JP2006260794A - Connector - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a miniaturizable connector fittable by a small operation force and an operation amount. <P>SOLUTION: A contact 13 includes: a first contact part 13a connected to a first connection object 21; a second contact part 13c connected to a second connection object 31; and an insulating cam part 13e engaged with a cam mechanism 18. A housing 15 has contact housings 15m for housing the contacts 13, and the contacts 13 are detachably held to the contact housing parts 15m. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a connector for connecting a first connection object and a second connection object.

  As a prior art, a plurality of male connectors that are arranged to face each other along the abutting portion of two wiring boards that are abutted with a gap, and a plurality of detachably mounted pins There is a connector composed of a female connector.

  The connector has a plurality of female connectors arranged in a direction orthogonal to the moving direction of the female connector, and the slider is movably disposed along the arrangement, and the guide groove is formed in a smooth step shape in the longitudinal direction of the slider. Are divided and provided.

  The divided guide grooves are configured to engage the engaging pins of the female connector and move the female connector to be inserted or removed between the pair of male connectors by reciprocating movement of the slider (for example, patents). Reference 1).

Japanese Patent Publication No.57-27592

  The problem to be solved is that it is necessary to move the female connector by the fitting length for fitting the female connector to the male connector. Therefore, the movement amount of the female connector becomes large, and the operation amount at the time of fitting also becomes large. In addition, there is a problem that the length of the pin at the time of fitting becomes long.

  Further, when fitting, the operation force becomes large, and the friction of the lower contact portion and the peak insertion force of the upper contact portion are required, and there is a problem that a large force is required.

  In addition, since the female connector is divided into blocks, the number of parts increases, and there is a problem that the arrangement of contacts is limited to the block size and cannot be made high density.

  In addition, since a guide member is also required for fitting to support a large operating force, there is a problem that it is difficult to reduce the size because the surrounding mechanism becomes large.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a connector that can reduce the operating force at the time of connection, can be fitted with a small amount of operation, and can be operated and connected to a large number of contacts simultaneously.

  Another object of the present invention is to provide a connector capable of reducing the contact length and reducing the contact resistance.

  Another object of the present invention is to provide a connector that facilitates the alignment of the first connection object and facilitates contact replacement and maintenance.

  Moreover, the other subject of this invention is providing the connector which can insert a 1st connection target object and a 2nd connection target object with no insertion force.

  It is another object of the present invention to provide a connector that can operate all the contacts in a lump and can reduce the size of the mechanism.

  The present invention provides a connector that connects a first connection object and a second connection object, and includes a conductive contact, an insulating housing that holds the contact, and a cam mechanism that operates the contact. The contact includes a first contact portion that is connected to the first connection object, a second contact portion that is connected to the second connection object, and an insulating cam portion that is engaged with the cam mechanism. And the housing has a contact accommodating portion for accommodating a contact, and the contact is a connector characterized in that it is detachably held in the contact accommodating portion. .

  According to the connector of the present invention, by connecting the first connection object and the second connection object by a connector having a contact having a torsion spring structure, the operating force at the time of connection can be reduced. Can be operated by simultaneously operating the contacts.

  Further, the contact can be fitted with a large contact force with a small operation force and a small operation amount by using a spring spring.

  Further, since the operation force for operating the contacts is reduced, the contacts can be operated simultaneously by the cam mechanism portion of the operation member and the size can be reduced.

  Further, since the distance between the first contact portion and the mating connector is short, the contact length can be shortened, and the contact resistance can be lowered.

  Moreover, since the contact is located so as to face the first connection object, the first connection object can be easily aligned.

  In addition, if a plurality of contacts are provided independently, replacement and maintenance are facilitated.

  Furthermore, in the state before operating the operating member, the first connection object and the second connection object can be inserted with no insertion force.

  The connector of the present invention is a connector that connects a first connection object and a second connection object, and includes a conductive contact, an insulating housing that holds the contact, and a cam mechanism that operates the contact. And the contact includes a first contact portion connected to the first connection object, a second contact portion connected to the second connection object, and an insulating cam portion engaged with the cam mechanism. The housing has a contact accommodating portion for accommodating a contact, and the contact is detachably held in the contact accommodating portion.

  FIG. 1 shows a connector according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and a first connection object and a second connection object that are connected by the connector. FIG. 2 shows the housing of the connector and a plurality of contacts incorporated in the housing.

  The first connection object in the first embodiment is a memory card. In the following description, the first connection object is described as a memory card. The second connection object is called a mating connector. The mating connector described in the first embodiment is also called a header connector.

  Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the connector 11 includes a conductive contact 13 having a helical spring structure, an insulating housing 15 holding a plurality of contacts 13, and a cam mechanism for operating the contacts 13. An operating member (hereinafter referred to as a slider) 17 is provided.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the contacts 13 are positioned symmetrically about the central axis X in the housing 15. The contact 13 extends from the first contact portion 13a connected to the memory card 21, the first support portion 13b extending from one end side of the first contact portion 13a, and the one end side of the first support portion 13b. The second contact portion 13c and the second support portion 13d extending from the other end side of the first contact portion 13a.

  The first contact portion 13a is bent and protrudes to a position closest to the central axis X shown in FIG. The first support portion 13b extends obliquely downward from the lower end side of the first contact portion 13a so as to leave the central axis X. The second contact portion 13c is curved outward from the lower end side of the first support portion 13b. The second support portion 13d extends linearly upward and obliquely away from the central axis X from the upper end side of the first contact portion 13a.

  An insulating cam portion 13e is provided at the extending end of the second support portion 13d. The upper surface of the cam portion 13e is a surface having a shape close to a substantially hemispheric surface. The cam portion 13e is made of a resin material, and the plurality of contacts 13 are integrated. Note that, in the cam portion 13e of the first embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, five contacts 13 are integrally connected via the cam portion 13e.

  The distance between the first contact portion 13a and the cam portion 13e is larger than the distance between the first and second contact portions 13a and 13c. That is, the distance between the first and second contact portions 13a and 13c is shorter by about one half than the distance between the first contact portion 13a and the cam portion 13e.

  The housing 15 is a component molded from a resin material. The housing 15 has a symmetrical shape about the central axis X when viewed in the cross section shown in FIG. The housing 15 is opposed to a pair of opposing side wall portions 15a, a pair of intermediate wall portions 15b extending from the inner surfaces of the pair of side wall portions 15a, and an upper surface 15c of the pair of intermediate wall portions 15b. A pair of upper wall portions 15d extending to the bottom, and an intermediate support portion 15f extending downward from the lower surface 15e of the pair of intermediate wall portions 15b.

  As is apparent from FIG. 2, the pair of side wall portions 15 a are long plate-shaped portions that are long in a direction perpendicular to the central axis X. The pair of intermediate wall portions 15b extend from the inner surfaces of the pair of side wall portions 15a at the intermediate portions in the direction of the central axis X so as to approach each other. The pair of upper wall portions 15d extend from the upper ends of the pair of side wall portions 15a in a direction approaching the central axis X. The intermediate support portion 15f extends downward from the lower surface 15e of the pair of intermediate wall portions 15b along the central axis X.

  The lower end of the intermediate support portion 15f extends slightly below the lower ends of the pair of side wall portions 15a. Inside the intermediate support portion 15f, a groove-shaped accommodation portion 15g for accommodating the leading end portion of the memory card 21 is formed. The lower end of the intermediate support portion 15f is closed by the bottom wall portion 15h. A protrusion 15j protruding from the outer surface is formed on the bottom wall portion 15h.

  The accommodating portion 15g is formed along the central axis X from between the pair of intermediate wall portions 15b to the bottom wall portion 15h of the intermediate support portion 15f. A contact accommodating portion 15m that detachably accommodates the plurality of contacts 13 is formed on both sides of the accommodating portion 15g. A plurality of contacts are arranged in two rows in the contact accommodating portion 15m.

  An inclined surface 15n is formed on the inner surface of the intermediate support portion 15f from the upper surface 15c of the pair of intermediate wall portions 15b so as to be inclined toward the central axis X direction. The second support portion 13d of the contact 13 is positioned so as to face the inclined surface 15n.

  On the inclined surface 15n, a plurality of plate-like partition wall portions 15p are formed in a direction perpendicular to the central axis X with a space therebetween. A window portion 15r is formed in the intermediate support portion 15b in the vicinity of the bottom wall portion 15h of the intermediate support portion 15b.

  The window portion 15r is located in the vicinity of the bottom wall portion 15 of the intermediate support portion 15b and in the intermediate support portion 15b between the plurality of partition wall portions 15p. A contact 13 is provided between the plurality of partition wall portions 15p orthogonal to the central axis X. The first contact portion 13a of the contact 13 is positioned to face the accommodating portion 15g. The second contact portion 13c is positioned so as to protrude out of the window portion 15r formed in the intermediate support portion 15f.

  A guide groove 15s is provided between the intermediate wall 15b and the upper wall 15d of the housing 15 so that the slider 17 is slidable between the intermediate wall 15b and the upper wall 15 in a direction perpendicular to the central axis X. Is formed. A cam portion 13e provided on the contact 13 is located in the guide groove 15s. The cam portion 13e can be operated to move the contact 13 by engaging with the cam mechanism of the slider 17 inserted into the guide groove 15s.

  Between the inner surface of the pair of side wall portions 15a, the intermediate wall portion 15b, and the outer surface of the intermediate support portion 15b facing the inner surfaces of the pair of side wall portions 15a, there is a fitting portion 15t into which the mating connector 31 is fitted. .

  As shown in FIG. 3, the mating connector 31 includes an insulating mating housing 33 and a conductive mating contact 35 assembled to the mating housing 33.

  The mating housing 33 has a pair of mating side wall portions 33a and a mating bottom wall portion 33b that connects the lower ends of the pair of mating side wall portions 33a to each other.

  A portion surrounded by the pair of mating side wall portions 33a and the mating bottom wall portion 33b is a mating fitting portion 33f into which the intermediate support portion 15f of the housing 15 is fitted. A recess 33j is formed on the inner surface of the mating bottom wall 33b to escape the protrusion 15j of the bottom wall 15h of the housing 15 when the connector 11 and the mating connector 31 are fitted.

  The counterpart contact 35 includes a counterpart holding portion 35a held by the counterpart bottom wall portion 33b, and a counterpart contact portion 35b extending from the counterpart holding portion 35a along the inner surface of the counterpart wall portion 33b in the central axis X direction. And a mating terminal portion 35c extending from the mating housing portion 35a to the outside of the mating housing 33.

  The mating wall portion 33b and the mating contact portion 35b are inserted into the fitting portion 15t of the housing 15 so that the connector 11 and the mating connector 31 are fitted to each other.

  The mating connector 31 is mounted on the main board 41, and the mating terminal portion 35c is connected to the main conductor 41a of the main board 41 by soldering.

  4 and 5 show the slider 17. The slider 17 shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 is shown in an inverted state with respect to the slider 17 shown in FIG.

  Referring also to FIGS. 4 and 5, the slider 17 is a long plate-like plate, and a cam mechanism portion in which a clearance groove 17 a is formed in the central portion of the slider 17 in the width direction and from one end to the other end side. 18, and a grip portion 19 extending in the longitudinal direction from the other end of the cam mechanism portion 18.

  The escape grooves 17 a have a width-direction interval substantially equal to the thickness of the memory card 21. Further, the slider 17 has a cam mechanism for operating the contact 13 on one surface of the cam mechanism portion 18.

  The cam mechanisms are located on both sides of the escape groove 17a. The cam mechanism includes a first crank groove 18a extending from one end of the cam mechanism portion 18 toward the grip portion 19 side, a second crank groove 18b extending from the first crank groove 18a toward the grip portion 19 side, and a second crank. A third crank groove 18c extending so as to incline from the groove 18b to the escape groove 17a; and a crank guide portion 18d extending from the third crank groove 18c to the escape groove 17a and extending toward the gripping portion 19 side. ing.

  The first to third crank grooves 18a to 18c and the crank guide portion 18d are connected by a bottom surface 18g that they have in common. The first crank groove 18a is a portion formed so as to taper from one end of the cam mechanism portion 18 to the other end side.

  One vertical wall of the first crank groove 18a on the escape groove 17a side is a first inclined surface 18h inclined from the bottom surface 18g to one surface of the cam mechanism portion 18 so as to be wider than the width of the bottom surface 18g. Yes.

  The second crank groove 18b is a groove that is parallel to the escape groove 17a, and one vertical wall of the second crank groove 18b on the escape groove 17a side extends from the bottom surface 18g to one surface of the cam mechanism portion 18. It becomes the 2nd inclined surface 18j which inclines so that it may become wider than this width | variety.

  The third crank groove 18c is inclined such that one vertical wall of the third crank groove 18c on the escape groove 17a side is inclined from the bottom surface 18g to one surface of the cam mechanism portion 18 so as to be wider than the width of the bottom surface 18g. It is an inclined surface 18m. The crank guide portion 18d has no wall portion on the escape groove 17a side, and is a portion formed only by the inner wall surface 18p and the bottom surface 18g, which are the plate thickness surfaces of the cam mechanism portion 18. The grip portion 19 is a plate portion that can be operated by gripping the slider 17 with a finger of a hand.

  Hereinafter, an operation of connecting the memory card 21 and the counterpart connector 31 with the connector 11 will be described with reference to FIGS.

  The tip of the memory card 21 shown in FIG. 1 is moved along the central axis X with the connector 11 facing downward. Further, the leading end portion of the memory card 21 is inserted between the upper wall portion 15 d of the housing 15 through the clearance groove 17 a of the slider 17 and into the accommodating portion 15 g formed in the intermediate support portion 15 f of the housing 15. At this time, the first contact portion 13a of the contact 13 is opposed to both surfaces of the memory card 21 inserted in the accommodating portion 15g and slightly contacts the conductor portions 21a provided on both surfaces of the memory card 21. Yes.

  When the contact 13 is in the position shown in FIG. 1, the memory card 21 can be inserted with no insertion force (ZIF).

  When the memory card 21 is inserted into the housing portion 15g of the housing 15, the cam portion 13e provided on the contact 13 is positioned in the first crank groove 18a of the slider 17 as shown in FIG. However, the slider 17 may not be inserted into the guide groove 15 s of the housing 15.

  Thereafter, the connector 11 fits the fitting portion 15 t into the mating fitting portion 33 f of the mating connector 31. At this time, the second contact portion 13c of the contact 13 is slightly in contact with the mating contact portion 35b of the mating contact 35, or is fitted in a non-contact state, so that the connector 11 is not inserted into the mating connector 31. Can be inserted and fitted.

  Further, after the connector 11 and the mating connector 31 are fitted, the cam portion 13e of the contact 13 is in a direction perpendicular to the central axis X from the state where the cam portion 13e of the contact 13 is positioned in the first crank groove 18a of the slider 17. FIG. The holding portion 19 of the slider 17 is held by the finger of the hand in the direction of the arrow Y shown in FIG.

  At this time, the cam portion 13e of the contact 13 operates the slider 17 so that the first inclined surface 18h of the first crank groove 18a, the second inclined surface 18j of the second crank groove 18b, and the third inclined surface 18c of the third crank groove 18c. 3. It is pressed while sliding on the inclined surface 18m and moves in a direction approaching the central axis X. Then, the cam portion 13e is guided to the crank guide portion 18d as shown in FIG. In the crank guide portion 18d, the cam portion 13e is in contact with the inner wall surface 18p, which is the plate thickness surface of the cam mechanism portion 18.

  The cam portion 13e of the contact 13 is pressed toward each other, and the contact 13 is displaced with the first contact portion 13a in contact with the conductor portion 21a of the memory card 21 as a fulcrum.

  Accordingly, the second contact portion 13c serving as the action point protrudes slightly from the window portion 15r of the intermediate support portion 15f formed in the housing 15 so that a pressing force is applied to contact the counterpart contact portion 35b of the counterpart contact 35. .

  In order to release the fitting between the connector 11 and the mating connector 31 shown in FIG. 7, the contact 13 is shown in FIG. 1 by pulling out the slider 17 in the direction opposite to the arrow Y shown in FIG. Return to the previous position. In this state, the connector 11 can be removed from the mating connector 31, and similarly, the memory card 21 can be removed from the connector 11.

  Since the contact 13 is farther away from the first contact portion 13a and the cam portion 13e than the distance between the first contact portion 13a and the second contact portion 13c, When the contact portion 13c comes into contact with the mating contact portion 35b of the mating contact 35, the contact force with the mating contact 35 increases due to the lever boost even if the operation is performed with a small force.

  Further, the pressing force between the first contact portion 13 a and the conductor portion 21 a of the memory card 21 increases the contact force due to the reaction force by which the second contact portion 13 c presses the mating contact 35.

  The operating force for operating the contacts 13 is such that the operating force of each contact 13 is reduced, so that the contacts 13 can be simultaneously operated by the first to third crank grooves 18a, 18b, 18c of the slider 17. is there.

  The connector according to the present invention can also be applied as a connector for plug-connecting a printed wiring board and a wiring board such as a back panel in a shelf such as a communication device.

It is sectional drawing which shows the connector which concerns on this invention, and the 1st connection target object (memory card) and 2nd connection target object (mating side connector) which are connected by a connector (Example 1). It is a perspective view which shows the connector except the operation member (slider) shown in FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the 2nd connection target object shown in FIG. It is a top view which shows the operation member shown in FIG. It is a perspective view of the operation member shown in FIG. It is sectional drawing which shows the state before connecting a 1st connection target object to the connector shown in FIG. 1, and fitting a 2nd connection target object. It is sectional drawing which shows the state which fitted the connector shown in FIG. 6 to the 2nd connection target object.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Connector 13 Contact 13a 1st contact part 13b 1st support part 13c 2nd contact part 13d 2nd support part 13e Cam part 15 Housing 15a Side wall part 15b Intermediate | middle wall part 15f Intermediate | middle support part 15g Accommodation part 15h Bottom wall part 15m Contact accommodation Portion 15n inclined surface 15p partition wall portion 15t fitting portion 15r window portion 17 slider 17a escape groove 18 cam mechanism portion 18a first crank groove 18b second crank groove 18c third crank groove 18d crank guide portion 18g bottom surface 18h first inclined surface 18j 2nd inclined surface 18m 3rd inclined surface 19 Grip part 21 Memory card 31 Mating connector 33 Mating housing 33b Mating bottom wall 33f Mating fitting part 35 Mating contact 41 Main board X Center axis

Claims (2)

In the connector for connecting the first connection object and the second connection object,
An electrically conductive contact, an insulating housing for holding the contact, and a cam mechanism for operating the contact;
The contact includes a first contact portion connected to the first connection object, a second contact portion connected to the second connection object, and an insulating cam portion engaged with the cam mechanism. ,
The connector has a contact accommodating portion for accommodating a contact, and the contact is detachably held in the contact accommodating portion. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of contacts are integrated by a cam portion.

Images