JP3120764B2 - Connector fixing device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a connector fixing device for fixing a card connector of a device having a built-in card slot, such as a personal computer, a word processor, and a digital camera.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Some devices such as personal computers, word processors, and digital cameras have a built-in card slot into which a card such as a PC card can be inserted in order to exchange data with various peripheral devices. is there. Conventionally, in a device incorporating such a card slot, in order to fix a card inserted into the card slot and a cable connected to the card slot, friction between a connector of the cable and a connection portion of the card is used. Or a lock mechanism is provided on the connector.

FIGS. 4 and 5 relate to a conventional example of the present invention. FIG. 4 shows fixing means using friction between a connector and a connecting portion of a card, and FIG. 5 shows fixing means by a lock mechanism provided on the connector. It is. In the conventional example shown in FIG. 4, a connector 5 provided at the tip of a cable 7 is fitted and connected to a connection portion of the card 4 inserted into a card slot 6 of the personal computer 1. In FIG. 4, reference numeral 2 'denotes a card slot cover. Generally, the card 4 side is a female type and the connector 5 side is a male type. In this case, the connector 5 is fixed to the card 4 only by friction by fitting the connector 5 into the connection portion of the card 4. I have.

In the conventional example shown in FIG.
A connector (not shown) of the lock mechanism is engaged with the card 4 so that the connector 5 is not easily detached from the card 4. The connector 5 is provided with a push button 5b. By pressing the push button 5b, the lock by the claw is released, and the connector 5 can be removed from the card 4.

[0005]

However, according to the above-mentioned conventional fixing means, since the connector shown in FIG. 4 is fixed only by friction by fitting the connector 5 into the connecting portion of the card 4, the connecting cord is not used. There is a problem that the connection between the connector 5 and the card 4 tends to be disconnected when the cable 7 is pulled in the pulling-out direction side (the direction indicated by the arrow X in the drawing).

FIG. 5 shows that although the connector 5 and the card 4 are firmly connected by the lock mechanism, when the connection cord 7 is pulled in a pulling-out direction with a little large force, the card 4 is connected together with the connector 5. May come off from the card slot 6. In this case, a lock mechanism for the card 4 is generally provided on the apparatus main body 1 so that the card 4 is not easily detached from the card slot 6. In such a case, the connector 5 and the card 4 There is a problem that the connection portion is easily damaged due to the small thickness of the connection portion.

Further, according to the conventional fixing means, since the thickness of the connecting portion between the connector 5 and the card 4 is small, if the connecting cord 7 is pulled up or down or forward and backward with respect to the apparatus main body 1, an excessively large amount is required. The load is applied to the connection between the connection cord 7 and the connector 5 and the connection between the connector 5 and the card 4, and the connection may be damaged.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and provides a connector fixing device in which the connection between the connector and the card is not easily disconnected even if a relatively large load acts on the connection cord in the pulling-out direction. To provide,
Further, it is an object of the present invention to provide a connector fixing device in which a connection portion between a connection cord and a connector and a connection portion between a connector and a card are not easily damaged even when a connection cord is pulled up and down or in a front-rear direction with respect to an apparatus body. Aim.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a connector fixing device according to the present invention.
In a connector fixing device for connecting a connection cord via a connector to a card inserted into a card slot formed in an apparatus body, an opening / closing body is provided at the opening of the card slot so as to be openable and closable. The body is provided with an engaging portion that engages with the connector and regulates the movement of the connector in the pull-out direction. With this configuration, when the card and the connection cord are connected via the connector, even if a certain amount of load acts on the connector in the pull-out direction, the connector is not easily detached from the card, and Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the connection portion between the card and the connector from being damaged.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the opening / closing member is configured as a card slot cover for opening and closing the opening of the card slot. By forming the engagement portion on the card slot cover in this way, a separate opening / closing member is not required, and the connector and the connection portion with the card are inexpensive without any improvement. Further, the present invention can be applied to a conventional connector-card connection portion by simply replacing the card slot cover.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the connector fixing apparatus according to the first or second aspect, the engaging portion is formed integrally with the opening / closing body. With this configuration, the engaging portion is formed integrally with the opening / closing body, so that the manufacturing cost can be reduced and a strong connector fixing device can be obtained.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the connector fixing device according to the first or second aspect, wherein the engaging portion is provided on the opening / closing body so as to be capable of being inverted. With this configuration, even when the card is inserted into the card slot, the engaging portion does not become an obstacle.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the connector fixing device according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, the engaging portion is configured such that the connection cord can be fitted therein and the connector is fixed. It was configured as having a concave groove engaging the shoulder. With this configuration, the concave groove engages with the shoulder of the connector while holding the connection cord, thereby restricting the movement of the connector in the pull-out direction, so that the connector does not easily come off the card. Therefore, an excessive load on the connector from the lateral direction due to the movement of the connection cord is reduced, which is effective in preventing damage to the connection between the connector and the card.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the connector fixing device according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, the engaging portion includes the engaging portion on the side of the connector in the pulling-out direction. Reinforcing members are provided so as not to tilt easily. With this configuration, the connector does not come off the card even if a considerably large load acts in the pull-out direction of the connector as compared with the case where no reinforcing member is provided in the engagement portion. Damage to the part can also be prevented.

[0015]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a connector fixing device according to the present invention and illustrating the configuration thereof. As shown in FIG. 1, a card slot cover 2 is provided at an opening of a card slot 6 provided on a side surface of an apparatus main body 1 such as a personal computer or the like so as to be openable and closable. That is, when the card 4 is not inserted into the card slot 6, the card slot cover 2 is closed to prevent foreign matter from entering the apparatus main body 1. By rotating the card slot cover 2 downward, the opening of the card slot 6 is opened, and the card 4 can be detached.

In this embodiment, a part of the card slot cover 2 is cut out substantially in the center of the card slot cover 2 so that the card slot cover 2 can be inverted between a horizontal direction and a vertical direction.
A connector fixing claw 3 as an engaging portion is formed. When the connector fixing claw 3 is rotated to one side (toward the drawing direction indicated by an arrow X in FIG. 1) and becomes upright with respect to the card slot cover 6, the base of the connector fixing claw 3 is inserted into the card. By contacting the slot cover 2, the connector fixing claw 3 is prevented from rotating further to the one side.

As described above, by providing the connector fixing claw 3 so that it can be inverted, the connector fixing claw 3 does not hinder the insertion of the card 4 into the card slot 6, and the card 4 is smoothly inserted into the card slot 6. Can be inserted.

A concave groove 3a having a width substantially equal to the diameter or width of the connection cable 7 is formed above the connector fixing claw 3. The connection cable 7 is fitted into the groove 3a. The groove 3a is not limited to a rectangular shape as shown in the figure, but may be any shape such as a semicircular arc shape, an elliptical shape, and a U-shape according to the cross-sectional shape of the connection cable 7.

By fitting the connection cable 7 into the groove 3a, the connection cable 7 is held near the connection portion between the connector 5 and the connection cable 7, so that the connection cord 7
Does not apply an excessive load to the connection portion between the connector 5 and the connection cable 7 and the connection portion between the connector 5 and the card 4 even if the Part breakage can be prevented.

In the connector 5, the shoulder 5a formed at the connection portion between the connection cable 7 and the connector 5 engages with the connector fixing claw 3 and the peripheral edge of the groove 3a to move the connector 5 in the pull-out direction. Therefore, even if the connection cord 7 is pulled in the pulling-out direction, the connection between the connector 5 and the card 4 is not easily disconnected.

Note that the connector fixing claw 3 does not necessarily need to be able to be inverted with respect to the card slot cover 2.
A part of the card slot cover 2 may be cut out and raised almost vertically from the card slot 2 and fixed in this state, or the connector fixing claw 3 formed separately from the card slot cover 2 may be attached to the card slot cover 2. It may be attached by bonding or the like. Further, when the card slot cover 2 and the connector fixing claw 3 are injection-molded with resin, they can be formed integrally. Thus, the connector fixing claw 3
Is formed, the connector fixing device can be manufactured at low cost.

Further, in this embodiment, the connector fixing claws 3 are formed on the card slot cover 2. However, if the card slot cover 2 can be freely opened and closed at the opening of the card slot 6, the card slot cover 2 may be formed on the card slot cover 2. However, the connector fixing claw 3 can be formed on an opening / closing body separate from the card slot cover 2.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the connector fixing device according to the present invention. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the hinge (not shown) provided at the lower end of the opening of the card slot 6 allows the card slot cover 2 to be freely opened and closed with respect to the opening of the card slot 6. It is the same as the previous embodiment in that a part of the card slot cover 2 is cut out in the center in a concave shape, and a connector fixing claw 3 is provided so as to be able to be inverted with respect to the card slot cover 2 by a hinge (not shown).

However, in this embodiment, the reinforcing member 8 is formed on one side (pull-out direction side) of the connector fixing claw 3 so that a load of a certain degree or more is applied to the connector 5 in the pull-out direction.
The connector fixing claw 3 is not easily tilted to one side even if it acts on. By providing such a reinforcing member 8, the connector 5 is held more firmly than the connector fixing device of the previous embodiment, and even if a certain strong load acts on the connector 5, the connector fixing claw 3 is on one side. The connector 5 does not easily come off from the card 4 or the card 4 does not come off from the card slot 6 easily.

Next, the operation of the connector fixing device of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 3A and 3B are explanatory views of the operation of the connector fixing device of the present invention. FIG. 3A shows a state before the card 4 is inserted into the card slot 6, and FIG. 3C shows a state in which the card slot cover 2 is opened, and FIG. 3C shows a state in which the connector fixing claws 3 are raised from the card slot cover 2.

As shown in (a), when the card 4 is not inserted into the card slot 6, the card slot cover 2 is closed, and no foreign matter enters the inside of the apparatus main body 1 through the opening of the card slot 6. Is regulated as follows. When inserting the card 4 into the card slot 6,
The card slot cover 2 is disengaged from the main body 1 of the apparatus, and the card slot cover 2 is rotated to one side (in the direction indicated by an arrow in the drawing) about the hinge as shown in FIG. Is opened. Before the card 4 is inserted into the card slot 6, the connector fixing claw 3 that can be inverted with respect to the card slot cover 2 is located in the same plane as the surface of the card slot cover 2, and the card is inserted into the card slot 6. 4 is not prevented from being inserted.

Next, the connector fixing claw 3 is rotated to one side to be inverted with respect to the card slot cover 2. In order to prevent the connector fixing claw 3 and the connector 5 from interfering with each other, the apparatus main body 1 Is slightly lifted from the desk surface, and the card slot cover 2 is
The connector fixing claw 3 is rotated downward in FIG.
(C) By raising the card slot cover 2 in the direction indicated by the middle arrow and then returning the card slot cover 2 to the horizontal state, the groove 3a of the connector fixing claw 3 can be engaged from below the connection cord 7. With the above procedure, the connector fixing device shown in FIG.

[0028]

Since the connector fixing device of the present invention is constructed as described above, even if a large load acts on the connection cord, the connection between the connector and the card is not easily disconnected, and the connector is not disconnected. A connector fixing device that does not easily damage the joint between the card and the card can be provided at low cost.

Further, in the case where the groove for engaging with the connection cord is formed in the engagement portion, even if the connection cord moves up and down or left and right, the vicinity of the joint between the connection cord and the connector is maintained, and the connection cord is formed. To prevent excessive load from being applied to the connector and the connection between the connector and the card.
Damage to the connection can be eliminated.

Further, by providing the reinforcing member at the engagement portion, even if the connection cord is pulled with a certain large load, the connection between the connector and the card is not easily disconnected, and the connection portion between the connector and the card is provided. Is not easily damaged, and the engaging portion is not easily damaged.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an overall configuration of a connector fixing device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of the connector fixing device of the present invention.

3A and 3B are explanatory views of the operation of the connector fixing device of the present invention, wherein FIG. 3A shows a state before a card is inserted into a card slot, FIG. 3B shows a state in which a card slot cover is opened, (C) shows a state where the connector fixing claw is raised from the card slot cover 2.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a form in which a connector is fixed by friction of a connecting portion between the connector and a card according to a conventional example of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a joint between a connector provided with a lock mechanism and a card according to a conventional example of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Main body 2 Card slot cover (opening / closing body) 3 Connector fixing claw (engaging member) 3a groove 4 Card 5 Connector 6 Card slot 7 Connection cable 8 Reinforcement member

Claims (6)

(57) [Claims] 1. A connector fixing device for connecting a connection cord via a connector to a card inserted into a card slot formed in an apparatus main body, wherein an opening / closing body is provided so as to be openable and closable at an opening of the card slot. A connector fixing device, wherein the opening / closing body is provided with an engaging portion that engages with the connector and regulates movement of the connector in a pulling-out direction. 2. The connector fixing device according to claim 1, wherein the opening / closing body is a card slot cover that opens and closes an opening of the card slot. 3. The connector fixing device according to claim 1, wherein the engaging portion is formed integrally with the opening / closing body. 4. The connector fixing device according to claim 1, wherein the engaging portion is provided on the opening / closing body so as to be able to be inverted. 5. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the engagement portion has a concave groove into which the connection cord is freely fittable and engages with a shoulder portion of the connector. The connector fixing device according to any one of the above. 6. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the engaging portion is provided with a reinforcing member on the side in which the connector is pulled out so as to prevent the engaging portion from easily tilting. 5. The connector fixing device according to any one of 5.