JP2002539588A - Spring contact for electrical connector and connector provided with the spring contact - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention concerns a substantially U-shaped spring contact for connector having two branches (11; 12) and a base (13) linking the two branches by one of their ends, each branch being designed to establish an electric contact with an equipment, characterised in that the two branches (11; 12) extend in diverging planes (11.1; 12.1) relative to each other, the intersection (I) of said two planes being included in the base (13) of the U shape. The invention also concerns a connector comprising such a contact.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a spring contact for a small electrical connector, and to a connector including such a contact. The invention is used in particular in the field of communications, in particular in the area of miniaturization of mobile phones. This type of contact is commonly, but not exclusively, used to reversibly connect a battery located inside a mobile phone to a printed circuit. More generally, this type of contact is for electrically connecting any two devices. Currently, the spring contact is welded to the surface of the printed circuit by a first end and has a flexible tongue at a second end that is bent over the first end. The flexible tongue can in particular contact the terminals of the battery which are arranged on the connector containing the contacts.

The shape of a connector attached to a mobile phone is a substantially parallelepiped. This type of connector comprises a housing or compartment containing spring contacts. These housings communicate with a first surface of the connector, the so-called lower surface, and a second surface, the so-called upper surface. The lower surface contacts the printed circuit and the upper surface contacts the battery.
The spring contact inserted into the housing is generally U-shaped and has two branches or arms and a U-shaped base or crank connecting the two branches by one end. The U-shaped base is arcuate and extends in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the first and second faces of the connector. Each branch is configured to make an electrical connection with one device.

A first U-shaped branch is fixed to, for example, welded to a printed circuit arranged on a first side of the connector. The second branch forms a protrusion that projects from the second surface of the connector.

[0004] The overall height of the U-shape is formed by adding three heights. These heights are
It separates two planes parallel to the plane of the printed circuit and is determined by the shortest distance including the multiple points of the spring contact. The first height defines the welding point between the first branch and the printed circuit,
It consists of the distance separating from the junction of the first branch and the base. The second height is equal to the chord of the base corresponding to the distance between the two arc-shaped end points. The third height comprises the distance separating one point of the second branch, which is highest with respect to the base, from the point of contact of the second branch with the base. The thickness of the connector is determined by the shortest distance joining the first surface to the second surface. The thickness of the connector is less than the overall contact height because the spring contacts are configured to partially fit inside the connector housing when stress is applied. In one example, the thickness of such a connector is 3.2 millimeters.

[0005] Due to the current trend of miniaturization of electronic devices such as mobile phones, it is desired to reduce the dimensions of various elements constituting these devices. In particular, the connectors included in such devices must be miniaturized, for example to a thickness of at most 1.8 mm, all other dimensions being proportional to the thickness.

In the prior art, the thickness of the connector and the overall height of the spring contacts it contains can only be reduced provided that the width or length of the connector and the contacts is significantly increased. In fact, with current designs of spring contacts, the overall height of the spring contacts can only be reduced by changing the first and third heights of the spring contacts. By the way, when the first and third heights are reduced in order to maintain the technical characteristics of these contacts, the thickness or the width of the contact pieces, especially the second branch pieces, is increased. It is necessary to spread it. Thus, increasing the width of the contact piece increases the overall width of the connector. Therefore, the volume of the connector cannot be reduced as a whole. Therefore, current spring contact structures pose a problem of miniaturization of these connectors.

On the other hand, this type of connector has to be mounted on the surface of a printed circuit,
Picked up by suction pipette. The suction pipette must only make local contact with the connector zone without spring contacts. Such a zone is generally located at a central position in this type of connector, so that the width of the connector must necessarily be increased. As a result, this type of connector is currently picked up by two pipettes, each located at one end of the connector. This presents another problem in that the operation of prior art connectors is difficult.

The present invention is a spring contact for a connector, generally U-shaped, having two branches and a base joining the two branches by one end, each branch setting an electrical contact with one device. By solving the above problem.

According to the invention, the two branches extend in two planes that are separated from each other, and the intersection of the two planes is included in the U-shaped base.

At this time, the overall height of the spring contact is lower than that of the prior art spring contact.

To further reduce the overall height of the contacts, one U-shaped branch and base are on the same plane.

Furthermore, in order to simplify the connection, the electrical contacts of at least one branch are arranged at the free ends of said branch.

According to a second aspect, the present invention comprises a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, and at least one housing for receiving a spring contact according to the invention. An electrical connector comprising: The housing is open on both sides of the connector,
The spring contacts are arranged in the housing such that the plane in which the U-shaped base extends is substantially parallel to the plane of the connector surface.

A base joining the first and second branches is located inside the housing. The base includes a curved surface substantially parallel to the first and second surfaces. Here, increasing the width of the spring contact only increases the width of the connector slightly. In fact, the contacts
The first branch of the contact on the first surface is arranged to face the space between the first branch and the second branch on the second surface. Thus, the overall volume of the connector is reduced. This was previously impossible.

[0015] To properly locate the contacts in the housing, the connector includes means for guiding the spring contacts.

[0016] In order to hold such proper position, the connector further includes holding means.

If it is necessary to use a plurality of connections, the connector includes a plurality of housings, each receiving a U-shaped spring contact.

In order to keep the volume of this connector small enough, the spring contacts are arranged in two adjacent housings so as to extend in substantially the same direction but opposite to each other. Is adjacent to the other branch of the adjacent contact.

[0019] Furthermore, the arrangement of the branches of the spring contact is configured to create a zone without a spring contact in the center of the second face. This zone can be used to pipette there. Thus, the connector can be picked up by one suction pipette.

The invention will be better understood from reading the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention by way of example and not by way of limitation.

The connector of the present invention includes a main body 1 having a first surface 2 (FIG. 1) and an opposite second surface 3 (FIG. 3), each surface being a flat surface 2. .1 and 3.1. The body 1 includes a housing 4 open on two sides. For this reason, the housing 4
Has a first inlet 5 leading to the first surface 2 and a second inlet 6 leading to the second surface 3. The two inlets 5, 6 are separated by a wall 4.1 between them. The connector includes a plurality of spring contacts 7, each disposed on a housing 4. The body 1 has a thickness 8. The thickness 8 is preferably no more than 1.8 mm. The main body 1 has a width 9 and a length 10
And In the illustrated example, the main body 1 includes four housings 4 and four spring contacts 7. In this case, the width 9 is preferably 8.3 mm and the length 10 is preferably 15.3 mm. However, a connector according to the invention can include one or more housings, each with a spring contact. Also, the dimensions can be adapted according to the number of spring contacts or the required technical properties.

The spring contact 7 has a first branch 11 extending in the plane 11.1 and a second branch 12 extending in the plane 12.1. The first branch 11 and the second branch 12 are joined by a base 13. The two branches are configured to be electrically connected to a device such as a battery or a printed circuit. In the case of a mobile phone, the contacts can be permanently fixed to the printed circuit by one branch, here branch 11, and the battery is connected to the other branch,
Here, it comes into contact with the branch 12. The base 13 has a curved surface 13.1, which, when connected to the connector, has a plane 2.1 defined by the first and second surfaces.
And 3.1. However, the curved surface may be oblique to these planes 2.1 and 3.1. In this case, the expression curved surface means the surface on which this curvature is projected, along an axis perpendicular to the first and second surfaces.

According to the invention, the two branches 11, 12 are separated from one another by planes 11.1, 12,.
1, the intersection I of the two faces is included in a U-shaped base 13.

Furthermore, in the illustrated example, the planes 11.1 and 13.1 of the branch 11 substantially coincide.

The first branch 11 is substantially rectangular and has two steps or bayonet-shaped offsets 14, 15. These two steps 14 and 15 correspond to the first branch 1
One defines three parts. The first part 16 is constituted by the end of the first branch 11. The end 16 is a free end, particularly adapted to be welded, for connection to a printed circuit. The second part 17 arranged between the steps 14, 15 is planar. This part 17 is configured to be held by the housing 4 of the main body 1. A third portion 18 is defined between step 15 and base 13. The third part 18 moves in a plane orthogonal to the plane composed of the parts 17. This part 18 moves relative to the part 17 via the hinge consisting of step 15. Step 1
5 also has a role of increasing the rigidity of the branch 11.

The second branch 12 includes a first zone 19 forming a shoulder and a barb 20. A first portion 21 of the second branch 12 is defined between the zone 19 and the return portion 20. The zone 19 serves as a hinge of the part 21 with respect to the curved surface 13.1. The first part 21 is a flat rectangle. In the illustrated example, the return portion 2
The zero and first portions 21 are configured to contact one terminal of the battery protruding from the second surface 3 and pressed against the branch 12. Barbed portion 20 separates first portion 21 from second portion 22 of second branch 12 while forming an angle less than 180 degrees, such that second portion 22 is below first portion 21. Bend slightly.
The parts 21, 22 of the second branch 12 move relative to the base 13 in a plane perpendicular to the curved surface 13.1. Furthermore, the branch 12 moves in a plane different from, but parallel to, the movable surface of the branch 11.

The overall height of the spring contact 7 has a first height equal to the height of the first branch 11 and a second height 1
It is obtained by adding a second height composed of two heights. In fact, the height of the base is almost zero, because the height of the base is equal to the thickness of the flakes that make up the spring contacts. The height is completely determined by the shortest distance separating the two planes parallel to the plane 13.1. The first height is a height 23 corresponding to the height of the end 16.
And the height 24 corresponding to the height of the step 14 and the height 25 corresponding to the height of the step 15. The second height is equal to the height 26 of the first part 21.

The second part 22 has a height 27. The height 27 is as high as possible so that the second branch 12 does not completely exit the body 1. In another example, the second part 22 can include a leg at one end that allows it to be fixed to the second inlet 6.

As shown in FIG. 1, the spring contact 7 is held on the housing 4 of the main body 1 by holding means. The holding means comprises a pawl 28 which holds the support part 17 at the edge 29 of the first inlet 5. The pawl 28 is, for example, a small amount of plastic material that is melted at the spring contacts 7 after placement in the housing 4. The spring contact 7 is inserted into the main body 1 by the first inlet 5 of the first face 4. The dimensions of the first inlet 5 are configured to leave a passage to the whole of the spring contact 7. Conversely, the second inlet 6 allows only the second branch 12 of the spring contact 7 to exit. In fact, the branch 11 is fixed to the first inlet 5 by the wall 4.1 between them. Thus, the housing 4 includes a hole leading from the first inlet 5 to the second inlet 6, which has an opening limited only to the size of the opening of the second inlet 6. When an object such as a battery is pressed against the second face 3 of the body 1 and thus the branch 12 of the spring contact 7, the branch 12 is pushed down, the height 26 is reduced and the part 22 is pushed down into the housing 4. . In the example, the maximum stroke of the branch 12 is 1.5 mm. The object pressed against the second surface 3 has to exert a force of 0.5 to 1.5 Newtons in order to push down the branches 12 inside the housing 4.

The connector has an axis of symmetry 30 that is orthogonal to the first plane 2 and the second plane 3 and passes through the center of each plane. The symmetry axis 30 is a characteristic associated with the number of the spring contacts 7 included in the main body 1. In fact, the axis of symmetry 30 is only present if the connector has an even number of spring contacts 7.

If it is necessary to have more than one point of contact, the connector is provided with spring contacts 7a;
And a plurality of housings, respectively, for example, 4a; The contacts are positioned so as to extend in substantially the same direction but in opposite directions, and one contact 7a
Branch 11a is adjacent to the branch 12b of the adjacent contact 7b.

In the body 1, the contacts are arranged on the second surface 3 so as to alternately distribute the steps 20. In this way, the distribution of the edges 16 on both sides of the first surface 2 is homogenous. The spring contacts 7 are arranged adjacently on the main body 1. Second surface 3
The distance separating two consecutive branches 12 at is superimposed on the location of the first face 2 of the branch 11, which is joined to one of the two branches 12. Between the contact 7 and the next contact 7, the end 16
Are alternated. Indeed, the end 16 projects from a first side 31 of the first surface 2 or from a second side 32 opposite the side 31 of the first surface 2. The connector is thus fixed to the printed circuit on two sides 31,32. Since such a fixation is more rigid, no additional welding is required to ensure mechanical positioning of the connector.

Furthermore, the spring contacts 7 are arranged in a specific manner in order to free up a sufficient zone 33 for the pipette on the second face 3. This zone 33 needs to be located in the center. This zone allows the pipette 1 to have a diameter of at least 2.5 mm.
The connector can be picked up by the individual.

The connector further includes a hollow or cavity 34. The cavity 34 is the connector 1
Are cut at two side surfaces 35 and 36 of each side 31 and 32. The cavities 34 are cut such that the free ends 16 of the spring contacts 7 inserted into the body 1 protrude from the sides 31, 32 at the locations where these cavities 34 are provided. The end 16 is thus visually accessible from the second face 3 during welding. Therefore, welding of the end 16 to the printed circuit is facilitated.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a connector according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a spring contact according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a view of the connector according to the invention on the side not shown in FIG. 1;

Claims (11)

[Claims] 1. A spring contact for a connector, said spring contact being substantially U-shaped and comprising two branches (11; 12) and a base (1) connecting said two branches by one end thereof.
3), each branch being configured to establish an electrical contact with one device, the two branches (11; 12) being separated from each other by two faces (11.1; 12). .1)
A spring contact for the connector, characterized in that the intersection (I) of the two faces is included in a U-shaped base (13). 2. The spring contact according to claim 1, wherein the one branch (11) and the base (13) are in the same plane. 3. The electrical contact of at least one branch (11) is provided at the free end of said branch (11).
The spring contact according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the spring contact is provided in (16). 4. One branch (11) contacts a printed circuit and the other branch (1).
4. The spring contact according to claim 1, wherein 2) is configured to contact a battery. 5. A first surface (2) and a second surface (3) opposite the first surface.
Electrical connector comprising at least one housing (4) open on both sides of the connector for receiving a spring contact (7) according to any one of claims 1 to 4. The spring contacts are mounted on the housing such that the plane (13.1) on which the U-shaped base (13) extends is substantially parallel to the plane (2.1; 3.1) of the plane (2; 3), respectively. An electrical connector characterized by being arranged. 6. Connector according to claim 5, characterized in that it comprises means (4.1) for guiding the spring contacts (7) in place on the housing (4). 7. Means for retaining a spring contact (7) in a housing (4).
The connector according to claim 5, wherein the connector comprises: 8. Connector according to claim 5, wherein one branch (12) of the spring contact (7) protrudes from the housing (4). 9. The spring contact (7a; 7) according to claim 1,
b) receiving a plurality of housings (4a; 4b) respectively receiving spring contacts (7a,; 7b) in two adjacent housings (4a; 4b) in substantially the same direction but with each other. 6. The arrangement according to claim 5, characterized in that they are arranged so as to extend in opposite directions, one branch (11a) of one contact (7a) being adjacent to the other branch (12b) of an adjacent contact (7b). The connector according to any one of claims 8 to 13. 10. The connector according to claim 5, wherein one surface of the connector includes a pickup zone arranged substantially at the center of the surface.
A connector according to any one of the preceding claims. 11. A side face (3) connecting the first face (2) and the second face (3).
5; 36), wherein the side surface (35; 36) has at least one hollow (
11), characterized in that the free end (16) of one branch (11) of the spring contact (7) leads to the hollow (34). Connectors.