JP3659198B2 - Card edge connector and terminal fitting - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a card edge connector and a terminal fitting.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventional card edge connectors include those disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 56-136480. This is because the terminal fitting is inserted into the cavity in the housing, the circuit board of the mating connector is inserted into the housing, and the elastic contact pieces of the terminal fitting are brought into elastic contact with either the front or back side or the front or back side of the circuit board. It is what I did.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the conventional card edge connector, a clearance is provided between the cavity and the terminal fitting in consideration of the dimensional tolerance between the terminal fitting and the cavity. There is a risk of floating in the direction of approaching or separating. If the terminal fitting is loose, the amount of elastic deflection of the elastic contact piece of the terminal fitting becomes inappropriate and the contact reliability is lowered.
[0004]
The present invention has been created in view of the above circumstances, and aims to ensure contact reliability between a circuit board and a terminal fitting.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a housing into which a circuit board of a mating connector is inserted, and a terminal fitting that has an elastic contact piece capable of elastic contact with the circuit board and is accommodated in the housing. with it and, in the terminal fitting, said that contacts the circuit board, the terminal fitting regulations can play regulating means to loose a direction toward or away from the which we provided to the circuit board In the card edge connector, the play restricting means is composed of the elastic contact piece and a locking portion locked to a surface of the circuit board opposite to the elastic contact surface of the elastic contact piece,
The engaging portion is configured to extend from one of the left and right side walls of the terminal fitting in a substantially flush manner .
[0006]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, the terminal fitting is divided into a front surface side and a back surface side of the circuit board, and the extending directions of the locking portions are opposite to each other. It was set as the structure arrange | positioned in a pair so that it might oppose.
[0007]
According to a third aspect of the present invention , the elastic contact piece is elastically brought into contact with the circuit board of the mating connector inserted in the housing, and the play restricting means is capable of contacting the circuit board. In the terminal fitting in which the movement restricting means is brought into contact with the circuit board so that the movement in the approaching / separating direction with respect to the circuit board is restricted, the movement restricting means includes: The elastic contact piece is composed of an engagement portion that is engaged with a surface of the circuit board opposite to the elastic contact surface of the elastic contact piece, and the engagement portion is one of the left and right side walls. It was set as the structure made into the form extended from one side wall substantially flush | planar .
[0008]
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention , in the third aspect of the invention , in the housing, the circuit board is divided into a front surface side and a back surface side, and the extending directions of the locking portions are opposite to each other. It was set as the structure arranged in a pair so that it may oppose .
[0009]
[Action and effect of the invention]
[Invention of Claims 1 and 3 ]
Since the positional relationship between the terminal fitting and the circuit board is kept constant by the play restricting means, the amount of elastic deflection of the elastic contact piece becomes appropriate, and the contact reliability between the terminal fitting and the circuit board is ensured.
[0010]
In addition, the terminal fitting is restricted from moving in a direction away from the circuit board by the locking action of the locking portion with respect to the circuit board, and in a direction of approaching the circuit board by the elasticity of the elastic contact piece elastically contacting the circuit board. Is restricted. Even if the board thickness of the circuit board varies, the variation is absorbed by the change in the amount of elastic deformation of the elastic contact piece, and the positional relationship between the circuit board and the terminal fitting is always locked by the locking part to the circuit board. Kept in a state to do. Further, since the elastic contact piece is used as the play restricting means, the shape of the terminal fitting can be simplified compared to the case where a dedicated play restricting means is provided separately from the elastic contact piece.
[0011]
[Invention of Claims 2 and 4 ]
Since only one type of terminal fitting is required, the cost can be reduced as compared to the case of using a plurality of types of terminal fittings having different locking portions. In addition, the locking portion of the terminal fittings that are paired across the circuit board is locked to the circuit board so as to wrap around to the other terminal fitting side. Since the positions are opposite to each other, the locking portion does not interfere with the mating terminal fitting.
[0012]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[Embodiment 1]
A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.
The card edge connector A according to the present embodiment includes a housing 10 made of synthetic resin and a plurality of terminal fittings 20, and is fitted with the mating connector 40. The mating connector 40 is obtained by assembling a circuit board 42 to a synthetic resin housing 41, and an end edge (card edge) of the circuit board 42 projects forward in the hood portion 43 of the housing 10.
[0013]
In the housing 10 of the card edge connector A, a plurality of cavities 11 opened at both front and rear end faces are formed in two upper and lower stages and are arranged in parallel in the left-right direction at each stage. The upper-stage cavity 11 is formed with a lance 12 that can be elastically bent by extending in a cantilevered manner along the upper surface wall. The lower-stage cavity 11 includes A lance 12 is formed that can be elastically bent by extending in a cantilevered manner along the lower wall. The cavity 11 and the lance 12 are vertically symmetric, and the cavities 11 corresponding to each other in the vertical direction are arranged at the same position in the left-right direction. In addition, the housing 10 has an insertion space 13 that opens in the form of a horizontally long slit on the front end surface thereof, is positioned at an intermediate height between the upper and lower cavities 11 and communicates with the upper and lower cavities 11. Is formed. Moreover, between the cavities 11 corresponding to the upper and lower sides, a relief space 14 for allowing a locking portion 27 of the terminal fitting 20 to be described later to enter is formed so as to communicate with the cavity 11 and the insertion space 13. .
[0014]
The terminal fitting 20 is inserted into the cavity 11 from the rear, and is formed into an elongated shape in the front-rear direction as a whole by bending a metal plate material punched into a predetermined shape. The terminal metal fitting 20 has a substantially first half portion as a connection portion 21 to the circuit board 42, and a substantially second half portion connected to the connection portion 21 as a wire crimping portion 22, and an electric wire 23 is crimped to the wire crimping portion 22. It is connected.
The connecting portion 21 of the terminal fitting 20 inserted into the lower cavity 11 includes a bottom wall 24 that is elongated in the front-rear direction, a substantially U-shaped elastic contact piece 25 folded back from the front end of the bottom wall 24, and a bottom A pair of left and right side walls 26L, 26R raised upward from the left and right side edges of the wall 24 and a locking portion 27 formed on the left side wall 26L are provided. In the present embodiment, in the left-right direction, the front side in FIGS. Therefore, in FIG.5 and FIG.6 which looked at the terminal metal fitting 20 from the front, it becomes the direction opposite left and right. A lance hole 33 that engages with the lance 12 is formed in the bottom wall 24. The elastic contact piece 25 protrudes upward from the side walls 26L and 26R, and this protruding portion is a contact portion 25A with the circuit board 42.
[0015]
The locking portion 27 is configured to rise from a rear end portion at the upper end edge of the left side wall 26L in a substantially L shape so as to be flush with the left side wall 26L. The locking portion 27 includes a rectangular rising portion 27A that is continuous with the left side wall 26L, and a contact portion 27B that protrudes forward from the upper end of the leading edge of the rising portion 27A. The rising portion 27A, the contact portion 27B, and the left side wall 26L form a groove portion 28 that is opened forward, and the circuit board 42 enters therein. Then, the locking portion 27 and the elastic contact piece 25 abut against the circuit board 42, thereby restricting the terminal fitting 20 from moving freely in the direction approaching / separating from the circuit board 42 (vertical direction). For this reason, the floating regulation means 29 is configured. The rising portion 27A has a rectangular left reinforcing wall 30L that is continuous with the substantially lower half of the rear edge and the upper edge of the left side wall 26L, and a right reinforcing wall that rises from the upper edge of the right side wall 26R so as to correspond to the left reinforcing wall 30L. The left and right reinforcing walls 30L and 30R are reinforced so as not to fall left and right by 30R and a double ceiling wall 31 extending inward from the upper ends of the left and right reinforcing walls 30L and 30R and overlapping vertically.
[0016]
The terminal fitting 20 inserted into the upper-stage cavity 11 is the same component as the lower-stage terminal fitting 20 and is accommodated in the cavity 11 in an inverted state.
Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described.
The card edge connector A of this embodiment is assembled by the following procedure. First, the terminal fitting 20 to which the electric wire 23 is crimped is in a posture such that the extending directions (upward or downward) of the locking portion 27 from the left side wall 26L are opposite to each other (see FIG. 4). Then, assemble them close to each other. In the assembled state, as shown in FIG. 3, the rear edges of both locking portions 27 are the front edge of the right reinforcing wall 30R of the mating terminal fitting 20 and the left edge of the front edge of the double ceiling wall 31, respectively. Thus, both terminal fittings 20 are positioned in a manner that their movement in the front-rear direction is restricted. In addition, about the positional relationship of both the terminal metal fittings 20, it is made for each latching | locking part 27 and the right side wall 26R of the other party terminal metal fitting 20 to adjoin, without interfering.
[0017]
The pair of upper and lower terminal fittings 20 assembled in this way are inserted into the cavities 11 from the rear while maintaining the assembled state. In the middle of the insertion, each lance 12 is elastically bent so as to interfere with the bottom wall 24 of the terminal fitting 20 and retreat out of the insertion path (cavity 11) of the terminal fitting 20. Then, as shown in FIG. 2, when both the terminal fittings 20 reach the normal insertion position, the lance 12 is elastically restored and locked in the lance hole 33, so that the both terminal fittings 20 are held in the retaining state. Note that the terminal fitting 20 is also prevented from being removed by the retainer 34 assembled to the housing 10. In a state where the terminal fitting 20 is inserted into the housing 10, the contact portion 25 A of the elastic contact piece 25 of each terminal fitting 20 protrudes from the left and right side walls 26 L and 26 R and advances into the insertion space 13 to connect to the circuit board 42. Wait in preparation for. Thus, the assembly of the card edge connector A of this embodiment is completed.
[0018]
Thereafter, the card edge connector A is assembled to the mating connector 40. When assembling, the housing 10 is fitted into the hood 43 of the mating connector 40. Then, the edge part of the circuit board 42 enters the insertion space 13 of the housing 10, and is inserted between the elastic contact pieces 25 at both upper and lower stages to cause the elastic contact pieces 25 to bend elastically. As a result, the elastic contact piece 25 is elastically contacted with the upper and lower surfaces (front and back surfaces) of the circuit board 42 with a predetermined contact pressure by the elastic restoring force, and is connected to a circuit (not shown) of the circuit board 42.
[0019]
Further, the lower terminal fitting 20 abuts the lower edge of the abutting portion 27 </ b> B of the locking portion 27 on the upper surface of the circuit board 42 by the elasticity of the elastic contact piece 25 that elastically contacts the lower surface of the circuit board 42. In other words, the lower terminal fitting 20 is regulated in the downward movement away from the circuit board 42 by the locking action of the locking portion 27 with respect to the circuit board 42, and the elastic contact piece 25 elastically contacting the circuit board 42. The upward movement approaching to the circuit board 42 is restricted by the elasticity of. Similarly, the upper terminal fitting 20 also has the upper edge of the contact portion 27B of the locking portion 27 in contact with the lower surface of the circuit board 42 by the elasticity of the elastic contact piece 25 that elastically contacts the upper surface of the circuit board 42. The upward movement away from the circuit board 42 is restricted by the locking action of the locking portion 27 with respect to the circuit board 42, and the downward movement approaching the circuit board 42 is restricted by the elasticity of the elastic contact piece 25. ing.
[0020]
As described above, in this embodiment, even if there is a clearance in the cavity 11 that allows the terminal fitting 20 to move up and down, the positional relationship between the terminal fitting 20 and the circuit board 42 is the movement restricting means 29. Since the stopper 27 and the elastic contact piece 25 are kept constant, the amount of elastic deflection of the elastic contact piece 25 is appropriate, and the contact reliability between the terminal fitting 20 and the circuit board 42 is ensured.
In addition, since one of the movement restricting means 29 that sandwich the circuit board 42 from both sides is the elastic contact piece 25 that comes into contact with the circuit board 42 while being elastically bent, even if the thickness of the circuit board 42 varies. The variation is absorbed by the change in the amount of elastic deflection of the elastic contact piece 25, and the positional relationship between the circuit board 42 and the terminal fitting 20 is always kept in a state where the locking portion 27 is locked to the circuit board 42. It is like that.
[0021]
Further, since the elastic contact piece 25 which is a means for electrical contact / conduction between the terminal fitting 20 and the circuit board 42 is also used as the play restricting means 29, a dedicated play restricting means separate from the elastic contact piece 25. Compared with the case where 29 is provided, simplification of the shape of the terminal fitting 20 is realized.
In addition, the terminal fitting 20 is divided into an upper surface side and a lower surface side of the circuit board 42, and is opposed so that the extending directions from the left side wall 26L of the locking portion 27 are opposite to each other. Therefore, only one type of terminal fitting 20 is required. Therefore, the cost can be reduced as compared with the case where two types of terminal fittings having different locking portions on the upper side and the lower side are used.
[0022]
In addition, the terminal fittings 20 that are paired with the circuit board 42 interposed therebetween are locked to the circuit board 42 so that the locking portion 27 turns around to the other terminal fitting 20 side. 27 is configured to extend substantially flush with the left side wall 26L of the terminal fitting 20, so that the positions of the locking portions 27 of the two terminal fittings 20 that are paired up and down are opposite to each other. Therefore, even if one type of terminal fitting 20 is disposed opposite to each other in the opposite direction, the locking portion 27 does not interfere with the mating terminal fitting 20.
[0023]
[Other Embodiments]
The present invention is not limited to the embodiment described with reference to the above description and drawings. For example, the following embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention, and further, within the scope not departing from the gist of the invention other than the following. Various modifications can be made.
(1) In the above embodiment, the case where the terminal fittings are arranged on both the front and back sides of the circuit board has been described. However, the present invention is such that the terminal fittings are arranged only on either the front or back side of the circuit board. It can also be applied when
[0024]
(2) In the above embodiment, the locking portion as the play restricting means is configured to rise only from the left side wall of the terminal fitting. However, according to the present invention, the locking portion may be configured to rise only from the right side wall .
[0026]
(3) In the above embodiment, the upper-stage terminal fitting and the lower-stage terminal fitting facing each other across the circuit board are of the same type. However, according to the present invention, the upper-stage side and the lower-stage side are different from each other. A shaped terminal fitting may be provided.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which a card edge connector and a mating connector of Embodiment 1 are fitted together. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which a mating connector and a card edge connector are separated. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the terminal fittings removed from the housing are separated from each other. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the floating regulation means is in contact with the circuit board. [Fig. 6] Front view of terminal fitting [Fig. 7] Partial cutaway side view of terminal fitting [Explanation of symbols]
A ... Card edge connector 10 ... Housing 20 ... Terminal metal fitting 25 ... Elastic contact piece 26L ... Left side wall 27 ... Locking portion 29 ... Movement restricting means 40 ... Mating connector 42 ... Circuit board

Claims (4)

A housing into which the circuit board of the mating connector is inserted;
An elastic contact piece capable of elastic contact with the circuit board; and a terminal fitting housed in the housing .
Wherein the terminal fitting, said that contacts the circuit board, the card edge connector that terminal fittings regulation can play regulating means to loose a direction toward or away is al provided for the circuit board In
The play restricting means is composed of the elastic contact piece and a locking portion locked to a surface of the circuit board opposite to the elastic contact surface of the elastic contact piece,
The card edge connector characterized in that the locking portion is configured to extend substantially flush from either one of the left and right side walls of the terminal fitting . The terminal fittings are arranged in pairs so as to be opposed to each other in such a manner that the terminal portions are divided into a front surface side and a back surface side of the circuit board and the extending directions of the locking portions are opposite to each other. The card edge connector according to claim 1, wherein: The elastic contact piece is elastically contacted with the circuit board of the mating connector housed in the housing and inserted into the housing,
A play restricting means capable of contacting the circuit board is provided, and the play restricting means is brought into contact with the circuit board so that the play in the approaching / separating direction with respect to the circuit board is restricted. In the terminal fitting
The play restricting means is composed of the elastic contact piece and a locking portion locked to a surface of the circuit board opposite to the elastic contact surface of the elastic contact piece,
The terminal fitting is characterized in that the locking portion is configured to extend substantially flush from either one of the left and right side walls . In the housing, the circuit board is divided into a front surface side and a back surface side, and is arranged in pairs so as to face each other in such a posture that the extending directions of the locking portions are opposite to each other. The terminal fitting according to claim 3, wherein the terminal fitting is made.

Images