Electrical connector with a function of detecting interfitting engagement of connector housings

Claim 2

An electrical connector according to claim 1, characterized in that the actuator (12) integrally projects from a cover (3) mounted on the first connector housing (4) so as to be rotatively moved between a first state in which the cover (3) lies along the outer surface of the first connector housing (4) and a second state in which the cover (3) rises from the first state.

Claim 3

An electrical connector according to claim 2, characterized in that the cover (3) has right-hand and left-hand side walls and is formed into the shape of a hood covering a part of the second connector housing and the side walls of the cover (3) are rotatably mounted on respective shafts (8) further formed on the first connector housing (4).

Claim 4

An electrical connector according to claim 3, characterized in that the second connector housing (10) includes a cam follower (30) with which the actuator (12) is brought into contact in the process of interfitting engagement of the connector housings (4, 10) and that the actuator (12) is abutted against the cam follower (30) when the cover (3) is rotatively moved to assume the first state in the condition that the connector housings (4, 10) are in an incomplete interfitting engagement, thereby thrusting the second connector housing (10) in the direction of the complete interfitting engagement.

Claim 5

An electrical connector according to claim 3, characterized in that the first connector housing (4) has two engaging convexities (11) and the cover (3) has in the right-hand and left-hand side walls thereof apertures (9) the engaging convexities (11) of the first connector housing (4) engage respectively when the connector housings (4, 10) are in a normal position for the interfitting engagement.

Claim 6

An electrical connector comprising a female connector housing (10), a plurality of female terminals (15) accommodated in the female connector housing (10), a male connector housing (4) interfitting with the female connector housing (10) and having right-hand and left-hand side walls, the male connector housing (4) having support shafts (8) projecting from the side walls respectively, a plurality of male terminals (6) accommodated in the male connector housing (4), the male terminals (6) being electrically connected to the female terminals (15) respectively upon the interfitting engagement of the male and female connector housings (4, 10), a short-circuiting terminal (14) disposed in the female connector housing (10) and usually urged so as to come into contact with at least one pair of the female terminals (15), thereby making a short circuit between the female terminals (15), a cover (3) formed into the shape of a hood covering part of each of the side walls of the male connector housing (4), the cover (3) being rotatably mounted on the support shafts (8) of the male connector housing (4) so as to be movable between a first state in which the cover (3) lies along a plane between the right-hand and left-hand side walls of the male connector (2) and a second state in which the cover (3) rises up from the first state, the cover (3) having right-hand and left-hand side walls having engagement holes (9) respectively, an actuator (12) formed integrally with the cover (3) and displacing the short-circuiting terminal (14) upon the interfitting engagement of the male and female connector housings (4, 10), so that the short-circuiting terminal (14) is departed from the female terminals (15), a cam follower (30) provided in the female connector housing (10) so that the actuator (12) comes into contact therewith in the process of interfitting engagement of the male and female connector housings (4, 10), the cam follower (30) being abutted by the actuator (12) when the cover (3) is rotatively moved to assume the first state while the connector housings (4, 10) are in the state of incomplete interfitting engagement, whereby the female connector housing (10) is thrust in such a direction that the same completely interfits with the male connector housing (4), and a pair of engagement convexities (11) provided on the female connector housing (10) so as to engage the engagement holes (9) of the cover (3) respectively when the connector housing (4, 10) have reached the state of normal interfitting engagement, characterized by a pair of interfitting engagement detecting terminals (6a) provided in the male connector housing (4) so that a short circuit is made therebetween by the short-circuiting terminal (14) when the same is displaced by the actuator (12) to be away from the female terminals (15).