In recent years, electric connectors having numerous terminals are being used in the field of automobiles and the like, and are continually become more and more advanced. With an electric connector having numerous terminals, a large force is necessary to mate together connectors and release the connection. Therefore, in the field of automobiles and the like, a lever-type connector to mate with and release from a mating connector utilizing effect of boosting by a lever is used. For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2009-245608 and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2009-245609 discloses known lever-type connectors to mate with and release from a mating connector.
As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, a lever 2 of a known lever-type connector 1 has a pair of side plates 2a and a connecting part 2b for connecting both the side plates to each other, and is formed into a U shape. Also, on each of the inner surfaces in the tip end portions of both the side plates 2a, a lever moving projection 4 is provided for attaching the lever 2 to a housing 3 of the lever-type connector 1.
In the process for assembling the lever-type connector 1, when the lever 2 is attached to the housing 3, a worker needs to manually insert each of the lever moving projections 4 formed on the lever 2 into a projection receiving portion 6 formed in a lever bearing section 5. The configuration is made such that, at this time, when the lever 2 is tilted at a predetermined angle with respect to the housing 3, the lever moving projections 4 can be inserted into the projection receiving portion 6. Therefore, the worker needs to adjust the tilt angle of the lever 2 with respect to the housing 3 so that the lever moving projections 4 coincide with the projection receiving portion 6, this work being troublesome.
Further, as shown in FIG. 7B, a part 2c of the lever 2 interferes with a wire cover 7 that attaches to the housing 3. As a result, the lever 2 cannot be assembled in certain conditions such that the lever moving projections 4 coincide with the projection receiving portion 6. Further, if an attempt is made to forcefully insert the lever moving projections 4 of the lever 2 into the projection receiving portion 6, the lever 2 may be damaged, or the projection receiving portion 6 may be deformed.