Connector with locking arm having groove facing away from connector housing

摘要

A connector (A) includes a connector housing (10) with a locking arm (11) extending from an outer surface (10A) of the connector housing (10). A groove (16) is formed on a base part (12) of the locking arm (11) along a direction in which the base part (12) is erected. A groove (18) is formed on an arm part (13) of the locking arm (11) along a direction in which the arm part (13) extends. A thickness Tk between a bottom surface (16A) of the groove (16) of the base part (12) and a rear surface (12R) thereof is set larger than a vertical thickness Ta of the arm part (13). When the locking arm tilts in a direction in which the locking arm (11) moves away from the connector housing (10), with the base part (12) acting as the supporting point of the tilting motion of the locking arm (11), a rib-shaped portion (16B) at both sides of the groove (16) makes the base part (12) less flexible than the arm part (13). Thus, the degree of the strain of the base part (12) is low. On the other hand, the formation of the groove (18) allows the arm part (13) to be more flexible than the base part (12). The deformation of the arm part (13) relaxes a tilting force that is applied to the base part (12). Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the locking arm (11) from being broken at its base part (12).