CN107251339B

CN107251339B - Elastic connector

Info

Publication number: CN107251339B
Application number: CN201680005505.4A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 竹内彬人
Original assignee: Polymatech Japan Co Ltd
Current assignee: Sekisui Polymatech Co Ltd
Priority date: 2015-02-26
Filing date: 2016-02-12
Publication date: 2020-07-24
Anticipated expiration: 2036-02-12
Also published as: JP6782884B2; WO2016136496A1; CN107251339A; JPWO2016136496A1

Abstract

The invention aims to provide an elastic connector which is simple in structure and can be coaxially connected. The base 12 of the elastic connector 10 made of a rubber-like elastic material includes a center conductor 13, an outer conductor 14, and a thin metal plate 15. A metal thin plate 15 is provided at an end of the outer conductor 14 where it is soldered to the circuit substrate.

Description

Elastic connector

Technical Field

The present invention relates to an elastic connector. And more particularly to a resilient connector mounted on a circuit substrate for use in electronic equipment that can be used for coaxial connection.

Background

As a conventional technique of a connector for a coaxial cable for transmitting a high-frequency signal, japanese patent laying-open No. 2002-198137 (patent document 1) discloses a coaxial connector for connecting a coaxial cable and a circuit board. More specifically, the coaxial connector is constituted by a structure combining a conductive rubber member, a spring connector and an outer conductive member. In the structure of the conductive rubber member, a plurality of metal filaments plated with gold or the like are arranged in a matrix of silicone rubber at a high density (fig. 3 and paragraph 0027 of the publication).

Also, japanese patent application laid-open No. 2009-502014 (patent document 2) discloses a coaxial connector for connecting a coaxial cable and a substrate. According to this embodiment, the elastic block (coaxial connector) is composed of an inner conductor formed of a conductive elastomer, a dielectric body formed of an insulating elastomer, and a pair of conductive plates formed of a conductive elastomer, and all of the components are formed of an elastomer (paragraphs 0017 and 0018 of the publication).

Documents of the prior art

Patent document

Patent document 1: japanese laid-open patent publication No. 2002-198137

Patent document 2: japanese Kokai publication Hei 2009-502014

Disclosure of Invention

Problems to be solved by the invention

However, the invention disclosed in japanese patent application laid-open No. 2002-198137 (patent document 1) employs a spring, and has a problem that the conductive connection is instantaneously disconnected when an impact is applied. Further, since the spring connector and the rubber connector are combined, there is a problem that the resistance value becomes large when the number of contact points becomes large. Further, since a plurality of components are used, the structure becomes complicated, and the thickness of the connector portion becomes large, which is not suitable for an electronic apparatus which requires thinning.

Further, the invention described in japanese patent application laid-open No. 2009-502014 (patent document 2) does not employ the spring connector as in patent document 1, but a rubber connector cannot be mounted, and therefore a hollow conductor soldered to a substrate is required, and the thickness of the connector portion is increased, which is not suitable for an electronic device requiring thinning.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an elastic connector which is simple in structure and can be coaxially connected. Further, an object of the present invention is to provide a method for easily mounting a coaxially connectable elastic connector on a circuit board.

Means for solving the problems

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an elastic connector including a base body formed of a rubber-like elastic body, the base body having a center conductor, an outer conductor surrounding the center conductor, and an insulating portion separating the center conductor and the outer conductor, wherein the center conductor and the outer conductor are formed to penetrate from one surface to the other surface of the base body, and one end portion of either the center conductor or the outer conductor has a metal connecting portion connected to a circuit board.

The present invention has a center conductor and an outer conductor, and can be conductively connected to the end of a lead wire of a coaxial cable, or to a center conductor connecting portion and an outer conductor connecting portion of a connector attached to the end of the coaxial cable, or to a contact portion of a circuit board. Further, the end portion of either the center conductor or the outer conductor has a metal connection portion connected to the circuit board, and the metal connection portion can be soldered to the circuit board, although the structure is simple. Therefore, by adopting the surface mounting process of the reflow furnace, the elastic connector can be mounted on the circuit substrate by soldering, and the mounting operation of the elastic connector can be simplified.

The metal connection part of the present invention may be provided with a hole for exposing the insulating part. The metal connection portion may be formed to be conductive to the outer conductor but not to be conductive to the central conductor by using the hole. Further, a large area other than the portion of the hole can be joined with solder.

In the present invention, the distance from the center conductor to the hole provided in the metal connecting portion and the inner diameter of the outer conductor may be equal. Since the distance from the center conductor to the hole provided in the metal connection portion and the inner diameter of the outer conductor are equidistant, even if the metal connection portion is provided, an elastic connector having the same impedance characteristics as when the metal connection portion is not provided can be formed. Further, since a desired impedance can be set between the center conductor and the outer conductor provided at an equal distance from the center conductor, the present invention is suitable for high-frequency transmission.

In the present invention, the center conductor may have a protruding portion protruding from the outer conductor. Since the projecting portion of the center conductor projects from the outer conductor, the center conductor can be reliably press-welded to the object to be connected. More specifically, for example, when only the outer conductor of the elastic connector is soldered to the contact portion of the circuit board to be connected, a gap having a solder thickness is generated between the central conductor and the contact portion of the circuit board. However, the elastic connector has a protrusion portion in which the center conductor protrudes, and such a gap can be eliminated by the protrusion portion, and the center conductor can be reliably compression-deformed, and reliable conduction connection can be achieved.

In the present invention, the insulating portion may have a concave portion that is concave in the thickness direction of the base. By providing the concave portion in the insulating portion, the insulating portion (base body) can be elastically deformed with ease by the concave portion which is softer and deformable than the periphery of the concave portion. Thus, for example, the center conductor and the outer conductor can be connected by the elastically deformable recess portion, and can be elastically deformed independently of each other.

The elastic connector may be formed to have a thin portion recessed in the thickness direction of the base on both the front and back surfaces of the insulating portion. Since the thin portions recessed in the thickness direction are provided on both the front and rear surfaces of the intervening portion of the base body between the outer conductor and the center conductor, the insulating portion (base body) can be easily deformed at the thin portions by providing the thin portions on the insulating portion. When soldering only the outer conductor of the elastic connector to the contact portion of the circuit board to be connected, the central conductor needs to have a thickness larger than that of the outer conductor by the amount of the solder. However, due to the difference in the amount of compression between the center conductor and the outer conductor, unexpected deformation such as inclination or twisting of the conductors is induced during compression, and the reliability of the conductive connection is impaired. Therefore, when the thin portion is provided between the center conductor and the outer conductor as in the present invention, the thin portion can be easily deformed compared to other thick portions because of its thin thickness. Therefore, the expected deformation of the center conductor and the outer conductor due to the difference in the compression amount can be suppressed, and a highly reliable conductive connection can be realized.

In the present invention, the surface of the metal connection portion may be made flush with the surface of the center conductor or the outer conductor on which the metal connection portion is not provided. Because the surface of the metal connecting part is flush with the surface of the central conductor or the outer conductor which is not communicated with the metal connecting part, the metal connecting part can be embedded into the base body, the height of the elastic connector can be shortened, and the elastic connector can be firmly fixed on the base body by ensuring large contact area with the base body. With this structure, the metal thin plate can be formed by being inserted into a flat forming die and integrally formed. The molding die is also simple in structure and can be easily manufactured. Further, the metal thin plate with the hole may be stuck to a separate sheet such as a resin film and then inserted into a molding die to be integrally molded. Even when manufactured in this manner, a flat film can be used, and the film can be manufactured with ease without the need to twist the film to form a three-dimensional shape.

In the present invention, the outer conductor may be an endless closed ring-shaped conductor surrounding the center conductor. Since the outer conductor has an endless ring shape surrounding the center conductor, the outer conductor can shield electromagnetic waves from leaking to the outside and suppress signal degradation.

In the present invention, the outer conductor may be at least 3 columnar conductors arranged at positions surrounding the center conductor. When the outer conductor is a columnar conductor having 3 or more pieces, the compression load can be reduced as compared with the case of forming an endless loop. Also, the material for forming the outer conductor can be reduced, so that a low-cost elastic connector can be provided.

Further, the present invention provides a method for manufacturing an elastic connector, comprising a base body formed of a rubber-like elastic body, a method of manufacturing an elastic connector in which a base body has a center conductor, an outer conductor surrounding the center conductor, and an insulating portion separating the center conductor and the outer conductor, the center conductor and the outer conductor penetrate from one surface of the base body to the other surface, characterized in that a metal connecting member having a plurality of holes is placed in a molding die, a mixture of liquid rubber in which a magnetic conductor is dispersed is injected into the molding die, orienting the magnetic field of the magnetic conductor in the forming mold so that the central conductor is positioned in the hole and the outer conductor is positioned outside the hole, thereby forming a plurality of the center conductors and the outer conductors, the liquid rubber is cured to form a connecting sheet, and then the connecting sheet is cut into a prescribed shape.

The metal connecting member having a plurality of holes may be, for example, a metal connecting member in which holes having a size and shape corresponding to the central conductor and the insulating portion around the central conductor are formed by punching a metal thin plate or a sheet-like metal material, and the metal connecting member may be easily integrated with the base body or the central conductor and the outer conductor by inserting the metal connecting member into a molding die, and a plurality of desired elastic connectors may be obtained by dividing the connecting piece obtained by the division.

In the case of manufacturing an elastic connector having a structure in which a center conductor is joined to a metal connecting member, since an outer conductor around the periphery needs to be insulated, it is necessary to form the metal connecting member in a so-called island portion (a shape isolated from the periphery). Therefore, when the metallic connection member is obtained by the cutting process using the punching die, the metallic connection member to be taken out needs to be arranged in the forming die one by one, and this operation is difficult. However, when forming the elastic connector to which the outer conductor is fixed by welding, a portion corresponding to the central conductor may be removed by a cutting process, and a frame portion around the removed portion may be inserted into a molding die.

Further, the elastic connector may be manufactured by forming the outer conductor along the hole of the metal connecting member and forming the center conductor at the center of the hole. When the outer conductor is formed along the hole of the metal connecting member and the center conductor is formed in the center of the hole, an elastic connector having the same impedance characteristics as that of the case without the metal connecting member can be obtained.

The elastic connector of the present invention may be an elastic connector for coaxial connection or an elastic connector for electrical connection in the case of non-coaxial connection.

ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECTS OF INVENTION

The elastic connector has simple structure, can be coaxially connected by utilizing the central conductor and the outer conductor, can be welded on a circuit substrate through the metal connecting part and can be easily installed on the circuit substrate. Further, the method of manufacturing the elastic connector according to the present invention facilitates the manufacturing.

Drawings

Fig. 1 shows an elastic connector according to embodiment 1, in which a sectional view (a) is a plan view, a sectional view (B) is a sectional view taken along line SA-SA in the sectional view (a), and a sectional view (C) is a bottom view.

Fig. 2 shows a manufacturing process of the elastic connector according to embodiment 1, in which fig. (a) is an explanatory view showing a state in which a metal thin plate is punched out by a punching die to form a hole, and fig. (B) is an explanatory view showing a state in which a mixture for forming a base or the like is injected after the metal thin plate is placed in a forming die.

Fig. 3 shows a manufacturing process of the elastic connector according to embodiment 1, in which fig. a is an explanatory view showing a state in which a center conductor and an outer conductor are formed in a molding die, and fig. B is an explanatory view showing a connecting piece after the molded elastic connector is connected.

Fig. 4 shows a manufacturing process of the elastic connector according to embodiment 1, in which a partial view (a) is an explanatory view showing a state in which the connecting piece is divided by a punching die, and a partial view (B) is an explanatory view showing the divided elastic connector.

Fig. 5 shows an elastic connector according to a modification of embodiment 1, in which a sectional view (a) is a plan view, a sectional view (B) is a cross-sectional view taken along line SB-SB of the sectional view (a), and a sectional view (C) is a bottom view.

Fig. 6 shows an elastic connector according to embodiment 2, which is a sectional view corresponding to fig. 1 (B).

Fig. 7 shows the fixing and bonding processes of the elastic connector according to embodiment 2 to the printed circuit board, in which a partial view (a) shows an explanatory view showing a state before fixing, and a partial view (B) shows an explanatory view showing an initial state when the connected object on the opposite side is compressed.

Fig. 8 shows the fixing and bonding processes of the elastic connector according to embodiment 2 to the printed circuit board, in which a partial view (a) is an explanatory view showing a state in which the center conductor is compressed to be in contact with the circuit pattern, and a partial view (B) is an explanatory view showing a state in which the center conductor is compressed to be connected to the connected members.

Fig. 9 is a sectional view of an elastic connector according to a modification of embodiment 2, which corresponds to fig. 1 (B).

Fig. 10 shows an elastic connector according to embodiment 3, and is a sectional view corresponding to fig. 1 (B).

Fig. 11 shows the fixing and bonding processes of the elastic connector according to embodiment 3 to the printed circuit board, in which fig. a is an explanatory view showing a state before the fixing, and fig. B is an explanatory view showing an initial state when the connected body on the opposite side is compressed.

Fig. 12 shows the fixing and bonding processes of the elastic connector according to embodiment 3 to the printed circuit board, in which a partial view (a) is an explanatory view showing a state in which the center conductor is compressed to be in contact with the circuit pattern, and a partial view (B) is an explanatory view showing a state in which the center conductor is compressed to be connected to the connected members.

Fig. 13 is a sectional view of an elastic connector according to a modification of embodiment 3, which corresponds to fig. 1 (B).

Fig. 14 shows an elastic connector according to embodiment 4, which is a sectional view corresponding to fig. 1 (B).

Fig. 15 shows the fixing and bonding processes of the elastic connector according to embodiment 4 to the printed circuit board, in which fig. a is an explanatory view showing a state before the fixing, and fig. B is an explanatory view showing an initial state when the connected body on the opposite side is compressed.

Fig. 16 shows the fixing and bonding processes of the elastic connector according to embodiment 4 to the printed circuit board, in which a partial view (a) is an explanatory view showing a state in which the center conductor is compressed to be in contact with the circuit pattern, and a partial view (B) is an explanatory view showing a state in which the center conductor is compressed to be connected to the connected members.

Fig. 17 is a sectional view of an elastic connector according to a modification of embodiment 4, which corresponds to fig. 1 (B).

Fig. 18 is a sectional view of the elastic connector according to embodiment 5, which corresponds to fig. 1 (B).

Fig. 19 is a sectional view of an elastic connector according to a modification of embodiment 5, which corresponds to fig. 1 (B).

Fig. 20 shows an elastic connector according to embodiment 6, and is a sectional view corresponding to fig. 1 (B).

Fig. 21 is a sectional view of the elastic connector according to embodiment 7, which corresponds to fig. 1 (B).

Fig. 22 shows an elastic connector according to embodiment 8, which is a sectional view corresponding to fig. 1 (B).

Fig. 23 shows an elastic connector according to embodiment 9, in which a sectional view (a) is a plan view, a sectional view (B) is a sectional view taken along the SC-SC line of the sectional view (a), and a sectional view (C) is a bottom view.

Fig. 24 shows an elastic connector according to embodiment 11, with section (a) being a plan view, section (B) being a sectional view taken along line SD-SD of section (a), and section (C) being a bottom view.

Description of the symbols

1 metal plate, 2a cutting die, 2b cutting blade, 3 forming die, 4 compound, 5 connecting sheet, 6 contact portion, 7 connected object (circuit board), 8 circuit pattern, 9 solder, T1 height, T2 interval, T3 interval, T4 recess, s1 lower surface (one surface of elastic connector), s2 upper surface (the other surface of elastic connector), 10a,20,20a,30,40, 50,60,70,80,90,100,110 elastic connector, 12,22,32,42,52,62,72,82,92, 102,112 base body, 12b,22b,32b,42b,52b,62b,72b,82b,92b,102b,112b insulating part, 13,23,33,43,53,63,73,83,93,103,113 center conductor, 14,24,34,44, 54,64,74,84 b, 94, 84 b,112b insulating part, 13,23,33,43,53,63,73,83,93,103,113 center conductor, 15a, 15, 25, 15a, 45,55,65,75,85, 95,95a,105,115 sheet metal (metal connection), 16 (provided in the sheet metal), 27,37,47 projection, 38a,58,58a recess, 49,69 thin wall

Detailed Description

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following embodiments, the description of the same materials, manufacturing methods, effects, and the like will be omitted.

Embodiment 1 (FIGS. 1 to 4)

Fig. 1 shows an elastic connector 10 of the present embodiment. The elastic connector 10 includes a central conductor 13, an outer conductor 14, and a thin metal plate 15 as a "metallic connection member" in a base 12.

The base 12 of the elastic connector 10 is formed of an insulating rubber-like elastic body and has a circular shape in a plan view. The inside of the case has a center conductor 13 and an outer conductor 14, the thickness direction of which is a conduction direction. The center conductor 13 and the base 12 around the center conductor are exposed on the lower surface s1 constituting the "one surface" of the elastic connector 10, and the outer edges of the outer conductor 14 and the base 12 constituting the outer side thereof are covered with the thin metal plate 15. In particular, the inner periphery of the thin metal plate 15 coincides with the inner periphery of the outer conductor 14, and the entire insulating portion 12b (a part of the base 12) located between the outer conductor 14 and the central conductor 13 is exposed. The exposed surface of the insulating portion 12b forms a flat surface flush with the metal thin plate 15. On the other hand, the center conductor 13 and the outer conductor 14 are exposed on the upper surface s2 constituting the "other surface" of the elastic connector 10, and form a flat surface together with the surface of the base 12.

Examples of the rubber-like elastic material used for the substrate 12 include an insulating thermosetting rubber and an insulating thermoplastic elastomer. More specifically, examples of the thermosetting rubber include silicone rubber, natural rubber, isoprene rubber, butadiene rubber, acrylonitrile butadiene rubber, 1, 2-polybutadiene, styrene-butadiene rubber, chloroprene rubber, nitrile rubber, butyl rubber, ethylene propylene rubber, chlorosulfonated rubber, polyethylene rubber, acrylic rubber, epichlorohydrin rubber, fluorine-containing rubber, and urethane rubber. Among them, silicone rubber excellent in moldability, electrical insulation, weather resistance and the like is preferable. Examples of the thermoplastic elastomer include styrene-based thermoplastic elastomers, olefin-based thermoplastic elastomers, ester-based thermoplastic elastomers, polyurethane-based thermoplastic elastomers, amide-based thermoplastic elastomers, vinyl chloride-based thermoplastic elastomers, fluorine-containing thermoplastic elastomers, and ionomer-based thermoplastic elastomers.

As described later, in order to form the central conductor 13 and the outer conductor 14 (both may be referred to as "conductors") into a structure in which granular magnetic conductors are oriented like beads, it is preferable to use an insulating rubber-like elastic body obtained by curing liquid rubber or an insulating rubber-like elastic body that can be melted by heating for the base 12. Examples of the rubber-like elastic body obtained by curing a liquid rubber include silicone rubber, natural rubber, isoprene rubber, butadiene rubber, 1, 2-polybutadiene, styrene-butadiene rubber, nitrile rubber, butyl rubber, ethylene propylene rubber, urethane rubber, and fluorine-containing rubber. Examples of the rubber-like elastomer which can be melted by heating include styrene-based thermoplastic elastomers, olefin-based thermoplastic elastomers, ester-based thermoplastic elastomers, polyurethane-based thermoplastic elastomers, amide-based thermoplastic elastomers, vinyl chloride-based thermoplastic elastomers, fluorine-containing thermoplastic elastomers, and ion-crosslinked thermoplastic elastomers.

The viscosity of the liquid rubber or the magnetic conductor when melted by heating is preferably 1 pas to 250 pas, more preferably 10 pas to 50 pas, at which the magnetic conductor contained therein can move under the action of a magnetic field. In the case of high-frequency transmission, a material having a low dielectric constant is preferably used among these materials. Specifically, silicone rubber or fluorine-containing rubber is preferable.

Each of the central conductor 13 and the outer conductor 14 is formed by dispersing magnetic conductive particles (magnetic conductors) in an insulating rubber-like elastic body constituting the base 12 and then applying a magnetic field to orient the magnetic conductive particles in a bead-like manner. Examples of the material of the magnetic conductor include nickel, cobalt, iron, ferrite, and alloys thereof, and the shape thereof may be in the form of particles, fibers, flakes, filaments, or the like. Further, a metal of a good electric conductor, a resin, a conductor coated with a magnetic electric conductor of ceramics, or a conductor coated with a metal of a good electric conductor of a magnetic electric conductor may be used. Examples of the metal of the good electric conductor include gold, silver, platinum, aluminum, copper, iron, palladium, chromium, and stainless steel. When the average particle size of the magnetic conductor is 1 to 200 μm, the magnetic field orientation is preferred because the magnetic conductor is easily linked and the conductor can be efficiently formed.

As the metal thin plate 15 as the "metal connecting member", for example, a metal plate formed by rolling or an electrolytically formed metal plate can be used. Examples of the metal include gold, silver, copper, iron, nickel, and alloys thereof. From the viewpoint of adhesion and workability of soldering, a metal plate of gold, copper or the like, or a metal plate of copper or nickel subjected to gold plating or silver plating treatment is preferably used. The thickness of the thin metal plate 15 is preferably 5 μm to 200 μm. When the thickness is less than 5 μm, the resin composition is difficult to be placed in a mold. When the thickness exceeds 200 μm, the thickness of the elastic connector itself becomes large.

Thus, the elastic connector 10 has the thin metal plate 15, and can be fixed to a circuit board by fixing the thin metal plate 15 by soldering, thereby achieving the original object. Therefore, it is not necessary to provide a thin metal plate at a portion corresponding to the central conductor 13, and there is no problem in removing the thin metal plate at a portion corresponding to the central conductor 13 in the cutting step using the punching die. Thus, the manufacturing becomes easy, and the cost can be reduced. Further, since there is no thin metal plate corresponding to the central conductor 13 and in electrical communication with the central conductor 13, it is possible to avoid the expected problem that the area becomes small and peeling easily occurs if such a thin metal plate is provided. Further, the thin metal plate 15 functions as a shape retaining member for the flexible base 11, and therefore, an effect of suppressing an unexpected deformation such as a distortion of the elastic connector 10 is produced. Further, when the metal thin plate 15 is integrated so as to be fitted into the lower surface s2 of the elastic connector 10, the entire lower surface s2 of the elastic connector 10 is flat, and the thickness of the metal thin plate 15 does not protrude, so that the elastic connector 10 can be made shorter.

A method of manufacturing the elastic connector 10 will be described with reference to fig. 2 to 4.

First, a metal plate 1 and a punching die 2a, which are materials of a thin metal plate 15, are prepared, and the thin metal plate 15 having holes 16 formed therein is manufactured (fig. 2 a).

Then, a forming die 3 for forming the base or the conductor is prepared. The molding die 3 is formed of a non-magnetic material, and an orientation pin (not shown) formed of a ferromagnetic material is fitted to form the central conductor 13 and the outer conductor 14. One end of the orientation pin is exposed from the cavity surface where the conductor site is formed. A metal thin plate 15 is disposed in the cavity of the forming mold 3, and a mixture 4 made of liquid rubber in which a magnetic conductor is dispersed is injected (fig. 2B).

Subsequently, after a magnetic field is applied to the mold 3 to orient the magnetic conductors to form the center conductor 13 and the outer conductor 14, the liquid rubber is heat-cured to form the base 12 and to integrate the base with the metal thin plate 15 (fig. 3 (a)). Thereby, the connection piece 5 in which the plurality of elastic connectors 10 are linked is obtained (fig. 3 (B)). Subsequently, the connecting piece 5 is cut with a cutting blade 2b to obtain each elastic connector 10 (fig. 4).

In the mold 3 of the base 12 of the present embodiment, one end of the orientation pin is exposed from the cavity surface, but a conductor may be formed by a mold in which one end of the orientation pin is not exposed from the cavity surface. The thin metal plate 15 described above is disposed on the lower surface of the forming die 3, but may be disposed on the upper surface. Further, although the metal thin plate 15 is disposed separately, it may be disposed after the separator is attached to the metal thin plate 15. When the separator is used, the occurrence of thin burrs due to the liquid rubber flowing into the gap between the mold 3 and the metal thin plate 15 can be suppressed. The separator sheet may be made of various materials, but a resin film having a slightly adhesive surface is preferable. In addition, a primer may be applied to the metal thin plate 15 in order to improve the adhesion between the metal thin plate 15 and the substrate 12.

The desired elastic connector can also be obtained by a manufacturing method in which a laminate film obtained by laminating a separator and a metal layer is used instead of the thin metal plate 15, the metal layer is etched to form a contact pattern, and the contact pattern is inserted into a mold. However, in the manufacturing method using this etching step, the cost for forming the contact pattern by etching is high, but in the manufacturing method using the metal thin plate 15, the electrode shape can be formed by the cutting step of the punching die, and the elastic connector 10 can be manufactured at a lower cost.

Hereinafter, a method of attaching the elastic connector 10 will be described. Here, a circuit board will be described as an example of the member to be connected.

The circuit board is formed of glass epoxy resin, and a circuit pattern formed of copper foil is formed on the surface thereof. An insulating layer formed of an etching resist ink is formed in the circuit pattern except for a portion where an electronic component or the like is fixed. In such a circuit board, a paste-like solder is applied to a contact portion of a circuit pattern corresponding to the thin metal plate 15. Then, the elastic connector 10 is placed on the solder and then put into a reflow furnace, thereby mounting the elastic connector 10 on a circuit board. The mounted elastic connector 10 is electrically connected to the outer conductor 14 and the contact portion of the circuit pattern via a metal thin plate 15 fixed by solder.

The member to be connected on the opposite side of the circuit board, which holds the elastic connector 10, is a terminal of a lead wire of a coaxial cable, a connecting portion for a center conductor and a connecting portion for an outer conductor of a connector attached to the terminal of the coaxial cable, or a conductive connecting portion such as a contact portion of the circuit board, and is fixed in advance to a housing of a device or other electronic components so as to be engageable with the elastic connector 10. Further, after the housing of the device or other electronic components are joined to the printed circuit board at a predetermined position, the other end of the elastic connector 10 is press-welded to the conductive connection portion of the coaxial cable or the like, whereby the central conductor 13 and the outer conductor 14 are electrically connected to the connected object.

According to this elastic connector 10, as shown in fig. 1(C), since the metal thin plate 1 is in the shape of an endless ring having a hole 16 at the center and the inner circumference of the outer conductor 14 coincides with the inner circumference of the metal thin plate 15, the elastic connector 10 can be manufactured without changing the impedance depending on the distance between the center conductor 13 and the outer conductor 14 and the material of the base 12 even when the metal thin plate 15 is provided. This is suitable for transmission of high frequencies.

Further, since the metal thin plate 15 is provided so as to cover the entire surface of the circuit board except the central conductor 13 and the insulating portion 12b, the contact portion of the circuit pattern of the circuit board can be surface-mounted in a reflow furnace. Furthermore, the shape of the base 12 can be maintained by the thin metal plate 15, and unexpected deformation (distortion or the like) of the elastic connector 10 can be suppressed, and the operability of the elastic connector 10 can be improved. Further, the elastic connector 10 can be realized which is less likely to bend during manual operation, fall off from an automatic conveyor, and the like.

Further, since the endless outer conductor 14 surrounds the center conductor 13, electromagnetic wave leakage from the elastic connector 10 to the outside can be shielded, and deterioration of the transmission signal of the center conductor 13 can be suppressed. Further, since the central conductor 13 is not electrically connected to the thin metal plate 15, the on-resistance at the contact portion with the circuit pattern is small, and low-resistance conduction can be achieved.

In a preferred embodiment, the elastic connector 10 has a diameter of 1.0mm to 10mm and a thickness of about 0.1mm to 2.0 mm.

Modification 1-1 (FIG. 5)

Fig. 5 shows an elastic connector 10a as a modification of the elastic connector 10. Unlike the elastic connector 10, the inner diameter of the metal thin plate 15a protrudes inward from the inner diameter of the outer conductor 14 in the elastic connector 10a (see an enlarged portion of fig. 5B). Although the resistance is more likely to change than the elastic connector 10a, the area of the thin metal plate 15 can be increased to increase the solderable region, thereby achieving stable soldering.

Embodiment 2 (FIGS. 6 to 8)

Fig. 6 shows the elastic connector 20 of the present embodiment. The elastic connector 20 also has a base 22, a center conductor 23, an outer conductor 24, and a metal thin plate 25, which are similar to those of the previous embodiment. However, unlike the elastic connector 10, the elastic connector 20 has the protruding portion 27 protruding outward from the outer conductor 33 on the upper surface s2 where the thin metal plate 25 is not provided. The protrusion 27 is located at the center of the base 22, is formed of the central conductor 23 and a film (a portion of a rubber-like elastic body) covering the side surface thereof, has a circular shape having substantially the same diameter as the outer shape of the central conductor 23 in a plan view, and protrudes in a cylindrical shape from the periphery thereof.

In the elastic connector 20, the thin metal plate 25 is fixed to the circuit pattern (contact portion) 8 (fig. 7 a) of the target component 7 by the solder 9, and since the thin metal plate 25 is flush with the central conductor 23, a space T2 (fig. 7B) having a thickness corresponding to the solder 9 is formed between the central conductor 23 and the circuit pattern 8. However, even when the distance T2 is provided, the central conductor 23 can be strongly compressed by the protrusion 27, and the circuit pattern 8 and the lower surface s1 of the central conductor 13 or the outer conductor 14 can be reliably press-welded (fig. 8 a), and the upper surface s2 of the central conductor 13 or the outer conductor 14 can be reliably press-welded to the contact portion 6 of the target member 7 by pressing (fig. 8B).

Accordingly, the height T1 of the projection 27 is preferably substantially equal to the interval T2 which is substantially equal to the thickness of the solder 9, or is preferably slightly larger than the interval T2 to compress and reduce the interval T3 of the center conductor 23. This can reliably achieve conduction of the central conductor 23.

In the above embodiment, the thickness of the solder is preferably 10 to 100 μm. The height T1 of the projection 27 is preferably 10 to 200 μm. The height T1 is 1% to 15% of the thickness of the elastic connector 20. If the thickness is less than 10 μm, the central conductor 23 cannot be sufficiently press-welded in consideration of the thickness of the solder. Further, if the thickness exceeds 200 μm, there is a problem that the outer conductor 24 cannot be sufficiently press-welded.

Modification 2-1 (FIG. 9)

Fig. 9 shows an elastic connector 20a of a modification of the elastic connector 20. The elastic connector 20a differs from the elastic connector 20 in that the inner diameter of the metal thin plate 25a protrudes inward from the inner diameter of the outer conductor 14 (see the enlarged portion of fig. 9). The resistance is more likely to change than in the case of the elastic connector 20, but the area of the thin metal plate 25a portion can be increased, and more stable soldering can be achieved.

Embodiment 3 (FIGS. 10 to 12)

Fig. 10 shows an elastic connector 30 of the present embodiment. The elastic connector 30 also has the same structure as the previous embodiment in that it includes the base 32, the center conductor 33, the outer conductor 34, and the thin metal plate 35. However, unlike the elastic connector 10, the central conductor 33 has a protruding portion 37 protruding outward from the outer conductor 34, and the insulating portion 32b of the base 32 between the outer conductor 34 and the central conductor 33 has a recessed portion 38 recessed from the surfaces of the central conductor 33 and the outer conductor 34.

By forming the concave portion 38, deformation in the thickness direction is easier than when there is no concave portion. Therefore, the concave portion 38 is largely deformed against deformation expanding outward when the center conductor 33 is pressed and compressed, and the stress applied to the outer conductor 34 can be relieved. The advantages of providing the recess 38 will be described in detail below with reference to fig. 11 to 12.

In order to solder the elastic connector 30 to the circuit pattern 8 of the printed circuit board 7, solder 9 is applied and formed on the circuit pattern 8 corresponding to the outer conductor 34 in advance (fig. 11 a). Subsequently, in order to fix the outer conductor 34 with the solder 9, a space T2 of the thickness of the solder 9 is generated between the central conductor 33 and the circuit pattern 8 corresponding thereto (fig. 11 (B)). To fill this gap T2, it is necessary to compress the center conductor 33 more downward than the outer conductor 34 and deform it by the gap T2.

When the recess 38 is not provided, such a difference in the amount of compression between the center conductor 33 and the outer conductor 34 causes a problem of unexpected deformation such as inclination or twisting of each conductor. However, when the recess 38 is provided between the central conductor 33 and the outer conductor 34, the recess 38 is easily deformed, and the central conductor 33 and the outer conductor 34 can be compressed appropriately (fig. 12 a). Therefore, the unexpected deformation of each conductor due to the difference in the amount of compression can be suppressed.

Further, in the elastic connector 30, the center conductor 33 has a protrusion 37 protruding with a height T1 with respect to the outer conductor 34 (fig. 11 a). The height T1 of the projection 37 is preferably greater than T2, which corresponds to the thickness of the solder 9. This is because, even when the thickness of the solder 9 becomes larger than T2, the central conductor 33 needs to be reliably brought into contact with the circuit pattern 8. Therefore, when the thickness of the solder 9 is T2, even if the central conductor 33 and the thin metal plate 35 are brought into contact with the circuit pattern 8 on the lower surface s1, a space T3 is generated between the outer conductor 34 on the upper surface s2 and the contact portion 6 of the connected member (fig. 12 a). Therefore, by further compressing the center conductor 33 to fill the gap T3, the center conductor 33 can be reliably conducted (fig. 12B).

The recessed depth of the recess 38 is preferably 50% to 90% of the length of the elastic connector 30 with respect to the thickness thereof. If the stress is less than 50%, it is difficult to relieve the stress applied to the outer conductor 34 by providing the recess 38. If the ratio is more than 90%, the posture of each conductor in the thickness direction becomes unstable, and the bonding cannot be performed properly. The height of the projection 37 is the same as in the previous example.

Modification 3-1 (FIG. 13)

Fig. 13 shows an elastic connector 30a of a modification of the elastic connector 30. In the elastic connector 30 shown in the previous example, the recess 38 is formed in the upper surface s2 on the side opposite to the surface on which the thin metal plate 35 is provided, but in the elastic connector 30a, the recess 38a is formed in the lower surface s1 on which the thin metal plate 35 is provided. In the elastic connector 30a, the stress applied to the outer conductor 34 can be relieved, similarly to the elastic connector 30.

Embodiment 4 (FIGS. 14 to 16)

Fig. 14 shows an elastic connector 40 of the present embodiment. The elastic connector 40 also has the same structure as the previous embodiment in that it includes the base 42, the center conductor 43, the outer conductor 44, and the thin metal plate 45. However, unlike the elastic connector 10, the central conductor 43 has a protruding portion 47 protruding outward from the outer conductor 44, and the insulating portion 42b of the base 32 between the outer conductor 34 and the central conductor 33 has thin portions 49 on both front and rear surfaces thereof, and the thin portions 49 are formed with recesses recessed from the surfaces of the central conductor 43 or the outer conductor 44. In other words, the thin portion 49 is a portion where the thickness of the insulating portion 42b between the center conductor 43 and the outer conductor 44 is reduced in the thickness direction.

By forming the thin portion 49, deformation in the thickness direction is easier than when the recess 38 is provided on either the front or back side. Therefore, the stress applied to the outer conductor 44 when the center conductor 43 is pressed can be further relieved. The advantages of the thin portion 49 will be described in detail below with reference to fig. 15 and 16.

In order to solder the elastic connector 40 to the circuit pattern (contact portion) 8 of the printed circuit board 7, solder 9 is applied and formed in advance on the circuit pattern 8 corresponding to the outer conductor 44 (fig. 15 a). Subsequently, since the outer conductor 44 is fixed with the solder 9, an interval T2 of the thickness of the solder 9 is generated between the central conductor 43 and the circuit pattern 8 corresponding thereto (fig. 15 (B)). Until this process, the same as in the case of the elastic connector 30.

Next, to fill the gap T2, the center conductor 43 needs to be compressed and deformed more downward than the outer conductor 44 by the size of T2. Here, since the thickness of the insulating portion 42b provided with the thin portion 49 of the elastic connector 40 is smaller than the thickness of the insulating portion 32b provided with the recess 38 of the elastic connector 30, the insulating portion 42b is more easily deformed than the insulating portion 32b, and the center conductor 43 and the outer conductor 44 can be compressed appropriately (fig. 16 a).

In the elastic connector 40, the center conductor 43 has the protruding portion 47 protruding from the outer conductor 44 by a height T1, and even if the center conductor 43 and the thin metal plate 45 contact the circuit pattern, a gap T3 is formed between the outer conductor 44 of the upper surface s2 and the contact portion 6 of the connected member on the lower surface s1, which is the same as the elastic connector 30 of the previous example (fig. 16 a). However, when the center conductor 33 is further compressed to fill the gap T3 and thereby secure conduction of the center conductor 43 is achieved (fig. 16B), the deformation of the insulating portion 42B can be made easier than the deformation of the insulating portion 32B of the elastic connector 30 according to embodiment 3. Thus, the elastic connector 40 is more excellent in relieving the stress applied to the outer conductor 44.

In the above embodiment, the thickness of the thin portion 49 in the conduction direction is preferably 10% to 50% of the thickness of the elastic connector 40. If the thickness is less than 10%, the posture of each conductor in the thickness direction becomes unstable, and the bonding cannot be performed properly. If the thickness is more than 50%, the outer conductor 44 cannot be sufficiently bonded.

Modification 4-1 (FIG. 17)

Fig. 17 shows an elastic connector 40a of a modification of the elastic connector 40. In the elastic connector 40 shown in the previous example, the surface of the thin metal plate 45 is flush with the surface of the center conductor 43 at the lower surface s1 where the thin metal plate 45 is provided. In contrast, in the elastic connector 40a, the surface of the center conductor 43a is recessed slightly inward from the surface of the thin metal plate 45. But the length of the depression T4 is shorter than the projection height T1 of the projection 47. This is to avoid conduction failure of the central conductor 43 a.

In the elastic connector 40a, since the lower surface s1 is recessed from the central conductor 43 compared to the surface on the outer conductor 44 side, the solder can avoid contact with the outer conductor 44 even if flowing to the central conductor 43 side in the soldering step, and a problem that the central conductor 43 and the outer conductor 44 are not in communication with each other is unlikely to occur.

Embodiment 5 (fig. 18)

Fig. 18 shows an elastic connector 50 of the present embodiment. The elastic connector 50 also has a base 52, a center conductor 53, an outer conductor 54, and a metal thin plate 55, which are similar to those of the previous embodiment. However, unlike the elastic connector 10, the insulating portion 52b of the base body 52 between the outer conductor 54 and the central conductor 53 has a recessed portion 58 recessed from the surface of the central conductor 53 or the outer conductor 54. Further, the elastic connector 50 has no protrusion.

Since the elastic connector 50 also has the recess 58 and the thickness of the insulating portion 52b is reduced, stress applied to the outer conductor 54 when the center conductor 53 is pressed can be relieved.

Modification 5-1 (FIG. 19)

Fig. 19 shows an elastic connector 50a according to a modification of the elastic connector 50. In the elastic connector 50 shown in the previous example, the concave portion 58 is formed on the upper surface s2 on the side opposite to the side on which the thin metal plate 55 is provided. In contrast, in the elastic connector 50a, the concave portion 58a is provided on the lower surface s1 on which the thin metal plate 55 is provided.

Since the elastic connector 50a also has the recess 58a and the insulating portion 52b is thin, stress applied to the outer conductor 54 when the center conductor 53 is pressed can be relieved. In the soldering step, even if the solder flows toward the central conductor 43, the solder can be prevented from contacting the outer conductor 54 by the recess 58 a.

Embodiment 6 (fig. 20)

Fig. 20 shows an elastic connector 60 of the present embodiment. The elastic connector 60 also has portions such as the base 62, the center conductor 63, the outer conductor 64, and the metal thin plate 65, which is similar to the previous embodiment. However, unlike the elastic connector 10, the insulating portion 62b of the base 52 located between the outer conductor 54 and the central conductor 53 has thin portions 69 on both the front and rear surfaces, and the thin portions 69 have recesses recessed from the surfaces of the central conductor 53 or the outer conductor 54.

Since the elastic connector 60 has the thin portion 69, stress applied to the outer conductor 64 when the center conductor 63 is pressed can be relieved as compared with a case where a recess is provided on either one of the front and rear surfaces. In the soldering step, even if the solder flows toward the central conductor 63, the thin portion 69 can avoid contact with the outer conductor 64.

Embodiment 7 (fig. 21)

Fig. 21 shows an elastic connector 70 of the present embodiment. The elastic connector 70 also has portions such as the base 72, the center conductor 73, the outer conductor 74, and the metal thin plate 75, which are similar to those of the previous embodiment. But unlike the spring connector 10, there is a thin metal plate 75 in electrical communication with the center conductor 73.

In the present embodiment, it is preferable to provide the metal thin plate 75 having the same shape as the central conductor 73 from the viewpoint of impedance. Further, the elastic connector 70 of the present embodiment is an embodiment suitable for forming a large-sized elastic connector because the metal thin plate 75 is fixed to the center conductor 73 having a small surface area and the area of the metal thin plate 75 is also small, which makes it difficult to perform welding compared to the elastic connector of the other embodiment.

Embodiment 8 (fig. 22)

Fig. 22 shows an elastic connector 80 of the present embodiment. The elastic connector 80 also has portions such as the base 82, the center conductor 83, the outer conductor 84, and the metal thin plate 85, which is similar to the previous embodiment. However, unlike the elastic connector 10, the elastic connector has a thin metal plate 85 that is electrically connected to the outer conductor 84 and a thin metal plate 85a that is electrically connected to the central conductor 83. The thin metal plate 85 and the thin metal plate 85a are insulated from each other.

In the present embodiment, since the metal

thin plates

85 and 85a are provided on both the center conductor 83 and the outer conductor 84, the fixing to the member to be connected is secured on the lower surface s1 side, and the conduction between the center conductor 83 and the outer conductor 84 can be reliably achieved, which is preferable.

Modification 1 of each embodiment (fig. 23)

Fig. 23 shows an elastic connector 100 of the present embodiment. The elastic connector 100 also has portions such as the base 102, the center conductor 103, the outer conductor 104, and the thin metal plate 105, which is similar to the previous embodiment. However, the difference from the elastic connector of the previous example is the shape of the outer conductor 104, and the outer conductor 104 is composed of 4

columnar conductors

104a,104b,104c, and 104 d.

In the elastic connector 100, the outer conductor 104 is formed of a plurality of columnar conductors, and thus the compression load can be reduced as compared with the case where the outer conductor is formed in an endless loop shape. Further, since the conductive material for forming outer conductor 104 can be reduced, the material cost can be reduced.

In addition, although the example of the modification 1 has 4 columnar conductors 104a to 104d, the number may be 3 or 5 or more.

Modification 2 of each embodiment (FIG. 24)

Fig. 24 shows an elastic connector 110 of the present embodiment. The elastic connector 110 also has portions such as the base 112, the center conductor 113, the outer conductor 114, and the metal thin plate 115, which is similar to the previous embodiment. However, the elastic connector differs from the elastic connector of the previous example in that the base 112 has a rectangular shape and the elastic connector 110 has a rectangular outer shape.

The elastic connector described above has a circular outer shape in a plan view, but the outer shape is not limited to a circular shape, and may be a square, a rectangle, or another polygon as in the elastic connector 110 of the present embodiment. When a rectangular shape is used, a plurality of elastic connectors 110 can be compactly linked and easily cut, and thus there are advantages such as easy manufacturing and less waste of materials.

Other modifications

In the case where the outer edge shape of the metal thin plate to be electrically connected to the outer conductor is the same as the outer edge shape of the base, each elastic connector can be manufactured at low cost by cutting with the cutting blade 2b, but the shape of the metal thin plate is not limited to this shape, and may be the following shape. That is, in the embodiment in which the outer conductor is electrically connected, the outer shape is not limited as long as the outer conductor covers at least a part of the outer conductor and has a width (area) that can be fixed with solder. For example, the outer conductor may not cover the outer edge of the elastic connector, and the base may be exposed from the outer edge. Further, a thin metal plate may be formed to cover a part of the outer conductor. In the case of this configuration, the outer shape may be formed by a punching die and the base and the metal thin plate may be integrally formed by disposing the punching die in a forming die to manufacture the elastic connector. Further, since a part of the outer conductor is not directly in contact with the contact portion of the circuit pattern via the thin metal plate, the on-resistance with the contact portion of the circuit pattern is small, and conduction can be performed with low resistance.

Further, although the elastic connector in which the center conductor and the outer conductor are formed as one set has been described above, the elastic connector may have a plurality of sets of the center conductor and the outer conductor. In this case, the thin metal plates fixed to the outer conductors need not be divided, and may be integrated. This is because the outer conductor is generally used for a ground connection in the coaxial cable.

The above embodiments are examples of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. The shape, material, manufacturing method, etc. of each member may be changed or replaced without departing from the concept of the present invention. For example, the difference in the form between the elastic connector 10 and the elastic connector 10a is also applicable to the elastic connectors of the other embodiments, and the recess provided in the elastic connector 40a is also applicable to the other embodiments.

Claims

1. An elastic connector comprising a base body formed of a rubber-like elastic body and having a cylindrical center conductor, a cylindrical outer conductor surrounding the cylindrical center conductor, and an insulating portion separating the cylindrical center conductor and the cylindrical outer conductor,

the columnar center conductor and the cylindrical outer conductor are formed so as to penetrate from one surface of the base body to the other surface,

the cylindrical center conductor has no metal connection portion, and the end portion of the cylindrical outer conductor has a metal connection portion connected to the circuit board.

2. The spring connector of claim 1, wherein said metal connecting portion has a hole exposing said insulating portion, an inner circumference of said hole coinciding with an inner circumference of said outer conductor.

3. The elastic connector according to claim 1, wherein the metal connecting portion has a hole exposing the insulating portion, an inner diameter of the hole protruding inward from an inner diameter of the outer conductor.

4. The elastic connector according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the cylindrical center conductor has a protruding portion protruding from the cylindrical outer conductor.

5. The elastic connector according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the insulating portion has a concave portion that is concave in a thickness direction of the base.

6. The elastic connector according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the insulating portion has thin portions recessed in a thickness direction of the base on both the front and back surfaces.

7. The elastic connector according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a surface of the metal connecting portion is flush with a surface of the cylindrical center conductor or the cylindrical outer conductor on which the metal connecting portion is not provided.

8. The elastic connector according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the cylindrical outer conductor is an endless closed ring-shaped conductor surrounding the cylindrical center conductor.

9. The elastic connector according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the cylindrical outer conductor is at least 3 columnar conductors arranged at positions surrounding the cylindrical center conductor.

10. A method of manufacturing an elastic connector including a base body made of a rubber-like elastic body, the base body having a columnar center conductor, a cylindrical outer conductor surrounding the columnar center conductor, and an insulating portion separating the columnar center conductor and the cylindrical outer conductor, the columnar center conductor and the cylindrical outer conductor penetrating from one surface of the base body to the other surface,

a metal connecting member having a plurality of holes is placed in a forming die, a mixture of liquid rubber in which magnetic conductors are dispersed is injected into the forming die, the magnetic conductor magnetic field is oriented in the forming die so that the cylindrical center conductor is positioned in a portion of the holes and the cylindrical outer conductor is positioned in a portion other than the holes, thereby forming a plurality of the cylindrical center conductors and the cylindrical outer conductor, the liquid rubber is cured to form a connecting piece in which the cylindrical center conductor does not have a metal connecting portion and an end portion of the cylindrical outer conductor has a metal connecting portion to be connected to a circuit board, and the connecting piece is cut into a predetermined shape.

11. The manufacturing method of an elastic connector according to claim 10, wherein the cylindrical outer conductor is formed along the hole of the metal connecting member, and the cylindrical center conductor is formed at the center of the hole.