JP2016225142A - Connector and circuit board - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a connector and the like capable of being used at a large current, and of protecting the connector and a circuit board from overheat.SOLUTION: A connector 10 comprises: a power feeding terminal 11A for supplying a DC power to a connection destination; and a power feeding line 11 with a front end part at which the power feeding terminal 11A is provided. The power feeding line 11 is provided with a circuit breaker 1. The circuit breaker 1 cuts off current depending on a change in temperature. Thereby, heat generation at the connector 10 is stopped, and the connector 10 and the connection destination are protected.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a connector and a circuit board used for electrical equipment.

  Conventionally, various electric devices are connected by wires via cables. A plug connector for connecting to an electric device is provided at the tip of the cable. A typical example of such a cable is a USB (Universal Serial Bus) cable described in Patent Document 1 below.

  In addition to a signal transmission line for transmitting electrical signals between electrical devices, the USB cable is provided with a power feeding line for supplying DC power from one electrical device to the other electrical device. The other electric device operates using the DC power supplied from the power supply line as a power source or charges a built-in secondary battery.

JP, 2014-120464, A

  Due to the nature of the power supply line, a corresponding current flows.For example, if foreign matter enters between the plug connector and the receptacle connector, a short circuit occurs between the terminals, and a large current flows in the circuit board of the connector and the electrical equipment. May flow and be deformed or destroyed by overheating. Especially in the connection between electrical devices in recent years, the power supply capability has been enhanced to support the rapid charging of secondary batteries, ensuring a higher level of safety against short circuits between terminals. It is requested to do. The situation described above does not change even if the connector is other than the USB connector.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a connector and a circuit board that can protect the connector and the circuit board from a large current and overheating.

  In order to achieve the above object, according to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a connector including a power supply terminal for supplying DC power to a connection destination, and a power supply line provided at the tip of the power supply terminal. A breaker that cuts off the current accordingly is provided in the power supply line.

  In the connector according to the present invention, a conductive pattern forming the power supply terminal and the power supply line is formed, and an insulator for insulating the circuit board on which the breaker is mounted from the power supply line and the outside of the connector The breaker has a main body portion provided with a current interrupting means for interrupting current, and a terminal portion that protrudes outside the main body portion and is connected to the conductive pattern, and the circuit board includes: It is desirable to have a retracting portion that retracts from the main body portion of the breaker in the thickness direction of the substrate.

  In the connector according to the present invention, it is preferable that the retracting portion penetrates the circuit board in the thickness direction.

  In the connector according to the present invention, the conductive pattern includes a signal transmission line that is provided in parallel with the power supply line and inputs and outputs an electrical signal to and from the connection destination, and the signal transmission line includes the circuit. It is desirable that the substrate is disposed in an outer region of the retracting portion in a plan view when viewed from the thickness direction.

  In the connector according to the present invention, the connector further includes a wire connected to the conductive pattern via solder, and the connection portion between the conductive pattern and the wire is a plan view of the circuit board as viewed from the thickness direction. It is desirable that it is disposed in the outer region of the main body.

  In the connector according to the present invention, the current interrupting means includes a fixed piece having a fixed contact, a movable contact at a tip, and a movable piece that presses and contacts the movable contact with the fixed contact, and a temperature change It is desirable to have a thermally responsive element that operates the movable piece so that the movable contact is separated from the fixed contact by being deformed along with this.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, a receptacle terminal that is built in an electric device and connected to an external device via a plug connector, and that inputs / outputs DC power to / from the external device, and the receptacle terminal is connected to a tip portion In the circuit board including the power supply line, a breaker that cuts off a current according to a temperature change is provided in the power supply line.

In the circuit board according to the present invention, a conductive pattern constituting the receptacle terminal and the power supply line is formed, and the breaker is provided on the outer side of the main body portion provided with a current blocking means for cutting off current. It is desirable to have a terminal part that protrudes and has a terminal part connected to the conductive pattern, and retracts from the main body part of the breaker in the thickness direction of the circuit board.

  In the circuit board according to the present invention, it is preferable that the retracting portion penetrates the circuit board in a thickness direction.

  In the circuit board according to the present invention, the conductive pattern includes a signal transmission line for inputting / outputting an electric signal to / from the external device, and the signal transmission line is a plane obtained by viewing the circuit board from a thickness direction. In view, it is desirable to be disposed in the outer region of the retracting portion.

  In the circuit board according to the present invention, the current interrupting means includes a fixed piece having a fixed contact, a movable contact at a tip, and a movable piece that presses the movable contact against the fixed contact, and a temperature. It is desirable to have a thermally responsive element that operates the movable piece so that the movable contact is separated from the fixed contact by being deformed along with the change.

  According to the connector of the first invention, since the breaker that cuts off the current according to the temperature change is provided in the power supply line, the current is cut off by the breaker when the connector is overheated, and the connector is protected. Further, even when an overcurrent flows, such as when a short circuit occurs in the power supply line of the connector, the overheated breaker operates to interrupt the current. Thereby, the heat generation of the connector is stopped, and the connector and its connection destination are protected.

  According to the circuit board of the second invention, since the breaker that cuts off the current according to the temperature change is provided in the power supply line, when the circuit board is overheated, the current is cut off by the breaker to protect the circuit board. Is done. Even when an overcurrent flows, such as when a short circuit occurs in the power supply line of the circuit board, the overheated breaker cuts off the current. Thereby, the heat generation of the circuit board and the connector is stopped, and the circuit board and the connector are protected.

The perspective view which shows schematic structure of the plug connector by one Embodiment of 1st invention of this invention. Sectional drawing of the said connector. The top view which shows the circuit board and breaker which are provided in the inside of the said connector. Sectional drawing which shows the modification of the said connector. The top view which shows the modification of the said circuit board. Sectional drawing of the connector which shows the modification of the said circuit board. The assembly perspective view which shows schematic structure of the breaker mounted in the said connector. Sectional drawing which shows the said breaker in a normal charge or discharge state. Sectional drawing which shows the said breaker in the overcharge state or the time of abnormality. The top view which shows the circuit board and breaker which are provided in the inside of the receptacle connector by another embodiment of 1st invention of this invention. The top view which shows the circuit board by one Embodiment of 2nd invention of this invention. The perspective view which shows the modification of the said circuit board. The perspective view which shows another modification of the said circuit board.

(First invention)
A connector according to an embodiment of the first invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a configuration of a plug connector 10 (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as a connector 10). The connector 10 can be connected to various devices and apparatuses (hereinafter, referred to as an electric device 100) using various electric energy as a power source.

  The connector 10 is provided at the distal end portion of the cable 50. The connector 10 includes a power supply terminal 11 </ b> A and a power supply line 11. The power supply terminal 11 </ b> A supplies DC power to the electrical device 100 to which the connector 10 is connected. The power supply terminal 11 </ b> A is provided at the tip of the power supply line 11. Direct current power is supplied to the electrical equipment to which the connector 10 is connected via the power supply terminal 11 </ b> A and the power supply line 11. The power supply terminal 11 </ b> A and the power supply line 11 may be provided in a plurality of paths for each input / output voltage.

  A breaker 1 is provided in the power supply line 11. The breaker 1 interrupts the current flowing through the power supply line 11 according to the temperature change. For example, when the connector 10 is overheated for some reason, the breaker 1 operates to interrupt the current flowing through the power supply line 11. Even when an overcurrent flows through the power supply line 11 such as when a short circuit occurs in the power supply line of the connector 10, the breaker 1 operates and the current flowing through the power supply line 11 is interrupted. Thereby, the heat generation of the connector 10 is stopped, and the connector 10 and its connection destination are protected.

  FIG. 2 shows a cross section of the connector 10. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the connector 10 further includes a circuit board 12 and an insulator 13.

  The circuit board 12 is formed in a rectangular shape. The circuit board 12 is formed by forming a conductive circuit in a pattern on an insulating substrate. A board | substrate consists of composite materials of fiber materials, such as glass fiber, and resin materials, such as an epoxy resin, for example. Such a substrate is suitable for high-frequency signal processing because of its high rigidity and low relative dielectric constant. By inserting the circuit board 12 into the connector 10, the strength and rigidity of the connector 10 against the external force are increased. In the connector 10 that does not require high strength and high rigidity, for example, a flexible printed board may be applied as the circuit board 12.

  The breaker 1 is mounted on the circuit board 12 with the longitudinal direction thereof aligned with the longitudinal direction of the circuit board 12. In the present embodiment, the circuit board 12 is provided with a conductive pattern 12A that constitutes the power supply terminal 11A, the power supply line 11, and the like.

  The conductive pattern 12A including the power supply terminal 11A and the power supply line 11 is formed on one or both of the front surface (the surface located on the upper side in FIGS. 1 and 2) and the back surface of the circuit board 12. The conductive pattern 12A is fixed to and supported by the substrate of the circuit board 12. In the present embodiment, the power supply line 11 on the power supply terminal 11 </ b> A side is formed on the surface of the circuit board 12 with the breaker 1 as a reference. The power supply line 11 on the terminal 11B side provided opposite to the power supply terminal 11A is formed from the front surface to the back surface of the circuit board 12 via a conductive paste 12D filled in a via hole penetrating the circuit board 12.

  The insulator 13 is made of synthetic resin or the like. The resin material used for the insulator 13 is preferably a resin material suitable for flame retardancy, for example, a resin material of V-0 grade or higher according to UL (Underwriters Laboratories, Inc) 94 standard. The insulator 13 is formed around the circuit board 12 on which the breaker 1 is mounted. The insulator 13 is formed by, for example, loading (inserting) the circuit board 12 on which the breaker 1 is mounted in a mold, and injecting and curing a resin material in the cavity space. Thereby, the breaker 1 and the circuit board 12 are embedded in the insulator 13 and supported by the insulator 13. The insulator 13 insulates the conductive pattern constituting the power supply line 11 from the outside of the connector 10. The insulator 13 protects the circuit board 12 and the connector 10 and increases the strength and rigidity of the connector 10.

  The conductive pattern 12 </ b> A formed on the circuit board 12 is sandwiched and fixed between the board of the circuit board 12 and the insulator 13. Further, the conductive pattern 12 </ b> A (for example, the power supply terminal 11 </ b> A) formed outside the insulator 13 is fixed and supported on the circuit board 12. This improves the positioning accuracy of the power supply terminal 11A and the like.

  The breaker 1 has a main body portion 1B provided with a current interrupting means 1A for interrupting current, and a pair of terminal portions 1C protruding outside the main body portion 1B. The current interrupting means 1A is enclosed in the main body 1B. Thereby, even if a foreign substance mixes in the inside of the connector 10, the operation | movement of the electric current interruption means 1A is maintained normally. Each terminal portion 1 </ b> C is connected to the feed line 11. In the present embodiment, each terminal portion 1C is connected to lands 11C and 11D provided in the power supply line 11 through, for example, reflow soldering or laser welding.

  The land 11C is disposed at a position away from the power supply terminal 11A, and the power supply line 11 therebetween is firmly fixed by the substrate of the circuit board 12. For this reason, the power supply terminal 11A is accurately positioned on the substrate without being affected by the mounting of the breaker 1 and the connection between the terminal portion 1C and the land 11C. Thereby, the connection accuracy of the connector 10 is improved.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the circuit board 12 has a retracting portion 12B. The retracting portion 12B retracts from the main body portion 1B of the breaker 1 in the thickness direction of the circuit board 12. Thereby, a part or the whole of the main body 1 </ b> B of the breaker 1 is accommodated in the retracting portion 12 </ b> B, and the main body 1 </ b> B is prevented from protruding outward in the thickness direction of the circuit board 12. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the overall thickness of the connector 10 and reduce the size.

  In the molding process of the insulator 13 described above, excessive stress is applied to the circuit board 12 and the breaker 1 due to the pressure of the resin material injected into the cavity space of the mold, and the circuit board 12 and the breaker 1 are warped and deformed. May occur. Such warpage deformation may affect the operating temperature when the current interrupting means 1A of the breaker 1 interrupts the current, the return temperature when returning to the conductive state, or the like.

  However, in this embodiment, since the circuit board 12 is provided with the retracting portion 12B, the protrusion of the main body portion 1B of the breaker 1 from the circuit board 12 is suppressed. 12 and the stress applied to the breaker 1 are reduced. Therefore, the warp deformation of the circuit board 12 and the breaker 1 can be suppressed, and the operating temperature and the return temperature of the current interrupting means 1A can be maintained normally.

  In the present embodiment, the retracting portion 12B is configured by a through hole 12C that penetrates the circuit board 12 in the thickness direction. The through hole 12C can be easily formed by punching the circuit board 12 by press working or the like. Such a through-hole 12C acts particularly effectively on the breaker 1 having a relatively large thickness of the main body 1B, and normalizes the operating temperature and the return temperature of the current interrupting means 1A while reducing the size of the connector 10. It becomes easy to maintain.

  FIG. 3 is a plan view of the circuit board 12 on which the breaker 1 is mounted as viewed from the thickness direction. The conductive pattern 12 </ b> A includes a signal transmission line 14. The signal transmission line 14 is provided in parallel with the power supply line 11 and transmits an electrical signal to and from the connected electrical device 100. The transmission method of the electric signal may be serial transmission or parallel transmission. According to the connector 10 including the power supply line 11 and the signal transmission line 14 in the conductive pattern 12A, it is possible to input / output electric signals while supplying electric power to the electric device 100.

  Since the signal transmission line 14 is formed on the circuit board 12 having high rigidity and low relative dielectric constant, generation of noise is suppressed and high-speed signal transmission processing is possible. Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the deformation of the circuit board 12 is suppressed by the insulator 13 that includes the circuit board 12, further high-speed signal transmission processing can be performed.

  The signal transmission line 14 is arranged in an outer region of the retracting portion 12B in a plan view as viewed from the thickness direction of the circuit board 12. That is, the signal transmission line 14 extends along the power supply line 11 while bypassing the retracting portion 12B. In the present embodiment, a pair of signal transmission lines 14 is provided. Many more signal transmission lines 14 may be provided. According to such an arrangement of the signal transmission line 14, it is possible to supply electric power to the electric device 100 and perform wired communication with the electric device 100 while suppressing the total thickness of the connector 10. .

  In the present embodiment, the signal transmission line 14 is disposed on the back surface of the circuit board 12. The signal transmission line 14 may be disposed on the surface of the circuit board 12. When the circuit board 12 is a multilayer board, the signal transmission line 14 may be embedded in the circuit board 12.

  The conductive pattern 12 </ b> A includes a ground (GND) line 15. The ground line 15 connects the grounds of both ends of the cable 50 to each other. The ground line 15 is disposed on the back surface of the circuit board 12. The ground line 15 may be disposed on the surface of the circuit board 12.

  When the circuit board 12 is a multilayer board, the ground line 15 may be embedded in the circuit board 12. In this case, the ground line 15 may be configured by a so-called solid pattern formed over substantially the entire area of the circuit board 12 in plan view. The solid pattern ground line 15 constitutes a so-called electromagnetic shield, and an electromagnetic wave shielding effect is obtained. Thereby, noise mixed in the signal transmission line 14 is reduced, and high-speed communication is possible.

  A signal transmission terminal 14A is connected to the tip of the signal transmission line 14, and a ground terminal 15A is connected to the tip of the ground line 15. The power supply terminal 11 </ b> A, the signal transmission terminal 14 </ b> A, and the ground terminal 15 </ b> A are arranged in the short direction of the circuit board 12. The power supply terminal 11A, the signal transmission terminal 14A, the ground terminal 15A, and the like constitute a plug terminal. In the present embodiment, the tip of the circuit board 12 protrudes from the insulator 13, and a plug terminal including the power supply terminal 11A, the signal transmission terminal 14A, and the ground terminal 15A is formed at the tip. Therefore, the configuration of the connector 10 is simplified, and the number of parts can be easily reduced.

  The power supply terminal 11A, the signal transmission terminal 14A, and the ground terminal 15A are connected to each wire of the cable 50 via the conductive pattern 12A (the power supply line 11, the signal transmission line 14, and the ground line 15) formed on the circuit board 12. 51 is connected. The arrangement of the power supply terminal 11A, the signal transmission terminal 14A and the ground terminal 15A, and the power supply line 11, the signal transmission line 14 and the ground line 15 is not limited to the form shown in FIG. It can be appropriately changed according to the specifications of the device 100 and the like.

  Terminals 11B, 14B, and 15B are provided at the other ends of the power supply line 11, the signal transmission line 14, and the ground line 15. The terminals 11B, 14B, and 15B are arranged in the short direction of the circuit board 12. In the present embodiment, the terminals 11B, 14B, and 15B constitute a part of the conductive pattern 12A on the back surface of the circuit board 12. The terminals 11B, 14B, and 15B are arranged in an outer region of the main body portion 1B of the breaker 1 in a plan view as viewed from the thickness direction of the circuit board 12.

  In the present embodiment, since the land 11D is disposed on the front surface side of the circuit board 12 and the terminals 14B and 15B are disposed on the back surface side of the circuit board 12, respectively, while suppressing a short circuit between the land 11D and the terminals 14B and 15B, The circuit board 12 and thus the connector 10 can be downsized. For example, the terminal 14B or 15B can be disposed at a position overlapping the land 11D in plan view. In addition, the degree of freedom in designing the conductive pattern 12A can be increased, and the signal transmission line 14 can be easily expanded.

  As shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of wires 51 are inserted in the cable 50. Each wire 51 is insulated by an insulating coating 51A. Further, the wires 51 are separated in the short direction of the circuit board 12 inside the connector 10. The tip of each wire 51 is disposed on the back side of the circuit board 12 and is electrically connected to the terminal 11B, 14B, or 15B. Each wire 51 and the terminal 11B, 14B, or 15B are connected by, for example, solder 52. The soldering process of each wire 51 and the terminal 11B, 14B, or 15B is generally performed before the molding process of the insulator 13.

  Since each wire 51 and the solder 52 protrude from the back surface of the circuit board 12 at the connection point between each wire 51 and the terminal 11B, 14B, or 15B, in the forming process of the insulator 13, each wire 51 and the solder 52 are formed. Project into the cavity of the mold. For this reason, each wire 51 and the solder 52 receive a pressure when the resin material of the insulator 13 is injected into the cavity space.

  As already described, in the present embodiment, the terminals 11B, 14B, and 15B, which are connection points between the conductive pattern 12A and the wire 51, are arranged in the outer region of the main body 1B of the breaker 1 in plan view. For this reason, the stress applied to the breaker 1 in the molding process of the insulator 13 is reduced, and the possibility that the breaker 1 is warped and deformed by the pressure of the resin material injected into the cavity space is suppressed. Therefore, the operating temperature and the return temperature of the breaker 1 can be properly maintained.

  The pressure that each wire 51 and solder 52 receives from the resin material in the molding process of the insulator 13 depends on the height of the cavity space on the back surface side of the circuit board 12 in the injection mold. Therefore, the connector 10 is designed so that the height of the cavity space on the back surface side of the circuit board 12 is increased, that is, the circuit board 12 is arranged at a sufficient distance from the bottom surface of the insulator 13. Warpage deformation can be suppressed to some extent. However, when the degree of freedom of arrangement of the circuit board 12 is limited due to the specifications of the connector 10 or the demand for miniaturization, the terminals 11B, 14B, and 15B are the main body of the breaker 1 in plan view. The configuration of the present invention disposed in the outer region of 1B has an excellent effect that warp deformation of the breaker 1 can be suppressed.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the connector 10 further includes a protective film 16, a protective layer 17, and a reinforcing plate 18.

  The protective film 16 is formed on the back surface of the circuit board 12 after the breaker 1 is mounted on the circuit board 12. For the protective film 16, for example, an adhesive sheet made of a resin material mainly composed of acrylic, polycarbonate, polyimide, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), aramid, or the like is applied. The protective film 16 is fixed to the back surface of the breaker 1 and the circuit board 12 with, for example, a silicon-based adhesive. The protective film 16 covers the through hole 12C. This prevents the resin material from entering the through hole 12 </ b> C from the back surface side of the circuit board 12 in the molding process of the insulator 13. Moreover, the contact between the main body 1B of the breaker 1 and the resin material of the insulator 13 is avoided, and the breaker 1 is protected. When it is not necessary to protect the main body 1B from the resin material of the insulator 13, the protective film 16 may be appropriately removed.

  The protective layer 17 is formed on the surface of the circuit board 12 after the breaker 1 is mounted on the circuit board 12. For example, an ultraviolet curable resin can be applied to the protective layer 17. The protective layer 17 is formed from one terminal part 1C of the breaker 1 to the other terminal part 1C through the main body part 1B. The protective layer 17 covers the through hole 12C. This prevents the resin material from entering the through hole 12 </ b> C from the surface side of the circuit board 12 in the molding process of the insulator 13. Moreover, the contact between the main body 1B of the breaker 1 and the resin material of the insulator 13 is avoided, and the breaker 1 is protected. Further, the protective layer 17 increases the rigidity of the circuit board 12 and suppresses deformation of the circuit board 12.

  When it is not necessary to protect the main body 1B from the resin material of the insulator 13 and the circuit board 12 has sufficient rigidity, the protective layer 17 may be appropriately discarded. If only the contact between the main body 1 </ b> B and the resin material of the insulator 13 becomes a problem, a protective film 16 may be formed on the surface of the circuit board 12 instead of the protective layer 17.

  The reinforcing plate 18 is provided outside the protective layer 17. A metal, a synthetic resin, or the like can be used for the reinforcing plate 18. The reinforcing plate 18 reinforces the internal structure of the connector 10 and protects the breaker 1 and the circuit board 12 from pressure applied from the outside of the connector 10. When sufficient rigidity and strength can be expected from the circuit board 12 and the protective layer 17, the reinforcing plate 18 may be appropriately removed.

  In the present embodiment, the plate-shaped reinforcing plate 18 is applied, but a box-shaped reinforcing member may be applied instead. In this case, the structure in which the protective film 16 and the protective layer 17 are eliminated by housing the main body 1B of the breaker 1 inside the box-shaped reinforcing member may be used.

  As shown in FIG. 2, in this embodiment, the solder 52 for connecting the wire 51 to the terminal 11 </ b> B protrudes most from the circuit board 12 to the back surface side. Therefore, in order to suppress warping deformation of the circuit board 12 in the molding process of the insulator 13, when the circuit board 12 is loaded in the mold, the top of the solder 52 is separated from the molding surface of the mold by a sufficient distance. It is important that the resin material constituting the insulator 13 is formed with a sufficient thickness on the top of the solder 52.

  In a more preferable aspect, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, it is desirable that the circuit board 12 is positioned at the approximate center in the thickness direction of the insulator 13. The fact that the circuit board 12 is positioned substantially at the center in the thickness direction of the insulator 13 means that, for example, the center of the insulator 13 in the thickness direction exists in the cross section of the circuit board 12 shown in FIG. It is. With such an arrangement of the circuit board 12, when the circuit board 12 is loaded in the mold in the molding process of the insulator 13, a substantially uniform and sufficient cavity space is easily secured on the front side and the back side of the circuit board 12. It becomes possible. Therefore, the bending stress applied to the circuit board 12 and the breaker 1 in the molding process of the insulator 13 is reduced, and the possibility of warping deformation of the breaker 1 is suppressed. Therefore, the operating temperature and the return temperature of the breaker 1 can be properly maintained.

  A metal cover may be provided at the tip of the circuit board 12 exposed from the insulator 13 as necessary. The metal cover is formed at a distance from the conductive pattern 12A of the circuit board 12, and is insulated from the conductive pattern 12A. The metal cover protects the front end of the circuit board 12 and suppresses a short circuit of the conductive pattern 12A.

  FIG. 4 shows a connector 10 </ b> A that is a modification of the connector 10. The configuration of the circuit board 12 described above can be adopted for portions of the connector 10A that are not described below. In the connector 10A, a metal frame 19A is disposed outside the insulator 13, and a resin cover 19B is disposed outside the metal frame 19A.

  The metal frame 19A can be formed, for example, by press-molding a metal plate such as stainless steel. The metal frame 19 </ b> A is desirably disposed over the entire periphery of the insulator 13, but may be disposed on any one of the front surface, the side surface, and the back surface. The resin material used for the resin cover 19B has, for example, a lower melting point than that of the resin material used for the insulator 13, high rigidity and strength after curing, and excellent wear resistance and weather resistance. preferable. Moreover, as a resin material used for the resin cover 19B, a resin material suitable for flame retardancy, for example, a resin material of V-0 grade or higher in the UL94 standard is preferable. The rigidity and strength of the connector 10A are further enhanced by the metal frame 19A and the resin cover 19B. Moreover, what is called an electromagnetic shield is comprised by 19A of metal frames, and the shielding effect of electromagnetic waves is acquired. Thereby, noise mixed in the signal transmission line 14 is reduced, and high-speed communication is possible. The metal cover for protecting the front end portion of the circuit board 12 by extending the front end portion of the metal frame 19A and exposing it from the resin cover 19B may be formed.

  FIG. 5 shows a circuit board 12 </ b> F that is a modification of the circuit board 12. For the portions of the circuit board 12F that are not described below, the configuration of the circuit board 12 described above can be employed. The circuit board 12F is different from the circuit board 12 in that a notch 12G is applied as the retracting part 12B. Accordingly, the arrangement of the power supply line 11, the signal transmission line 14, and the ground line 15 is also changed. The notch 12G is open to the edge of the circuit board 12F. The notch 12G can be easily formed by punching out the circuit board 12 by press working or the like.

  FIG. 6 shows a cross section of a connector 10 </ b> J provided with a circuit board 12 </ b> J that is a modification of the circuit board 12. For the portion of the circuit board 12J that is not described below, the configuration of the circuit board 12 described above can be employed. The circuit board 12J differs from the circuit board 12 in that a bottomed recess 12K is applied as the retracting portion 12B. The recess 12K can be easily formed by configuring the circuit board 12J with a multilayer board.

  In the connector 10J, the signal transmission line 14 and the ground line 15 can be arranged so as to overlap the breaker 1 in a plan view as viewed from the thickness direction of the circuit board 12J, thereby reducing the size of the circuit board 12J and the conductive pattern. The design freedom of 12A is increased. Further, by omitting the protective film 16, the structure of the connector 10J can be simplified. In the circuit board 12F shown in FIG. 5, the retracting portion 12B can be configured with a bottomed recess. Even in this case, the same effect as described above can be expected.

  FIG. 7 shows the configuration of the breaker 1. The breaker 1 includes a fixed piece 2 having one terminal portion 1C and a fixed contact 21, a terminal piece 3 on which the other terminal portion 1C is formed, a movable piece 4 having a movable contact 41 at the tip, and a temperature change. A thermal response element 5 that deforms along with it, a PTC (Positive Temperature Coefficient) thermistor 6, a fixed piece 2, a terminal piece 3, a movable piece 4, a case 7 that accommodates the thermal response element 5 and the PTC thermistor 6, etc. It is constituted by. The case 7 includes a case main body (first case) 71, a lid member (second case) 81 attached to the upper surface of the case main body 71, and the like. The current interrupting means 1A is constituted by the fixed contact, the movable contact 41, the movable piece 4, the thermal responsive element 5, and the like.

  The fixed piece 2 is formed by, for example, pressing a metal plate mainly composed of copper or the like (in addition, a metal plate such as a copper-titanium alloy, white or brass), and insert-molding the case main body 71 by insert molding. Embedded. A terminal 22 (1C) that is electrically connected to an external circuit is formed at one end of the fixed piece 2, and a support portion 23 that supports the PTC thermistor 6 is formed at the other end. The PTC thermistor 6 is placed on the convex protrusions (dowels) 24 formed on the support portion 23 of the fixed piece 2 and supported by the protrusions 24.

  The fixed contact 21 is formed at a position facing the movable contact 41 by clad, plating, coating, or the like of a conductive material such as copper, silver alloy, gold-silver alloy in addition to silver, nickel, nickel-silver alloy. The case body 71 is exposed from a part of the opening 73a. The terminal 22 protrudes outward from the edge of the case body 71. The support portion 23 is exposed from an opening 73 d formed inside the case main body 71.

  Similarly to the fixed piece 2, the terminal piece 3 is formed by pressing a metal plate mainly composed of copper or the like, and is embedded in the case main body 71 by insert molding. A terminal 32 (1C) that is electrically connected to an external circuit is formed at one end of the terminal piece 3, and a connection portion 33 that is electrically connected to the movable piece 4 is formed at the other end. The terminal 32 protrudes outward from the edge of the case body 71. The connecting portion 33 is exposed from an opening 73b provided in the case body 71 and is electrically connected to the movable piece 4 by, for example, laser welding.

  Either the terminal 22 or the terminal 32 is connected to the land 11C on the power supply terminal 11A side of the connector 10 and the other is connected to the land 11D on the terminal 11B side.

  The movable piece 4 is formed in an arm shape symmetrical to the center line in the longitudinal direction by pressing a plate-like metal material. As a material of the movable piece 4, a material mainly composed of copper or the like equivalent to the fixed piece 2 is preferable. In addition, a conductive elastic material such as copper-titanium alloy, white or brass may be used.

  The movable piece 4 and the terminal piece 3 may be integrally formed from one metal plate. As a breaker that realizes such a purpose, for example, JP 2012-238615 A and JP 2013-110032 A disclose a movable piece that is formed integrally with a terminal piece.

  A movable contact 41 is formed at the tip of the movable piece 4. The movable contact 41 is formed of the same material as the fixed contact 21 and is joined to the tip of the movable piece 4 by a technique such as clad or crimping in addition to welding.

  A connection portion 42 that is electrically connected to the connection portion 33 of the terminal piece 3 is formed at the base end portion of the movable piece 4. The connection part 33 of the terminal piece 3 and the connection part 42 of the movable piece 4 are fixed by welding, for example.

  The movable piece 4 has an elastic portion 43 between the movable contact 41 and the connection portion 42. The elastic portion 43 extends from the connection portion 42 to the movable contact 41 side. The movable piece 4 is fixed by being fixed to the connection portion 33 of the terminal piece 3 in the connection portion 42, and the elastic contact 43 is elastically deformed so that the movable contact 41 formed at the tip thereof is on the fixed contact 21 side. The fixed piece 2 and the movable piece 4 can be energized. Since the movable piece 4 and the terminal piece 3 are electrically connected, the fixed piece 2 and the terminal piece 3 can be energized.

  The movable piece 4 is curved or bent at the elastic portion 43 by pressing. The degree of bending or bending is not particularly limited as long as the thermally responsive element 5 can be accommodated, and may be appropriately set in consideration of the elastic force at the operating temperature and the return temperature, the pressing force of the contact point, and the like.

  The thermally responsive element 5 has an initial shape curved in an arc shape, and is formed by laminating thin plate materials having different thermal expansion coefficients. When the operating temperature is reached due to overheating, the curved shape of the thermally responsive element 5 is reversely warped with a snap motion, and is restored when the temperature falls below the return temperature due to cooling. The initial shape of the thermoresponsive element 5 can be formed by pressing. As long as the elastic portion 43 of the movable piece 4 is pushed up by the reverse warping operation of the thermal response element 5 at a desired temperature and returns to the original state by the elastic force of the elastic portion 43, the material and shape of the thermal response element 5 are particularly limited. Although not intended, a rectangular shape is desirable from the viewpoint of productivity and efficiency of reverse warping operation, and it is desirable that the rectangular shape is close to a square in order to efficiently push up the elastic portion 43 while being small. Examples of the material of the thermally responsive element 5 include, for example, white, brass, and stainless steel including copper-nickel-manganese alloy or nickel-chromium-iron alloy on the high expansion side and iron-nickel alloy on the low expansion side. A laminate of two types of materials having different coefficients of thermal expansion made of various alloys such as steel is used in combination according to the required conditions.

  Alternatively, the movable piece 4 and the thermally responsive element 5 may be integrally formed by forming the movable piece 4 from a laminated metal such as bimetal or trimetal. In this case, the configuration of the breaker is simplified, and further miniaturization can be achieved.

  The PTC thermistor 6 is disposed between the fixed piece 2 and the thermally responsive element 5. That is, the fixed piece 2 is positioned directly below the thermal actuator 5 with the PTC thermistor 6 interposed therebetween. When the energization of the fixed piece 2 and the movable piece 4 is interrupted by the reverse warping operation of the thermal response element 5, the current flowing through the PTC thermistor 6 increases. As long as the PTC thermistor 6 is a positive temperature coefficient thermistor that limits the current by increasing the resistance value as the temperature rises, the type of operation current, operation voltage, operation temperature, return temperature, etc. can be selected as necessary. The material and shape are not particularly limited as long as these properties are not impaired. In the present embodiment, a ceramic sintered body containing barium titanate, strontium titanate or calcium titanate is used. In addition to the ceramic sintered body, a so-called polymer PTC in which conductive particles such as carbon are contained in a polymer may be used.

  The PTC thermistor 6 made of the above material has a tendency to be brittle with respect to deformation. Therefore, in the molding process of the insulator 13, the PTC thermistor 6 may be damaged if the circuit board 12 is excessively warped due to the pressure of the resin material injected into the cavity space. However, in the present embodiment, the warp deformation of the case 7 of the breaker 1 is suppressed by providing the retracting portion 12B on the circuit board 12, so that the damage of the PTC thermistor 6 can be suppressed.

  During the operation of the thermally responsive element 5, the PTC thermistor 6 maintains the deformation of the thermally responsive element 5 due to heat generation and maintains the current interrupting state of the breaker 1. When such a self-holding function of the breaker 1 is unnecessary, the PTC thermistor 6 may be abolished.

  The case main body 71 and the lid member 81 constituting the case 7 are formed of a thermoplastic resin such as flame retardant polyamide, polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), liquid crystal polymer (LCP), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) having excellent heat resistance. Has been. The thermoplastic resin constituting the case 7 is preferably a resin having a melting point higher than that of the resin constituting the insulator 13 because the insulator 13 is formed outside the breaker 1. As the resin material used for the case main body 71 and the lid member 81, a resin material suitable for flame retardancy, for example, a resin material of V-0 grade or higher in the UL94 standard is preferable. Further, a material other than the thermosetting resin or the resin may be applied as long as the characteristics equal to or higher than those of the above-described resin can be obtained.

  The case main body 71 is formed with a housing recess 73 for housing the movable piece 4, the thermally responsive element 5, the PTC thermistor 6 and the like. The housing recess 73 has openings 73 a and 73 b for housing the movable piece 4, an opening 73 c for housing the movable piece 4 and the thermally responsive element 5, an opening 73 d for housing the PTC thermistor 6, and the like. doing. Note that the edges of the movable piece 4 and the heat-responsive element 5 incorporated in the case main body 71 are brought into contact with each other by a frame formed inside the housing recess 73, and are guided when the heat-responsive element 5 is reversely warped. .

  A cover piece 9 is embedded in the lid member 81 by insert molding. The cover piece 9 is formed, for example, by pressing a metal plate such as stainless steel. As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 to be described later, the cover piece 9 abuts on the surface of the movable piece 4 as appropriate, restricts the movement of the movable piece 4, and the rigidity of the case 7 as the casing as well as the casing 7. -Contributes to downsizing of breaker 1 while increasing strength. Resin is disposed on the outer surface side of the cover piece 9.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the lid member 81 includes a case 81 so as to close the openings 73 a, 73 b, 73 c and the like of the case main body 71 that accommodates the fixed piece 2, the movable piece 4, the thermally responsive element 5, the PTC thermistor 6, and the like. Mounted on the main body 71. The case main body 71 and the lid member 81 are joined by, for example, ultrasonic welding. Since the case main body 71 and the lid member 81 are joined over the entire circumference outside the housing recess 73, the internal space of the housing recess 73 is sealed and isolated from the outside of the breaker 1. Thereby, the airtightness of case 7 is improved. Therefore, the possibility that the internal configuration of the breaker 1 is affected by the manufacturing process of the connector 10 is reduced, and the reliability of the operation of the breaker 1 is increased.

  The joining method of the case main body 71 and the lid member 81 is not limited to ultrasonic welding, and any method can be applied as long as both are firmly joined and sufficient airtightness is obtained. For example, a liquid or gel adhesive may be applied, filled, and cured to bond them together.

  As shown in FIG. 2, in this embodiment, the breaker 1 is mounted on the circuit board 12 or the like with the top and bottom reversed. The terminals 22 and 32 protruding from the case 7 are stepped into a crank shape if necessary. The level difference of the step bending portion can be appropriately set according to the depth of the retracting portion 12B such as the circuit board 62.

  FIG. 8 shows the operation of the breaker 1 in a normal charging or discharging state. In a normal charging or discharging state, the thermal responsive element 5 maintains the initial shape (before reverse warping), the fixed contact 21 and the movable contact 41 are in contact, and the breaker 1 is connected through the elastic portion 43 of the movable piece 4. The terminals 22 and 32 are electrically connected. The elastic part 43 of the movable piece 4 and the thermal responsive element 5 are in contact, and the movable piece 4, the thermal responsive element 5, the PTC thermistor 6 and the fixed piece 2 are electrically connected as a circuit. However, since the resistance of the PTC thermistor 6 is overwhelmingly larger than the resistance of the movable piece 4, the current flowing through the PTC thermistor 6 is substantially larger than the amount flowing through the fixed contact 21 and the movable contact 41. It can be ignored.

  FIG. 9 shows the operation of the breaker 1 in an overcharged state or an abnormality. When a high temperature state occurs due to overcharging or abnormality, the thermally responsive element 5 that has reached the operating temperature is reversely warped, and the elastic portion 43 of the movable piece 4 is pushed up, so that the fixed contact 21 and the movable contact 41 are separated. At this time, the current flowing between the fixed contact 21 and the movable contact 41 is interrupted, and a slight leakage current flows through the thermal actuator 5 and the PTC thermistor 6. Since the PTC thermistor 6 continues to generate heat as long as such a leakage current flows, the resistance value is drastically increased while maintaining the thermally actuated element 5 in the reverse warping state, so that the current is a path between the fixed contact 21 and the movable contact 41. There is only the above-described slight leakage current (which constitutes a self-holding circuit). This leakage current can be used for other functions of the safety device.

  When the overcharge state is canceled or the abnormal state is resolved, the heat generation of the PTC thermistor 6 is also stopped, and the thermal actuator 5 returns to the return temperature and is restored to the original initial shape. Then, the movable contact 41 and the fixed contact 21 come into contact again by the elastic force of the elastic portion 43 of the movable piece 4, the circuit is released from the interruption state, and returns to the conduction state shown in FIG.

  FIG. 10 shows a configuration of a connector module including a receptacle connector 60 (hereinafter simply referred to as a connector 60) mounted on the electric device 100. The connector 60 is used in combination with the connector 10 or another plug connector. Regarding the portion of the connector 60 that is not described below, the configuration of the connector 10 described above may be employed.

  The connector 60 includes a receptacle power supply terminal (hereinafter simply referred to as a power supply terminal) 61 </ b> A and a power supply line 61. The power feeding terminal 61 </ b> A supplies DC power to the electrical device to which the cable 50 of the connector 10 is connected (the other party). The power supply terminal 61 </ b> A receives supply of DC power via the connector 10. The power supply terminal 61 </ b> A is provided at the tip of the power supply line 61.

  A breaker 1 is provided in the power supply line 61. Similar to the connector 10, the operation of the breaker 1 stops the heat generation of the connector 60 and protects the connector 60 and the electric device 100.

  The connector 60 further includes a circuit board 62. The circuit board 62, the power supply terminal 61A, and the power supply line 61 are the same as the circuit board 12, the power supply terminal 11A, and the power supply line 11 shown in FIG.

  The breaker 1 has a main body portion 1B provided with a current interrupting means 1A for interrupting current, and a pair of terminal portions 1C protruding outside the main body portion 1B. Each terminal portion 1 </ b> C is connected to the power supply line 61. In the present embodiment, each terminal portion 1C is connected to lands 61C and 61D provided in the power supply line 61 through, for example, reflow soldering or laser welding.

  The circuit board 62 has a retracting part 62B. The retracting portion 62B retracts from the main body portion 1B of the breaker 1 in the thickness direction of the circuit board 62. Thereby, a part or the whole of the main body 1 </ b> B of the breaker 1 is accommodated in the retracting portion 62 </ b> B, and the main body 1 </ b> B is prevented from protruding outward in the thickness direction of the circuit board 62. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the overall thickness dimension of the connector 60 and reduce the thickness of the electric device 100.

  In the present embodiment, the retracting portion 62B is configured by a through hole 62C that penetrates the circuit board 62 in the thickness direction. The through hole 62C can be easily formed by punching out the circuit board 62 by press working or the like. Such a through hole 62C acts particularly effectively on the breaker 1 in which the thickness of the main body 1B is relatively large, and it is easy to further reduce the size of the connector 60.

  The conductive pattern 62 </ b> A includes a signal transmission line 64. The signal transmission line 64 is provided in parallel with the power supply line 61 and inputs / outputs an electrical signal to / from the connector 10. According to the connector 60 including the power supply line 61 and the signal transmission line 64 in the conductive pattern 62A, it is possible to simultaneously input and output power and electric signals.

  The signal transmission line 64 is arranged in an outer region of the retracting portion 62B in a plan view of the circuit board 62. That is, the signal transmission line 64 extends along the power supply line 61 while bypassing the retracting portion 62B. In the present embodiment, a pair of signal transmission lines 64 is provided. Many more signal transmission lines 64 may be provided. According to such an arrangement of the signal transmission line 64, it is possible to simultaneously perform power input / output and wired communication while suppressing the overall thickness of the connector 60.

  In the present embodiment, the signal transmission line 64 is disposed on the back surface of the circuit board 62. The signal transmission line 64 may be disposed on the surface of the circuit board 62. When the circuit board 62 is a multilayer board, the signal transmission line 64 may be embedded in the circuit board 62.

  The conductive pattern 62 </ b> A includes a ground (GND) line 65. The ground line 65 is connected to the ground of the electric device 100. The ground line 65 is disposed on the back surface of the circuit board 62. The ground line 65 may be disposed on the surface of the circuit board 62. When the circuit board 62 is a multilayer board, the ground line 65 may be embedded in the circuit board 62.

  A receptacle signal transmission terminal (hereinafter simply referred to as a signal transmission terminal) 64A is connected to the tip of the signal transmission line 64, and a receptacle ground terminal (hereinafter simply referred to as a ground terminal) 65A is connected to the tip of the ground line 65. ing. The power supply terminal 61 </ b> A, the signal transmission terminal 64 </ b> A, and the ground terminal 65 </ b> A are arranged in the short direction of the circuit board 62. The power supply terminal 61A, the signal transmission terminal 64A, and the ground terminal 65A constitute a receptacle terminal. The arrangement of the power supply terminal 61A, the signal transmission terminal 64A and the ground terminal 65A, and the power supply line 61, the signal transmission line 64 and the ground line 65 is not limited to the form shown in FIG. It can be changed as appropriate according to the specifications of the device 100.

  Terminals 61B, 64B, and 65B are provided at the other ends of the power supply line 61, the signal transmission line 64, and the ground line 65, respectively. The terminals 61B, 64B and 65B are arranged in the short direction of the circuit board 62. The terminals 61B, 64B and 65B constitute part of the conductive pattern 62A on the back surface of the circuit board 62.

  The terminals 61B, 64B, and 65B are connected to a main circuit board (not shown) of the electric device 100 via, for example, the flexible cable 55 and the like. A connector 56 is disposed at the tip of the flexible cable 55. By connecting the connector 60 and the connector 56, the power supply line 61, the signal transmission line 64, the ground line 65, and each line of the flexible cable 55 are connected.

  In the present embodiment, the terminals 61B, 64B and 65B are arranged in the outer region of the main body 1B of the breaker 1. Accordingly, the connector 60 and the connector 56 can be easily connected without the connector 56 interfering with the main body 1B.

  Also in the connector 60, the retracting portion 62B can be transformed into a notch portion, similarly to the circuit board 12F shown in FIG. Further, similarly to the circuit board 12J shown in FIG. 6, the retracting portion 62B can be transformed into a bottomed recess.

  Details of the breaker 1 mounted on the connector 60 are the same as those of the breaker 1 mounted on the connector 10, and thus description thereof is omitted.

  The connector 60 may be in the form of being provided at one end of the main circuit board of the electric device 100 in addition to the form of an independent connector module as shown in FIG.

  The present invention is not limited to the configuration of the above-described embodiment, and includes at least a power supply terminal 11A that supplies DC power to a connection destination, and a power supply line 11 that has the power supply terminal 11A provided at the tip, and changes in temperature. The breaker 1 which interrupts | blocks an electric current according to is just provided in the feed line 11.

(Second invention)
The circuit board according to the second aspect of the present invention will be described below. As shown in FIG. 10, the circuit board 62 is built in the electric device 100 and connected to an external device via the plug connector 10. The circuit board 62 includes a receptacle power supply terminal 61A for inputting / outputting DC power to / from an external device, and a power supply line 61 having the power supply terminal 61A connected to the tip. Details of the power supply terminal 61 </ b> A and the power supply line 61 have already been described in the connector 60, and thus description thereof is omitted.

  The power supply line 61 is provided with a breaker 1 that cuts off a current according to a temperature change. Since the details of the breaker 1 have already been described in the connector 10, the description thereof is omitted.

  The circuit board 62 is provided with a retracting part 62B that retracts from the main body part 1B of the breaker 1 in the thickness direction of the circuit board 62. The details of the retracting portion 62B are also the same as the retracting portion 12B provided in the connector 10, and thus the description thereof is omitted.

  The conductive pattern 62A includes a signal transmission line 64 for inputting / outputting an electric signal to / from an external device. The details of the signal transmission line 64 are also the same as those of the signal transmission line 14 provided in the connector 10, and thus description thereof is omitted.

  FIG. 11 shows the main circuit board 101 of the electric device 100 in which the connector 60A is provided at one end. For the portion of the circuit board 101 that is not described below, the configuration of the circuit board 62 described above can be employed. In the circuit board 101, the power supply line 61, the signal transmission line 64, and the ground line 65 are directly formed on the main circuit board 101 of the electric device 100. For this reason, the flexible cable 55 and the like shown in FIG. 10 are not necessary, and the configuration of the electric device 100 can be simplified.

  For example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) that controls the electric device 100 is mounted on the circuit board 101. The details of the breaker 1 mounted on the connector 60 </ b> A of the circuit board 101 are the same as those of the breaker 1 mounted on the connector 10.

  In the circuit board 101, since the breaker 1 that cuts off the current according to the temperature change is provided in the power supply line, when the region near the connector 60A in the circuit board 101 is overheated, the breaker 1 cuts off the current. Thus, the circuit board 101 and the connector 60A are protected. Further, even when an overcurrent flows, such as when a short circuit occurs in the power supply line 61 of the circuit board 101, the overheated breaker 1 interrupts the current. Thereby, the heat generation of the circuit board 101 and the connector 60A is stopped, and the circuit board 101 and the connector 60A are protected.

  The circuit board 101 is provided with a retracting part 62B that retracts from the main body 1B of the breaker 1 in the thickness direction of the circuit board 101. The details of the retracting part 62B are the same as the retracting part 62B provided on the circuit board 62, and thus the description thereof is omitted.

  The conductive pattern 62 </ b> A of the circuit board 101 includes a signal transmission line 64. In the circuit board 101 of this embodiment, since the conductive pattern 62A can be formed in a vast area, the degree of freedom of the conductive pattern 62A is high. Accordingly, the signal transmission line 64 extends in a direction substantially perpendicular to the power supply line 61, for example.

  FIG. 12 shows a receptacle connector 60B that can also be mounted on the main circuit board 101 of the electrical device. The configuration of the connector 60 described above can be adopted for portions of the connector 60B that are not described below. In the connector 60B, the breaker 1 is provided on an internal circuit board 62. A plurality of pin terminals 66 are connected to the terminals 61B, 64B and 65B (see FIG. 10) of the circuit board 62. For example, solder (not shown) or the like is applied to the connection between the terminals 61B, 64B and 65B and the pin terminal 66.

  The tip of the pin terminal 66 is connected to a conductive pattern 101A provided on the circuit board 101. Solder 102 is applied to the connection between the pin terminal 66 and the conductive pattern 101A. A metal cover 67 is provided around the circuit board 62 as necessary. In FIG. 12, the metal cover 67 is drawn with a dashed-dotted line so that the circuit board 62 and the breaker 1 can be seen through.

  The metal cover 67 is formed at a distance from the conductive pattern 62A (see FIG. 10) of the circuit board 62, the breaker 1, and the like, and is insulated from the conductive pattern 62A. The circuit board 62 and the breaker 1 are protected by the metal cover 67. Further, the metal cover 67 suppresses the short circuit of the conductive pattern 62A. On the front surface of the metal cover 67, an opening 67A for exposing the power supply terminal 11A, the signal transmission terminal 14a, and the ground terminal 15A is formed. By inserting the connector 10 or the like into the opening 67A, the connector 10 or the like and the connector 60B are connected.

  FIG. 13 shows a connector 60C which is a modification of the connector 60B. Similarly to the connector 60B, the breaker 1 is provided in the circuit board 62 inside the connector 60C, and solder 102 is applied to the connection between the pin terminal 66 and the conductive pattern 101A. An insulator 68 is provided around the circuit board 62. In FIG. 13, the insulator 68 is drawn with a one-dot chain line so that the circuit board 62 and the breaker 1 can be seen through. The insulator 68 insulates the conductive pattern 62A (see FIG. 10) of the circuit board 62 from the outside of the connector 60C. Further, the circuit board 62 and the breaker 1 are protected by the insulator 68.

  In the aspect shown in FIG. 13, the flexible cable 110 is connected to the connector 60C. An opening 68A for exposing the power supply terminal 11A, the signal transmission terminal 14a, and the ground terminal 15A is formed on the front surface of the insulator 68. The opening 68A is provided with an openable / closable part 68B. By inserting the flexible cable 110 from the opening 68A and closing the opening / closing portion 68B, the flexible cable 110 and the connector 60C are connected, and the flexible cable 110 is fixed.

  The present invention is not limited to the configuration of the embodiment described above, and is a power supply that is built in at least the electric device 100, connected to an external device via the plug connector 10, and inputs / outputs DC power to / from the external device. It is only necessary that the power supply line 61 includes the terminal 61A and the power supply line 61 having the power supply terminal 61A connected to the tip, and the circuit breaker 1 that cuts off the current according to the temperature change is provided.

  The connectors 10, 10J, 60, and 60A of the present invention are also suitably used for connecting, for example, an AC / DC converter (so-called AC adapter) that converts a commercial AC voltage into a desired DC voltage and an electric device. In such connection, the connector may be used only for supplying DC power between the AC / DC converter and the electric device. Therefore, the signal transmission line 14 shown in FIG.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Breaker 1A Current interruption | blocking means 1B Main-body part 1C Terminal part 10 Connector 10J Connector 11 Feeding line 11A Feeding terminal 12 Circuit board 12A Conductive pattern 12B Retraction part 12C Through-hole 12J Circuit board 13 Insulator 14 Signal transmission line 60 Connector 60A Connector 61 Feeding Line 61A Power supply terminal 62 Circuit board 62A Conductive pattern 62B Retraction part 62C Through hole 64 Signal transmission line 100 Electric equipment 101 Circuit board

Claims (11)

In a connector comprising a power supply terminal for supplying DC power to a connection destination, and a power supply line provided at the tip of the power supply terminal,
A connector, wherein a breaker that cuts off a current in accordance with a temperature change is provided in the power supply line. A conductive pattern that forms the power supply terminal and the power supply line is formed, and further includes a circuit board on which the breaker is mounted, and an insulator for insulating the power supply line from the outside of the connector,
The breaker has a main body portion provided with a current interrupting means for interrupting current, and a terminal portion that protrudes outside the main body portion and is connected to the conductive pattern,
The connector according to claim 1, wherein the circuit board has a retracting portion that retracts from the main body portion of the breaker in a thickness direction of the substrate.   The connector according to claim 2, wherein the retracting portion penetrates the circuit board in a thickness direction. The conductive pattern is provided in parallel with the power supply line, and includes a signal transmission line that inputs and outputs an electrical signal to and from the connection destination,
4. The connector according to claim 2, wherein the signal transmission line is arranged in an outer region of the retracting portion in a plan view when the circuit board is viewed from a thickness direction. It further has a wire connected to the conductive pattern through solder,
5. The connector according to claim 2, wherein a connection portion between the conductive pattern and the wire is arranged in an outer region of the main body portion in a plan view when the circuit board is viewed from a thickness direction. The current interrupting means is
A fixed piece having a fixed contact;
A movable piece having a movable contact at a tip, and pressing the movable contact against the fixed contact; and
The connector according to claim 2, further comprising: a thermally responsive element that operates the movable piece so that the movable contact is separated from the fixed contact by being deformed with a temperature change. Built in electrical equipment, connected to external equipment via plug connector,
In a circuit board comprising a receptacle terminal that inputs and outputs DC power to and from the external device, and a power supply line that is connected to the tip of the receptacle terminal,
A circuit board, wherein a breaker that cuts off a current according to a temperature change is provided in the power supply line. Conductive patterns constituting the receptacle terminal and the power supply line are formed,
The breaker has a main body portion provided with a current interrupting means for interrupting current, and a terminal portion that protrudes outside the main body portion and is connected to the conductive pattern,
The circuit board according to claim 7, further comprising a retracting part that retracts from the main body part of the breaker in a thickness direction of the circuit board.   The circuit board according to claim 8, wherein the retracting portion penetrates the circuit board in a thickness direction. The conductive pattern includes a signal transmission line for inputting / outputting an electric signal to / from the external device,
The circuit board according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the signal transmission line is arranged in an outer region of the retracting portion in a plan view of the circuit board as viewed from a thickness direction. The current interrupting means is
A fixed piece having a fixed contact;
A movable piece having a movable contact at a tip, and pressing the movable contact against the fixed contact; and
The circuit board according to claim 8, further comprising a thermally responsive element that operates the movable piece so that the movable contact is separated from the fixed contact by being deformed with a temperature change.

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