Half-fitting prevention connector which positively prevents a half-fitted connection

摘要

In a half-fitting prevention connector (1), a lock arm (10), having an engagement projection (9) for retaining a mating connector (3), is elastically-deformably supported in a housing (4), and a receiving chamber (11), in which a spring member (5) is held, is formed within the lock arm (10). The spring member (5) includes a coil-shaped compression spring portion (6), and a rear end portion of this compression spring portion is twisted perpendicularly to an axis thereof to form a torsion spring portion (7), and a resiliently-bendable portion (8) extends obliquely forwardly from this torsion spring portion. The receiving chamber (11) has a movement-enabling space (13). The mating connector (3) has pressing portions (24) which abut against the spring member (5) to compress the same during a fitting operation. An abutment portion (31) and a retaining portion (32), which abuts against and retains the distal end of the resiliently-bendable portion (8), are formed on a reverse surface of the engagement projection (9). A gap (&dgr;) is formed between a front holding portion (18) in the receiving chamber (11) and the front end of the compression spring portion (6).