JP2010182505A - Electrical connector - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electrical connector capable of receiving selectively two mating connectors in a state free from backlash, and connectible with any of the mating connectors by a common terminal. <P>SOLUTION: A housing 10 is arrayed with the common terminal 20 arranged with a contact part 21 in a position contacting with any terminal of the mating connectors 2, an engagement port has the first reception area for receiving the first mating connector 2, and the second reception area for receiving the second mating connector, the housing is formed, in an outside of the first reception area, with a displacement-allowing area of allowing a displacement of an elastic displacement part 42, the second reception area is located within the first reception area, and the elastic displacement part 42 is elastically displaced to move toward the displacement allowing area, when receiving the first mating connector 2, and is not pressed by the second mating connector, not to be elastically displaced, or moves toward the displacement-allowing area, while at least one part remains in the first reception area, when receiving the second mating connector. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an electrical connector capable of selectively receiving fitting portions of two mating connectors having different external shapes at one fitting port formed to receive the fitting portion of the mating connector.

  As this type of electrical connector, a connector disclosed in Patent Document 1 is known. This Patent Document 1 discloses an electrical connector having a fitting port capable of receiving two mating connectors having different outer shapes, and the fitting port is formed on the mating portion of one mating connector. It is formed as an opening having a shape obtained by superimposing a conforming contour and a contour conforming to the mating portion of the other mating connector. Therefore, one outline and the other outline are partially protruding from each other.

  In the connector of Patent Document 1 having such a fitting port, terminals are arranged in a space formed such that one outline and the other outline partially protrude from each other. Specifically, the space is formed at two positions, an upper part and a lower part of the fitting opening. Therefore, terminals corresponding to the terminals of the mating connectors are arranged at these two positions. When one mating connector is fitted, it is connected to the upper terminal, and when the other mating connector is fitted, it is connected to the lower end.

JP-A-6-243922

  However, in the connector of Patent Document 1, the terminals are arranged on the upper and lower sides exclusively for each of the two mating connectors. The terminals are often arranged in a large number. Therefore, in the connector of Patent Document 1, since dedicated terminals are arranged for the two mating connectors, not only the number of parts is significantly increased, but the height of the connector is increased, and further, the size of the connector is increased. Connected.

  In order to cope with this, it is also possible to form a fitting port in the connector housing so that both connectors can be fitted so that the terminal rows of two different mating connectors are at the same position, and to arrange the common terminals in this fitting port. Is possible.

  However, in this case, even when any of the two different mating connectors is fitted, a separation portion, that is, a space is generated at least partially between the fitting port and the mating connector. Will be loose.

  In view of such circumstances, the present invention provides an electrical connector that can share a terminal for two different mating connectors and can be fitted to any mating connector without any play. Is an issue.

  The electrical connector according to the present invention can selectively receive the mating portions of two mating connectors having different external shapes with one mating opening formed in the housing for receiving the mating portion of the mating connector. .

  In such an electrical connector, in the present invention, the housing has a common terminal arranged with a contact portion at a position where it can come into contact with the terminal of any mating connector, and the fitting port is connected to the connector fitting direction. A first receiving area for receiving the first mating connector and a second receiving area for receiving the second mating connector on a plane perpendicular to the housing, and the housing includes a displacement of the elastic displacement portion provided in the fitting port. Is formed outside the first receiving area as a space communicating with the first receiving area, the second receiving area is in the first receiving area, and the elastic displacement portion When the mating connector is received, the first mating connector is pressed and elastically displaced so as to move to the displacement allowable region. When the second mating connector is received, the second mating connector is not pressed and elastically displaced. Also Ku is characterized by elastically displaced so that at least a part is assay on said second mating connector is moved toward said displacement receiving area while remaining in the first receiving area.

  According to the present invention having such a configuration, the elastic displacement portion forms a part of an inner wall that forms a space allowing the fitting portion of the mating connector to be fitted, and is provided on both the first mating connector and the second mating connector. On the other hand, regulation is performed in the fitting direction or in a direction perpendicular to the fitting direction. Therefore, backlash does not occur when fitting to either connector.

  A second receiving area for receiving the second mating connector exists in the first receiving area for receiving the first mating connector. That is, the fitting part of the first mating connector is larger than the fitting part of the second mating connector.

  When the first mating connector having this large mating portion is fitted into the mating port, the elastic displacement portion is displaced by being displaced by the first mating connector and being displaced in the mating direction or the direction perpendicular to the mating direction. The position is regulated while allowing fitting of the first mating connector in a state of entering the allowable region.

  When the second mating connector is fitted, the elastic displacement portion allows the second mating connector to be fitted without elastic displacement, or slightly, that is, more than the case of the first mating connector fitting. There is a case where the second mating connector is allowed to be fitted by being elastically displaced by a small amount.

  The case of allowing the second mating connector to be fitted without the elastic displacement portion being elastically displaced means that the elastic displacement portion is disposed close to the second receiving region but outside the second receiving region. It is. In this case, when the connector is fitted, the position of the second mating connector is regulated by the elastic displacement portion, but does not press the elastic displacement portion, so the elastic displacement portion is not elastically displaced at all.

  Next, when the elastic displacement part is slightly elastically displaced to allow the second mating connector to be fitted, a part of the elastic displacement part enters the second receiving area in the free state before the connector fitting. It is a case where it is located. In such a case, a part of the elastic displacement portion is pressed against the second mating connector when the connector is fitted, and elastically displaces to the limit position of the second receiving area. Is allowed to fit and the position is restricted.

  In the present invention, the elastic displacement part can be displaced toward the inner wall surface of the fitting port in one direction on a plane perpendicular to the fitting direction, or can be displaced toward the inner part in the fitting direction. Can be. Which direction is elastically displaced can be determined by the environmental conditions given to the connector, which direction can secure the elastic displacement portion and the space for the displacement.

  In the present invention, the elastic displacement portion may be formed integrally with the housing, that is, as a part of the housing. In this case, since the elastic displacement portion is not a separate member with respect to the housing, the number of parts can be reduced correspondingly, and the connector can be reduced in cost.

  On the other hand, when the shield plate is attached to the housing of the connector, the elastic displacement portion can be formed integrally with the shield plate. That is, the elastic displacement part is formed as a part of the shield plate, and the strength of the metal plate can be fully utilized. In addition, the elastic displacement portion itself can be made smaller because it can be made thinner by using a metal plate rather than being part of the synthetic resin housing.

  In the present invention, when the elastic displacement portion is displaced in one direction on a plane perpendicular to the fitting direction, the elastic displacement portion extends from the fitting port back to the opening, forming an arm shape, The edge part of an arm-shaped part can be made to form the control part which can contact | abut with respect to the other mating connector. In this way, since the restricting portion can be formed long in the fitting direction, the posture of the mating connector is stabilized even when mating or when the flat conductor is pulled and an inadvertent force is applied to the mating connector. . The arm portion can be made as a part of the housing or a part of the shield plate.

  Further, when the elastic displacement portion is displaced toward the back in the fitting direction, the elastic displacement portion can be a coil spring that is compressed by the mating connector and compressed toward the back.

  In the present invention, it is preferable that the elastic displacement portion has the tip of the elastic displacement portion positioned outside the opening range of the fitting opening when viewed from the fitting direction. By doing so, the mating connector does not come into contact with the tip to cause buckling of the elastic displacement portion, and the mating connector comes into contact with the elastic displacement portion at a position inward of the tip in the fitting direction, Since the elastic displacement portion is pressed toward the displacement allowable region, the elastic displacement portion is smoothly displaced.

  In the present invention, when the arm-shaped portion of the elastic displacement portion is made as a part of the shield plate, the restricting portion can be formed by the plate thickness surface of the arm-shaped portion. By doing so, the strength at the time of regulation is improved.

  In the present invention, it is desirable that the elastic displacement portions are provided at both end sides in the terminal arrangement direction. By doing so, the mating connector is fitted in a more stable posture.

  As described above, according to the present invention, terminals are arranged at a common position for two different mating connectors, and an elastic displacement portion is arranged at the fitting port. The number of terminals is increased because each part of the inner wall of the fitting allowable space is formed in a free state or with a slight displacement without displacement with respect to the other mating connector. By preventing this, the cost can be reduced and the connector can be miniaturized, and there is an effect that there is no backlash at the time of mating with any mating connector.

It is a fracture perspective view of the connector of the first embodiment of the present invention and the first mating connector before fitting. FIG. 3 is a three-dimensional view conceptually showing three regions formed by a concave portion of the connector of FIG. 1. It is an expansion fracture perspective view of the shield board of the connector of FIG. 1. It is sectional drawing in the IV-IV position in FIG. 1 before the connector of FIG. 1 and a mating connector, (A) shows the case of a 1st mating connector and (B) shows the case of a 2nd mating connector. It is sectional drawing after the fitting of the connector of FIG. 4 and a mating connector, (A) shows the case of a 1st mating connector, (B) shows the case of a 2nd mating connector. It is sectional drawing in the VI-VI position in FIG. 1 after the connector in FIG. 4 (A) and a 1st other party connector are fitting. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view at the same position as in FIG. 6 after the connector and the second mating connector in FIG. It is a plane sectional view of the connector of Drawing 1, and also shows a positional relationship with the 1st mating connector, (A) shows before fitting and (B) shows after fitting. It is a plane sectional view of the connector of Drawing 1, and also shows a positional relationship with the 2nd mating connector, (A) shows before fitting and (B) shows after fitting. It is a plane sectional view of the connector of a second embodiment, and also shows a positional relationship with the 1st mating connector, (A) shows before fitting and (B) shows after fitting. It is a plane sectional view of the connector of a second embodiment, and also shows a positional relationship with the 2nd mating connector, (A) shows before fitting and (B) shows after fitting. It is a plane sectional view of the connector of a third embodiment, and also shows a positional relationship with the 1st mating connector, (A) shows before fitting and (B) shows after fitting. It is a plane sectional view of the connector of a third embodiment, and also shows a positional relationship with the 2nd mating connector, (A) shows before fitting and (B) shows after fitting.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

<First embodiment>
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the connector 1 of this embodiment and the first mating connector 2 fitted thereto, in a state before the fitting. Only the half part is shown as a broken perspective view of the connectors 1 and 2 at the terminal position in the intermediate part in the terminal arrangement direction. The connector 1 of this embodiment can selectively fit a second mating connector 3 (see FIG. 4B) not shown in FIG. 1 instead of the first mating connector 2.

  The connector 1 of this embodiment includes a housing 10 made of an electrical insulating material, a metal terminal 20 supported by the housing 10, and a shield plate 30 made of a metal plate attached to the housing 10. have.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the housing 10 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, and has an island shape in a recess 11 that opens toward the first mating connector 2 that is a mating counterpart. Terminal arrangement portion 12 extending toward the opening side of the concave portion 11. Therefore, the concave portion 11 forms a space that surrounds the periphery of the island-shaped terminal array portion 12. As will be described later, the recess 11 is a first receiving region for receiving the fitting portion of the first mating connector 2, a second receiving region for receiving the fitting portion of the second mating connector 3, and a part of the shield plate 30. It is formed for three areas of a displacement allowable area for an elastic displacement part (arm-like part 34) described later.

  FIG. 2 is a three-dimensional view conceptually shown by a two-dot chain line that outlines the space of the recess 11 forming the three regions I, II, and III for convenience. The direction of viewing this space is the same as in the case of FIG.

  In FIG. 2, the three-dimensional area indicated by reference numeral I is a first receiving area, and reference numeral II is a second receiving area. The first receiving area I is an area used to receive the fitting portion of the first mating connector 2 when viewed from the connector mating direction A, and the second receiving area II is another mating connector, that is, the second mating connector. This is an area used to receive the fitting portion of the mating connector 3. In the present invention, the fitting part of the first mating connector 2 has a larger outer shape than the fitting part of the second mating connector 3, and the second receiving area for the latter is within the first receiving area I for the former. It is the size and position of each other as II is inherent. Therefore, in the housing 10 of FIG. 1, a fitting port that is used in common for both the mating connectors 2 and 3 is formed in a large shape of the larger first receiving region I.

  In FIG. 2, a displacement allowable region III for the elastic displacement portion of the shield plate 30 is formed in communication with the first receiving region I outside the first receiving region I and on the side of the first receiving region I. ing. Therefore, a space formed by combining both the first receiving region I in which the second receiving region II is present and the displacement allowable region III is formed in the housing 10 as the concave portion 11. The allowable displacement area III may not be the allowable displacement area III located on the side of the first receiving area I, but may be the allowable displacement area III 'that extends and is located behind the first receiving area I.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4A, a terminal arrangement groove 13 for arranging the contact portion 21 of the terminal 20 is formed on the upper surface of the island-like terminal arrangement portion 12. As shown in FIG. 4A, the terminal 20 has a mountain-shaped contact portion 21, a held portion 22 that extends in the depth direction of the housing 10, and is bent downward outside the housing 10, and its lower end is crank-shaped. And a connecting portion 23 forming a horizontal portion. The top of the mountain-shaped contact portion 21 protrudes upward from the terminal arrangement groove 13, and the front and rear portions of the top are accommodated in the terminal arrangement groove 13. The terminal 20 is assembled by being inserted from the back wall 14 side (rear) of the housing 10, and is formed on the upper surface of the back wall 14 and further on the outer surface of the back wall 14. It is held in the groove. Thus, in the held state, the connection portion 23 is at the same level as the lower surface of the housing 10, and when the connector 1 is disposed on the circuit board, the connection portion 23 can be soldered to the corresponding circuit portion of the circuit board. The series of terminals 20 arranged in this way are shared by both the first mating connector 2 and the second mating connector 3. In the present embodiment, the connector 1 is attached horizontally to the circuit board, but may be attached vertically to the circuit board.

  The housing 10 is edged on the upper surface and the lower surface at both side edges and the front edge on the mating connector side to form a stepped portion, and the portion surrounded by the edge is a depth corresponding to the thickness of the shield plate 30. Submerged shield plate placement portions 15 and 16 are formed.

  As is often seen in FIG. 3, the shield plate 30 is made by bending a metal plate, for example, by taking an outer shape by punching. The shield plate 30 includes an upper plate portion 31, a lower plate portion 32, a side plate portion 33 connecting the upper plate portion 31 and the lower plate portion 32 at the side portions, and the side plate portion 33 at the rear side edge portion of the housing. And an arm-like portion 34 formed with an elastic displacement portion 42 that is bent and extends forward.

  The upper plate portion 31 has contact arms 35 bent inward and extending forward at a plurality of locations on the rear edge side, and when the mating connector is fitted, the contact arm 35 is in elastic contact with the shield plate on the upper surface of the mating connector. It is supposed to be. The upper plate portion 31 has window portions 36 and fixed arms 37 at a plurality of locations on the front edge side. The window 36 is for allowing the tip of the contact arm 35 to be displaced when the contact arm 35 is engaged with the shield plate of the mating connector. The fixed arm 37 is bent slightly downward and extends forward, and a projection 37A is formed on the upper surface thereof. The fixed arm 37 is press-fitted into a slit (not shown) opened rearward at a step formed on the front edge of the upper surface of the housing 10 and contributes to attachment to the housing.

  Similarly to the upper plate portion 31, the lower plate portion 32 has a contact arm 38, a window portion 39, and a fixed arm 40. These contact arms 38, window portions 39, and fixed arms 40 are disposed at positions shifted in the connector width direction (terminal arrangement direction) as compared with the contact arms 35, window portions 36, and fixed arms 37 of the upper plate portion 31. Although they are set, they are formed in the same manner only by being vertically symmetrical with those of the upper plate portion 31, and their functions are the same as those in the upper plate portion.

  The side plate portion 33 has an upper portion 33A and a lower portion 33B bent in a crank shape in the plate thickness direction. When the shield plate 30 is attached to the housing 10 from the rear, the upper portion 33A is on the inner surface side (recess 11) of the housing 10. The lower portion 33B is located on the outer surface side of the housing 10 (see FIG. 6). The arm-shaped portion 34 has a rear portion 41 extending from the rear edge side of the lower portion 33B so that the inner surface of the lower portion 33B and the plate surface are parallel to each other, and extends from the back of the fitting port toward the opening, Elastically displaceable in the plate thickness direction, and the front portion of the arm-shaped portion 34 is bent in a crank shape in the plate thickness direction to form an elastic displacement portion 42 that protrudes inward of the concave portion 11 of the housing 10. . When viewed from the connector fitting direction, the rear portion 41 is located in the displacement allowable region III outside the first receiving region I in the recessed portion 11 of the housing described above, and the elastic displacement portion 42 is disposed in the displacement allowable region. It is located in the first receiving area I from the area III. In addition, the rear portion 41 and the elastic displacement portion 42 are outside the second reception region II in relation to the second reception region II, and the upper edge 42A of the elastic displacement portion 42 is below the second reception region II. Close to the edge. Such an elastic displacement portion 42 is pressed by the first mating connector on the plate surface of the portion protruding to the first receiving area I to the side with respect to the first mating connector received in the first receiving area I. The second mating connector that is elastically displaced and is received in the second receiving area II is not pressed by the second mating connector, so that the second mating connector is allowed to be inserted without any displacement. In this case, the upper edge (plate thickness surface) forms a restricting portion 42A that guides insertion while restricting the second mating connector in the vertical direction.

  As shown in FIG. 8A, the front end 42C of the elastic displacement portion 42 is located on the back side of the opening edge of the recess 11 of the housing 10, and the mating connector enters the front end 42C when the mating connector enters. It is guided by the front end side inclined surface 42B of the elastic displacement part 42 without colliding with.

  On the other hand, the first mating connector 2 has a housing 50 in which a fitting recess 51 is formed in the front, as shown in FIG. 1, and a tapered guide portion 52 is formed on the front surface of the side end portion. Is provided. The fitting recess 51 receives the island-shaped terminal arrangement portion 12 of the connector 1, and at the same time, the front peripheral wall of the housing 50 forming the fitting portion 50 </ b> A and the guide portion 52 are connected to the terminal arrangement portion of the connector 1. 12 enters the first receiving area I, which is the space of the recess 11 that surrounds 12. On the inner surface of the upper wall forming the upper side of the fitting recess 51, a contact portion 53A of a terminal 53 (see FIG. 4A) that contacts the contact portion 21 of the terminal 20 of the connector 1 is provided. It is arranged corresponding to. The rear portion of the terminal 53 is connected to the flat conductor P1 in the inner space of the housing, and the flat conductor P1 extends rearward out of the housing.

  In the first mating connector 2, a shield case 54 including an upper case 55 and a lower case 56 made of a metal plate is attached to the main body 50 </ b> B of the housing 50. The upper case 55 and the lower case 56 are in contact with each other at the rear portion thereof, and the upper case 55 reaches the vicinity of the front end of the fitting portion 50A of the housing, and the contact projection 55A of the upper case 55 is used for the shield plate 30 of the connector 1. Contact with the contact portion 35 is possible. The upper case 55 has the contact protrusion 55A on the upper surface and a contact piece 58 entering from the window portion 57 of the main body 50B of the housing 50, and contacts the ground layer on the upper surface of the flat conductor P1. is doing.

  As shown in FIG. 4B, the other mating connector, that is, the second mating connector 3, has a fitting portion 60A formed thinner than the mating portion 50A of the first mating connector 2. The mating part 50 </ b> A of the mating connector 2 is cut off at the lower half. Therefore, the fitting portion 60 </ b> A is received in the second receiving region II formed in the upper half of the concave portion 11 of the connector 1, that is, the space above the island-shaped terminal arrangement portion 12.

  In the fitting portion 60A, the shield plate 63 is disposed on the upper surface of the plate-shaped portion 62 of the housing 60, and the flat conductor P2 is disposed on the lower surface. At the side end, a guide portion 61 having a smaller height dimension than the guide portion 51 of the first mating connector 2 and having a tapered tip is provided. The bottom surface of the guide portion 61 is at a level located immediately above the upper edge of the elastic displacement portion 42 of the arm-shaped portion 34 of the connector 1.

  The housing main body 60B located behind the fitting portion 60A is formed thicker than the fitting portion 60A and surrounds the shield plate 63 and the flat conductor P2. A contact piece 64 is provided on the shield plate 63, and is in contact with the ground layer on the upper surface of the flat conductor P2. The housing 60 covers the flat conductor P <b> 2 from the lower side by a lid-like lower housing 66 that is integrally connected by a flexible portion 65 so as to be rotatable.

  Next, the operation when the first mating connector 2 and the second mating connector 3 are selectively fitted to the connector 1 of this embodiment will be described.

  (1) First, the first mating connector 2 is selected with respect to the connector 1, and this is fitted. The fitting portion 50A of the first mating connector 2 enters the first receiving region I in the recess 11 shown in FIG. An elastic displacement portion 42 of the arm-shaped portion 34 formed integrally with the shield plate 30 enters the first receiving region I. Accordingly, the fitting portion 50A of the first mating connector 2 can be seen from FIG. 8 (A) to FIG. 8 (B) while pressing the elastic displacement portion 42 laterally on the side surface of the guide portion 52, as seen in FIG. It is fitted to the state. That is, the arm-shaped portion 34 is elastically displaced by receiving the force from the guide portion 52 and allows the fitting portion 50A to be fitted (see FIG. 6). Thus, the contact portion 21 of the terminal 20 of the connector 1 comes into contact with the contact portion 53A of the terminal 53 of the first mating connector 2 and the contact arm 35 of the shield plate 30 of the connector 1 as seen in FIG. Comes into contact with the contact protrusion 55A of the shield case 54 (upper case 55) of the first mating connector 2. The arm-shaped portion 34 may be attached to the housing as a separate body from the shield plate 30.

  (2) Next, instead of the first mating connector 2, the second mating connector 3 is fitted into the connector 1. The fitting part 60A of the second mating connector 3 enters the second receiving area II as described above. The second receiving region II is located in the first receiving region I when viewed from the connector fitting direction, and the elastic displacement portion 42 is located in the first receiving region I, although the second receiving region II is located in the first receiving region I. Out of acceptance area II. Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 7, the fitting portion 60 </ b> A does not press the elastic displacement portion 42, that is, without interfering with the elastic displacement portion 42, FIG. 9A to FIG. 9B. Enter the second receiving area II toward the state of. At that time, since the restricting portion 42A on the upper edge of the elastic displacement portion 42 is located close to the lower edge of the second receiving region II, the restricting portion 42A guides the lower side of the fitting portion 60A. Smooth insertion without backlash is made. Thus, the contact portion 21 of the terminal 20 of the connector 1 comes into contact with the corresponding contact portion of the flat conductor P2 of the second mating connector 3 as seen in FIG. The contact arm 35 comes into contact with the shield plate 63 of the second mating connector 3. When the second mating connector 3 is fitted, the concave portion 11 of the connector 1 remains with a space below the island-shaped terminal arrangement portion 12 (see FIG. 7). The elastic displacement portion may be slightly elastically displaced to allow the second mating connector to be fitted. In this case, the elastic displacement portion is a part of the elastic displacement portion in a free state before the connector is fitted. May be located in the second receiving area. In such a case, a part of the elastic displacement portion is pressed against the second mating connector when the connector is fitted, and elastically displaces to the limit position of the second receiving area. Since the restricting portion on the upper edge of the elastic displacement portion is located close to the lower edge of the second receiving region II, the position is similarly restricted.

<Second embodiment>
In the first embodiment, the elastic displacement portion is made as a part of the shield plate, but the present embodiment is characterized in that it is made as a part of the housing. Therefore, this embodiment is suitable when the shield plate is desired to have a simple form without the elastic displacement portion, or when the connector does not have a shield plate.

  As shown in FIG. 10 (A), the housing 10 has an arm-like portion 71 extending forward as a part of the housing 10 from the back thereof, and an elastic displacement portion 72 protruding from the front portion is formed. Yes. As in the case of the first embodiment of FIG. 8A, the elastic displacement portion 72 has a front end 72C located on the back side of the opening edge of the recess 11 of the housing 10, and the mating connector collides with the front end 72C. Instead, it is guided by a front end slope 72B in the vicinity thereof.

  Also in the second embodiment, when the first mating connector 2 is fitted, the arm-shaped portion 71 is pressed by the first mating connector 2 at the elastic displacement portion 72 and elastically displaced. The fitting of the first mating connector 2 is allowed as in 10 (B).

  When the second mating connector 3 is fitted as shown in FIG. 11 (A), the second mating connector 3 is fitted as it is without pressing the elastic displacement portion 72 as seen in FIG. 11 (B). . At that time, the mating and guiding of the mating connector 3 while being restricted by the restricting portion 72A (a surface parallel to the paper surface) which is the upper edge of the elastic displacement portion 72 is the upper edge of the elastic displacement portion 42 in the first embodiment. This is the same as in the case of the regulating part 42A.

<Third embodiment>
In the first and second embodiments, the elastic displacement portion is provided on the side of the concave portion 11 of the housing 10, but in this embodiment, the displacement allowable region III ′ located in the inner portion of the concave portion 11. There is a feature in the point provided. Moreover, in the present embodiment shown in FIG. 12, the elastic displacement portion is not integrated with either the shield plate or the housing, and is formed separately.

  In FIG. 12A, a displacement allowable region III 'is formed as an immersion portion 81 at the back of the housing. One end side of the compression coil spring 82 is accommodated in the immersion portion 81, and the coil spring 82 extends to the front opening side of the recess 11 in a free state. On the other end side of the coil spring 82, a movable piece 83 having a front end slope portion 83A is attached so as to be movable in the front-rear direction. The portion of the coil spring 82 that extends forward outside the immersion portion 81 and the movable piece 83 are within the first receiving area I but outside the second receiving area II. That is, it is located below the second receiving region II (in FIG. 12A, the direction perpendicular to the paper surface and the back surface side with respect to the paper surface).

  When the first mating connector 2 is fitted in this embodiment, the tapered guide portion 52 of the first mating connector 2 presses the piece 83 in the fitting direction as shown in FIG. 83 is moved in the same direction, and the coil spring 82 is compressed and pushed into the immersion portion 81. Thus, the first receiving area I for fitting the first mating connector 2 is secured and fitting is performed.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 13A, when the second mating connector 3 is fitted, as shown in FIG. 13B, outside the second receiving area II (below the second receiving area II). The piece 83 and the coil spring 82 located at the position of the second mating connector 3 can be fitted without interfering with the second mating connector 3, that is, without the movement of the piece 83 and the compression of the coil spring 82. Allow. At that time, the upper surface of the piece 83 functions as a restricting portion 83A, and performs fitting guidance while restricting the lower surface of the mating connector 3.

  In the first to third embodiments described above, the elastic displacement portion on one end side in the connector width direction (terminal arrangement direction) is illustrated, but it is assumed that the elastic displacement portion is provided on both end sides in the same direction. The mating posture of the mating connector is further stabilized.

  It can be used in the field of connectors that select and accept two mating connectors.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Connector 34; 71 Arm-shaped part 2 1st mating connector 42; 72; 82 (83) Elastic displacement part
3 Second mating connector 42A; 72A; 83A Restriction part 10 Housing 50A; 60A Fitting part 20 Terminal I First receiving area 21 Contact part II Second receiving area 30 Shield plate III, III 'Displaceable area

Claims (10)

In an electrical connector that allows a mating portion of two mating connectors having different outer shapes to be selectively received by one mating opening formed in the housing for receiving the mating portion of the mating connector,
In the housing, a common terminal is arranged in which a contact portion is arranged at a position where the terminal of any mating connector can be contacted.
The fitting port has a first receiving area for receiving the first mating connector and a second receiving area for receiving the second mating connector on a plane perpendicular to the connector mating direction,
In the housing, a displacement allowable region that allows displacement of an elastic displacement portion provided in the fitting port is formed outside the first receiving region as a space communicating with the first receiving region,
The second receiving area is inherent in the first receiving area;
When the first mating connector is received, the elastic displacement portion is elastically displaced by the first mating connector so as to move to the displacement allowable region, and when the second mating connector is received, the elastic mating portion is pressed against the second mating connector. An electrical connector that is elastically displaced so as to move toward the displacement-allowable region while remaining in the first receiving region while being not elastically displaced or being pressed by the second mating connector. .   The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the elastic displacement portion is displaceable toward an inner wall surface of the fitting port in one direction on a plane perpendicular to the fitting direction.   The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the elastic displacement portion is displaceable toward a back portion in the fitting direction.   The electrical connector according to claim 2, wherein the elastic displacement portion is formed integrally with the housing.   The electrical connector according to claim 2 or 3, wherein a shield plate is attached to the housing, and an elastic displacement portion is formed integrally with the shield plate.   The elastic displacement portion forms an arm-shaped portion from the back of the fitting opening toward the opening, and forms a restricting portion that allows the edge of the arm-shaped portion to contact the other mating connector. The electrical connector according to claim 1, claim 2, claim 4, or claim 5.   The electrical connector according to claim 3, wherein the elastic displacement portion is a coil spring that is compressible toward the back.   The electrical connector according to claim 6, wherein the elastic displacement portion has a distal end of the elastic displacement portion located outside the opening range of the fitting opening when viewed from the fitting direction.   The electrical connector according to claim 6, wherein the arm portion of the elastic displacement portion is formed as a part of the shield plate, and the restricting portion is formed by a plate thickness surface of the arm portion.   The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the elastic displacement portion is provided on both ends in the terminal arrangement direction.

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