JP2002329556A - Moving type connector - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a moving type connector movable in all directions, always keeping a contact in the central part of a moving range, and eliminating a soldering process. SOLUTION: In the moving type connector, a slender square cylinder part 44 of a moving housing 40 is movably loosely fit to a loosely fitting square hole 56 of a fixed housing 41 so as to form a gap 62 in the whole periphery, two arc-shaped returning grooves 47 are installed in the vicinity of each end part on both outside surfaces in the length direction of the slender square cylinder part 44, four spring parts 60 are installed in one body in the fixed housing 41 so as face the returning grooves 47, and a contact part 61 at the tip of the spring part 60 is pressed against the returning groove 47.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a movable connector capable of stably making an electrical connection even when a position of connection with an external terminal is displaced.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a device such as a car stereo, as shown in FIG.
A plurality of device units 11a, 11b, and 11c such as a D unit and a tuner unit are arranged integrally in three stages such as upper and lower stages, and are integrally provided.
b, 11c are connected to the respective printed wiring board connectors 14a, 1
Printed wiring board 2 on the operation panel side via 4b, 14c
0 to enable operation from the operation panel.

[0003] More specifically, each of the equipment units 11
a, 11b, and 11c include sub-boards 12a, 12b, and 12c on which electronic components are mounted, respectively, and protrude to the outside of the sub-boards 12a, 12b, and 12c.
The conductive patterns 13a, which are external terminals electrically connected to the printed wiring board connectors 14a, 14b, 14c,
13b and 13c are printed. Each of the printed wiring board connectors 14a, 14b, 14c is connected to the insulating housings 15a, 15b, 15c and the contacts 17 respectively.
a, 17b, 17c, and the insulating housing 1
5a, 15b, and 15c include the sub-substrates 12a, 12
insertion recesses 16a, 16b, 1 into which b, 12c are inserted.
6c are formed, and the contacts 17a, 17b, 17
c, the contact portions 18a, 18b, 18c face the insertion recesses 16a, 16b, 16c, and the lead-out portion 1 is provided at the other end.
9a, 19b and 19c are formed.

The printed wiring board connector 14a,
14b, 14c are the insulating housings 15a, 15
By penetrating the legs of b, 15c through the printed wiring board 20, the legs are fixed to the positions of the printed wiring board 20 facing the sub-boards 12a, 12b, 12c of the device units 11a, 11b, 11c. 12b, 12
c is inserted. The contacts 17a,
17b and 17c are base-side outlet portions 19a, 19b and 1
9c is soldered to a land pattern (not shown) of the sub-boards 12a, 12b, 12c, and the insertion recesses 16a, 16b, 16c of the insulating housings 15a, 15b, 15c.
When the sub-boards 12a, 12b, 12c are inserted into the 16c, the contact portions 18a, 18b, 18c come into contact with the conductive patterns 13a, 13b, 13c to be electrically connected.

In this structure, the printed wiring board 20 and the equipment chassis 10 are assembled with the printed wiring board connectors 14a, 14b, 14c fixed to the printed wiring board 20, so that the respective equipment units 11
a, 11b, and 11c can be connected to the corresponding printed wiring board connectors 14a, 14b, and 14c.

However, as described above, the printed wiring board connectors 14a, 14b and 14c are
Of the equipment units 11a, 11
In the structure in which b and 11c are mounted at fixed positions on the equipment chassis 10, if there is an error in the mounting pitch with each other,
The sub-boards 12a, 12b, 12c of the device units 11a, 11b, 11c cannot be inserted into the printed wiring board connectors 14a, 14b, 14c at the same time.
c and the contacts 17a, 17b, 17c are damaged. Therefore, in such a case, a movable connector capable of absorbing a mutual mounting error and making a connection is used.

FIGS. 8 and 9 show a conventional movable connector described in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 5-15747.
The movable connector 21 is configured by assembling a front housing 22 and a rear housing 23. The front housing 22 and the rear housing 23 are assembled by forming a connection projection 35 on the front housing 22, forming a horizontally long connection hole 25 on the rear housing 23, and as shown by a dotted line in FIG.
Is inserted into the connection hole 25. The rear housing 23 is positioned and fixed by inserting the legs 26 at both ends into the printed wiring board 29. In the assembled state, the front housing 22 can reciprocate with respect to the rear housing 23 in a linear direction indicated by an arrow A in FIG.

The printed wiring board 29 shown in FIG. 8 corresponds to the printed wiring board 20 shown in FIG.
The contact 31 has a horizontal terminal portion 36, a vertical lead portion 28, and a bending portion 34 at an intermediate portion between these. The lead-out portion 28 protrudes from the slit 27 at the rear portion of the rear housing 23 and further penetrates a printed wiring board 29.
Is connected by soldering. The terminal portion 36 penetrates through the contact insertion hole 24 formed in the front housing 22, and is electrically connected to a contact 32 serving as an external terminal of a connector 33 attached to the printed wiring board 30. Thereby, the printed wiring board 2
9 and the printed wiring board 30 can be connected.

In such a structure, when the front housing 22 moves in the direction of arrow A in FIG.
Since the bent portion 34 of the printed wiring board 34 is bent, the connection state between the printed wiring board 29 and the printed wiring board 30 can be maintained.
Therefore, even if there is an error in mounting the movable connector 21 to the printed wiring board 29, the mounting error is absorbed by the movement of the front housing 22, so that
The printed wiring board 29 and the printed wiring board 30 can be connected.

[0010]

However, the conventional movable connector 21 has the following problems. (1) The movement of the front housing 22 for absorbing the mounting error is only in the width direction (left and right direction) of the housing as shown by the arrow A in FIG. When there was an error, it could not be dealt with.

(2) Since the contacts 32 are connected to the printed wiring board 29 using solder, a soldering step is required.

(3) Since the contact 31 is fixedly connected to the printed wiring board 29 using solder, the contact 31 must be provided with a bent portion 34, and the shape of the contact 31 is complicated. When the connecting projection 35 moves, mechanical force is applied to the soldered portion even if the bending portion 34 is present, and there is a possibility that the soldered portion may be separated or clicked.

The present invention can move in all directions,
When assembling or pulling out the movable connector,
Always keep the contact in the center of the travel range,
It is another object of the present invention to provide a device without a soldering step.

[0014]

According to the present invention, an insertion recess 43 is formed in a movable housing 40 incorporated in a fixed housing 41, and a contact 48 is provided facing the insertion recess 43 so as to come into contact with and separate from the sub-substrate 12. The movable rectangular connector 4 of the movable housing 40.
4 is freely and loosely fitted in the loose fitting angle hole 56 of the fixed housing 41 with a gap 62 around the entire circumference thereof,
Two return grooves 47 in the shape of an arc are formed on the outer surface of each of the two near the ends of both the long outer surfaces of the elongated rectangular tube portion 44, and the four spring portions 60 face the return grooves 47. Are formed integrally with the fixed housing 41, and the contact portion 61 at the tip of the spring portion 60 is pressed against the return groove 47.

If there is a displacement between the sub-substrate 12 of the equipment unit 11 and the insertion recess 43 of the movable housing 40, and the movable housing 40 is subjected to a force in any direction, the movable housing 40 returns to its original position. In spite of the engagement between the contact groove 47 and the contact portion 61, each contact portion 61 is pushed out of the four return grooves 47 and moved, and stops at the point where the displacement is absorbed. With the movement of the movable housing 40, the first and second contacts 48a, 48b also move, but the other contact portions 53, 53 slide within the range of the first and second contact connection patterns 65a, 65b. Maintain an electrically connected state.

[0016]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of a movable connector according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. The movable connector according to the present invention includes a combination of a movable housing 40 and a fixed housing 41 which is loosely fitted so that the movable housing 40 can be moved with a margin in any of the front, rear, left, right, diagonal, and vertical directions. And after assembling,
As shown in FIG. 3, it is attached to the printed circuit board 42.

As shown in FIG. 2, the movable housing 40 has an elongated tubular portion 44 at the center, a contact protection portion 45 projecting downward on both longitudinal sides of the elongated tubular portion 44, and a projecting portion on both short sides. And a plurality of first and second contacts 48a and 48b fitted from below. An elongated insertion concave portion 43 is formed in the center of the elongated rectangular tube portion 44.
The double-sided printed circuit boards corresponding to the sub-boards 12a, 12b, and 12c are inserted. In the opening of the insertion recess 43, even if there is a displacement between the insertion recess 43 and the printed circuit board, the insertion can be sufficiently dealt with.
A taper is formed. In addition, the elongated rectangular tube portion 44
A total of four shallow, arc-shaped return grooves 47 are vertically formed near both ends of the two longitudinal outer surfaces to enable the movable housing 40 to move up and down.

The first and second contacts 48a, 48b
As shown in FIG. 3, each of the upper ends has an elongated rectangular cylindrical portion 4.
4 is locked in the contact locking hole 49 opened on the upper end face,
One contact portion 5 is formed in a substantially L-shape so that a lower end portion is fitted into the contact clearance grooves 50 and 51 of the contact protection portion 45, and is inwardly curved in a semicircular shape near the upper end portion.
2 is formed so as to slightly protrude from the insertion concave portion 43, and the other contact portion 53 curved downward in a semicircular shape is formed at a lower end portion. The long first contacts 48a are alternately arranged in the contact relief groove 50, and the short second contacts 48b are fitted in the contact relief groove 51.

When the elongated rectangular tube portion 44 of the movable housing 40 is loosely fitted to the fixed housing 41,
A loose fitting square hole 5 having a sufficient gap 62 left, right, and diagonally.
6, and locking legs 58 are integrally formed at the four lower corners, and fitting holes 57 into which the engaging projections 46 of the movable housing 40 are loosely fitted are formed in the short sides on the horizontal direction. ing. Further, a U-shaped cut groove 59 is formed on each of both longitudinal side walls in a direction opposite to each other.
The inner side cut out by this becomes a spring portion 60 and extends toward both ends, and an abutting portion 61 protruding inward is integrally formed at an end of the spring portion 60. These contact portions 61 are provided in the return grooves 47 of the movable housing 40.
The movable housing 40 is held with a uniform clearance 62 around the entire circumference of the loose fitting square hole 56.

The movable housing 4 configured as described above
0 is fitted into the loose fitting angle hole 56 of the fixed housing 41 from below. For this purpose, first, as shown in FIG.
6 is inserted into one fitting hole 57 of the fixed housing 41 from the inside. Next, the other engaging projection 46 is inserted into the loose fitting square hole 5.
6, the upper surface of the engaging projection 46 and the fitting hole 57
The engagement protrusion 46 fits into the fitting hole 57 because each of the lower portions has a taper. When the movable housing 40 is loosely fitted in the loose fitting angle hole 56 of the fixed housing 41, the contact portion 61 comes into light contact with the return groove 47. Then
Return groove 4 having an arc shape at the circular end of the contact portion 61
7 is pushed in while sliding, and is stabilized at the deepest part in the center of the return groove 47. As a result, as shown in FIG. 1, the movable housing 40 is held with a uniform gap 62 in the loose fitting angle hole 56 of the fixed housing 41 over the entire circumference.

The movable housing 40 is fixed to the fixed housing 41.
After that, the locking leg 58 of the fixed housing 41 is pressed into the leg insertion hole 64 of the printed circuit board 42 shown in FIG. Then, as shown in FIG.
The contact portions 53 of the first and second contacts 48a and 48ba are assembled on the lower surface of the contact protection portion 45 so as to contact the upper surface of the printed circuit board 42. Then, as shown by the chain line in FIG. 3, the other contact portion 53 of the first contact 48a is in the first contact connection pattern 65a, and the other contact portion 53 of the second contact 48b is in the second contact connection pattern 65bb. Press each one.

Next, the case where the sub-board 12 of the equipment unit 11 is connected to the movable connector according to the present invention will be described. As shown in FIG.
Sub-substrate 12 and insertion recess 4 of movable housing 40
When the movable housing 40 is displaced to the left as shown by an arrow in the figure and there is a displacement between the movable housing 40 and the return groove 47 and the contact portion 61, the movable housing 40 is disengaged. Instead, the respective contact portions 61 are pushed out from the four return grooves 47 and moved to the left, and stop at the point where the displacement is absorbed. With the movement of the movable housing 40, the first and second contacts 48a, 48b also move, but the other contact portion 5
3 and 53 are first and second contact connection patterns 65
a, and maintain the electrically connected state while sliding within the range of 65b. The first contact 4 having a long contact portion 53
8a and a second contact 48b having a short contact portion 53, and a first contact connection pattern 65a and a second contact 48b.
By alternately arranging the contact connection patterns 65b in a staggered manner, the area is made as small as possible, and the movable connector according to the present invention is made compact.

As shown in FIG. 6B, when there is a displacement between the sub-substrate 12 and the insertion recess 43 and the movable housing 40 is subjected to an upward force as indicated by an arrow in the figure,
The movable housing 40 is in contact with the two return grooves 47 in the contact portion 6.
The spring portion 60 is curved while 1 is engaged, and stops at the point where the displacement is absorbed. The other two return grooves 47 are disengaged from the contact portion 61. The first and second contacts 48a,
The contact portions 53 of 48b maintain an electrically connected state while sliding within the range of the first and second contact connection patterns 65a and 65b.

As shown in FIG. 6C, when there is a displacement between the sub-substrate 12 and the insertion recess 43 and the movable housing 40 is subjected to a diagonally upper left force as indicated by an arrow in the figure. The movable housing 40 pushes out the respective contact portions 61 from the two return grooves 47, moves diagonally upward to the left, and stops at the point where the displacement is absorbed. Movable housing 4
At 0, the spring portion 60 is bent with the two return grooves 47 being disengaged from the contact portion 61, and stops at the point where the displacement is absorbed. The other two return grooves 47 are disengaged from the contact portion 61. The contact portions 53, 53 of the first and second contacts 48a, 48b are formed by first and second contact connection patterns 65.
a, and maintain the electrically connected state while sliding within the range of 65b.

In the above embodiment, the spring portion 60 and the contact portion 61
Is formed by integral molding with the fixed housing 41,
The present invention is not limited to this, and the number of parts may be slightly increased. In the above embodiment, the spring portion 60 and the contact portion 61 are formed in the fixed housing 41 and the return groove 4 is formed.
7 is provided in the movable housing 40, but is not limited to this. Conversely, the spring portion 60 and the contact portion 61 are formed in the movable housing 40, and the return groove 47 is provided in the fixed housing 41. May be.

[0026]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the elongated rectangular tube portion 44 of the movable housing 40 is movably loosely fitted in the loose fitting angle hole 56 of the fixed housing 41 around the entire circumference thereof with a gap 62 therebetween. 62, an elongated rectangular tube portion 4 with a spring portion 60 interposed therebetween.
Since 4 is held, it is possible to cope with an error in any direction such as the left-right direction, the front-back direction, and the oblique direction.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, an arc-shaped return groove 47 is formed on the outer surface of the elongated rectangular tube portion 44, and the contact portion 61 at the tip of the spring portion 60 is formed in the return groove 47. Since it is pressed, the contact is always at the center of the moving range when assembling or when the movable connector is pulled out, so that the next insertion is not hindered.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the spring portion 60
Contact portion 61 whose tip is bent toward return groove 47
Is formed integrally with the elongated rectangular tube portion 44 by forming a U-shaped cut groove 59 in the elongated rectangular tube portion 44, so that the number of parts can be reduced, the assembly process can be simplified, and the cost can be reduced.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the elongated rectangular tube portion 44 of the movable housing 40 is movably loosely fitted in the loose fitting square hole 56 of the fixed housing 41 around the entire circumference thereof with a gap 62 therebetween.
Two arc-shaped return grooves 47 are formed on the outer surface of the elongated rectangular tube portion 44 near the ends of both longitudinal outer surfaces of the elongated rectangular tube portion 44, respectively. The spring portions 60 are formed integrally with the fixed housing 41, and the contact portions 61 at the ends of the spring portions 60 are pressed against the return grooves 47. Can be absorbed.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the contact portion 53 is formed on the contact 48 for slidingly connecting to the contact connection pattern 65 of the printed circuit board 42 by moving the movable housing 40. It is unnecessary, the shape of the contact is simple, and there is no danger of peeling or clicking at the connection portion.

According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, the first and second
Contact portions 5 of the contacts 48a and 48b
The first and second contact connection patterns 65a and 65b are arranged in a zigzag manner on the printed circuit board 42 at positions 3 and 53.
Therefore, the connection pattern is made as small as possible and the movable connector according to the present invention can be made more compact.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 3 showing one embodiment of a movable connector according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a movable housing 40 and a fixed housing 41 according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view illustrating an assembled state of a movable connector according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the printed circuit board 42.

FIGS. 6 (a), (b) and (c) are partially cutaway plan views illustrating different examples of movement of the movable housing 40 of the movable connector according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a conventional example in which a plurality of device units 11 provided in one device chassis 10 are simultaneously connected to a plurality of connectors 14.

FIG. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view of a conventional movable connector.

FIG. 9 is a front view of FIG. 8;

[Explanation of symbols]

10. Equipment chassis, 11, 11a, 11b, 11c ...
Equipment unit, 12, 12a, 12b, 12c: Sub-board, 13, 13a, 13b, 13c: Conductive pattern, 1
4, 14a, 14b, 14c: connector for printed wiring board, 15, 15a, 15b, 15c: insulating housing, 16, 16a, 16b, 16c: insertion recess, 1
7, 17a, 17b, 17c ... contact, 18, 18
a, 18b, 18c contact portions, 19, 19a, 19b,
19c: Lead-out part, 20: Printed wiring board, 21: Movable connector, 22: Front housing, 23: Rear housing, 24: Contact insertion hole, 25: Connection hole, 26
... Leg part, 27 ... Slit, 28 ... Derivation part, 29 ... Printed wiring board, 30 ... Printed wiring board, 31 ... Contact, 32 ... Contact, 33 ... Connector, 34 ... Flexible part, 35 ... Connection protrusion, 36 ... Terminal Part, 40: movable housing, 41: fixed housing, 42: printed circuit board, 4
3 ... insertion recessed part, 44 ... slender rectangular tube part, 45 ... contact protection part, 46 ... engagement projection part, 47 ... return groove, 48a ...
1st contact, 48b ... 2nd contact, 49 ... contact locking hole, 50 ... contact relief groove, 51 ... contact relief groove, 52 ... one contact part, 53 ... the other contact part, 56 ... free fitting square hole, 57: fitting hole, 58: locking leg,
59: U-shaped cut groove, 60: spring portion, 61: contact portion, 6
2: gap, 64: leg insertion hole, 65a: first contact connection pattern, 65b: second contact connection pattern,
66: wiring pattern, 67: soldering part.

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F term (reference) 5E021 FA05 FA11 FA16 FB02 FB05 FB13 FC31 FC38 HA05 5E023 AA04 AA16 AA30 BB13 BB22 BB25 BB29 CC12 CC22 CC26 DD18 EE06 FF07 GG02 HH08 HH17

Claims (6)

[Claims] A contact recess which is formed in a movable housing incorporated in a fixed housing, and which comes into contact with and separates from the sub-substrate facing the insertion recess.
In the movable connector provided with the movable housing 8, the elongated rectangular tube portion 44 of the movable housing 40 is connected to the fixed housing 41.
The movable connector is characterized in that it is freely and loosely fitted with a gap 62 around the entire circumference thereof with a gap 62, and the elongated rectangular cylinder 44 is held in the gap 62 with a spring portion 60 interposed therebetween. . 2. An arc-shaped return groove 47 is formed on the outer surface of the elongated rectangular tube portion 44, and a contact portion 61 at the tip of a spring portion 60 is pressed against the return groove 47. The movable connector according to claim 1. 3. The spring portion 60 and the contact portion 61 whose tip is bent toward the return groove 47 are formed integrally with the elongated rectangular tube portion 44 by forming a U-shaped cut groove 59 in the elongated rectangular tube portion 44. The movable connector according to claim 1, wherein the movable connector is provided. 4. A contact (4) formed in a movable housing (40) incorporated in a fixed housing (41) so as to come into contact with and separate from the sub-substrate (12) facing the insertion recess (43).
In the movable connector provided with the movable housing 8, the elongated rectangular tube portion 44 of the movable housing 40 is connected to the fixed housing 41.
The loose fitting square hole 56 is movably loosely fitted with a gap 62 around the entire circumference, and an arc-shaped return groove 47 is formed on the outer surface of the elongated rectangular tube portion 44 at both ends of the longitudinally outer surfaces of the elongated rectangular tube portion 44. The two spring portions 60 are formed integrally with the fixed housing 41 so as to face the return grooves 47, respectively, and the contact portions 61 at the ends of the spring portions 60 are formed near the return grooves 47. A movable connector characterized by being pressed against a groove for use. 5. The movable housing 40 is connected to the contact 48.
The movable connector according to claim 1 or 4, wherein a contact portion (53) that connects to the contact connection pattern (65) of the printed circuit board (42) by sliding is formed. 6. The contact 48 includes two types of first and second contacts 48a and 48b having different lengths, and positions of the contact portions 53 and 53 in the first and second contacts 48a and 48b are determined. 6. The movable connector according to claim 5, wherein the first and second contact connection patterns are arranged alternately so as to contact the first and second contact connection patterns on the printed circuit board.