 53 into a space defined between the resilient contact piece 31A and a receiving portion 31 B projecting from the surface substantially facing or opposite to the resilient contact piece 31A. These female auxiliary-connector side terminal fittings 31 are of the same kind as the female terminal fittings 15 to be directly (at least partly) accommodated into the housing main body 11, and the number of the female terminal fittings 15 is equal to that of the female auxiliary-connector side terminal fittings 31 (twenty each in the shown example). A auxiliary-connector side front or abutment wall 33 for stopping the female auxiliary-connector side terminal fitting 31 at its front end position is provided at the front end of each cavity 32, and a tab insertion hole 33A penetrates this auxiliary-connector side front wall 33 at a position substantially corresponding to the cavity 32. Further, a locking portion 34 preferably supported at both front and rear ends (or having s substantially cantilever-shape) is provided at a position preferably near the front end in each cavity 32. This locking portion 34 is vertically or laterally resiliently deformable and engages the inserted female auxiliary-connector side terminal fitting 31 for primary locking. Further, one or more integral or unitary retainers 35 which can be opened and closed are integrally provided on the lateral (upper and lower) surfaces of the auxiliary connector 30 via thin hinge portions 35A (see also FIG. 9). The insertion and withdrawal of the female auxiliary-connector side terminal fittings 31 into and from the corresponding cavities 32 are permitted with the integral retainers 35 substantially opened, whereas the female auxiliary-connector side terminal fittings 31 in the respective cavities 32 are doubly locked with the integral retainers 35 substantially closed whereby corresponding engaging projections 35B of the retainers 35 at least partly enter the cavities 32 (FIG. 3) to engage the female terminal fittings 31 at least partly inserted therein to secondarily lock them.

A sum of the thickness (substantially along the forward and backward directions FBD) of the front wall 13 of the accommodating portion 12 and that of the auxiliary-connector side front walls 33 is set to be larger than the thickness of the main-body side front walls 17 by a dimension d (see e.g. FIG. 13). Thus, when the auxiliary connector 30 is inserted to a substantially proper mount position where the main-body side front wall 17 thereof is at least partly in contact with the front wall 13 of the housing main body 11 as shown in FIG. 13, the positions of the female auxiliary-connector side terminal fittings 31 accommodated in the auxiliary connector 30 are displaced substantially along the forward and backward directions FBD from those of the female terminal fittings 15 at least partly accommodated in the housing main body 11 by the dimension d.

Each retainer 40 is likewise made e.g. of a synthetic resin and is provided with a (preferably substantially lattice-shaped) main body 41 and substantially plate-shaped side walls 42 extending from the opposite left and right edges or edge portions of the main body 41 along forward and backward directions FBD as shown in FIGS. 1, 6 and 7. The retainer 40 can be held at a first or partial locking position 1 P having a short depth of insertion (see FIG. 6(A)) and a second or full locking position 2P having a long depth of insertion (see FIG. 6(B)) by the engagement of one or more locking claws 42A provided at the inner surfaces of the upper or distal ends of the side walls 42 with locking projections 22A, 22B provided on the surfaces of the housing main body 11 substantially facing the retainer mount hole 19. The main body 41 of the retainer 40 is retracted from the cavities 16 to permit the insertion and withdrawal of the female terminal fittings 15 at the first or partial locking position 1 P, whereas the main body 41 at least partly partly enters the cavities 16 to lock the female terminal fittings 15 to prevent the female terminal fittings 15 from coming out at the second or full locking position 2P.

On the other hand, one or more error insertion preventing ribs 37 extending substantially along the inserting direction ID (parallel to the forward and backward directions FBD) of the auxiliary connector 30 into the housing main body 11 projects at a position near the front end at each of the opposite lateral (left and right) surfaces of the auxiliary connector 30 (see e.g. FIGS. 7 and 8). In the housing main body 11, an error insertion preventing groove 23 into which the corresponding error insertion preventing rib 37 is at least partly insertable is formed substantially along forward and backward directions FBD (preferably substantially at the bottom) of at least one, preferably each inner side surface of the accommodating portion 12 (see FIG. 4). An error insertion (e.g. upside-down insertion) of the auxiliary connector 30 can be prevented by the one or more error insertion preventing ribs 37 and the error insertion preventing grooves 23. Further, at least one detecting rib 43 extending substantially along forward and backward directions FBD projects at a lateral (bottom) part of the outer surface of the side wall 42 of each retainer 40 closer to the accommodating portion 12 (see FIGS. 6 and 8). These detecting ribs 43 partly enter the corresponding error insertion preventing grooves 23 when the retainer 40 is at the full locking or second position 2P (see FIG. 6(B)) while being retracted from them when the retainer 40 is at the partial locking or first position 1 P (see FIG. 6(A)). Further, the error insertion preventing ribs 37 of the auxiliary connector 30 do not interfere with the detecting ribs 43 of the retainer 40 when the auxiliary connector 30 is located at the proper mount position (see FIG. 8(B)), wherefore they cannot hinder a movement of the retainer 40 from the first or partial locking position 1 P to the second or full locking position 2P. However, when the auxiliary connector 30 is located at a position displaced backward or away from the proper mount position, the error insertion preventing ribs 37 interfere with the detecting ribs 43, wherefore the retainer 40 cannot be pushed to the second or full locking position 2P (see FIG. 8(A)).

As shown in FIGS. 9 to 11, a pair of substantially plate-shaped locking pieces 26 extend obliquely inward toward the front at (preferably substantially upper) parts of the inner lateral (left and right) surfaces of the accommodating portion 12 of the housing main body 11. Each locking piece 26 is transversely resiliently deformable (or away from the auxiliary housing 30), and a locking surface 26A inclined inward of the accommodating portion 12 toward the front (or inclined with respect to an insertion direction ID of the auxiliary connector housing 30 into the accommodating portion 12 and/or the forward and backward directions FBD) is formed at the leading end of the locking piece 26.

On the other hand, one or more, preferably a pair of (upper and lower) locking projections 38 vertically or laterally spaced apart are formed preferably substantially at the front upper end of each of the opposite side surfaces of the auxiliary connector 30 while defining a groove 39 extending along forward and backward directions therebetween. The front surface of each locking projection 38 is formed into a moderately sloped guiding surface 38A, and the rear surface thereof is formed into a so-called overhanging or undercut locking surface 38B which is so sloped as to slightly bulge out backward toward the leading end thereof. The locking surface 26A of the locking piece 26 is engageable with the locking surface 38B. A disengaging projection 27 at least partly projects in an intermediate portion (preferably substantially in the vertical middle) of the locking surface 26A of each locking piece 26. When the locking surface 26A is engaged with the locking surfaces 38B of the locking projections 38, this disengaging projection 27 at least partly enters a clearance between the first and second (upper and lower) locking projections 38. A substantially round or rounded convex introducing surface 27A inclined or rounded toward the accommodating portion 12 is formed on the disengaging projection 27A. As described later, the locking piece 26 can be resiliently deformed in unlocking direction ULD (or a direction intersecting the forward and backward directions FBD) by at least partly inserting the leading end of a jig J into a clearance between the introducing surface 27A and the side surface of the auxiliary connector 30 with the locking piece 26 engaged with the locking projections 38. One or more unlocking windows 28 through which the jig J is at least partly insertable are formed in the front wall 13 of the housing main body 11 at positions substantially before or corresponding to the locking pieces 26. As shown in FIG. 10, the locking piece 26 and the locking projections 38 are spaced apart along forward and backward directions FBD and/or a direction substantially normal thereto (e.g. vertical direction), thereby defining specified clearances C1, C2, which are set to be larger than a clearance between the auxiliary connector 30 and the inner wall of the accommodating portion 12.

As shown in FIG. 7, one or more error connection preventing ribs 29 project substantially along a connecting direction (preferably substantially parallel to the forward and backward directions FBD) of the female connector 10 with the male connector 50 on lateral (lower) parts of (preferably the substantially opposite lateral (left and right) surfaces of) the housing main body 11. Each error connection preventing rib 29 is comprised of a pair of front and rear sections located at the opposite sides of the retainer mount hole 19. On the other hand, one or more error connection preventing ribs 44 extending substantially along forward and backward directions FBD project on the outer surfaces of the outer side walls 42 of the respective retainers 40. The error connection preventing ribs 44 are substantially aligned with the error connection preventing ribs 29 of the housing main body 11 substantially along the connecting direction when the retainer 40 is mounted at the second or full locking position 2P, whereas the error connection preventing ribs 44 are displaced downward or in a direction arranged at an angle different from 0° or 180°, preferably substantially normal to the forward and backward directions FBD from the error connection preventing ribs 29 of the housing main body 11 when the retainer 40 is mounted at the first or partial locking position 1 P.

On the other hand, the male connector 50 includes a male housing 51 made e.g. of a synthetic resin as shown in FIGS. 7, 12 and 13. A fitting portion in the form of a receptacle preferably substantially wide in transverse direction is provided on the front surface of the male housing 51, and the female connector 10 is at least partly fittable into the fitting portion 52. The one or more male terminal fittings 53 are at least partly pressed or inserted into the back end surface of the fitting portion 52 at positions substantially corresponding to the respective cavities 16, 32 of the female connector 10. Each male terminal fitting 53 includes the tab 53A at least partly projecting into the fitting portion 52. Projecting distances of the respective tabs 53A from the back end surface of the fitting portion 52 preferably are all substantially equal. A receiving portion 54 engageable with the lock arm 21 of the housing main body 11 to lock the male and female housings 51, 11 in their properly connected state is formed in a corresponding position (preferably substantially the transverse center) of the lateral (ceiling) surface of the fitting portion 52. One or more error connection preventing grooves 55 into which the error connection preventing ribs 29, 44 of the housing main body 11 and/or the retainer 40 are at least partly insertable are formed substantially along forward and backward directions FBD preferably substantially at lower parts of the substantially opposite lateral (left and right) inner surfaces of the fitting portion 52. An error insertion (e.g. upside-down insertion) of the male connector 10 can be prevented by the error connection preventing ribs 29, 44 and the error connection preventing grooves 55.

Next, functions of this embodiment constructed as above are described.

One example of an assembling procedure is as follows. The one or more (preferably integral or unitary) retainers 35 are closed to doubly lock the female auxiliary-connector side terminal fittings 31 after the respective female auxiliary-connector side terminal fittings 31 are first at least partly inserted into the corresponding cavities 32 of the auxiliary connector 30 (see FIG 3).

Subsequently, the respective retainers 40 are mounted at their first or partial locking positions 1 P in the housing main body 11, and the auxiliary connector 30 is at least partly inserted in the inserting direction ID into the accommodating portion 12 from the inserting side, preferably substantially from behind. At this time, if an attempt is made to erroneously insert the auxiliary connector 30, for example, upside down, the error insertion preventing ribs 37 will get caught by the opening edge of the accommodating portion 12, whereby the insertion is hindered or the erroneous orientation is detected. As the insertion of the auxiliary connector 30 progresses, the guiding surfaces 38A of the respective locking projections 38 come substantially into contact with the locking pieces 26 to resiliently deform the locking pieces in the direction ULD or outward. When the auxiliary connector 30 is inserted to the substantially proper mount position where the auxiliary-connector side front wall 33 thereof is substantially in contact with the front wall 13 of the housing main body 11, the respective locking pieces 26 are resiliently at least partly restored inward and the locking surfaces 26A thereof are engaged with the locking surfaces 38B of the locking projections 38, whereby the auxiliary connector 30 is locked so as not to come out (see FIG. 9).

Subsequently, the one or more female terminal fittings 15 are at least partly inserted into the corresponding cavities 16 of the housing main body 11, and each retainer 40 is pushed from the first or partial locking position 1 P to the second or full locking position 2P. Here, if an attempt is made to inadvertently push the retainer 40 with the auxiliary connector 30 left insufficiently inserted without reaching the substantially proper mount position, the detecting rib 43 of the retainer 40 comes substantially into contact with the error insertion preventing rib 37 in the error insertion preventing groove 23 as shown in FIG. 8(A), thereby preventing the retainer 40 from being pushed to the second or full locking position 2P. In this way, the insufficient insertion of the auxiliary connector 30 can be detected. Since the retainers 40 as existing constructions are utilized to detect the insufficiently inserted state of the auxiliary connector(s) 30 without using a member for exclusive use, the insufficiently inserted state of the auxiliary connector(s) 30 can be detected without increasing the number of parts.

If the retainer 40 is pushed to the second or full locking position 2P with the auxiliary connector 30 mounted at the substantially proper mount position, the detecting rib 43 at least partly enters the error insertion preventing groove 23 without interfering with the error insertion preventing rib 37 of the auxiliary connector 30 as shown in FIG. 8(B), and the retainer 40 reaches the second or full locking position 2P to (preferably doubly) lock the female terminal fittings 15 in the respective cavities 16. This causes the detecting rib 43 to be engaged with the rear surface of the error insertion preventing rib 37 of the auxiliary connector 30 to (preferably doubly) lock the auxiliary connector 30. In this way, the assembling of the female connector 10 is completed.

Next, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 13, the male and female connectors 50, 10 are substantially right opposed to each other, and the female connector 10 is at least partly fitted into the fitting portion 52 while the error connection preventing ribs 29 of the housing main body 11 are at least partly inserted into the error connection preventing grooves 55 of the male housing 51. Here, if the retainers 40 are properly pushed to their second or full locking positions 2P, the error connection preventing ribs 29 of the housing main body 11 and the error connection preventing ribs 44 of the retainers 40 are substantially aligned in a row, whereby the error connection preventing ribs 29, 44 at least partly enter the error connection preventing grooves 55 of the male housing 51 to continue the fitting operation. On the other hand, the retainers 40 may be left at the first or partial locking positions 1 P if it was forgotten to push the retainers 40 to the second or full locking positions 2P or if the retainers 40 cannot be pushed to the second or full locking positions 2P despite an attempt to push the retainers 40 to the second or full locking positions 2P since the auxiliary connector 30 is insufficiently inserted. If an attempt is made to connect the male and female connectors 10, 50 in this state, the error connection preventing ribs 44 of the retainers 40 come substantially into contact or interfere with the opening edge of the fitting portion 52 to prevent any further connecting operation since the error connection preventing ribs 44 of the retainers 40 are displaced from the error connection preventing ribs 29 of the housing main body 11. In this way, the insufficient insertion of the retainers 40 can be securely detected.

As the connection of the male and female connectors 50, 10 deepens, the tabs 53A of the male terminal fittings 53 at least partly enter the cavities 16, 32 through the tab insertion holes 17A of the main-body side front walls 17 or the tab insertion holes 13A of the front wall 13 and the tab insertion holes 33A of the auxiliary-connector side auxiliary-connector side front walls 33. Here, since the female auxiliary-connector side terminal fittings 31 mounted in the auxiliary connector 30 are located behind or spaced apart substantially along the forward and backward directions FBD the female terminal fittings 15 mounted in the housing main body 11 by the dimension d, the tabs 53A having at least partly entered the cavities 16 of the housing main body 11 are first at least partly inserted into the female terminal fittings 15 and subsequently the tabs 53A having at least partly entered the cavities 32 of the auxiliary connector 30 are at least partly inserted into the female auxiliary-connector side terminal fittings 31. When the tabs 53A are at least partly inserted into the female terminal fittings 15 in the housing main body 11, an insertion resistance Pa created between the male and female terminal fittings 53, 15 suddenly increases to reach a peak value due to resiliently restoring forces of the resilient contact pieces 15A immediately after the contact of the leading ends of the tabs 53A with the resilient contact pieces 15A. Thereafter, when the insertion resistance Pa decreases and the deformation of the resilient contact pieces 15A stops to be held substantially in sliding contact with the tabs 53A, the insertion resistance Pa becomes substantially stable at a low value (e.g. less than about ¾ of the peak value). An insertion resistance Pb created between the female auxiliary-connector side terminal fittings 31 in the auxiliary connector 30 and the tabs 53A shows a tendency similar to the insertion resistance Pa, but reaches its peak value at a delayed timing since the female auxiliary-connector side terminal fittings 31 are displaced backward from the female terminal fittings 15 by the distance d. Since an insertion resistance Pc created between all the tabs 53A and the corresponding female terminal fittings 15, 31 is a sum of the insertion resistance Pa between the female terminal fittings 15 and the tabs 53A and the insertion resistance Pb between the female auxiliary-connector side terminal fittings 31 and the tabs 53A, a peak value thereof is lower than a peak value of an assumed insertion resistance Pd (about twofold of Pa) in the case that the female auxiliary-connector side terminal fittings 31 are assumed to start contacting the tabs 53A at the same timing as the female terminal fittings 15. Thus, a peak value of a connection resistance between the male and female connectors 50, 10 is reduced to improve a connecting operability.

When the female connector 10 is pushed to such a position as to come into contact with the back wall of the fitting portion 52 in this way, the lock arm 21 is engaged with the receiving portion 54 to lock the male and female housings 51, 11 in their properly connected state as shown in FIG. 15.

In the case of detaching the auxiliary connector 30 of the female connector 10 from the housing main body 11 for maintenance or other reason, the respective retainers 40 are first pushed from the second or full locking positions 2P to the first or partial locking positions 1 P. Subsequently, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, a jig J pointed toward the leading end is at least partly inserted into the unlocking window 28 of the housing main body 11 and the leading end thereof is at least partly fitted into the groove 39 between the upper and lower locking projections 38 and caused to slide toward the back side along the groove 39. Then, the leading end of the jig J at least partly enters the clearance between the guiding surface 27A of the disengaging projection 27 and the side surface of the auxiliary connector 30 to come substantially into contact with the introducing surface 27A as shown in FIGS. 11 (A). Here, since the jig J can be guided to such a position as to come substantially into contact with the disengaging projection 27 by the groove 39 formed between the pair of locking projections 38, operability is good.

When the jig J is further pushed toward the back side, the locking piece 26 is guided by the introducing surface 27A of the disengaging projection 27 and resiliently deformed in the unlocking direction ULD toward a side away from the side surface of the auxiliary connector 30 as shown in FIG. 11 (B), whereby the locking surface 26A of the locking piece 26 and the locking surface 38B of the locking projection 38 are substantially disengaged from each other. The auxiliary connector 30 can be pulled out of the accommodating portion 12 by being pulled backward with respect to the housing main body 11 after the lateral (left and right) locking pieces 26 are disengaged in this way.

As described above, since the mount positions of the main-body side female terminal fittings 15 are displaced by the distance d from those of the auxiliary-connector side female terminal fittings 31 substantially along the connecting direction or the forward and backward directions FBD according to this embodiment, the insertion resistance Pa created between the female terminal fittings 15 and the mating tabs 53A peaks at a timing shifted from the insertion resistance Pb created between the female terminal fittings 31 and the tabs 53A. Accordingly, a peak value of a (total) connecting force to connect the male and female connectors 50, 10 (i.e. of the sum of the insertion resistances Pa and Pb) is reduced, thereby improving a connecting operability.

Further, since a sum of the thickness substantially along the forward and backward directions FBD of the auxiliary-connector side front or abutment walls 33 for stopping or abutting the auxiliary-connector side female terminal fittings 31 at their front end positions and that of the front or abutting wall 13 for stopping or abutting the auxiliary connector 30 at its front end position is set to be larger than the thickness of the main-body side front walls 17 for stopping or abutting the main-body side female terminal fittings 15 at their front end positions, the mount positions of the auxiliary-connector side female terminal fittings 31 are shifted backward or displaced substantially along the connecting direction (preferably substantially parallel to the forward and backward directions FBD) from those of the main-body side female terminal fittings 15 by this thickness difference (distance d). In this way, the connection timing of the auxiliary-connector side female terminal fittings 31 with the tabs 53A can be shifted or delayed from that of the main-body side female terminal fittings 15 with the tabs 53A by a simple construction.

Accordingly, to improve an operability in connecting connectors, since a sum of the thickness substantially along the connecting direction of auxiliary-connector side front walls 33 for stopping or abutting or positioning one or more auxiliary-connector side female terminal fittings 31 at their front end positions and that of a front or abutting wall 13 for stopping or abutting or positioning at least one auxiliary connector 30 at its front end position is set to be larger than the thickness of main-body side front walls 17 for stopping main-body side female terminal fittings 15 at their front end positions, mount positions of the auxiliary-connector side female terminal fittings 31 are shifted substantially along the connecting direction backward or away from those of the main-body side female terminal fittings 15 by this thickness difference (distance d). Thus, upon connecting male and female connectors 50, 10, an insertion resistance created between the female terminal fittings 15 and mating tabs 53A peaks at a timing shifted or delayed from an insertion resistance created between the female terminal fittings 31 and the mating tabs 53A. Accordingly, a peak value of a connecting force (corresponding to at least the sum of the connection resistances Pa and Pb) to connect the male and female connectors 50, 10 is reduced, thereby improving a connecting operability.

<Other embodiments>

The present invention is not limited to the above described and illustrated embodiment. For example, the following embodiment is also embraced by the technical scope of the present invention as defined by the claims. Beside the following embodiment, various changes can be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention as defined by the claims. <ul id="ul0006" list-style="none" compact="compact"><li>(1) The present invention is also similarly applicable to male connectors accommodating male terminal fittings.</li><li>(2) The present invention is not limitedly applied to divided connectors using only terminal fittings of the same shape as in the foregoing embodiment, but is also applicable to divided connectors of hybrid type using a plurality of kinds of terminal fittings having different shapes.</li><li>(3) Although the number of the main-body side terminal fittings is equal to that of the auxiliary-connector side terminal fittings in the foregoing embodiment, the former may be larger or smaller than the latter.</li><li>(4) Two or more auxiliary connector housings may be mounted into the housing main body. In such a case, mount positions of the auxiliary connector housings may be displaced along the connecting direction.</li></ul>

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

<dl id="dl0001" compact="compact"><dt>10</dt><dd>female connector (divided connector)</dd><dt>11</dt><dd>housing main body</dd><dt>12</dt><dd>accommodating portion</dd><dt>13</dt><dd>front wall</dd><dt>15</dt><dd>female terminal fitting (main-body side terminal fitting)</dd><dt>16,32</dt><dd>cavity</dd><dt>17</dt><dd>main-body side front wall</dd><dt>30</dt><dd>auxiliary connector housing</dd><dt>31</dt><dd>female terminal fitting (auxiliary-connector side terminal fitting)</dd><dt>33</dt><dd>auxiliary-connector side front wall</dd><dt>50</dt><dd>male connector (mating connector)</dd></dl>