This invention relates to a connector in which two connector housings are fitted together, and more particularly to a connector in which a fitting-completed condition of the two connector housings can be detected by a fitting indicator such as a detection pin or electrical detector.
In connectors, and particularly the type of connector having many terminals, the force for fitting male and female connector housings is large, so that a large force is required for attaching and detaching them. To deal with this, there has been proposed a so-called screw tightening-type connector. In this construction, a bolt is rotatably mounted, for example, on a female connector housing, and a nut is mounted on a male connector housing. The bolt is tightened relative to the nut, thereby fitting the two connector housings together.
Incidentally, the bolt tightening operation is carried out using a tool such as an impact wrench. If the bolt is tightened excessively, the bolt may be broken, or the housing may be damaged. Therefore, in recent years, there has been proposed a construction in which a threaded portion of a bolt is provided partially on a distal end portion of a bolt shaft, and in a fitting-completed condition of two connector housings, the threaded portion of the bolt extends forwardly from the nut, thereby freely rotating without engagement with the nut. This prevents excessive tightening of the bolt (for example, Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 63-13283).
However, in the above construction in which the bolt freely rotates in the fitting-completed condition of the two connector housings, an excessive tightening of the bolt is eliminated, but in a tightening operation by an impact wrench, the operator cannot clearly perceive the degree of tightening of the bolt. Accordingly, the operator may stop the tightening operation before the fitting-completed condition of the two connector housings is achieved, that is, in a so-called half-fitted condition.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds