EP0380337B1 - Connecteur - Google Patents

Connecteur Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0380337B1
EP0380337B1 EP19900300782 EP90300782A EP0380337B1 EP 0380337 B1 EP0380337 B1 EP 0380337B1 EP 19900300782 EP19900300782 EP 19900300782 EP 90300782 A EP90300782 A EP 90300782A EP 0380337 B1 EP0380337 B1 EP 0380337B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
contact
receptacle
housing
connector
outer circumferential
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP19900300782
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP0380337A3 (fr
EP0380337A2 (fr
Inventor
Toshimitsu Sonobe
Haruo Hoshino
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
ABB Installation Products Inc
Original Assignee
Thomas and Betts Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Thomas and Betts Corp filed Critical Thomas and Betts Corp
Publication of EP0380337A2 publication Critical patent/EP0380337A2/fr
Publication of EP0380337A3 publication Critical patent/EP0380337A3/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0380337B1 publication Critical patent/EP0380337B1/fr
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
    • H01R13/00—Details of coupling devices of the kinds covered by groups H01R12/70 or H01R24/00 - H01R33/00
    • H01R13/02—Contact members
    • H01R13/10—Sockets for co-operation with pins or blades
    • H01R13/11—Resilient sockets
    • H01R13/114—Resilient sockets co-operating with pins or blades having a square transverse section

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a connector using prismatic or rectangular contact pins and cylindrical receptacle contacts for receiving the prismatic contact pins and, more particularly, to a connector suitable as a waterproof surface-mounting connector.
  • a known conventional connector of this type uses cylindrical contact pins and cylindrical receptacle contacts.
  • this connector When this connector is to be mounted on, eg., a surface of a printed circuit board, the pins cannot be perfectly brought into surface contact or soldered with the surface of the board because the pins are cylindrical. This drawback is very important when the number of contact pins is increased. Strong demand therefore has arisen for the development of a highly reliable connector free from the above drawback.
  • US-A-4505531 discloses a connector comprising a plurality of contact pins each having a rectangular shape in section, a plurality of receptacle contacts each having a substantially circular shape in section, and a housing having a plurality of slots each for receiving one of the plurality of receptacle contacts, each of the receptacle contacts having a contact spring provided therein and a transversely extending wall segment provided at an opposed portion to the contact spring, the contact pin being clamped and held between said contact spring and said recess.
  • US-A-4505531 is not concerned with receptacle contact orientation, as indicated by the fact that it is intended for use with plug terminals of circular or rectangular sections. In the context of the applicants' invention, receptacle contact orientation is a problem.
  • a connector comprising: a plurality of contact pins each having a rectangular shape in section; a plurality of receptacle contacts each having a substantially circular shape in section; and a housing having a plurality of slots each for receiving one of said plurality of receptacle contacts; each of said receptacle contacts having a contact spring extending from an outer circumferential wall thereof into the receptacle contact and a recess provided at an opposed portion to the contact spring on the outer circumferential wall; said contact pin being clamped and held between said contact spring and said recess wherein said receptacle contact has a dimple provided on a part of the outer circumferential wall thereof, and said housing has a groove provided on an inner wall of said slot in spatial correspondence to the dimple of said receptacle contact.
  • FIG 1A shows a contact pin 10 used in a connector according to the present invention and a receptacle contact 20 for receiving the contact pin 10.
  • the contact pin has a square cross-section (the cross-section could be rectangular), and the receptacle contact has a circular cross-section.
  • each receptacle contact has a dimple 23 on part of its outer circumferential surface (the dimple 23 will be described in detail later).
  • a ferrule may be formed at the front end of each receptacle contact.
  • Figures 1B and 1C show a connecting state of each contact pin and a corresponding receptacle.
  • the receptacle contact has a contact spring 21 formed on its outer circumferential surface and a recessed portion 22 formed on the outer circumferential surface portion opposite to the contact spring 21.
  • the contact spring 21 and the opposite recessed portion 22 hold the inserted contact pin.
  • the wall of a main body of the contact is partially cut and bent indward to constitute the tongue-like contact spring 21.
  • FIGS 2A to 2C show the housing in which receptacle contacts are mounted. As shown in Figures 2A to 2C, the housing has lance members 32. Each lance member is engaged with the recessed portion of the corresponding receptacle contact inserted into the housing and holds this receptacle contact therein.
  • each insertion hole has a square cross-section to receive a prismatic or rectangular pin.
  • each receptacle contact is housed in the corresponding storage groove such that a leading end of a wire 38 is terminated, and the terminal end extends through a corresponding rubber bushing 35 fitted in a corresponding opening 34 formed at the rear portion of the housing. This bushing seals the corresponding contact to obtain a waterproof structure.
  • the illustrated housing is a male housing which is then fitted in a female housing 40.
  • the male housing is fitted in the female housing 40 such that a latch projection of the female housing is fitted in a lock hole 37 formed in a latch spring 36.
  • Figure 3 shows a detailed structure when the male and female housings are engaged with each other.
  • a member 41 for fixing the lance members respectively engaged with the receptacle contacts is fitted in the front end portion of the male housing.
  • the member 41 may be omitted such that each lance member can be biased in the corresponding storage groove.
  • the male and female housings are engaged with each other through a waterproof O-ring 42.
  • Each receptacle contact has directivity given by the dimple formed on its outer circumferential surface.
  • a guide groove 39 is formed in each storage groove of the housing to receive the receptacle contact with a dimple.
  • the contact pins of this embodiment are mounted in a header surface-mounted on a printed circuit board 50.
  • Figures 4A and 4B show a structure in which each groove 35B is formed in a through hole 35A of each bushing to receive the corresponding receptacle contact with a dimple.
  • Figure 5 shows another embodiment in which an opening for housing the bushings is partitioned by a partition wall 61.
  • a plurality of receptacle contacts are housed in the housing through each divided opening.
  • Other arrangements of this embodiment are the same as those of the previous embodiment.
  • a plurality of bushings can be used by forming a plurality of openings, so that an improvement of the waterproof effect of the bushings can be expected.
  • the opening can be partitioned by a large number of partition walls.
  • openings defined by partition walls may be formed in units of storage grooves, and wires each with a rubber bushing may be fitted in the openings, respectively.
  • a rib is formed at a lower portion of the rubber bushing in place of the partition wall, and a fitting portion which can fit with the rib may be formed.
  • FIG 6 is an exploded view of the female housing.
  • the female housing comprises a housing body, O-rings 42, boards 50, and frames 51 from which various pins 10 extend outward.
  • a two-storey frame structure is sandwiched between the upper and lower boards 50.
  • the connector can be easily surface-mounted on, e.g., a surface of a printed circuit board. At the same time, since the contact area between the connector and the board is increased, soldering can be appropriately performed.
  • the prismatic pins can be formed by pressing and result in low cost as compared with cylindrical pins (for example, the pins are connected by a plurality of carriers).
  • each prismatic pin can be clamped between the contact spring and the recessed portion which latter two are formed in the corresponding receptacle contact, the pin can be appropriately brought into contact with and electrically connected to the receptacle.
  • the receptacle contact which receives this has a circular cross-section, and therefore each pin easily extends through a waterproof rubber bushing. Therefore, the connector of the present invention can also serve as a waterproof connector.

Landscapes

  • Connector Housings Or Holding Contact Members (AREA)
  • Coupling Device And Connection With Printed Circuit (AREA)

Claims (5)

  1. Connecteur comprenant :
       une pluralité de broches de contact (10) ayant chacune une section de forme rectangulaire;
       une pluralité de contacts femelles (20) ayant chacun une section de forme sensiblement circulaire; et
       un boîtier (30) ayant une pluralité de fentes (31) destinées à recevoir chacune un contact de ladite pluralité de contacts femelles;
       chacun desdits contacts femelles ayant un ressort de contact (21) pénétrant dans le contact femelle, depuis sa paroi circonférentielle extérieure, et un renfoncement (22) ménagé sur une partie opposée au ressort de contact, sur la paroi circonférentielle extérieure;
       ladite broche de contact étant serrée et retenue entre ledit ressort de contact et ledit renfoncement, ledit contact femelle comportant un bossage (23) prévu sur une partie de sa paroi circonférentielle extérieure, et ledit boîtier comportant une rainure (39) prévue sur une paroi intérieure de ladite fente, en correspondance spatiale avec le bossage dudit contact femelle.
  2. Connecteur selon la revendication 1, comprenant en outre des éléments en forme de dent (32) formés dans lesdites fentes, chacun desdits éléments en forme de dent étant amené en prise avec le renfoncement d'un contact femelle respectif inséré dans ledit boîtier, pour retenir ledit contact femelle dans ledit boîtier.
  3. Connecteur selon la revendication 1 ou la revendication 2, comprenant en outre une douille (35) pour étanchéifier lesdits contacts femelles reçus dans ledit boîtier, ladite douille ayant des trous traversants (35A) y permettant l'insertion d'un fil (38) connecté à son extrémité audit contact femelle, ladite douille étant ajustée dans une ouverture (34) dudit boîtier.
  4. Connecteur selon la revendication 3, dans lequel ledit boîtier comprend une pluralité d'ouvertures dans lesquelles sont ajustées lesdites douilles, et lesdits contacts femelles sont insérés à travers chacune desdites ouvertures pour être installés dans ledit boîtier.
  5. Connecteur selon la revendication 3, dans lequel ladite douille comprend une rainure de guidage (35B) sur une partie dudit trou traversant, pour y insérer ledit fil, ladite rainure de guidage correspondant audit bossage prévu sur la paroi circonférentielle extérieure dudit contact femelle.
EP19900300782 1989-01-25 1990-01-25 Connecteur Expired - Lifetime EP0380337B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP1014214A JPH02204980A (ja) 1989-01-25 1989-01-25 コネクタ
JP14214/89 1989-01-25

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0380337A2 EP0380337A2 (fr) 1990-08-01
EP0380337A3 EP0380337A3 (fr) 1991-11-13
EP0380337B1 true EP0380337B1 (fr) 1995-06-07

Family

ID=11854842

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP19900300782 Expired - Lifetime EP0380337B1 (fr) 1989-01-25 1990-01-25 Connecteur

Country Status (3)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0380337B1 (fr)
JP (1) JPH02204980A (fr)
DE (1) DE69019836D1 (fr)

Families Citing this family (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JP2813620B2 (ja) * 1993-08-06 1998-10-22 矢崎総業株式会社 防水コネクタ
JPH0864315A (ja) * 1994-08-02 1996-03-08 Molex Inc リセプタクル型電気コネクタ
EP1024557A1 (fr) * 1999-01-29 2000-08-02 Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd. Membrane d' étanchéité pour un connecteur étanche et un connecteur étanche
JP2001110506A (ja) * 1999-10-01 2001-04-20 Thomas & Betts Corp <T&B> 防水コネクタ
US9161434B2 (en) 2013-09-04 2015-10-13 Apple Inc. Methods for shielding electronic components from moisture
CN110034258B (zh) * 2019-03-25 2021-12-17 深圳市依卓尔能源有限公司 水下电源及其防水壳

Family Cites Families (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2507831A1 (fr) * 1981-06-11 1982-12-17 Alliance Tech Ind Dispositif de connexion pour circuits integres
US4505531A (en) * 1983-08-29 1985-03-19 Miller Edwin A Socket terminal and connector
JPS6191884A (ja) * 1984-10-11 1986-05-09 モレツクス　インコ−ポレ−テツド 電気コネクタ装置
US4717356A (en) * 1986-04-10 1988-01-05 United Technologies Automotive, Inc. Electrical receptacle terminal

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
JPH02204980A (ja) 1990-08-14
EP0380337A3 (fr) 1991-11-13
DE69019836D1 (de) 1995-07-13
EP0380337A2 (fr) 1990-08-01

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