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
  • H01R13/64—Means for preventing incorrect coupling
  • H01R13/641—Means for preventing incorrect coupling by indicating incorrect coupling; by indicating correct or full engagement
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
  • H01R12/00—Structural associations of a plurality of mutually-insulated electrical connecting elements, specially adapted for printed circuits, e.g. printed circuit boards [PCB], flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures, e.g. terminal strips, terminal blocks; Coupling devices specially adapted for printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures; Terminals specially adapted for contact with, or insertion into, printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures
  • H01R12/70—Coupling devices
  • H01R12/71—Coupling devices for rigid printing circuits or like structures
  • H01R12/712—Coupling devices for rigid printing circuits or like structures co-operating with the surface of the printed circuit or with a coupling device exclusively provided on the surface of the printed circuit
  • H01R12/716—Coupling device provided on the PCB
• • 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
  • H01R13/22—Contacts for co-operating by abutting
  • H01R13/24—Contacts for co-operating by abutting resilient; resiliently-mounted

Definitions

• the present invention relates to an electrical connector comprising a plug connector and a receptacle connector for use in electric and electronic appliances such as mobile phones and the like, and more particularly to an electrical connector which can achieve its reduced overall height without damage to respective contacts even if the plug and receptacle connectors are wrongly fitted in an oblique direction.
• two connectors for example, a plug connector and a receptacle connector
• Said two connectors each mainly comprise a plurality of contacts (for example, plug contacts or receptacle contacts), and an insulator made of an electrically insulating material (for example, block or housing) for arranging and holding said contacts.
• Said two connectors are each connected to a substrate by soldering or the like. The contacts of one of said two connectors are exposed and extended from the insulator and would be deformed depending on some conditions of fitting of the two connectors.
• a rectangular multipolar connector of the prior art is configured that the block of a plug is adapted to be fitted in the enclosure of a socket, so that when the plug is erroneously inserted into the socket in an oblique direction, contacts would be deformed.
• the block 50 of a socket is formed to be substantially rectangular block-shaped and is provided at its both ends with extensions 52 and 53 whose thicknesses are in a relation of the thickness d of the extensions 53 > thickness c of the extensions 52.
• the enclosure of a plug is formed from two plate-shaped members 20 and 21, whose lengths are determined such that the plate-shaped member 20 is received between the extensions 52 of the block 50, while the plate-shaped member 21 is received between the extensions 53.
• the distance b between the plate-shaped members 20 and 21 is determined to an extent such that the block 50 except for the extensions 52 and 53 can be snugly fitted between the plate-shaped members 20 and 21.
• claim of the Japanese Utility Model Application Opened No. H5-69,873 recites a connector comprising a plug connector having a base for holding and fixing a plurality of contacts, said base provided with an enclosure for protecting said contacts, and a socket connector having a base for holding and fixing a plurality of contacts, said base having a block formed with holes for accommodating said contacts, wherein said block of said socket connector is provided at left and right sides of its longitudinal ends with extensions different in thickness between them on both the left and right sides, and said enclosure of said plug connector has lengths adapted to the thicknesses of the extensions provided at the longitudinal ends of the block of said socket connector.
• the contacts are also miniaturized so that the contacts become likely to be deformed even at a touch.
• the electric connector 10 comprising a plug connector 20 and a receptacle connector 50 detachably fitted with each other, wherein said plug connector 20 comprises a plurality of plug contacts 24 each having a contact portion 26 adapted to contact a receptacle contact, a fixed portion 28 to be held by a block 22, and a connection portion 30 to be connected to a substrate; and the block 22 for arranging and holding said plug contacts 24 thereon; said plug contacts 24 being arranged on both sides of the block 22 to be opposite to each other in the width direction of the block 22, and said block 22 being formed at its both longitudinal ends with projection walls 32 whose height is higher than that of upper surfaces 38 of said plug contacts 24 and said block 22 being provided between said opposite plug contacts 24 with an anchoring recess 34 adapted to engage said receptacle connector 50, wherein said receptacle connector 50 comprises a plurality of receptacle contacts 54 each having a contact portion 56 adapted to contact said plug contact 24, an elastic
• the height of said projection walls 32 is 0.1 mm to 0.3 mm higher than that of the upper surfaces 38 of said plug contacts 24, while the heights of said protrusion walls 68 and said side walls A 69 are 0.02 mm to 0.1 mm higher than that of the upper surfaces 70 of the elastic portions of said receptacle contacts 54, and the height of said side walls B 71 is 0.02 mm to 0.1 mm higher than that of the upper surfaces 73 of the contact portions of said receptacle contacts 54, while the difference between the heights of said engaging protrusion 64 and the upper surfaces 73 of the contact portions of said receptacle contacts 54 is - 0.2 mm to 0.3 mm.
• the oblique fitting could not be prevented. If the height of said projection walls 32 is higher than that of the upper surfaces 38 of said plug contacts 24 by a value of more than 0.3 mm, a reduced overall height of the connector upon fitted cannot be achieved. If the heights of said protrusion walls 68 and said side walls A 69 are higher than that of the surfaces 70 of said elastic portions of said receptacle contacts 54 only by a value of less than 0.02 mm, the oblique fitting cannot be prevented and the deformation of the contacts cannot be avoided.
• the height of said engaging protrusion 64 is higher than that of the upper surfaces 73 of the contact portions of said receptacle contact 54 by a value of less than - 0.1 mm, the oblique fitting cannot be prevented and deformation of the contacts cannot be avoided. If the height of said engaging protrusion 64 is higher than that of the upper surfaces 73 of the contact portions of said receptacle contacts 54 by a value of more than 0.3 mm, a reduced overall height of the connector upon fitted cannot be achieved.
• said block 22 of said plug connector 20 is provided with engaging portions 42 at both lateral ends of the longitudinal ends of said block
• said housing 52 of said receptacle connector 50 is provided with recesses adapted to engage said engaging portions 42 and located on both sides in the width direction of the housing 52 in said engaging grooves 66, thereby upon fitting of said plug and receptacle connectors generating audible or tactile click by said engaging portions 42 getting into said recesses.
• the electrical connector 10 brings about significant effects as follows.
• the plug connector 20 comprises a plurality of plug contacts 24 each having a contact portion 26 adapted to contact a receptacle contact, a fixed portion 28 to be held by a block 22, and a connection portion 30 to be connected to a substrate; and the block 22 for arranging and holding said plug contacts 24 thereon; said plug contacts 24 being arranged on both sides of the block 22 to be opposite to each other in the width direction of the block 22, and said block 22 being formed at both longitudinal ends with projection walls 32 whose height is higher than that of upper surfaces 38 of said plug contacts 24 and said block 22 being provided between said opposite plug contacts 24 with an anchoring recess 34 adapted to engage said receptacle connector 50, that said receptacle connector 50 comprises a plurality of re
• the electrical connector 10 which is less than 1.0 mm in overall height when the plug and receptacle connectors have been fitted, and the electrical connector 10 enables the plug and receptacle connectors to be accurately fitted with each other without being obliquely fitted and without any deformation of both the contacts 24 and 25, thereby achieving stable electrical connection.
• the electrical connector 10 which is less than 1.0 mm in overall height when the plug and receptacle connectors have been fitted, and the electrical connector 10 enables the plug and receptacle connectors to be accurately fitted with each other without being obliquely fitted and without any deformation of both the contacts 24 and 25, thereby achieving stable electrical connection.
• the height of said projection walls 32 is 0.1 mm to 0.3 mm higher than that of the upper surfaces 38 of said plug contacts 24, while the heights of said protrusion walls 68 and said side walls A 69 are 0.02 mm to 0.1 mm higher than that of the upper surfaces 70 of the elastic portions of said receptacle contacts 54, and the height of said side walls B 71 is 0.02 mm to 0.1 mm higher than that of the upper surfaces 73 of the contact portions of said receptacle contacts 54, while the difference between the heights of said engaging protrusion 64 and the upper surfaces 73 of the contact portions of said receptacle contacts 54 is - 0.2 mm to 0.3 mm.
• the electrical connector 10 which is less than 1.0 mm in overall height when plug and receptacle connectors have been fitted, and the electrical connector 10 enables the plug and receptacle connectors to be accurately fitted with each other without being obliquely fitted and without any deformation of both the contacts 24 and 25, thereby achieving stable electrical connection.
• said block 22 of said plug connector 20 is provided with engaging portions 42 at both lateral ends of the longitudinal ends of said block
• said housing 52 of said receptacle connector 50 is provided with recesses adapted to engage said engaging portions 42 and located on both sides in the width direction of the housing 52 in said engaging grooves 66, thereby upon fitting of said plug and receptacle connectors generating audible or tactile click by said engaging portions 42 getting into said recesses. Consequently, it is possible to readily ascertain that said plug connector 20 and the receptacle connector 50 have been completely fitted.
• Figure IA is a perspective view of a plug connector according to the invention viewed from its fitting opening side;
• Figure IB is a perspective view of a receptacle connector according to the invention viewed from the fitting side;
• Figure 2A is a perspective view of the plug connector according to the invention viewed from the side to be connected to a substrate;
• Figure 2B is a perspective view of the receptacle connector according to the invention viewed from the side to be connected to a substrate;
• Figure 3 is a sectional view of the plug and receptacle connectors under a condition of fitted with each other taken along some contacts;
• Figure 4A is a perspective view of a plug contact
• Figure 4B is a perspective view of a receptacle contact
• Figure 5A is a perspective view of the block of the plug connector.
• Figure 5B is a perspective view of the housing of the receptacle connector.
• Engaging portion 50 Receptacle connector 52 Housing 54 Receptacle contact 62 Elastic portion 64 Engaging protrusion 66 Engaging groove
• Figure IA is a perspective view of a plug connector according to the invention viewed from its fitting opening side
• Figure IB is a perspective view of a receptacle connector according to the invention viewed from its fitting side
• Figure 2A is a perspective view of the plug connector according to the invention viewed from the side to be connected to a substrate
• Figure 2B is a perspective view of the receptacle connector according to the invention viewed from the side to be connected to a substrate
• Figure 3 is a sectional view of the plug and receptacle connectors under a fitted condition to each other taken along some contacts.
• Figure 4A is a perspective view of a plug contact
• Figure 4B is a perspective view of a receptacle contact
• Figure 5A is a perspective view of the block of the plug connector
• Figure 5B is a perspective view of the housing of the receptacle connector.
• the electrical connector 10 comprises the plug connector 20 and the receptacle connector 50, the former having the block 22 and the plug contacts 24 and the latter having the housing 52 and the receptacle contacts 54.
• the plug connector 20 and the receptacle connector 50 are each connected to respective substrate by soldering, and said plug connector 20 and said receptacle connector 50 are fitted with each other so that the respective substrates are electrically connected to each other, thereby enabling the exchange of signals between the substrates.
• Respective components of the plug and receptacle connectors according to the invention will be explained with reference to drawings.
• the parts of said plug connector 20 will be explained.
• the plug contacts 24 will be explained.
• the plug contacts 24 are made of a metal and formed by means of the press-working of the known technique.
• Preferred metals from which to form said plug contacts 24 include brass, beryllium copper, phosphor bronze and the like which comply with the requirements such as springiness, electric conductivity and the like.
• said plug contact 24 is cross-sectionally substantially box-shaped.
• Said plug contact 24 includes a contact portion 26 at one end adapted to contact said receptacle contact 54, a fixed portion 28 to be fixed to said block 22, and a connection portion 30 at the other end to be connected to a substrate.
• Said plug contacts 24 are arranged along longitudinal edges of said block 22 on both the sides to be opposite to each other in the width direction of the block.
• Said plug contacts 24 are fixed to said block 22 by press-fitting, integral molding (molding the block together with the plug contacts previously arranged in a mold), welding or the like.
• the plug contacts are fixed to the block by integral molding in the illustrated embodiment.
• connection portions 30 are of a surface mounting type (SMT) in the illustrated embodiment, they may be of a dip type.
• Said contact portion 26 is formed with a recess 36 so that when said plug connector 20 and said receptacle connector 50 are fitted with each other, the plug contacts 24 and the receptacle contacts 54 cooperate with each other to generate audible click or tactile click, and at the same time their contact ability can be improved.
• the block 22 for fixing the plug contacts is formed from an electrically insulating plastic material by means of the injection molding of the known technique.
• the materials suitable for the block 22 may be selected in consideration of dimensional stability, workability, manufacturing cost and the like and in general include polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), polyamide (66PA or 46PA), liquid crystal polymer (LCP), polycarbonate (PC) and the like and combination thereof.
• PBT polybutylene terephthalate
• LCP liquid crystal polymer
• PC polycarbonate
• said block 22 is formed on its longitudinal ends with projection walls 32 extending higher than the upper surfaces 38 of said plug contacts 24.
• the height of said projection walls 32 may be suitably designed in consideration of the trend in reduced overall height of connectors and prevention of oblique fitting.
• the structure for preventing the oblique fitting will be explained when all the parts have been explained.
• the height of said projection walls 32 is 0.1 mm to 0.2 mm higher than the upper surfaces 38 of said plug contacts 24. If the height of said projection walls 32 is higher than the upper surfaces 38 of said plug contacts 24 only by a value of less than 0.1 mm, the oblique fitting could not be prevented. On the other hand, if the value is more than 0.2 mm, it may provide an impediment to the reduced overall height of the connector 10 upon being fitted.
• Said block 22 is provided with an anchoring recess 34 between said opposite plug contacts 24 for anchoring the plug connector 22 to said receptacle connector 50, an engaging protrusion 64 of said receptacle connector 50 being fitted in said anchoring recess 34.
• the size of said anchoring recess 34 may be suitably designed so as to receive said engaging protrusion 64 and in consideration of the miniaturization of the connector and contact stability.
• said block 22 is provided with ribs 40 at its longitudinal ends.
• the ribs 40 serve to improve positioning of these connectors for ensuring the accurate contact between said plug contacts 24 and said receptacle contacts 54 and to increase the fitting holding force of the connectors.
• the ribs 40 are formed to provide press-fitting with a slight interference between said plug connector 20 and said receptacle connector 50 in the illustrated embodiment.
• the block 22 is provided with engaging portions 42 at both lateral ends of the longitudinal ends of the block 22. The engaging portions 42 also serve to improve the holding force between said plug connector 20 and said receptacle connector 50 upon fitting with each other.
• the bottom of said anchoring recess is provided with a ridge for the purpose of increasing the strength of said block 22 and improving the flowability of the block when being molded.
• said receptacle contact 54 is cross-sectionally substantially inverted W-shaped and includes a contact portion 56 at one end adapted to contact said plug contact 24, and a connection portion 60 at the other end to be connected to a substrate, and further includes, between said contact portion 56 and said connection portion 60, an elastic portion 62 and a fixed portion 58 to be fixed to said housing 52.
• These portions of the receptacle contacts are arranged from the one end in the order of the contact portion 56, the elastic portion 62, the fixed portion 58 and the connection portion 60.
• Said receptacle contacts 54 are arranged along longitudinal edges of said housing 52 on both the sides to be opposite to each other in the width direction of the housing 52.
• connection portions 60 are of a surface mounting type (SMT) in the illustrated embodiment, they may be of a dip type.
• the contact portion 56 of said receptacle contact 54 is curved so that the contact portion 56 easily engages the recess 36 of said plug contact 24.
• the elastic portion 62 is provided to obtain an elasticity over a certain length in order to ensure a stable contact between the plug and receptacle contacts upon fitting the plug and receptacle connectors.
• Said elastic portion 62 may be suitably designed to fulfil such a role, and the elastic portion 62 is curved once in the illustrated embodiment.
• the housing 52 is formed from an electrically insulating plastic material by means of the injection molding of the known technique.
• the materials suitable for the housing 52 may be selected in consideration of dimensional stability, workability, manufacturing cost and the like and in general include polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), polyamide (66PA or 46PA), liquid crystal polymer (LCP), polycarbonate (PC) and the like and combination thereof.
• PBT polybutylene terephthalate
• 66PA or 46PA polyamide
• LCP liquid crystal polymer
• PC polycarbonate
• said housing 52 is substantially box-shaped.
• Said housing 52 is provided with an engaging protrusion 64 adapted to engage said anchoring recess 34 of said block 22 and located between said receptacle contacts 54 arranged along the longitudinal edges of the housing 52 to be opposite to each other on both the sides in its width direction. Positioning both the connectors 20 and 50 is achieved by the abutment of the bottom of said anchoring recess 34 against said engaging protrusion 64 upon fitting of the connectors 20 and 50.
• the size of said engaging protrusion 64 may be suitably designed in consideration of the miniaturization and strength of the connector, contact stability of the contacts and the like.
• said engaging protrusion 64 is formed in its top surface with relief grooves for preventing the ridge of the block 22 of said plug connector 20 from touching the top of said engaging protrusion 64.
• Said housing 52 is further formed with engaging grooves 66 for receiving said projection walls 32 of said plug connector 20.
• the positions and sizes of said engaging grooves 66 may be suitably designed so as to receive the projection walls 32 of said plug connector 20 and in consideration of the reduced overall height of the connector, the strength of the housing 52 and the like.
• the engaging grooves 66 are through-holes in consideration of the reduced overall height in the illustrated embodiment.
• the housing 52 is formed with protrusion walls 68 at the longitudinal ends and further formed with the engaging grooves 66 also at the longitudinal ends for receiving said projection walls 32.
• the height of said protrusion walls 68 is higher than that of the upper surfaces 70 of the elastic portions of said receptacle contacts 54.
• the housing 52 is further formed with side walls A 69 higher than the upper surfaces 70 of the elastic portions of said receptacle contacts 54 and located between said receptacle contacts 54 longitudinally arranged and the housing 52 is further formed with side walls B 71 continuous with said side walls A 69 and higher than the upper surfaces 73 of the contact portions of said receptacle contacts 54.
• the height of said projection walls 32 is 0.1 mm to 0.3 mm higher than the upper surfaces 38 of the plug contacts 24, and the heights of said protrusion walls 68 and said side walls A 69 are 0.02 mm to 0.1 mm higher than that of upper surfaces 70 of said elastic portions of said receptacle contacts 54.
• the height of said side walls B 71 is 0.02 mm to 0.1 mm higher than the upper surfaces 73 of the contact portions of said receptacle contacts 54, while the difference between the heights of said engaging protrusion 64 and the upper surfaces 73 of the contact portions of said receptacle contacts 54 is - 0.2 mm to 0.3 mm.
• the height of said engaging protrusion 64 is somewhat higher than that of the upper surfaces 73 of the contact portions of said receptacle contacts from the standpoint of prevention of oblique fitting and avoidance of deformation of the contacts.
• the height of said engaging protrusion 64 is higher than the upper surfaces 73 of the contact portions of said receptacle contacts 54 by a value of more than 0 mm. If the height of said projection walls 32 is higher than that of the upper surfaces 38 of said plug contacts 24 only by a value of less than 0.1 mm, the oblique fitting could not be prevented.
• the height of said projection walls 32 is higher than that of the upper surfaces 38 of said plug contacts 24 by a value of more than 0.3 mm, a reduced overall height of the connector upon fitted cannot be achieved. If the heights of said protrusion walls 68 and said side walls A 69 are higher than that of the surfaces 70 of said elastic portions of said receptacle contacts 54 only by a value of less than 0.02 mm, the oblique fitting cannot be prevented and the deformation of the contacts cannot be avoided. If the heights of said protrusion walls 68 and said side walls A 69 are higher than that of the upper surfaces 70 of said elastic portions of said receptacle contacts 54 by a value of more than 0.1 mm, a reduced overall height of the connector upon fitted cannot be achieved.
• the height of said side walls B 71 is higher than that of the upper surfaces 73 of the contact portions of said receptacle contacts 54 only by a value of less than 0.02 mm, the oblique fitting cannot be prevented and the deformation of the contacts cannot be avoided. If the height of said side walls B 71 is higher than that of the upper surfaces 73 of the contact portions of said receptacle contacts 54 by a value of more than 0.1 mm, a reduced overall height of the connector upon fitted cannot be achieved. If the height of said engaging protrusion 64 is higher than that of the upper surfaces 73 of the contact portions of said receptacle contact 54 by a value of less than - 0.2 mm, the oblique fitting cannot be prevented and deformation of the contacts cannot be avoided. If the height of said engaging protrusion 64 is higher than that of the upper surfaces 73 of the contact portions of said receptacle contacts 54 by a value of more than 0.3 mm, a reduced overall height of the connector upon fitted cannot be achieved.
• said housing 52 is formed with recesses adapted to engage said engaging portions 42 and located in said engaging grooves 66 on both the sides in the width direction of the housing.
• said engaging portions 42 snap into said recesses to generate audible click or tactile click.
• the size and positions of said recesses may be of any ones insofar as they produce audible click or tactile click and may be suitably designed in consideration of a condition of click, strength and the like.
• Examples of applications of the invention are electrical connectors comprising plug and receptacle connectors 20 and 50 for use in electric and electronic appliances such as mobile phones and the like, and more particularly electrical connectors which can achieve a reduced overall height of connector without damage to respective contacts even if the plug and receptacle connectors 20 and 50 are wrongly being fitted in an oblique direction.

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• Coupling Device And Connection With Printed Circuit (AREA)
• Details Of Connecting Devices For Male And Female Coupling (AREA)

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• 2006
  • 2006-09-15 EP EP06798237A patent/EP1955411A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2006-09-15 CN CN 200680045008 patent/CN101322287A/zh active Pending
  • 2006-09-15 JP JP2008507292A patent/JP4851510B2/ja active Active
  • 2006-09-15 WO PCT/JP2006/318798 patent/WO2007063636A1/en active Application Filing

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