JP3486836B2 - Card connector with wiping structure and switch contact used therefor - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a set top
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a smart card connector with a switch structure for detecting completion of insertion of a card used in a box or the like, and particularly to a card connector with a wiping structure.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art This type of card connector with a wiping structure is used in a set top box or the like and has a switch structure for detecting the completion of card insertion.

As a conventional example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-32051
There is No. 1.

[0004]

However, in the conventional example, as a result of the switch contact pairs being deformed in the same direction, the amount of wiping is very small. for that reason,
When a foreign substance (impurity) or the like is mixed between the contact points of the switch contact, the contact between the contact points becomes unstable and the card insertion detection switch function cannot be achieved. As a result, there is a drawback that the reliability of the card insertion detection switch function is low.

Therefore, a technical object of the present invention is to provide a card connector with a wiping structure, which has a large amount of wiping and has a highly reliable card insertion detection switch function even if foreign matter is mixed between the contacts of the switch. Especially.

[0006]

The present invention adopts the following means in order to solve the above problems.

(1) In a card connector that includes a contact and an insulator that holds the contact and that has a switch contact that detects the presence or absence of card insertion, the switch contact has a pair of contacts that contact and separate from each other. The switch contact of
One holding portion held by the insulator, a spring portion provided with a sliding contact portion extending from one holding portion and slidingly contacting the card, and one contact portion contacting and separating the other switch contact, The other switch contact has the other holding portion held by the insulator, the spring portion formed in a substantially U shape, and the other contact portion that comes in contact with and separates from the one switch contact, and by inserting the card, One holding portion of one switch contact moves in a first downward direction intersecting the card insertion direction, and slides into contact with the other contact portion of the other switch contact to make a wiping connection.
However, the other contact portion of the other switch contact is
Intersects the card insertion direction and intersects the first direction
A card connector with a wiping structure, characterized in that it moves in a second direction .

[0008]

( 2 ) In the card connector with a wiping structure according to ( 1 ), the other contact portion of the other switch contact has a bifurcated structure, resulting in two-point contact.
A card connector with a wiping structure that features improved reliability.

( 3 ) A lamp spring terminal extending along the front-rear direction of the connector fitting and having an up slant portion that is in sliding contact with the mating connector, and from the foot of the lamp spring terminal in an upward direction orthogonal to the fitting direction. A right switch contact having one contact portion that is bent and extended, and one beam portion that extends from the base of the lamp spring terminal in the right direction orthogonal to the fitting direction, and in the vicinity of the one contact portion. A chevron-shaped contact portion spaced apart from the chevron-shaped contact portion, a substantially U-shaped spring portion extending upward from the chevron-shaped contact portion and extending downward through a bent portion, and the substantially U-shaped spring portion. A left switch contact having the other beam portion extending from the character-shaped spring portion in the left direction orthogonal to the fitting direction, and when the connector is fitted, the up slant portion of the lamp spring terminal is the mating member. Side connection When receiving the load of the Kuta from the top to the bottom and being pressed, the one contact portion presses and contacts the vicinity of the apex of the chevron contact portion from the top to the bottom, resulting in the apex of the chevron contact portion. Then, the switch contact with the wiping structure is characterized in that the load is applied from right to left to deform and increase the wiping amount.

[0011]

The one beam portion of the one switch contact functions as one holding portion held by the insulator, that is, a cantilever beam.

The lamp spring terminal and one contact respectively act as the free ends of one cantilever.
The up slant portion of the lamp spring terminal acts as a sliding contact portion that elastically slidably contacts the mating connector.

When the connector is fitted, the lamp spring terminal of one of the switch contacts receives the load of the mating connector from the upper side to the lower side at the up slope. Therefore, one contact portion of one switch contact is a mountain-shaped contact portion of the other switch contact, and the vicinity above the apex (contact point between the first contacts) is pressed downward from above.
This is because the other beam portion is also the other holding portion that is held by the insulator, that is, the cantilever beam, and the chevron contact portion acts as the free end of the other cantilever beam.

After that, the contact point between the contacts moves to the apex of the mountain-shaped contact portion of the other switch contact (the contact point between the second contacts). As a result, a load is applied from the right to the left at the apex of the chevron contact point to deform. Therefore, the wiping amount is increased.

[0015]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS (Related Invention) With reference to FIGS. 17 to 19, a connector according to a related invention will be described before describing a connector according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The connector of the related invention has a receiving recess for receiving the mating connector (card) 31.

Before the mating connector (card) 31 is inserted, the left and right switch contacts SWL, SWR are
Not in contact. When the mating connector (card) 31 is inserted in the fitting / inserting direction (arrow) I, the mating connector (card) 31 rides while pushing on the diagonal portion of the left switch contact SWL, and as a result, the load A is applied to the substrate 41.
Switch contact SW on the left side
As a result of the deformation of the slanted portion of L, the contact point at the tip of the slanted portion is lowered.

Since the right switch contact SWR has the contact b, at that time, the contact of the left switch contact SWL and the contact b of the right switch contact SWR are pressed and brought into contact with each other. As a result, it is detected that the left switch contact SWL and the right switch contact SWR are electrically connected and the mating connector (card) 31 is inserted.

(Embodiment of the Invention) FIGS. 1 to 1
The left and right switch contacts 11 and 21 used in the connector according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

One of the right switch contacts 11 has a ramp spring terminal 14 and a ramp spring terminal 14 each having an up slant portion which is slidably in contact with a mating connector (card) 31 which is extended and inserted along the front-rear direction I of the connector fitting. One contact portion 15 extending from the bottom of the lamp 14 in an upward direction orthogonal to the fitting direction, and one beam portion 12 extending from the bottom of the lamp spring terminal 14 in the right direction orthogonal to the fitting direction.
Have.

The other left switch contact 21 has a chevron contact portion 2 which is arranged in the vicinity of one contact portion 15 with a space therebetween.
5. A substantially U-shaped spring portion 23 extending in an upward direction orthogonal to the fitting direction from the chevron-shaped contact portion 25 and extending downward through a bent portion, and a fitting direction from the substantially U-shaped spring portion 23. It has the other beam part 22 extended in the left direction orthogonal to.

Next, the connector according to the embodiment of the present invention is provided with the insulator 5 for holding the left and right switch contacts 11 and 21.
Reference numeral 1 detects whether or not the mating connector (card) 31 is inserted.

Referring to FIG. 12, one and the other beam portions 12 and 22 respectively act as one and the other holding portions (cantilever beams) having c and d of insulator 5 as supporting ends.

The up slant portion of the lamp spring terminal 14 acts as a sliding contact portion that elastically slidably contacts the mating connector (card) 31 to be inserted.

Further, the one contact portion 15 and the chevron contact portion 2
5 are arranged close to each other, and are in contact with and separated from each other.

When the up-sloped portion of the lamp spring terminal 14 receives the load of the mating connector 31 from the upper side to the lower side E at the time of fitting the connector, the one contact portion 15 has the apex of the chevron contact portion 25. Press in the vicinity of from top to bottom.
Then, at the apex of the chevron contact portion 25, a load is applied from the right to the left direction F to be deformed.

The contact points between the contacts are from the vicinity of the apex of the chevron contact portion 25 (g in FIG. 15: the contact point between the first contacts) to the apex of the chevron contact portion ((h in FIG. 16: the second contact points). Contact point), and as a result, the wiping amount is increased.

The chevron-shaped contact portion 25 of the other left switch contact 21 has a bifurcated structure and makes two-point contact, resulting in improved reliability.

As described above, when the mating connector (card) 31 is completely inserted into the receiving recess of the insulator 5 of the connector of the present invention, it is detected as a very stable connector fitting. As a result, it is detected that the pad 33 of the mating connector (card) 31 has been inserted into desired positions of the plurality of electric terminals (contacts) implanted in the insulator 5.

The present invention is not limited to the embodiment, and various modifications are possible. For example, the chevron contact portion 25 of the other left switch contact 21 may have a three-pronged structure and three-point contact. In this case, the reliability is further improved.

[0031]

The present invention has a wiping structure that deforms in two orthogonal directions. Therefore, even if foreign matter is mixed between the contacts of the switch contacts, the wiping amount of the contacts is very large, so the contact between the contacts is stable, resulting in a highly reliable and long-life card connector with a wiping structure. There is an effect that it can be provided.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view for explaining wiping contact of one contact 15 and a mountain contact 25 of switch contacts 11 and 21 according to an embodiment of the present invention from E direction to F direction.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the connector and the mating connector 31 according to the embodiment of the present invention, as seen from below.

3 is a view of the connector and the mating connector 31 of FIG. 2 as viewed from above.

4 is a top view of one switch contact 11 of FIG. 1. FIG.

5 is a front view of one of the switch contacts 11 of FIG. 1. FIG.

6 is a right side view of one switch contact 11 of FIG. 1. FIG.

7 is a top view of the other switch contact 21 of FIG. 1. FIG.

8 is a front view of the other switch contact 21 of FIG. 1. FIG.

9 is a right side view of the other switch contact 21 of FIG. 1. FIG.

10 is a top view of the switch contacts 11 and 21 of FIG. 1. FIG.

11 is a perspective view of a main part of FIG.

FIG. 12 is a front view of a main part of the connector according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a right side view of a main part of the connector according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view for explaining the contact between the switch contacts 11 and 21 according to the embodiment of the present invention, showing the initial state of fitting.

FIG. 15 is a front view of FIG.

FIG. 16 is a switch contact according to an embodiment of the present invention .
Is a front view for explaining the contact between the
Indicates the completion status .

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of a connector of a related invention.

18 is a perspective view of switch contacts SWR and SWL used in the connector of FIG.

19 is a cross-sectional view when the mating connector 31 is inserted into the connector of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

A Load E First direction F Second direction I Connector front-back direction SWL Left switch contact SWR Right switch contact b Contact point c Support end d Support end g Near the apex of the chevron contact point 25 (first contact point Contact point between each other h Top of the mountain-shaped contact portion 25 (contact point between second contact points) 5 Insulator 11 One left switch contact 12 One beam portion 14 Lamp spring terminal 15 One contact portion 21 The other right Switch contact 22 Other beam part 23 Substantially U-shaped spring part 25 Angled contact part 31 Counterpart connector (card) 33 Circuit pad

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (58) Fields surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H01R 13/703 G06K 17/00 H01H 1/18 H01H 27/00

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A card connector comprising a contact and an insulator holding the contact, the switch connector having a switch contact for detecting the presence / absence of insertion of a card, wherein the switch contact has a pair of contacts contacting and separating from each other. The switch contact includes one holding portion held by the insulator, a spring portion provided with a sliding contact portion extending from the one holding portion and slidingly contacting the card, and one contact portion contacting and separating from the other switch contact. The other switch contact has the other holding portion held by the insulator, a spring portion formed in a substantially U shape,
Having one switch contact and the other contact portion that comes into contact with and separates from each other, when the card is inserted, one holding portion of the one switch contact moves in the first downward direction that intersects the insertion direction of the card, Wiping connection is made by sliding contact with the other contact part of the other switch contact.
Contact on the other side of the contact
And, and a connector for wiping structure with card, wherein the this <br/> moving in a second direction crossing the first direction. 2. The card connector with a wiping structure according to claim 1 , wherein the other contact portion of the other switch contact has a bifurcated structure to make two-point contact, thereby improving reliability. Structured card connector. 3. A lamp spring terminal extending along the front-rear direction of connector fitting and having an up-sloping portion slidably contacting a mating connector, and bending upward from a foot of the lamp spring terminal orthogonal to the fitting direction. One contact part that extends
And a right switch contact having one beam portion extending in the right direction orthogonal to the fitting direction from the base of the lamp spring terminal, and a chevron contact portion spaced apart from the one contact portion, A substantially U-shaped spring portion extending from the chevron-shaped contact portion in an upward direction orthogonal to the fitting direction and extending downward through a bent portion, and from the substantially U-shaped spring portion in the fitting direction. And a left switch contact having the other beam portion extending in the left direction orthogonal to each other, and when the connector is fitted, the up slant portion of the lamp spring terminal causes the load of the mating connector to move downward from above. When received and pressed, the one contact portion presses and contacts the vicinity of the apex of the chevron contact portion from the top to the bottom, and as a result, a load is applied from the right to the left at the apex of the chevron contact portion. Deformed and wiped Wiping structure with a switch contact, characterized in that to increase the amount.