JP2003317831A - Base board mounting type electric connector assembly, and electric connector - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a base board mounting type electric connector assembly and an electric connector with reduced number of kind of parts and initial investment cost. <P>SOLUTION: An assembly 100 having a male and a female connectors, of which the shape is the same with each other, is formed by mounting connectors 1 on respective base boards 90 with their upper and lower sides reversed. A rotation axis 54 of a sub housing 50 of the connector 1 is held freely rotatably between latch arms 26a, 26b of a main housing 2. When the connectors 1 of the assembly 100 are slightly shifted in vertical direction from each other, the sub housings 50 rotate and make displacement toward respective directions when the connectors 1 are moved relatively in the direction of arrow mark C and are engaged with each other. By the above, mutual positioned deviation of the connectors 1 is absorbed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a board-mounted electric connector assembly and an electric connector used for the same, and more particularly to a so-called floating type male and female in which a fitting portion floats when the electric connectors are fitted to each other. The present invention relates to a board-mounted electric connector assembly of the same shape and an electric connector used for the same.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an electronic device such as a television, a plurality of printed circuit boards (hereinafter simply referred to as boards) on which electric / electronic components are mounted are arranged. Generally, these boards are electrically connected to each other by fitting electrical connectors attached to the boards to each other. At this time, the mounting position of the board in the device is predetermined, but the fitting portion between the electric connectors may be slightly displaced due to assembly work or mounting error. At least the fitting portion is configured to be slightly displaceable so that the fitting portions of the electric connector can be properly fitted to each other by absorbing this positional deviation, and the so-called floating type or floating type electric Connectors are known.

As an example of such an electrical connector, an electrical connector assembly disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 3-38769 is known. The electrical connector assembly includes a first connector having female contacts and a second connector having pin contacts. The first connector is
It is composed of two bodies, a solder tail side housing that holds the solder tail portion (connection portion) of the female contact and a contact side housing that holds the contact portion of the female contact. The female contact has an elastic portion at an intermediate portion between the connecting portion and the contact portion. The contact side housing is configured to be displaceable with respect to the solder tail side housing by this elasticity of the contact. The other second connector holding the pin contact is
The housing has a shape different from that of the first connector.

[0004]

In the above-mentioned prior art,
The solder tail-side housing and the contact-side housing that form the first connector are only connected via a contact. Therefore, when an excessive external force is applied to the contact-side housing when the electric connector is handled or installed in a device, the intermediate portion of the contact may be plastically deformed. Further, since the floating function is provided only on one side of the connector, the range of positional deviation absorption is narrow.

Also, three types of housings are required for the electrical connector assembly. That is, 2 on the first connector side
Three types of housings, one type on the second connector side, are used in total. In this case, since it is necessary to manufacture a mold for each of the three types of housings, there are problems that the types of molds increase and the initial investment cost increases.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and has a floating structure, the contacts are not deformed by an excessive external force, and the range of positional deviation absorption is large. An object is to provide a connector assembly and an electrical connector.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a board-mounted electric connector assembly and an electric connector used for the same which can reduce the kinds of parts and initial investment cost.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A board-mounted electrical connector assembly of the present invention comprises a set of electrical connectors movably mated with each other, each having a contact and a housing having the contact. In the electrical connector assembly, each electrical connector is hermaphroditic, and the housing of the electrical connector holds a first housing that supports a connection portion of the contact to the substrate, and a contact portion of the contact that contacts the counterpart contact. Second
And a second housing, wherein the second housing is rotatably pivoted with respect to the first housing so as to absorb the positional deviation of the contact portions when the electric connectors are fitted to each other. To do.

One of the first housing and the second housing has a rotary shaft, and the other receives the rotary shaft to prevent and retain the rotary shaft, and a pair of them are opposed to each other. A latch arm for

The electrical connector of the present invention has a first housing for supporting the connecting portion of the contact to the substrate, and a second housing for holding the contact portion of the contact, which is in contact with the mating contact. It is characterized in that the two housings are rotatably held with respect to the first housing so as to absorb the positional deviation between the contact portions when the mating electrical connectors of the hermaphroditic shape are fitted together. .
One of the first housing or the second housing has a rotating shaft, and the other receives the rotating shaft to prevent and retain the rotating shaft, and a pair of mutually opposing latch arms. Can be provided.

[0011]

According to the board-mounted electric connector assembly of the present invention, the electric connectors constituting the assembly are hermaphroditic, and the housing of the electric connector supports the connecting portion of the contact to the board. A housing and a second housing that holds the contact portion of the contact that contacts the counterpart contact, and this second housing absorbs the positional deviation of the contact portions when the electrical connectors are fitted to each other. Since it is pivotally attached to the first housing, the following effects are obtained.

That is, since the second housing is pivotally attached to the first housing, even if an excessive external force is applied to the second housing, an external force that plastically deforms the contact is not applied to the contact. Therefore, it is possible to obtain a board-mounted electric connector assembly and an electric connector which have a floating structure and in which the contacts are not deformed by an excessive external force. Furthermore, combining two connectors with the same structure with a floating structure,
Since it is configured, the range of positional deviation absorption of the board-mounted electrical connector assembly can be increased.

Further, since each electric connector is a hermaphroditic electric connector consisting of two housings, the number of molds is two, and the kind of parts and the initial investment cost can be reduced. Produce an effect.

One of the pair of mutually facing one of the first housing and the second housing has a rotating shaft, and the other receives the rotating shaft to prevent and retain the rotating shaft. When the latch arm is provided, the first and second housings can be assembled by latching, so that the first and second housings can be easily assembled.

[0015]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, a board-mounted electric connector assembly of the present invention (hereinafter simply referred to as an assembly) and an electric connector used for the same (hereinafter simply referred to as a connector)
Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a plan view of a connector 1 of the present invention,
2 is a front view of the connector 1 shown in FIG. 1, and FIG.
The left side view of the connector of FIG. Further, FIG. 4 shows that one set of the electric connector of the present invention attached to the substrate 90 is used.
Assembly 1 of the present invention showing a state of fitting upside down
It is sectional drawing of 00. Hereinafter, description will be given with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4.

The connector 1 is an insulative main housing (first housing) 2 mounted on a substrate 90 (FIG. 4).
And an insulating sub-housing (second housing) 50 rotatably attached to the main housing 2, and a plurality of contacts 4 arranged over both the main housing 2 and the sub-housing 50. There is. The main housing 2 has a rectangular plate-shaped base portion 8 arranged on the substrate 90, and the substrate 90 at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the base portion 8.
And an end wall 6 projecting at a right angle to.

A space for arranging the contact 4 is provided between the both end walls 6. The contact 4 is provided on the base portion 8.
The contact insertion hole 14 into which the tine portion 12 of
It is formed in two rows along the longitudinal direction of the base portion 8.
A taper 14a (FIG. 4) is formed in each contact insertion hole 14 to facilitate insertion of the tine portion 12. Also, a narrow through hole 14b in which the taper 14a is converged
Has a cross-sectional shape that allows the tine portion 12 to be loosely inserted without being press-fitted.

An outer step portion 16 is formed on the outer upper portion of each end wall 6 and opens forward, upward and sideward. Note that, here, for convenience, the term "front" refers to the fitting direction of the connector 1 indicated by arrow A in FIG. And
Inside the end wall 6, an inner step portion 18 that opens forward, upward and inward is formed at a position substantially corresponding to the outer step portion 16.

The inner step portion 18 is formed to have a larger size in the height direction than the outer step portion 16, and the auxiliary housing 50 is accommodated in the inner step portion 18. The dimension between both inner step portions 18 is larger than the dimension in the longitudinal direction of the sub housing 50 to the extent that there is a gap G (FIG. 1) on both sides. As a result, after assembly, the sub housing 50 is
By moving slightly along the longitudinal direction, it is possible to absorb the positional deviation of the connector 1 in the longitudinal direction when the connectors are fitted to each other.

The outer step portion 16 and the inner step portion 18 form a rear wall 22 and a front wall 24. The rear wall 22 is relatively thick and the front wall 24 is relatively thin, and a groove 20 that opens upward is formed at the boundary between the walls 22 and 24. The bottom surface of the groove 22 has a rotation shaft 54 so that the rotation shaft 54 described later can be rotatably received.
It is curved according to the outer shape of.

A pair of latch arms 26a, 26b are provided on the upward surface 16a of the outer step portion 16 so as to be adjacent to the outer sides of the rear wall 22 and the front wall 24 and project upward. . These latch arms 26a and 26b are located on both sides of the groove 20 described above. These latch arms 26a, 26b have a taper 27 (FIG. 3) at the top.
With protrusions 28 inwardly facing each other. These protrusions 28 are formed so as to overlap each other when viewed in the longitudinal direction of the housing 2. The rotation shaft 54 of the sub-housing 50 is rotatably arranged between the groove 20 and the pair of latch arms 26a and 26b.

Next, the sub housing 50 will be described. The sub housing 50 is a substantially rectangular parallelepiped member having a length that is accommodated between the two inner step portions 18 described above. It has a large number of contact accommodating holes 52 for holding the contact portions 56 (FIG. 4) of the contacts 4. Then, guide protrusions 60 extending in the insertion / removal direction of the connector 1 are provided on both sides of the upper end of the fitting portion 58.
And a guide hole 62. The guide protrusion 60 has a substantially pyramidal shape having a taper 60a on both the outer side and the upper and lower sides, and the guide hole 62 has an inner diameter shape for receiving the guide protrusion 60, and guides the outer edge 62a and the lower edge 62b of the inlet. A tapered surface that guides the protrusion 60 is formed. When the same connector 1 is combined, these guide protrusions 60 and guide holes 62 guide each other by compensating for the positional deviation of the fitting portion 58 by the taper 62a at the initial stage of fitting. ing.

Further, the central wall 59 of the fitting portion 58 has a dimension that extends inside the guide protrusions 60 and the guide holes 62 at both ends (FIG. 2), and the step portion 61 extends in the inserting / removing direction of the central wall 59. It is formed approximately in the middle of the length, and the front end portion is thin. Further, all the contacts 4 are arranged inside the guide protrusions 60 and the guide holes 62 at both ends and vertically aligned in the fitting portion 58. As a result, when the connector 1 is fitted upside down, the central wall 59 is fitted so that the thin portions contact each other, and the contact portions 56 of the contacts 4 and the contact portions 56 of the corresponding contacts 4 are fitted. Contact.

On both sides of the rear end of the sub housing 50, a rotary shaft 54 extending in the longitudinal direction of the sub housing 50 is integrally projected. The rotating shaft 54 has a length protruding from the latch arm 26a in the longitudinal direction of the connector 1. After the rotary shaft 54 is aligned with the groove 20 and is inserted into the pair of latch arms 26a and 26b so as to be pushed in from above, both the latch arms 26a and 26b are bent to move along the taper 27. When it enters and passes through the protrusion 28, the latch arms 26a and 26b elastically return, and the protrusions 28 of the latch arms 26a and 26b overlap each other. As a result, the rotary shaft 54 is locked in the groove 20 and is rotatably held by the latch arms 26a and 26b so as not to come out upward.

Further, the lower end of the projection 28 of the latch arm 26a (26b), that is, the edge or surface for holding the rotation shaft 54 from the top is formed so that the projection 28 is inclined downward so as to hold the rotation shaft 54. Good. In this case, the protrusion 28
However, the protrusion 28 comes in contact with the rotating shaft 54 at a position closer to the tip of the protrusion 28, which is lower than the uppermost part of the rotating shaft 54. for that reason,
Even when an upward force is applied to the rotating shaft 54, the pair of latch arms 26a and 26b receive a force from the rotating shaft 54 so as to face each other, so that the pair of latch arms 26a and 26b are Never open.

When the sub housing 50 is rotatably held by the main housing 2 as described above, a space between the inner step portion 18 and the sub housing 50 is set as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3.
Since there is a gap, the sub-housing 50 can rotate within the range of this gap around the rotation shaft 54 as indicated by arrow B in FIG. Further, since there is the gap G also along the longitudinal direction, it is possible to move so as to absorb the positional deviation as described above. Further, since the sub housing 50 is pivotally attached to the main housing 2 in this way, even if an external force is applied to the sub housing 50 during assembly or the like, an excessive force is not applied to the contact 4 and the contact 4 is Plastic deformation is prevented.

Next, the contact 4 will be described. The contact 4 is composed of two types of contacts 4a and 4b as best shown in FIG. Contact 4a
Is a tine portion 12 inserted from the base portion 8 into the substrate 90.
a, a contact portion 56a that is press-fitted and held in the contact accommodating hole 52, and an intermediate portion 30a that connects these. The intermediate portion 30a is formed so that the L length is increased along the outer shape of the rear portion of the sub housing 50, and thus the elastic force is provided so that the tine portion 12a and the contact portion 56a can be displaced relatively easily. Granted.

Similarly, the contact 4b also has a tine portion 12b and a contact portion 56b, and the intermediate portion 30b is a portion 3 extending rearward between the intermediate portion 30a and the sub housing 50.
1 and a portion 33 that extends forward near the base portion 8. As a result, an intermediate portion 30 having a long L length that can be bent according to the rotation and displacement of the sub housing 50 is formed on both contacts 4a, 4b. The above-mentioned contact pieces 56a and 56b are respectively formed as an elastic contact piece and a fixed contact piece having no elasticity.

Next, the assembly of the connector 1 will be described. First of all, the contact 30 and the auxiliary housing 50
Is press-fitted into the contact housing hole 52, and the locking portion 51 of the contact portion 56 is fixed by interferingly engaging with the sub housing 50.
Next, the tine portion 12 of the contact 4 is aligned with the contact insertion hole 14, and is arranged in the main housing 2 so that the sub housing 50 is located in the inner step portion 18.
At this time, as described above, the rotation shaft 54 of the auxiliary housing 50
Is held in the main housing 2 by the latch arms 26a and 26b, and the tine portion 12 has the contact insertion hole 1
Inserted in 4. The tine portion 12 is guided by the taper 14a and has a larger diameter through hole 14b than the tine portion 12.
It can be easily assembled because it will enter.

Next, a mode in which the connector 1 constructed in this manner is fitted upside down will be described with further reference to FIG. Figure 5
[Fig. 3] is a side view of the assembly 100 of the present invention showing a state in which the two connectors 1 in a displaced state are fitted to each other. When the connector 1 is attached to the substrate 90 and arranged upside down, the assembly 10 having a pair of hermaphroditic connectors 1
0 is configured. When the connectors 1 of the assembly 100 are fitted to each other, the fitting portions 58 are fitted to each other as shown in FIG. 4, and the contact piece 56a comes into contact with the contact piece 56b. The fitting state shown in FIG. 4 indicates the fitting reference position.

In FIG. 4, since the sub-housings 50 are aligned with each other, that is, they are not displaced from each other, the position of the sub-housing 50 hardly changes during the fitting. But,
Actually, as shown in FIG. 5, the connectors 1 may be slightly displaced from each other in the vertical direction due to an error in mounting the board 90 or the like. At this time, when the connector 1 relatively moves in the direction indicated by the arrow C during assembly, the sub-housing 50 engages with the guide protrusion 60 and the guide hole 62 described above, and as shown by the arrow B in FIG. Then, they are rotated and displaced in the directions of each other. In addition to the case of the mounting error, this positional deviation occurs not only when the board 90 is temporarily fixed but also when the board 90 is finally fixed with a screw.

In this way, the displacement of the connector 1 is absorbed by the sub-housing 50 which rotates about the rotating shaft 54. Further, the positional deviation along the arrow C direction is adjusted by the fitting length of the contacts 4. That is, the contact portions 56 shown in FIG. 4 slide with each other, and the positional deviation is absorbed. This compensates for the positional deviation between the connectors 1 in the three-dimensional direction. In particular, both connectors 1 are configured so that they can be idle in the hermaphroditic shape, so that the range of absorbing the positional deviation is large. Also these 1
Since only two types of molds are required to mold the set of connectors 1, initial investment is small.

Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail above, it is needless to say that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment and various modifications and changes can be considered. For example, although the rotating shaft 54 is provided so as to project from the sub housing 50, it may be provided so as to project from the main housing 2. In this case, the latch arm will be formed in the sub housing 50.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of an electric connector of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the electrical connector shown in FIG.

3 is a left side view of the electrical connector of FIG.

FIG. 4 shows an electrical connector 1 of the present invention mounted on a substrate.
Sectional drawing of the board mounting type | mold electric connector assembly of this invention which shows the state which fitted upside down and used for the assembly.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the board-mounted electrical connector assembly of the present invention showing the two connectors of the present invention in a misaligned state and fitted together.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 electrical connector 2 Main housing (first housing) 4 contacts 12 Connection part (tine part) 26 Latch arm 50 Sub-housing (second housing) 54 rotation axis 56 Contact part 90 substrates 100 Board-mounted electrical connector assembly

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An interlocking fit 1 with each contact and a housing having the contact.
In a board-mounted electric connector assembly including a set of electric connectors, each of the electric connectors is hermaphroditic, and the housing of the electric connector includes a first housing that supports a connecting portion of the contact to the board. A second housing for holding the contact portion of the contact, the second housing being in contact with the mating contact, the second housing absorbing the positional deviation of the contact portions when the electric connectors are fitted to each other. A board-mounted electrical connector assembly, wherein the board-mounted electrical connector assembly is rotatably and pivotally attached to the first housing. 2. The first housing or the second housing
One of the housings has a rotating shaft, and the other receives the rotating shaft to prevent and retain the rotating shaft.
The board-mounted electrical connector assembly of claim 1, comprising a pair of opposing latch arms. 3. A first housing for supporting a connecting portion of a contact to a substrate, and a second housing for holding a contact portion of the contact, which is in contact with a mating contact, and the second housing includes a male and a female. An electrical connector, which is rotatably pivotably attached to the first housing so as to absorb a positional deviation between the contact portions when the mating electrical connector of the same shape is fitted. 4. The first housing or the second housing
One of the housings has a rotating shaft, and the other receives the rotating shaft to prevent and retain the rotating shaft.
4. The electrical connector according to claim 3, comprising a pair of latch arms facing each other.