JP2002203633A - Electric connector - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electric connector which has a pair of narrow and small opposing contacts designed to prevent short circuit between them. SOLUTION: For an electric connector with a pair of narrowly opposing female contacts 210, 210 between which a card type plug 300 is inserted and its electrical contact sections 310, 310 are electrically connected with the female contacts 210, 210, a spacer slider 400 made of an insulating plate is arranged elastically from the opposite side of the card type plug 300 in a narrow gap δbetween the pair of female contacts 210, 210. As the spacer slider retreats when the card type plug 300 is inserted and the spacer slider 400 comes in the narrow gap δ when the card type plug is not inserted, a short circuit between the female contacts is almost completely prevented and the pulley tension force of the female contact side can be set freely.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electrical connector having a pair of narrowly opposed female contacts to prevent a short circuit between the contacts.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As is well known, a card-type plug is inserted between a pair of narrowly opposed female contacts, and electrical contacts provided on both sides of the plug are electrically connected to the respective female contacts. There are electrical connectors to connect. Here, the card-type plug indicates a thin plate-shaped insertion-shaped portion. Not only the plug portion which is the insertion portion of the plug connector, but also the plug portion of a thin-plate-like memory card, and further broadly includes the plug portion of a circuit board. In any case, at least the side where the pair of female contacts is arranged constitutes an electrical connector as a so-called receptacle connector.

FIG. 3 shows an electric connector having such a structure. In the electrical connector 10, a pair of female contacts 21 and 21 are incorporated in a receptacle connector 20 attached to an electronic device or the like, and the distal ends of the contact portions 21 a and 21 a are formed into a substantially rectangular shape. And are narrowly opposed. This narrow part δ
A card-type plug (a plug portion of a memory card or the like) 30 is inserted into the connector, and electric contact portions (contacts) 31 provided on both sides thereof are elastically contacted with the corresponding female contacts 21 and 21, respectively. And electrically connected.

In the connector having such a structure, the diameter of the contact portion has been reduced due to the recent miniaturization of the electronic device and the corresponding miniaturization of the connector side. Narrow portion 21a, 2
The gap 1a is becoming considerably narrower. In some cases, the interval is 0.2 mm or less, and is set to a value as close to zero as possible.

On the other hand, in the narrow portions 21a between the female contacts 21 and 21, stable electrical connections are made with the electrical contact portions 31 and 31 provided on both sides of the inserted card type plug 30. In order to obtain it, it is necessary to abut with a certain pressing force or more as shown by the arrow in the figure.
This is what is called pretension, and is usually secured by the elastic force of the spring material on the female contact side. Generally, the stronger the pretension force, the more stable the electrical connection can be obtained.

[0006]

However, when the pretensioning force is increased between a pair of narrowly opposed female contacts 21 and 21, as shown in FIG. 4, a narrow portion between the two contacts 21 and 21 is reduced. There has been a problem that the short-circuiting (short-circuit) easily occurs due to the contact between the short-circuiting portions 21a. Therefore, when the gap between the contacts 21 and 21 becomes smaller, the pretension force is sacrificed to some extent, that is, the stability of the electrical connection, which is an essential function of the electrical connector, is sacrificed. Thus, the fact is that a short circuit between the contacts 21 and 21 is prevented.

The present invention has been made in view of such a conventional situation. Basically, a spacer slider formed of an insulating plate is appropriately advanced and retracted in a narrow portion between a pair of female contacts, thereby achieving a desired operation. It is an object of the present invention to provide an electrical connector which ensures the pretension force of the above, while fundamentally eliminating the short circuit between the female contacts.

[0008]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, a card-type plug is inserted between a pair of narrowly opposed female contacts, and electrical contacts provided on both surfaces thereof are connected to the female contacts. In an electrical connector electrically connected to each of the contacts, a spacer slider made of an insulating plate is elastically arranged in a narrow portion between the pair of female contacts from a direction opposite to the card type plug, The electrical connector is characterized in that it is retracted by insertion of the connector.

[0009]

1 and 2 show an example of an electric connector according to the present invention. In the figure, 100 is an electrical connector, 200 is its receptacle connector, 30
Reference numeral 0 denotes a card-type plug electrically connected to the receptacle connector 200.

As described above, the card-type plug 300 includes a plug portion which is a plug connector insertion portion,
It corresponds to a plug portion of a thin-plate memory card, and further to a plug portion of a circuit board and the like. is there.

In the receptacle connector 200, a pair of female contacts 210, 210 are incorporated vertically in the figure, and the contact portions 210a, 210a of the distal end side are:
It is formed in a generally rectangular shape and is narrowly opposed. When the card mold 300 is inserted into the narrow portion δ, the electric contact portions 310, 310 on both surfaces thereof elastically contact the corresponding female contacts 210, 210, respectively. Is to be connected.

The narrow portion δ has a card type plug 300
As shown in the figure, the spacer slider 400 made of an insulating plate (a resin or an insulating alumina plate) is elastically inserted from the opposite direction of the card type plug 300 as shown in the figure.

The method of elastically mounting the slider 400 is not particularly limited. For example, as in this example, the slider holder member 50 is provided in the receptacle connector 200.
It is good to carry out by incorporating 0. At one end of the holder member 500, a contact portion 2 of the female contacts 210, 210 is formed.
The insulating plate portion 410 of the spacer slider 400 is slidably inserted into the slit-shaped hole 510 provided on the narrow portion δ side where 10a and 210a are opposed to each other and arranged. on the other hand,
Collar-shaped stopper portion 4 at the other end of spacer slider 400
Reference numeral 20 denotes an elastic force generated by an elastic body 600 such as a coil spring inserted into the large-diameter storage section 520 at the end surface thereof, while being retained by a step portion of the large-diameter storage section 520 of the holder member 500. Is always energized. Note that 53
Reference numeral 0 denotes a lid that closes the opening of the large-diameter storage section 520.

With this configuration, when the card type plug 300 is not inserted, as shown in FIG.
00 is pushed by the elastic body 600 and causes the insulating plate portion 410 to always enter the narrow portion δ facing the contact portions 210a, 210a of the female contacts 210, 210. Therefore, regardless of the strength of the pretension force acting in the direction of the arrow in the figure, the two contact portions 210a, 210
The insulation between a is absolutely ensured. In other words, even if the maximum pretension force is set based on, for example, the spring characteristics of the contact material, the insulation is reliably ensured without any problem.

When the card-type plug 300 is inserted into the narrow portion δ of the female contacts 210, 210 where the contact portions 210a, 210a are opposed, the spacer slider 400 is moved by the pressing force as shown in FIG. And the contact portions 210 of the female contacts 210, 210 are retracted.
a, 210a are brought into contact with the electrical contact portions 310, 310 provided on both sides of the card type plug 300 with a desired pretension force. At this time, if the desired pretensioning force is previously set to a large value, a reliable electric connection can be obtained. In other words, the contact portions 210a, 210a,
An arbitrary pretensioning force can be set without worrying about a short circuit between 210a.

Although not shown, the holding means after insertion of the card-type plug 300 and the means for releasing (ejecting) this insertion are appropriately arranged around the receptacle connector 200 of the electric connector 100. is there. Also, the elastic mounting means of the spacer slider 400 can be operated in conjunction with the holding means after insertion on the card type plug 300 side or the insertion releasing means.

[0017]

As described above, according to the electrical connector of the present invention, when the card type plug is not inserted, the spacer slider made of an insulating plate automatically enters the narrow portion between the pair of female contacts. When the card type plug is inserted, the spacer slider can be automatically retracted.

Therefore, first, when the card type plug is not inserted, the short circuit between the pair of female contacts can be almost completely prevented. Therefore, a desired pretension force can be freely provided on the contact portion side of the female contact.

Next, when the card type plug is inserted, the contact portion of the female contact having a desired pretension force is brought into contact with the electrical contact portion, so that a stable and reliable electrical connection is achieved. Is obtained.

That is, unlike the conventional connector, there is no need to sacrifice the necessary pretensioning force and ensure the prevention of short circuit between the female contacts.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 shows an example of an electrical connector according to the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a schematic vertical sectional view showing a state where a card type plug is not inserted.

FIG. 2 is a schematic vertical sectional view showing a state where a card type plug is inserted in the electrical connector of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic vertical sectional view showing a state in which a card-type plug is not inserted in an example of a conventional electric connector.

FIG. 4 is a schematic vertical sectional view showing a short-circuit state between female contacts in another example of the conventional electrical connector.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Electrical connector 200 Receptacle connector 210 Female contact 210a Contact part 300 Card type plug 310 Electric contact part 400 Spacer slider 410 Insulating plate part 500 'Slider holder member 600 Elastic body

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An electrical connector in which a card-type plug is inserted between a pair of narrowly opposed female contacts, and electrical contact portions provided on both surfaces thereof are electrically connected to the female contacts, respectively. A spacer slider formed of an insulating plate is elastically disposed in a narrow portion between the pair of female contacts from a direction opposite to the card type plug, and is retreated by inserting the card type plug. Electrical connector.