JP2020191304A - Electrical connector assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide an electrical connector and an electrical connector assembly that can ensure a good contact state between contact portions when a connector fitting is completed by smoothly guiding a corresponding contact portion of a mating connector toward the regular contact position with the contact portion of the connector in the terminal width direction.SOLUTION: A terminal 20 has a contact portion 21A that comes into contact with a corresponding contact portion 61A provided on a mating terminal 60 with contact pressure at an intermediate position in the terminal width direction, and the terminal 20 includes a guide portion 24C for guiding the corresponding contact portion 61A of the mating terminal 60 to the contact portion 21A of the terminal 20 in the terminal width direction within the range of the contact portion 21A in the connector insertion/removal direction, and the guide portion 24C is formed as an inclined surface that is inclined toward the contact portion 21A in the terminal width direction from the side end position of the terminal 20 so as to approach the corresponding contact portion 61A of the mating terminal 60 and continues to the contact portion 21A.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

The present invention relates to an electric connector having a terminal that is slidably connected to a mating terminal provided on the mating connector in the insertion / removal direction of the connector, and an electric connector assembly including the electrical connector and the mating connector.

Such an electric connector and an electric connector assembly are disclosed in, for example, Patent Document 1.

The connector of Patent Document 1 is a connector for a circuit board arranged on a mounting surface of a circuit board, and a mating connector is fitted and connected from above with the vertical direction perpendicular to the mounting surface as the connector insertion / removal direction. It has become like. The connector extends in one direction parallel to the mounting surface as the longitudinal direction, and a plurality of terminals are held by the housing with the longitudinal direction as the arrangement direction. The terminal is formed by bending a metal strip in the thickness direction of the metal strip, and has an inverted U-shaped press-fitting portion to be press-fitted and attached to a housing portion, and one leg of the press-fitting portion to a free end. It has a contact end portion formed by extension and a connection portion extending from the other leg portion of the press-fitting portion in a different direction and solder-connected to the mounting surface, and the surface of the contact end portion has. , A contact portion of a ridge extending in a direction toward the free end (connector insertion / removal direction) is provided at an intermediate position in the terminal width direction (terminal arrangement direction). Two contact portions are provided in parallel at intervals in the terminal width direction, and each contact portion has a convex curved shape with a cross section perpendicular to the connector insertion / removal direction. As described above, the contact portion is formed at an intermediate position of the contact end portion in the terminal width direction, and the dimension of the contact portion in the terminal width direction is small. Therefore, the side surface of the contact portion (connector insertion / removal direction). The slope of the surface extending to) is steep, and is stepped with respect to the planes on both sides of the ridge. Further, tapered portions are provided at both front and rear ends in the connector insertion / removal direction.

On the other hand, in the mating connector as a circuit board connector fitted and connected to the connector, a plurality of mating terminals are held in the housing with the longitudinal direction of the mating connector as the arrangement direction. The mating terminal is a terminal obtained by punching a metal plate in the plate thickness direction to maintain the flat surface of the metal plate as it is, has an elastic arm portion, and is convex to a part of the edge portion of the free end of the elastic arm portion. It has a portion, and a corresponding contact portion for contacting the contact portion of the terminal is formed on the thick surface of the convex portion. At the time of fitting with the connector, the corresponding contact portion rides on the contact portion via the tapered portion of the terminal of the connector and is connected to the terminal in a state where the contact pressure is increased. The two contact portions arranged in the terminal width direction come into contact with the mating terminal with contact pressure, and if foreign matter or the like adheres to the contact surface during the connector fitting process, the contact portion having a convex curved cross section is the mating portion. Under high contact pressure with the terminal, it slides into contact with the other terminal to remove foreign matter and the like toward the side of the contact portion or back and forth to ensure contact with the other terminal.

Patent No. 4804526

However, in Patent Document 1, when the terminals of both connectors deviate from the normal position in the terminal width direction (terminal arrangement direction) in the connector fitting process, after the connector fitting is completed (connector fitting state). ), The deviation may not be eliminated and the contact portion and the corresponding contact portion may not come into contact with each other.

For example, when an external force in the terminal width direction (plate thickness direction) acts on the elastic arm portion of the mating terminal in the connector fitting process, the elastic arm portion is moved in the terminal width direction by the external force even when the connector fitting is completed. The elastically deformed state is maintained, and the corresponding contact portion formed on the elastic arm portion may shift from the contact portion of the terminal in the terminal width direction. At this time, the elastic arm portion is to be displaced from the elastically deformed state, that is, the corresponding contact portion toward the normal position where it can contact the contact portion, that is, the top of the contact portion. Restoring force is always occurring. However, as described above, since the side surface of the contact portion has a steep slope and is stepped with respect to the planes on both sides of the ridge, the contact portion is provided with the corresponding contact portion by the side surface of the contact portion. It is difficult to guide to the regular contact position with, that is, the top of the contact. Therefore, even if the corresponding contact portion tries to return to the normal position due to the elastic force, the corresponding contact portion is caught by the contact portion in the terminal width direction, easily stays at that position, and can ride on the contact portion. Therefore, it becomes impossible to contact the contact portion.

Further, in Patent Document 1, when the connectors are so-called diagonally fitted in the connector fitting process, the corresponding contact portion is smoothly guided toward the contact position with the contact portion in the terminal width direction. It is very important to. In this diagonal fitting, the connector fitting is started in a posture in which the mating connector is tilted with respect to the longitudinal direction of the connector, that is, one end side in the longitudinal direction of the mating connector is raised from the other end side, and the connector fitting is started. Refers to a fitting form in which the inclination angle of the mating connector is gradually reduced while rotating with the other end side as a fulcrum as the process progresses.

In this diagonal mating, at the start of connector mating, only the other end side of the mating connector, which is the fulcrum, is in the process of entering the connector, one end side is located outside the connector, and the mating connector is the other end. It has an inclination angle from the side toward the one end side. In the state at the start of mating of the connector, since the mating connector has the above-mentioned inclination angle, the corresponding contact portion of the mating terminal is located away from the contact portion of the terminal in the terminal width direction (terminal arrangement direction). As the connector fitting progresses and the inclination angle of the mating connector decreases, the corresponding contact portion of the mating terminal approaches the contact portion of the terminal not only in the connector insertion / removal direction but also in the terminal width direction. Immediately before the connector fitting is completed, the corresponding contact portion is in sliding contact with the contact portion not only in the connector insertion / removal direction but also in the terminal width direction, and when the connector fitting is completed, the corresponding contact portion is in regular contact with the contact portion. At the position, it comes into contact with the contact portion with contact pressure.

As described above, in Patent Document 1, the contact portion of the terminal has a stepped shape. Therefore, just before the mating connector reduces the inclination angle and completes the connector fitting, the corresponding contact portion is caught in the terminal width direction with respect to the contact portion, and the corresponding contact portion can ride on the contact portion. Therefore, it becomes impossible to contact the contact portion.

In view of such circumstances, the present invention smoothly guides the corresponding contact portion of the mating connector toward the regular contact position with the contact portion of the connector in the terminal width direction, so that the contact at the time of completing the connector fitting is completed. An object of the present invention is to provide an electric connector and an electric connector assembly capable of ensuring a good contact state between parts.

According to the present invention, the above-mentioned problems are solved by the electric connector according to the first invention and the electric connector assembly according to the second invention.

<First invention>
In the electric connector according to the first invention, a terminal holder is held by a terminal holder which is connected by sliding contact with a mating terminal provided on the mating connector in the insertion / removal direction of the connector.

In such an electric connector, in the first invention, the terminal has an exposed surface in which at least a part of the peripheral surface having an axis in the insertion / removal direction of the terminal is exposed from the wall surface of the terminal holder. On one surface forming at least a part of the exposed surface, a contact portion that comes into contact with the corresponding contact portion provided on the mating terminal with contact pressure is formed at an intermediate position in the width direction of the one surface. The terminal has a guide portion for guiding the corresponding contact portion of the partner terminal to the contact portion of the terminal in the width direction within the range of the contact portion in the insertion / removal direction. Is inclined so as to approach the corresponding contact portion of the mating terminal in the contact pressure direction in which the contact pressure is generated as the contact pressure is generated from the side end position of the terminal toward the contact portion in the width direction on the one surface of the terminal. It is characterized in that it is formed as an inclined surface that is continuous up to the contact portion.

In the first invention, the terminal itself is formed with a guide portion for guiding the corresponding contact portion of the mating terminal to the contact portion of the terminal in the width direction of the terminal. The guide portion is formed as an inclined surface continuous from the side end position of the terminal to the contact portion. Therefore, the size of the guide portion in the width direction of the terminal can be sufficiently increased to make the guide portion a gently inclined surface having a small gradient. As a result, even if the corresponding contact portion deviates from the contact portion of the terminal in the terminal width direction due to elastic deformation of the mating terminal in the connector fitting process or the connector fitting completed state, the continuous inclination formed in the terminal is formed. In the guide portion forming a surface, the corresponding contact portion is smoothly guided toward the contact portion of the terminal by the elastic force of the mating terminal without any catch. Further, even in the process of diagonally fitting the connectors to each other, the corresponding contact portion is smoothly guided toward the contact portion of the terminal by the guide portion of the terminal. As a result of the corresponding contact portion being guided to the contact portion in this way, a good contact state between the corresponding contact portion and the contact portion is ensured.

In the first invention, the terminal holder extends the auxiliary guide portion for guiding the corresponding contact portion of the mating terminal to the guide portion of the terminal in the width direction of one surface of the terminal within the range of the guide portion in the insertion / removal direction of the connector. The auxiliary guide portion has the contact pressure on the wall surface of the terminal holder as it goes from an outer position in the width direction to the guide portion in the width direction from the side end of the terminal. It may be formed as an inclined surface so as to approach the corresponding contact portion of the mating terminal in the direction, and the top portion of the inclined surface may be located within the range of the guide portion in the pressure contact direction.

By providing the auxiliary guide portion on the terminal holder, the corresponding contact portion of the mating terminal is guided to the guide portion of the terminal by the auxiliary guide portion, and then what is caught by the guide portion toward the contact portion. You will be guided smoothly without any problems. In this way, since the corresponding contact portion can be reliably guided to the guide portion by the auxiliary contact portion, the contact state between the corresponding contact portion and the contact portion can be more reliably ensured.

In the first invention, in the terminal, a plurality of contact portions are formed on one surface of the terminal at intervals in the width direction of the one surface, and an immersive portion more immersive than the contact portion is formed between the contact portions. The guide portion may be continuous with the contact portions located at both ends in the width direction of the plurality of contact portions.

<Second invention>
The electric connector assembly according to the second invention has an electric connector according to the first invention and a mating connector connected to the electric connector.

In such an electric connector assembly, the mating terminal provided on the mating connector has a corresponding contact portion protruding from the corresponding surface facing one surface of the terminal of the electric connector and extending in the connector insertion / removal direction in the width direction of the corresponding surface. It is characterized in that a plurality of them are formed at intervals.

In the present invention, as described above, since the guide portion for guiding the corresponding contact portion of the mating terminal to the contact portion of the terminal in the width direction of the terminal is formed in the terminal, the corresponding contact portion is described by the guide portion. Can be smoothly guided to the contact position with the terminal in the width direction of the terminal, and as a result, a good contact state between the corresponding contact portion and the contact portion can be ensured.

It is sectional drawing which showed the electric connector which concerns on 1st Embodiment together with the mating connector, and shows the state before the connector fitting. It is sectional drawing which shows the state after fitting connection of both connectors of FIG. (A) is an overall perspective view of the terminals of the electric connector, (B) is a partially enlarged view of the terminals of (A), (C) is a sectional view of IIIC-IIIC of (B), and (D). ) Is a partial cross-sectional view of the terminal according to the modified example. (A) to (C) are perspective views, plan views, and cross-sectional views when the terminal and the mating terminal are in the normal contact position, and (D) to (F) are the terminal and the mating terminal normal in the terminal width direction. It is a perspective view, a plan view, and a cross-sectional view at a position deviated from the contact position of. It is sectional drawing of the terminal and the mating terminal in the plane perpendicular to the connector insertion / removal direction which concerns on another modification, (A) shows a normal contact state, and (B) is the corresponding contact part of a mating terminal. Indicates a state of being displaced in the terminal width direction. It is sectional drawing of the terminal and the mating terminal in the plane perpendicular to the connector insertion / removal direction which concerns on another modification, (A) shows a normal contact state, and (B) is the corresponding contact of a mating terminal. The part is shifted in the terminal width direction. It is sectional drawing of the terminal and the mating terminal in the plane perpendicular to the connector insertion / removal direction which concerns on 2nd Embodiment, (A) shows a normal contact state, and (B) and (C) are mating terminals. Indicates a state in which the corresponding contact portion of is displaced in the terminal width direction. It is sectional drawing of the terminal and the mating terminal in the plane perpendicular to the connector insertion / removal direction which concerns on 3rd Embodiment, (A) shows a normal contact state, and (B) is the corresponding contact part of a mating terminal. Indicates a state of being displaced in the terminal width direction.

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

<First Embodiment>
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional perspective view showing the electric connector according to the first embodiment of the present invention when viewed from below together with the mating connector, and is shown in a state before the connector is fitted. Further, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional perspective view showing a state after fitting and connection of both connectors of FIG. The electric connector 1 (hereinafter, simply referred to as “connector 1”) according to the present embodiment is a circuit board plug connector mounted on the mounting surface of the circuit board P1 and has one direction parallel to the mounting surface. A plurality of arrangement directions are arranged on the mounting surface. The mating connector 2 is a circuit board receptacle connector arranged on the mounting surface of another circuit board P2. Both connectors are inserted and removed in a direction perpendicular to the mounting surface (vertical direction) as a connector insertion / removal direction under a posture in which the mounting surfaces of the circuit boards P1 and P2 are parallel to each other. In the present embodiment, the mating connector 2 has a plurality of connecting bodies 30 described later, and one connector 1 is connected to one connecting body 30 from above. In FIGS. 1 and 2, two connectors 1 and two connectors 30 connected to the two connectors 1 are shown.

The connector 1 has a housing 10 as a terminal holder made of an electrically insulating material that extends in the longitudinal direction in the connector width direction (directions perpendicular to both the arrangement direction of the connector 1 and the connector insertion / removal direction), and the connector by the housing 10. It has a plurality of terminals 20 that are arranged and held in the width direction.

As is often seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the housing 10 extends with the connector width direction as the longitudinal direction, and is formed in the same direction with substantially the same dimensions as the mating connector 2. The housing 10 includes a base portion 11 forming an upper portion (a portion on the circuit board P1 side in the vertical direction) of the housing 10 in FIGS. 1 and 2, and a fitting wall portion 12 standing downward from the base portion 11. Have. The fitting wall portion 12 is formed as a fitting portion that fits into the receiving portion 41 of the mating connector 2, which will be described later. As can be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the lower portion of the fitting wall portion 12 is formed as an inclined surface that inclines so that both side surfaces (surfaces facing each other in the arrangement direction of the connector) approach each other as they go downward. , It has a tapered shape when viewed in the connector width direction. In the connector fitting process, the connector 1 is guided to a regular fitting position on the inclined surface by the mating connector 2.

Further, as seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, a plurality of terminal accommodating portions 13 extending in the vertical direction are arranged in the housing 10 at equal intervals in the connector width direction, and the terminals are arranged in the terminal accommodating portions 13. It is designed to accommodate and hold 20. The terminal accommodating portion 13 is formed as grooves on both side surfaces of the fitting wall portion 12 extending in the connector width direction in the range of the fitting wall portion 12 in the vertical direction, and in the range of the base portion 11 in the vertical direction, the terminal accommodating portion 13 is formed. It is formed as a hole that communicates with the groove and penetrates the base 11.

As can be seen in FIG. 3A, the terminal 20 is made by punching a metal plate member in the plate thickness direction, and the overall shape extends linearly in the left-right direction (vertical direction in FIGS. 1 and 2). It is in the shape of a strip. The terminals 20 are arranged so that their plate surfaces (upper surface and lower surface in FIG. 3A) are perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the connector 1 and are arranged in the terminal accommodating portion 13 of the housing 10. FIG. It is press-fitted from above in 2 and held, and is arranged in the connector width direction. In the present embodiment, the plurality of terminals 20 are used as signal terminals or ground terminals, and the signal terminals and ground terminals are arranged in a mixed manner.

As seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the terminals 20 are provided on both side surfaces of the fitting wall portion 12 of the housing 10, and are provided in the wall thickness direction of the fitting wall portion 12 (the arrangement direction of the connectors 1). It is provided in two rows symmetrical with respect to the fitting wall portion 12. As seen in FIG. 3A, the terminal 20 has a held portion 21 formed at an intermediate position in the longitudinal direction of the terminal 20 (horizontal direction in FIG. 3A) and the held portion 21. A connecting portion 22 extending straight from the terminal 20 to the left end, a wide portion 23 extending straight from the held portion 21 to the right, and a narrow portion 24 extending straight from the wide portion 23 to the right end are formed. ing.

The held portion 21 has a plurality of held protrusions 21A protruding in the terminal width direction (the same direction as the connector width direction) from the side edges on both sides extending in the longitudinal direction of the terminal 20, and the held protrusions 21. 21A bites into the inner wall surface of the hole portion of the terminal accommodating portion 13 of the housing 10, so that the base portion 11 of the housing 10 press-fits and holds the portion.

As seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the connection portion 22 extends from the upper surface of the housing 10, and a solder ball B1 is attached to the upper end thereof, and the mounting surface of the circuit board P1 is formed by melting and solidifying the solder ball B1. Soldered to the circuit section of. The wide portion 23 and the narrow portion 24 are portions that are entirely accommodated in the groove portion of the terminal accommodating portion 13, and one plate surface (upper surface in FIGS. 3A to 3C) is a fitting wall portion. It is exposed from the side surface of 12. As seen in FIG. 3A, the narrow portion 24 is longer than the wide portion 23 in the longitudinal direction of the terminal 20 and narrower than the wide portion 23 in the terminal width direction. In the groove portion, not only the plate surface but also the side end surfaces (thick surface) on both sides of the narrow portion 24, which is narrower than the wide portion 23, are exposed from the side surface of the fitting wall portion 12. (See FIGS. 4 (C) and 4 (F)).

The narrow portion 24 is located at two positions in the middle region in the terminal width direction of the plate surface (upper surface in FIGS. 3A to 3C) which is a part of the exposed surface exposed from the housing 10. Two contact portions 24A for contacting the mating terminal 60 of the connector 2 are formed at intervals. As seen in FIGS. 3 (C), the contact portion 24A has a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the terminal 20 protruding upward, and is seen in FIGS. 3 (A) and 3 (B). As a result, a ridge extending over almost the entire width of the narrow portion 24 in the longitudinal direction is formed.

Further, as seen in FIG. 3C, an immersive portion 24B more immersive than the contact portion 24A is formed between the two contact portions 24A. As seen in FIGS. 3 (A) and 3 (B), the immersion portion 24B has a groove portion extending over almost the entire width of the narrow portion 24 in the longitudinal direction, and is on the tip end side in the longitudinal direction (FIG. 3 (A)). ), (B) is open to the right end side). In the connector fitting process, if foreign matter or the like adheres to the contact portion 24A of the terminal 20 or the corresponding contact portion 61A described later of the mating terminal 60, the immersion portion 24B has the contact portion 24A and the corresponding contact portion 61A. It is designed to accept foreign substances and the like that have been eliminated by sliding contact under high contact pressure. In the present embodiment, the immersion portion 24B is formed as a groove portion extending over almost the entire length in the longitudinal direction of the narrow portion 24, but instead, as seen in FIG. 3D, the width is formed. It may be closed on the right end side of the narrow portion 24 to form a recess.

Further, as seen in FIGS. 3A to 3D, the narrow portion 24 comes into contact with each other in the terminal width direction from the respective positions of both side ends of the narrow portion 24 in the terminal width direction on the upper surface. It is inclined upward toward the portion 24A, that is, inclined toward the corresponding contact portion 61A of the mating terminal 60 in the connector connected state (see FIG. 4C), and is flat and continuous up to the contact portion 24A. It has an inclined surface. The inclined surface functions as a guide portion 24C for guiding the corresponding contact portion 61A of the mating terminal 60 to the contact portion 24A of the terminal 20 in the terminal width direction, as will be described later. As seen in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the guide portion 24C extends in the connector insertion / removal direction, that is, in the longitudinal direction of the narrow portion 24, over the same range as the contact portion 24A.

Further, as seen in FIGS. 3A to 3D, a flat inclined surface that inclines upward from the right end to the left is formed on the upper surface of the tip portion (right end portion) of the narrow portion 24. Has been done. The inclined surface functions as an introduction portion 24D that guides the mating terminal 60 toward the contact portion 24A in the connector insertion / removal direction during the connector fitting process.

In the present embodiment, two contact portions 24A are formed at intervals in the terminal width direction, but the number of contact portions is not limited to this, and three or more contact portions are formed at intervals in the terminal width direction. It may have been. In this case, the guide portion of the terminal is formed as an inclined surface that is continuous from each position of both side ends of the terminal to the contact portion of the outermost position in the terminal width direction.

Next, the configuration of the mating connector 2 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. As seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the mating connector 2 includes a plurality of connectors 30 connected to the connector 1 and two supports in which the plurality of connectors 30 are arranged and collectively supported (shown). It has. The plurality of connectors 30 are arranged close to each other in one direction parallel to the surface of the circuit board P2.

The connecting body 30 accommodates two blades 40 having the same shape as each other and arranged so as to be symmetrical in the arrangement direction of the connecting body 30 to form a pair, and the upper half of the two blades 40. It has a housing 50 that holds the blade 40. The space that opens upward between the blades 40 at the upper part of the connecting body 30 is formed as a receiving portion 41 for receiving the fitting portion of the mating connector 2 described later from above.

As can be seen in FIG. 1, the blades 40 are a plurality of strip-shaped mates arranged at equal intervals in the connector width direction (the same direction as the width direction of the blades 40) perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the connecting body 30. The terminal 60 and two types of terminal holders 70 and 80 (“upper holder 70” and “lower holder 80” described later) made of an electrically insulating material such as a resin that holds the plurality of mating terminals 60, and the above. It has a ground plate 90 arranged on one plate surface side (corresponding to the "outside" described later) of the plurality of terminals 20 and held by the terminal holders 70 and 80. Hereinafter, in the two blades 40 forming a pair, the surface side facing each other is referred to as "inside", and the opposite surface side is referred to as "outside".

The plurality of mating terminals 60 are composed of a mating signal terminal and a mating ground terminal. In each blade 40, the mating signal terminal and the mating ground terminal are arranged corresponding to the signal terminal and the ground terminal forming the terminal 20 of the connector 1, respectively.

As seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the mating terminal 60 is made by partially bending a strip-shaped metal member extending in the connector insertion / removal direction, that is, in the vertical direction, and is formed in the arrangement direction of the connecting body 30. On the other hand, the plate surfaces are arranged so as to be at right angles. The mating terminal 60 is formed as an elastic arm portion 61 whose upper half portion extends upward from the upper holding body 70 described later. Further, in the lower half portion of the mating terminal 60, a lower end portion protruding downward from the lower end of the lower holding body 80 described later is formed as a connecting portion 62, and a portion other than the connecting portion 62, that is, an elastic arm portion 61. The portion that connects the connection portion 62 and the connection portion 62 is formed as a held portion that is held by the terminal holders 70 and 80 by integral molding.

In a state where the mating terminal 60 is held by the terminal holders 70 and 80 by the held portion, the elastic arm portion 61 holds the terminal on the peripheral surface having an axis in the vertical direction (connector insertion / removal direction) over the entire circumferential direction. It is exposed from the bodies 70 and 80, and can be elastically displaced in the plate thickness direction of the elastic arm portion 61. On the upper end side of the elastic arm portion 61, a corresponding contact portion 61A bent so as to project inward in the plate thickness direction is formed. The corresponding contact portion 61A is made to elastically contact the terminal 20 of the connector 1 on the inner plate surface, that is, the plate surface bent so as to protrude (see also FIGS. 4A to 4F). ). As described above, the connection portion protrudes downward from the lower end of the lower holder 80, and is solder-connected to the corresponding circuit portion of the circuit board P2 by the solder ball B2 (see FIG. 1). ..

The upper holding body 70 extends over the arrangement range of the mating terminals 60 in the connector width direction, and holds a portion of the mating terminal 60 near the upper end of the held portion. Further, the lower holding body 80 extends over the arrangement range of the mating terminal 60 in the connector width direction at a position lower than the upper holding body 70, and holds the lower half of the held portion of the mating terminal 60. ..

The ground plate 90 faces the outer surface of the mating terminal 60 and extends in the connector width direction over the entire arrangement range of the mating terminal 60, and is made by bending a metal plate member in the plate thickness direction. The ground plate 90 is formed with a ridge portion that protrudes toward the outer surface (plate surface) of the mating ground terminal and extends in the vertical direction at a position corresponding to each mating ground terminal. The ridge portion is in contact with the outer surface of the mating ground terminal at its protruding top. The ground plate 90 is held by the upper holding body 70 by, for example, ultrasonic welding of a part of the upper holding body 70.

The housing 50 is made of an electrically insulating material such as resin, and is a rectangular parallelepiped member having a rectangular parallelepiped outer shape with the terminal arrangement direction as the longitudinal direction. The housing 50 accommodates a pair of blades 40 in a space penetrating in the vertical direction, and has an intermediate wall 51 extending between the blades 40 in the terminal arrangement direction at the lower portion of the housing 50. There is. The housing 50 is attached to the pair of blades 40 from above and houses the upper half of the blades 40, as seen in FIG.

Next, the manufacturing process of the mating connector 2 will be described. First, a plurality of mating terminals 60 are arranged at predetermined intervals in one mold (not shown) for simultaneously molding the terminal holders 70 and 80. At this time, the elastic arm portion 61 and the connecting portion 62 of the mating terminal 60 are located outside the mold. Further, the plurality of mating terminals 60 may be connected to the carrier.

Next, by molding the terminal holders 70 and 80, the held portions of the mating terminals 60 are integrally held by the terminal holders 70 and 80. Then, after the ground plate 90 is attached to the upper holding body 70 by ultrasonic welding or the like, the mating terminal 60 is separated from the carrier to complete the blade 40.

Next, the connecting body 30 is completed by press-fitting the two blades 40 into the housing 50 from below with the inner surfaces facing each other. Further, by attaching the plurality of connectors 30 to the support (not shown), the plurality of connectors 30 are collectively supported by the supports, and the mating connector 2 is completed. This support can be composed of, for example, a pair of metal plate members extending in the arrangement direction of the connection body 30 at both end positions of the connection body 30 in the terminal arrangement direction.

Next, the connector fitting operation between the connector 1 and the mating connector 2 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1, 2, and 4. 4 (A) to 4 (C) are perspective views, plan views, and cross-sectional views when the terminal and the mating terminal are in the normal contact position, and FIGS. 4 (D) to 4 (F) show the terminal and the mating terminal. It is a perspective view, a plan view, and a cross-sectional view when it is deviated from the normal contact position in the terminal width direction. In FIGS. 4B and 4E, the portion of the terminal 20 hidden by the mating terminal 60 is indicated by a broken line.

First, a plurality of connectors 1 are solder-connected and mounted on the circuit board P1, and a mating connector 2 having the same number of connectors 30 as the plurality of connectors 1 is solder-connected and mounted on the circuit board P2. Next, as shown in FIG. 1, the connector 1 is oriented downward, and the connector 1 is set to the mating connector 2 so that each connector 1 corresponds to the receiving portion 41 of the connecting body 30 of the mating connector 2. Position above.

Next, the connector fitting operation is completed by moving the connector 1 downward and fitting the connector 1 into the corresponding connecting bodies 30 from above, as shown in FIG. At this time, the fitting portion of the connector 1 enters the receiving portion 41 of the connecting body 30. The two contact portions 24A of the terminals 20 provided on the connector 1 are in contact with each other in the thickness direction (vertical direction in FIGS. 4A to 4F) as the contact pressure direction in the connector fitting process. Is brought into sliding contact with the corresponding contact portion 61A of the mating terminal 60 in the connector insertion / removal direction. Then, when the connector fitting is completed, as seen in FIGS. 4A to 4C, the two contact portions 24A elastically contact the corresponding contact portion 61A with the contact pressure in the contact pressure direction. It conducts electrically.

When an external force in the terminal width direction acts on the elastic arm portion 61 of the mating terminal 60 in the connector fitting process between the connector 1 and the mating connector 2, the elastic arm portion 61 is elastically deformed in the terminal width direction due to the external force. In the connector fitting process or the connector fitting state, as seen in FIGS. 4D to 4F, the corresponding contact portion 61A of the elastic arm portion 61 has a terminal width with respect to the contact portion 24A of the terminal 20. It may shift in the direction. At this time, the elastic arm portion 61 has an elastic force (a force acting toward the right side of FIG. 4F) that tries to recover from the elastically deformed state, that is, the corresponding contact portion 61A is referred to the contact portion 24A. There is always a restoring force that tends to displace towards the normal contactable position, i.e., the top of the contact 24A.

In the present embodiment, the terminal 20 itself is formed with a guide portion 24C forming an inclined surface for guiding the corresponding contact portion 61A of the mating terminal 60 to the contact portion 24A of the terminal 20 in the width direction of the terminal 20. The guide portion 24C is formed as an inclined surface continuous from the side end position of the terminal 20 to the contact portion 24A. Therefore, the size of the guide portion 24C in the width direction of the terminal 20 can be sufficiently increased to make the guide portion 24C a gently inclined surface having a small gradient. As a result, even if the corresponding contact portion 61A is displaced from the contact portion 24A of the terminal 20 in the terminal width direction due to elastic deformation of the elastic arm portion 61 of the mating terminal 60 in the connector fitting process or the connector fitting completed state. In the guide portion 24C forming the continuously inclined surface formed on the terminal 20, the corresponding contact portion 61A is smoothly guided toward the contact portion 24A of the terminal 20 by the elastic force of the elastic arm portion 61 without any catch. .. As a result of the corresponding contact portion 61A being guided to the contact portion 24A in this way, good contact between the corresponding contact portion 61A and the contact portion 24A at the regular contact positions shown in FIGS. 4 (A) to 4 (C). The state is secured.

Further, when the connector 1 and the mating connector 2 are so-called diagonally mated at the time of connector fitting, as described above, immediately before the completion of the connector fitting, the corresponding contact portion 61A of the mating terminal 60 is a terminal. The contact portion 24A of 20 is slidably contacted not only in the connector insertion / removal direction but also in the terminal width direction, and when the connector fitting is completed, the contact portion 24A is in contact with the contact portion 24A at a regular contact position with contact pressure. It will be. In this diagonal fitting process, the corresponding contact portion 61A is smoothly guided toward the contact portion 24A of the terminal 20 by the guide portion 24C of the terminal 20 in the same manner as described above. As a result of the corresponding contact portion 61A being guided to the contact portion 24A in this way, a good contact state between the corresponding contact portion 61A and the contact portion 24A is ensured.

In the present embodiment, the guide portion is formed only on the terminal 20, but the contact portion 24A of the terminal 20 is guided not only to the terminal 20 but also to the mating terminal 60 toward the corresponding contact portion 61A in the terminal width direction. A guide portion for the purpose may be formed. The guide portion is formed as, for example, an inclined surface continuous from the side end position of the mating terminal 60 to the contact portion 61A so as to incline downward in FIG. 4 (C) toward the contact portion 61A in the terminal width direction. can do. By providing the guide portion in the terminal 60 in this way, smooth guidance between the terminals is promoted, and the contact portions can be more reliably brought into contact with each other at a regular contact position.

Further, in the present embodiment, the mating terminal 60 has an elastic arm portion 61, but instead of this, the mating terminal does not have an elastic arm portion and does not elastically deform in the terminal width direction. Even in the case of the configuration, the corresponding contact portion is smoothly guided toward the contact portion 24A by the guide portion 24C in the oblique fitting process, as described above.

In the present embodiment, the guide portion of the terminal is formed as a flat inclined surface, but the shape of the guide portion of the terminal is not limited to this, and as a modification, for example, it may be formed as a convex curved surface. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the terminal and the mating terminal on a plane perpendicular to the connector insertion / removal direction at the contact position between the terminal and the mating terminal, where (A) shows a normal contact state and (B). Indicates a state in which the corresponding contact portion of the mating terminal is displaced in the terminal width direction. In FIGS. 5A and 5B, the portions corresponding to the respective parts of the connector and the mating connector of the above-described embodiment are indicated by reference numerals obtained by adding "100" to the reference numerals shown in FIGS. 1 to 4. ing.

In the modified example seen in FIGS. 5A and 5B, the guide portion 124C of the terminal 120 is inclined upward from the side end position of the terminal 120 toward the contact portion 124A in the terminal width direction, and the contact portion 124A It is formed as a continuous inclined surface up to, and the inclined surface is convexly curved. In the embodiment in which the guide portion 124C is a convex curved surface in this way, as seen in FIG. 5 (B), the corresponding contact portion 161A of the mating terminal 160 is in the terminal width direction (left-right direction in FIG. 5 (B)). The corresponding contact portion 161A is smoothly guided toward the contact portion 124A by the guide portion 124C, and the corresponding contact portion 161A is smoothly guided toward the contact portion 124A by the guide portion 124C, as in the case where the above-described embodiment is described with reference to FIG. It is brought to the regular contact position shown in.

Further, in the present embodiment, two contact portions of the terminals are provided in the terminal width direction, but one contact portion may be provided. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the terminal and the mating terminal on a plane perpendicular to the connector insertion / removal direction at the contact position between the terminal and the mating terminal in a modified example in which the terminal has one contact portion. Indicates a normal contact state, and (B) indicates a state in which the corresponding contact portion of the mating terminal is displaced in the terminal width direction. In FIGS. 6 (A) and 6 (B), the portions corresponding to the respective parts of the connector and the mating connector of the above-described embodiment are indicated by reference numerals obtained by adding "200" to the reference numerals shown in FIGS. 1 to 4. ing.

In the modified example seen in FIGS. 6A and 6B, the terminal 220 has one contact portion 224A in the central region in the terminal width direction, and the mating terminal on the flat upper surface of the contact portion 224A. It comes into contact with the corresponding contact portion 261A of 260 with contact pressure. The guide portion 224C is inclined upward from both side edge positions of the mating terminal 260 toward the contact portion 224A in the terminal width direction, that is, approaches the corresponding contact portion 261A of the mating terminal 260, and continues to the contact portion 224A. It is formed as an inclined surface. As seen in FIGS. 6 (A) and 6 (B), the inclined surface formed by the contact portion 224A is formed as a convex curved surface as in the modified examples described above based on FIGS. 5 (A) and 5 (B). Has been done. The inclined surface forming the contact portion 224A may be formed as a flat surface.

In this modified example, as seen in FIG. 6B, even when the corresponding contact portion 261A of the mating terminal 260 is displaced in the terminal width direction, the above-described embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5. The corresponding contact portion 261A is smoothly guided toward the contact portion 224A by the guide portion 224C, and is brought to the regular contact position shown in FIG. 6 (A).

<Second embodiment>
In the present embodiment, in addition to the guide portion formed in the terminal for guiding the corresponding contact portion of the mating terminal to the contact portion of the terminal, the housing is provided with an auxiliary guide portion for guiding the corresponding contact portion to the guide portion. In this respect, the housing differs from the first embodiment in that it does not have an auxiliary guide.

7A and 7B are cross-sectional views of the terminal and the mating terminal on a plane perpendicular to the connector insertion / removal direction at the contact position between the terminal and the mating terminal in the second embodiment, and FIG. 7A shows a normal contacting state. (B) and (C) indicate a state in which the corresponding contact portion of the mating terminal is displaced in the terminal width direction. In FIGS. 7 (A) to 7 (C), the portions corresponding to the respective parts of the connector and the mating connector of the first embodiment are indicated by reference numerals obtained by adding "300" to the reference numerals shown in FIGS. 1 to 4. There is.

In the present embodiment, the terminal 320 has two contact portions 324A located at intervals in the terminal width direction and the terminal 320, similarly to the terminal 20 of the first embodiment (see FIGS. 4C and 4F). It has a guide portion 324C that is inclined upward toward the contact portion 324A in the terminal width direction from the side end position of the above and continues to the contact portion 324A. Further, in the present embodiment, the housing 310 is the guide portion 324C of the terminal 320 at the outer positions on both sides of the terminal accommodating portion 313 in the terminal width direction and in the connector insertion / removal direction (direction perpendicular to the paper surface). A protruding portion 314 projecting from the wall surface of the housing 310 (upper surface in FIGS. 7A to 7C) is formed in the range of. The top portion (upper end portion) of the protrusion 314 is located within the range of the guide portion 324C of the terminal 320 in the vertical direction, that is, the contact pressure direction. The protrusion 314 has a flat inclined surface that inclines upward to the top of the protrusion 314 toward the guide portion 324C of the terminal 320 in the terminal width direction. The inclined surface is formed as an auxiliary guide portion 314A for guiding the corresponding contact portion 361A of the mating terminal 360 to the guide portion 324C of the terminal 320 in the terminal width direction.

FIG. 7B shows that the corresponding contact portion 361A is displaced in the terminal width direction with respect to the contact portion 324A of the terminal 320 due to the elastic deformation of the elastic arm portion 361 of the mating terminal 360 in the connector fitting process or the connector fitting state. The state in which the terminal is located outside the protrusion 314 (opposite the terminal 320 with respect to the protrusion 314) in the terminal width direction is shown. In the present embodiment, the corresponding contact portion 361A is guided by the auxiliary guide portion 314A of the housing 310 by the elastic force of the elastic arm portion 361 (the force directed to the right in FIG. 7B) and rides on the top of the protruding portion 314. (See FIG. 7 (C)).

Further, the corresponding contact portion 361A is displaced toward the guide portion 324C while being in sliding contact with the top of the protruding portion 314 due to the elastic force (force acting toward the right side of FIG. 7C). Then, after the corresponding contact portion 361A comes into contact with the guide portion 324C, the guide portion 324C smoothly guides the corresponding contact portion 361A toward the contact portion 324A of the terminal 320 by the elastic force. As described above, in the present embodiment, since the housing 310 is provided with the auxiliary guide portion 314A for guiding the corresponding contact portion 361A to the guide portion 324C of the terminal 320, the corresponding contact portion 361A is the contact portion in the terminal width direction. Even if it is located outside the protrusion 314 with a large deviation from the 324A, the corresponding contact portion 361A can be surely brought to the regular contact position with the contact portion 324A.

Further, even when the connector 1 and the mating connector 2 are so-called diagonally fitted at the time of connector fitting, the corresponding contact portion 361A is formed by the auxiliary guide portion 314A and the guide portion 324C in the same manner as described above. It is sequentially guided and brought to a regular contact position with the contact portion 324A.

In the present embodiment, the guide portion is formed only on the terminal 320, but the contact portion 324A of the terminal 320 is guided not only to the terminal 320 but also to the mating terminal 360 toward the corresponding contact portion 361A in the terminal width direction. A guide portion for the purpose may be formed. The guide portion is formed, for example, as an inclined surface continuous from the side end position of the mating terminal 360 to the contact portion 361A so as to incline downward in FIG. 7 (A) toward the contact portion 361A in the terminal width direction. can do. Further, at this time, the terminal holder holding the mating terminal 360 may be formed with an auxiliary guide portion for guiding the contact portion 324A of the terminal 320 toward the guide portion of the mating terminal 360 in the terminal width direction. .. By providing the guide portion on the mating terminal 360 and the auxiliary guide portion on the terminal holder in this way, smooth guidance between the terminals is promoted, and the contact portions are more reliably contacted at the regular contact position. Can be made to.

Further, in the present embodiment, the auxiliary guide portion of the housing is formed as a flat inclined surface, but the shape of the auxiliary guide portion is not limited to this, and as a modification, for example, even if it is formed as a convex curved surface. Good.

<Third Embodiment>
In the first and second embodiments, the guide portion is formed in the terminal provided with a plurality of contact portions in the terminal, but in the present embodiment, the guide portion is provided in the mating terminal. In this respect, it differs from the first and second embodiments.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the terminal and the mating terminal on a plane perpendicular to the connector insertion / removal direction at the contact position between the terminal and the mating terminal according to the third embodiment, and FIG. 8A shows a normal contact state. (B) shows a state in which the corresponding contact portion of the mating terminal is displaced in the terminal width direction. In FIGS. 7A and 7B, the portions corresponding to the respective parts of the connector and the mating connector of the first embodiment are indicated by reference numerals obtained by adding "400" to the reference numerals shown in FIGS. 1 to 4. There is.

In the present embodiment, as will be described later, the contact portion 424A is formed on the terminal 420 and the corresponding contact portion 461A is formed on the mating terminal 460, but the terminal 420 is regarded as the mating terminal with respect to the mating terminal 460. In this case, the terminal 420 is the "counterpart terminal", the contact portion 424A is the "corresponding contact portion", the mating terminal 460 is the "terminal", and the corresponding contact portion 461A is the "contact portion".

As shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B, a contact portion 424A and two contact portions 424A are formed on the upper surface of the terminal 420 so as to project at both side end regions in the terminal width direction, respectively. It has an immersion portion 424B formed between the two. As described above, each contact portion 424A is formed in a side end region in the terminal width direction, that is, a range extending from the intermediate position to the side end position of the terminal 420. Therefore, the terminal 420 does not have a guide and is different from the terminals of the first and second embodiments in this respect.

On the other hand, as seen in FIGS. 8A and 8B, the elastic arm portion 461 of the mating terminal 460 has a corresponding contact portion 461A for contacting the contact portion 424A of the terminal 420, and the lower surface of the mating terminal 460. (Plate surface) A flat surface is formed in the central region in the terminal width direction, and a guide portion 461B for guiding the contact portion 424A to the corresponding contact portion 461A in the terminal width direction is provided at a position near both side ends. There is. As seen in FIGS. 8A and 8B, the guide portion 461B is formed as a flat inclined surface that inclines downward from the side end position of the mating terminal 460 toward the corresponding contact portion 461A in the terminal width direction. Has been done.

According to this embodiment, as seen in FIG. 8B, the elasticity of the elastic arm portion 461 of the terminal 460 even when the terminal 460 is deviated from the corresponding contact portion 461A in the terminal width direction. By the force (force acting toward the right side of FIG. 8B), the contact portion 424A of the terminal 420 is smoothly guided by the guide portion 461B toward the corresponding contact portion 461A without any catch, and FIG. It is brought to the regular contact position shown in A). As a result, a good contact state between the corresponding contact portion 461A and the contact portion 424A is ensured. Further, even when the connectors are obliquely fitted to each other, the contact portion 424A of the terminal 420 is guided to the corresponding contact portion 461A by the guide portion 461B in the same manner as described above, and is brought to the regular contact position. The guide portion 461B may be formed as a convex curved surface.

Further, in addition to providing the guide portion 461B on the mating terminal 460 as described above, the contact portion 424A of the terminal 420 is attached to the terminal holder (not shown) holding the mating terminal 460 in the terminal width direction. An auxiliary guide unit may be provided to guide the user. The auxiliary guide portion can be formed as an inclined surface of a protruding portion protruding from the wall surface of the terminal holder, for example, similarly to the auxiliary guide portion 314A shown in FIGS. 7A to 7C.

Further, the terminal 420 may be provided with a guide portion, and the housing 410 holding the terminal 420 may be provided with an auxiliary guide portion. The guide portion may be formed as an inclined surface continuous from the side end position of the terminal 420 to the contact portion 424A in the terminal width direction, similarly to the guide portion 324C shown in FIGS. 7A to 7C, for example. it can. Further, the auxiliary guide portion can be formed as an inclined surface of a protruding portion protruding from the wall surface of the housing 410, similarly to the auxiliary guide portion 314A shown in FIGS. 7A to 7C. By providing the guide portion in the terminal 420 and by providing the auxiliary guide portion in the housing 410 in this way, smooth guidance between the terminals is promoted, and the contact portions are more reliably contacted at the regular contact position. be able to.

1 Connector 24B Immersion part 2 Mating connector 24C Guide part 20 Terminal 60 Mating terminal 10 Housing (terminal holder) 61A Corresponding contact part 24A Contact part 314A Auxiliary guide part

The present invention relates to an electric connector assembly including an electric connector having a terminal that is slidably connected to a mating terminal provided on the mating connector in the insertion / removal direction of the connector and the mating connector.

Such an electric connector assembly is disclosed in, for example, Patent Document 1.

Claims (1)

In an electric connector in which a terminal is held in a terminal holder by sliding contact with a mating terminal provided on the mating connector in the connector insertion / removal direction.
The terminal has an exposed surface in which at least a part of the peripheral surface having an axis in the insertion / removal direction of the terminal in the circumferential direction is exposed from the wall surface of the terminal holder, and forms at least a part of the exposed surface. On one surface, a contact portion that comes into contact with the corresponding contact portion provided on the mating terminal with contact pressure is formed at an intermediate position in the width direction of the one surface.
The terminal has a guide portion for guiding the corresponding contact portion of the mating terminal to the contact portion of the terminal in the width direction within the range of the contact portion in the insertion / removal direction.
The guide portion is inclined so as to approach the corresponding contact portion of the mating terminal in the contact pressure direction in which the contact pressure is generated as the guide portion is directed toward the contact portion in the width direction from the side end position of the terminal on the one surface of the terminal. An electric connector characterized in that it is formed as an inclined surface continuous to the contact portion.

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