JP2013239391A - Connector used for plate-like input/output part, and connection structure of the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a connector suitable for being connected to an input/output part of a product having a plate-like input/output part for a signal and a power supply, and to provide a connection structure of the same.SOLUTION: A connector is provided for signal and/or electrical connection with a plate-like input/output part. The plate-like input/output part has a connection hole, and an input/output part side electrode at a peripheral edge part of the connection hole. The connector has a bottom connector, and a top connector fitting the bottom connector. The bottom connector has a bottom contact contacting with the input/output part side electrode, and a connection terminal extending from the bottom contact and provided for being connected with the exterior. The bottom connector is inserted in/attached to the connection hole from one surface of the input/output part. The top connector is fitted to the bottom connector from the other surface of the input/output part.

Description

  The present invention relates to a connection connector used for a product having a plate-like signal and a power input / output unit.

In the field of touch panels, solar power generation panels, and the like, plate-shaped products in which circuit elements, power generation elements, electrodes, and the like are arranged on a substrate are widely used.
In such products, conventionally, an FPC connector directly welded to a transparent electrode on the substrate side as shown in FIG. 14 has been used.
In the field of silicon-type photovoltaic panels and dye-sensitized photovoltaic panels, multiple cell bodies are aligned on the panel, and each cell body is connected by a bus bar or lead wire to be modularized. Yes.
Such an external connection method of signals and power sources is difficult to connect, and the connection direction is determined in advance, so that the flexibility is poor.
Although the hook button type connector is disclosed in Patent Document 1, the structure is complicated and it is difficult to reduce the thickness.
Further, it cannot be used for external connection of electrodes and contacts disposed on the substrate.

JP 2003-77566 A

  An object of the present invention is to provide a connector suitable for connecting to an input / output part of a product having a plate-like input / output part of a signal or a power supply, and a connection structure thereof.

  The present invention is a connector for making a signal or / and electrical connection to a plate-like input / output part, and the plate-like input / output part has a connection hole and an electrode on the input / output part side at the peripheral part of the connection hole. The connector has a bottom connector and a top connector that fits to the bottom connector. The bottom connector is connected to the bottom contact for contacting the electrode on the input / output unit side and the outside extending from the bottom contact. Connecting the bottom connector, inserting the bottom connector into the connection hole from one side of the input / output unit, and fitting the top connector to the bottom connector from the other side of the input / output unit. Features.

Here, the plate-like input / output unit is a plate-like input / output unit for inputting / outputting electrical signals to / from various electronic products, and at least one side of the plate-like input / output unit. Is provided with input / output electrodes or connection terminals.
When a through-hole electrode is provided on the board, the bottom connector can be electrically connected regardless of the front or back side of the plate-like input / output part, but it can be electrically connected. In many cases, the product is wired as a transparent electrode on one side of the plate body.
Therefore, even in the case of a product in which an electrode is provided only on one side, the top connector is for contacting the electrode on the input / output section side so that the bottom connector can be mounted and connected regardless of whether the bottom connector is front or back. By having a top contact and an abutment terminal that abuts the connection terminal on the bottom connector side from the top contact, the bottom connector is placed in front even if the electrode on the input / output section side is disposed only on one side. It can be installed from either the front or back side of the entry output section.

  Further, in the present invention, the bottom connector has a cylindrical mounting convex portion protruding from a plate-shaped bottom base, and a bottom contact on the outer peripheral side of the mounting convex portion on the bottom base surface. When the contact has a connection terminal extending toward the inside of the mounting convex portion, the plug portion of the plug connector having the plug portion is inserted into the inside of the cylindrical mounting convex portion on the bottom connector side. Electrical connection is possible.

  In the present invention, the top connector has a plate-shaped top base, and the top base is a fitting hole for inserting and fitting a fitting projection on the bottom base side, and a peripheral portion of the fitting hole, the top base. A top contact may be disposed on the base surface, and a detachable fixing lock mechanism may be provided between the fitting hole on the top connector side and the mounting convex portion on the bottom connector side.

  In the present invention, when the bottom base and the top base have a sealing member that seals between the plate-like input / output parts, they can be used as connectors that require watertightness of outdoor products such as solar panel connectors. become.

  The plug connector for electrical connection to such a connector has a plug connector for signal or / and electrical connection with an input / output unit and a plate-like input / output unit or the outside of another product, and the plug connector It preferably has a plug contact to connect to the connection terminal on the bottom connector side, and also has a plug connector for signal or / and electrical connection between the input / output part and the plate-like input / output part of another product or outside. The plug connector has a plug portion to be inserted and connected to the inside of the cylindrical mounting convex portion on the bottom connector side, and a plug contact extending to the surface of the plug portion, and the plug portion and the input / output portion side A detachable connection lock mechanism is provided between the connector and the plug contact is connected to the connector on the input / output section side. Preferably one that abuts against the.

In the connector according to the present invention, a bottom connector is inserted from one surface of the input / output unit by simply opening a hole in the plate-shaped input / output unit and disposing a connection electrode (including a terminal) in the vicinity thereof. The connector for electrical connection to the outside is formed simply by fitting the top connector from the other surface.
Moreover, since it is a fitting structure, it is easy to make the connector detachable.
When the connector according to the present invention is used, a plurality of cell bodies can be freely connected in series or in parallel in a photovoltaic power generation panel or the like, and a flexible arrangement structure can be taken.

The example which mounts | wears with the connector which concerns on this invention to a panel body is shown, (a) shows before mounting, (b) shows after mounting. An example in which a plurality of panel bodies (cell bodies) are connected by plug connectors is shown, (a) before connection and (b) after connection. The structural example of a top connector is shown, (a) is the perspective view seen from the attachment side, (b) is AA sectional view, (c) shows the block diagram of components. The structural example of a bottom connector is shown, (a) is the perspective view seen from the attachment side, (b) is a BB sectional drawing, (c) shows the block diagram of components. The structural example of a plug connector is shown, (a) is an external view, (b) shows sectional drawing. The connector mounting procedure and the plug connector connection structure are shown, (a) shows the state before the bottom connector and the top connector are mounted, (b) shows the state after fitting and (c) shows the state after the plug connector is inserted. . (A) shows the example which provided the electrode in the back surface side of the plate body, (b) shows the case where the thickness of a plate body is thick. An example of a two-contact connector is shown. An example in which a plurality of cell bodies are connected in series is shown. An example in which a plurality of cell bodies are connected in parallel is shown. The example which provided the directionality of the connection of a connector is shown. The example which made the plug connector electronic module is shown. The example which attached the connector to the dye-sensitized photovoltaic power generation panel (cell) is shown. An example of connection by conventional FPC is shown.

Hereinafter, an example of a connector according to the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings.
The connector according to the present invention can be applied to various electronic products that have plate-like electrical connection portions and can be provided with electrodes (contacts) on the product side at the connection holes and the peripheral portions thereof.
Among them, the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is an example of a connector attached to a cell body of a dye-sensitized solar cell.
In the cell body, a redox material such as iodine is enclosed between an upper panel 1 in which, for example, an indium / tin based transparent electrode layer is formed on a glass plate or a resin transparent film, and a lower panel 2 in which a counter electrode is formed. In addition, fine particles such as titanium dioxide are fixed inside the transparent electrode layer, and a ruthenium-based organic dye or the like is adsorbed on the surface as a dye sensitizer.
Electric power generated by sunlight irradiation is output from the transparent electrode output and wired to the upper panel 1 side not shown and the transparent electrode 3 output and wired to the lower panel 2 shown in FIG. Since the output voltage is small, it is often used by forming a solar panel in which a plurality of cell bodies are connected in series as shown in FIG.
Therefore, as an embodiment of the present invention, a structural example of a connector attached to a cell body and a structural example of a plug connector for connecting the cell bodies will be described below.

As shown in FIG. 1, a connection hole 4 for attaching a connector is provided in the lower panel 2 of the cell body, and an output transparent electrode 3 is disposed on the surface (one side) of the peripheral portion.
The shape of the connection hole 4 is not limited to a circular hole, but a circular hole is preferable from the viewpoint of good connector mounting.
Further, the transparent electrode 3 is not limited to the example provided over the entire circumference of the connection hole 4 as shown in FIG. 1, and may be partially disposed as long as it can be electrically connected to a connector described later. May be.

The connector is composed of a bottom connector 20 and a top connector 10. The bottom connector 20 is inserted into the connection hole 4 of the lower panel 2 serving as a plate-like input / output portion from the back side, and the top connector 10 is attached to the bottom connector 20 from the front side. The connector 20 is structured to be fitted and fixed to the mounting convex portion 21a.
As shown in FIG. 3, the top connector 10 is formed with a fitting hole 11a at the center of the top base 11 made of a plate-shaped resin, and a pair of protrusions projecting inward from the peripheral edge of the fitting hole 11a. Connection lock claw 11b.
A fitting convex portion 21a provided on the bottom connector 20 described later is fitted into the fitting hole 11a, and a plug 31 (32) of a plug connector 30 described later is inserted and connected to the connection lock claw 11b. Locked.
On the lower surface of the top base 11, a contact mounting portion 11c made of a circular flat step surface is formed, and a ring-shaped metal top contact 12 is mounted on this portion.
In the top contact 12, a plurality of fixed claws 12 b are formed to be turned upward, and the fixed claws 12 b are locked and fixed to a concave fixing portion 11 d formed on the top base 11 side.
The top contact 12 forms a tongue-shaped contact terminal 12a extending obliquely downward from the inside, and the contact terminal 12a contacts the bottom contact 22 side provided on the bottom connector 20 side described later.
A ring-shaped seal member 13 made of, for example, silicon rubber is disposed so as to surround the outer periphery of the top contact 12.

As shown in FIG. 4, the bottom connector 20 includes a cylindrical mounting convex portion 21 a protruding upward from a bottom base 21 made of a plate-shaped resin.
A circular step-shaped contact mounting portion 21d is formed on the outer peripheral side of the mounting convex portion 21a, and a ring-shaped bottom contact 22 is disposed in this portion, and a plurality of fixed portions folded back downward from the outer peripheral portion of the bottom contact 22 The claw 22a is used to lock and fix to a recessed fixing portion 21e formed on the contact mounting portion 21d side.
The bottom contact 22 has a connection terminal 22b projecting inward toward the center, and the contact terminal 12a provided on the top connector side contacts the middle of the connection terminal 22b, and the tip of the connection terminal 22b The plug contact 31a (32a) of the plug part described later contacts.
The bottom base 21 is provided with a ring-shaped seal member 23 such as silicon rubber so as to surround the bottom contact 22.
In addition, the mounting convex portion 21a is opposed to form a pair of notch-shaped mounting grooves 21c, and the connection terminal 22b extends to the center of the cylindrical portion via one of the mounting grooves 21c. The connection lock claw 11b formed on the top connector 10 is disposed in the mounting groove 21c.

The plug connector 30 is an example in which a pair of plugs 31 and plugs 32 are connected by wires 33 as shown in FIG.
The plugs 31 and 32 have plug portions 31b and 32b made of cylindrical protrusions that are inserted into connectors attached to the cell body side, and metal plug contacts 31a and 32a that extend to the top surfaces of the plug portions.

An example of the connector connection structure is shown in FIG.
In the example shown in FIG. 6, the transparent electrode 3 is disposed on the surface of the lower panel 2, and the mounting convex portion 21a of the bottom connector 20 is inserted into the connection hole 4 from the back side as shown in FIG. 6 (b). The top connector 10 is fitted to the fitting convex portion 21a through the fitting hole 11a of the top connector 10 from the surface side.
In this embodiment, a step-like fixed lock portion 11e is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the fitting hole 11a, and a fixed lock protrusion 21b formed of a ring-shaped protrusion provided on the outer peripheral portion of the mounting convex portion of the bottom connector 20. Has a lock mechanism for locking so as to ride on the upper side of the fixed lock portion 11e.
In addition, contrary to the above, this locking mechanism may form a concave portion on the mounting convex portion 21a side and form a convex portion on the fitting hole 11a side.
When the lower connector 2 is sandwiched between the bottom connector 20 and the top connector 10 and the top connector 10 is fitted and locked to the bottom connector 20, the contact terminal 12a on the top connector 10 side is connected to the bottom connector 20 side. Since it contacts in the middle of the terminal 22b, even if the transparent electrode 3 is provided on the surface side of the lower panel 2, it can be electrically connected to the connection terminal 22b.
Further, by adopting such a structure, the transparent electrode 3 may be provided on the back side of the lower panel 2 as shown in FIG. 7A, and the bottom connector 20 can be mounted from either the front or back side. .
Moreover, as shown in FIG.7 (b), the thickness of the lower panel 2 can also be absorbed.
When such a fitting structure of the bottom connector 20 and the top connector 10 is adopted, the bottom connector 20 and the top connector 10 are detachable, and the seal members 13 and 23 are pressed to ensure watertightness with the panel.
Next, the plug portion 31b of one plug 31 of the plug connector 30 is inserted into the inside of the tubular portion of the connector mounting convex portion 21a.
The ring groove-shaped connection lock recess 31 c formed in the outer peripheral portion of the plug portion 31 b and the connection lock claw 11 b protruding from the inside of the fitting hole 11 a are in a locked state.
As a result, the metal plug contact 31a of the plug portion 31b abuts on the connection terminal 22b, the ring-shaped seal member 31d of the plug portion is pressed against the top surface of the top connector 10, and the electrical connection portion is sealed in a watertight manner. Is done.
Moreover, the plug connector can be freely attached and detached.

FIG. 8 shows an example of a structure in which the plug contact of the plug portion is a two-contact type.
In this case, the transparent electrodes 3a, 3a that are individually independent on the cell body side are separated into two portions, and are arranged at the peripheral edge portions of the connection holes 4, respectively.
On the other hand, the bottom connector 20 also has two connection terminals 22b and 22b that are individually separated.
Plug contacts 31a and 31a are connected to the two connection terminals 22b and 22b, respectively.
Thus, the connector according to the present invention is not limited in the number of connection contacts.

When the connector according to the present invention is used, it is easy to form a module panel in which a plurality of cell bodies are aligned and connected.
For example, as shown in FIG. 9, connectors 10 a, 10 a are attached to the upper and lower sides of the cell bodies 1 a, 1 b, 1 c.
FIG. 10 shows an example in which the shape of the cylindrical portion of the connector is differentiated and discriminated in parallel with the plug connectors 30a and 30b, for example, between the positive electrode and the negative electrode of the cell body.
FIG. 11 is an example in which the connection direction of the cell bodies is regulated by making the shapes of the plugs 30a and 30b on both sides of the plug connector different.
FIG. 12 is a modification of the plug connector, and is an example in which, for example, an LED 40 is connected between the plugs 40a and 40b on both sides, and modularized.
FIG. 13 shows an example in which the connectors 10a and 10b according to the present invention are attached to a dye-sensitized solar panel 1d designed in a leaf shape, for example.
As described above, the connector according to the present invention can be applied to various products having a plate-like input / output section because it has a simple structure and can be formed thin.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Upper panel 2 Lower panel 3 Electrode 4 Connection hole 10 Top connector 11 Top base 11a Insertion hole 11b Connection lock claw 11c Contact mounting part 11d Fixing part 11e Fixed lock part 12 Top contact 12a Contact terminal 12b Fixing claw 13 Seal member 20 Bottom connector 21 Bottom base 21a Mounting convex portion 21b Fixed lock projection 21c Mounting groove 21d Contact mounting portion 21e Fixed portion 22 Bottom contact 22a Fixing claw 22b Connection terminal 23 Seal member 30 Plug connector 31 Plug 31a Plug contact 31b Plug portion 31c Connection lock Recess 31d Seal member 32 Plug 32a Plug contact 32b Plug portion 32c Connection lock recess 32d Seal member 33 Wire

Claims (7)

A connector for signal or / and electrical connection to a plate-like input / output unit,
The plate-like input / output part has a connection hole and an electrode on the input / output part side at the peripheral part of the connection hole,
The connector has a bottom connector and a top connector that fits to the bottom connector,
The bottom connector has a bottom contact for contacting the electrode on the input / output part side, and a connection terminal for connecting to the outside extending from the bottom contact,
For the plate-like input / output part, wherein the bottom connector is inserted and attached to the connection hole from one surface of the input / output part, and the top connector is fitted to the bottom connector from the other face of the input / output part. Connector.   The top connector has a top contact for contacting the electrode on the input / output unit side, and a contact terminal contacting the connection terminal on the bottom connector side from the top contact, so that the electrode on the input / output unit side is one side 2. The connector for a plate-like input / output part according to claim 1, wherein the bottom connector can be mounted from either the front or back side of the input / output part even if it is disposed only on one side.   The bottom connector has a cylindrical mounting convex portion protruding from a plate-shaped bottom base, and the bottom contact is disposed on the bottom base surface on the outer peripheral side of the mounting convex portion. The connector for a plate-like input / output part according to claim 2, further comprising the connection terminal extending toward the inside of the mounting convex part. The top connector has a plate-like top base,
The top base is provided with a fitting hole for inserting and fitting the mounting convex portion on the bottom base side, and a peripheral portion of the fitting hole, and the top contact is disposed on the top base surface.
4. The plate-like input / output connector according to claim 3, further comprising a detachable fixing lock mechanism between the fitting hole on the top connector side and the mounting convex portion on the bottom connector side.   5. The connector for a plate-like input / output part according to claim 4, wherein the bottom base and the top base have a seal member for sealing between the plate-like input / output part. A plug connector for signal or / and electrical connection with the input / output unit and the plate-like input / output unit of the other product or the outside;
The said plug connector has a plug contact connected to the connecting terminal by the side of the said bottom connector, The connection structure using the connector in any one of Claims 1-5 characterized by the above-mentioned.   It has a plug connector for signal or / and electrical connection with the input / output part and the plate-like input / output part of the other product or the outside, and the plug connector is inside the cylindrical mounting convex part on the bottom connector side. A plug part to be inserted and connected to the plug part, and a plug contact extending to a surface of the plug part, and a detachable connection lock mechanism between the plug part and the connector on the input / output part side, The connector according to any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein when the plug portion is connected and locked to the connector on the input / output portion side, the plug contact comes into contact with the connection terminal on the bottom connector side. Connection structure.

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