JP4385341B2 - Connector parts, connector systems, and electronic devices - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a connector component applied to an electronic device having a plurality of electronic modules such as stacked substrates, connectors inserted into the respective electronic modules in the stacking direction, and a housing for housing these electronic modules. About.

  Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 (a) and 3 (b), an example of the electronic device described above is an LCD module 20 as a plurality of electronic modules arranged in a stacked manner, a mounting sheet metal 50, and a control circuit. A board 30, a connector 42 that is detachably inserted into a connector provided in the LCD module 20 by using a notch 52 formed at an end of the mounting sheet metal 50, and a board of the control circuit board 30. A front case 11 that accommodates a connector 43 that is removably inserted in a stacking direction into a connector provided on the surface, a liquid crystal display module (LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) module) 20, a mounting sheet metal 50, and a control circuit board 30. And a housing made of the rear case 12.

  The connector 42 and the connector 43 are connected via a flat cable 41 and configured as a cable connector 40. Therefore, the control circuit board 30 and the LCD module 20 are electrically connected via the cable connector 40.

  A window 13 is formed on the main surface of the front case 11 corresponding to the front of the electronic device, and the display content of the LCD module 20 is visible.

  Connectors, including connectors 42 and 43, are generally removable for assembly, repair, and maintenance of electronic equipment. On the other hand, when using an electronic device, it is inevitable that an external force such as vibration or impact is applied to the electronic device. Therefore, the connector is provided with a locking means so that it does not easily come off.

  However, for the purpose of reducing the size and weight of the electronic device and reducing the cost, one of the connectors 42 and 43 is a concave portion or a convex portion that is flexible between the other connector provided in the electronic module. Only a simple locking means comprising a combination with a part is provided. For this reason, when an electronic device is used, when an external force such as vibration or impact is applied to the electronic device, the connectors 42 and 43 may come out of the electronic module and cause a contact failure.

  In the illustrated electronic device, the rib 122 (which may be a boss) is provided on the inner main surface of the rear case 12 in order to prevent the connector from coming off. Thereby, when the rear case 12 is fixed to the front case 11, the rib 122 abuts on the connector 43. Therefore, even if an external force such as vibration or impact is applied to the electronic device, the connector 43 does not come out of the control circuit board 30.

  Patent Document 1 discloses a locking mechanism for a stacking connector.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 1-163980

  However, no measures like the rib 122 for the connector 43 are taken for the connector 42. This is because it is disadvantageous in terms of design, manufacture, and assembly workability to provide a high-profile rib or boss that reaches the connector 42 far from the inner main surface of the rear case 12. It is. For this reason, the connector 42 may come out of the LCD module 20 when an external force such as vibration or impact is applied to the electronic device.

  Although the flat cable 40 is lengthened and the connector 42 is disposed near the inner main surface of the rear case 12, the same measures as those for the connector 43 may be taken. For reasons of cost and cost, it is advantageous that the cable be as short as possible. For this reason, changing the position of the connector 42 is not a good idea.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a connector component that can surely prevent disconnection of all connectors inserted into a plurality of stacked electronic modules.

  Another object of the present invention is to provide a connector system having such connector parts.

  Still another object of the present invention is to provide an electronic apparatus having such a connector system.

According to the present invention, the first electronic module, the second electronic module stacked on the first electronic module at a predetermined interval, and the first electronic module inserted in the stacking direction in the first electronic module. 1 connector, a second connector that is inserted into the second electronic module in the stacking direction, and a housing that accommodates the first and second electronic modules, A connector part that is applied to an electronic device having a main surface facing the second electronic module, the main surface having a protrusion that restricts the second connector from coming off; A connector component is provided which is disposed between the first and second connectors and restricts the first connector from coming off by restricting movement in the stacking direction by the second connector. It is done.

  The connector component may be attached to the first or second connector. The connector component may be formed integrally with the first or second connector.

  According to the present invention, a connector system including the connector component and the first and second connectors can be obtained.

  The first connector and the second connector may be electrically connected. Further, the first connector and the second connector may have the same shape.

  According to the present invention, there is further obtained an electronic apparatus having the connector system, the first and second electronic modules, and the housing.

  The connector component according to the present invention can reliably prevent all connectors inserted into a plurality of stacked electronic modules having a substantially plate shape from being detached.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of a connector part, a connector system, and an electronic device according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  Referring to FIGS. 4A and 4B, FIGS. 5A and 5B, and FIGS. 6A to 6C, an interposer 60 that is a connector component according to this embodiment is an electronic module. LCD module 20, control circuit board 30 as an electronic module stacked on LCD module 20 via mounting sheet metal 50, connector 42 removably inserted into LCD module 20 in the stacking direction, and control circuit board This is a connector part that is applied to an electronic device having a connector 43 that is removably inserted in the stacking direction in 30 and a housing that houses the LCD module 20. Specifically, this electronic device is a small display device used for, for example, a POS (Point Of Sales) terminal or a multi-function telephone.

  The connector 42 and the connector 43 are connected via a flat cable 41 and configured as a cable connector 40. Therefore, the control circuit board 30 and the LCD module 20 are electrically connected via the cable connector 40. The connector 42 and the connector 43 have the same shape.

  The housing includes a front case 11 and a rear case 12. A window 13 is formed on the main surface of the front case 11 so that the display content of the LCD module 20 is visible.

  The rear case 12 has a main surface that faces the control circuit board 30. A rib (which may be a boss) 122 is formed on the main surface as a protrusion that restricts the connector 43 from coming off.

  As described above, the electronic device to which the interposer 60 according to the present invention is applied is the same as the conventional electronic device shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3 (a) and 3 (b).

  The interposer 60 is disposed between the connector 42 and the connector 43, and restricts the connector 42 from being detached by restricting the movement of the electronic modules in the stacking direction by the connector 43 that is regulated by the rib 122. It is. That is, when the electronic device is assembled, the connector 43 is prevented from being disconnected by the rib 122 of the rear case 12, but at the same time, the connector 42 is also prevented from being disconnected.

  The interposer 60 is attached to the connector 43 so as not to be easily detached. This prevents the interposer 60 from being displaced or dropped from the predetermined position where the electronic device is to be assembled. The interposer 60 may be attached to the connector 42, or may be formed integrally with the connector 42 or the connector 43.

  The combination of the cable connector 40 and the interposer 60 can be said to be a connector system having a function of preventing the disconnection of all the connectors 42 and 43 with the help of restriction of disconnection by the casing of the electronic device.

  The procedure for assembling the electronic device described above is roughly as follows.

  First, the front case 11 is placed on the work table with its window 13 facing down.

  Next, the LCD module 20 is placed in the front case 11 and fixed with screws or the like.

  A mounting sheet metal 50 is placed on the LCD module 20 via a spacer 55 and fixed with screws or the like.

  Further, the control circuit board 30 is placed on the mounting sheet metal 50 via the spacer 55 and fixed with screws or the like. An assembly in which the control circuit board 30 is fixed on the mounting sheet metal 50 via the spacer 55 may be placed and fixed on the LCD module 20 via the spacer 55.

  A separately prepared connector 42 of the cable connector 40 is inserted into the connector provided on the LCD module 20 in the stacking direction of the electronic module using the notch 52 formed at the end of the mounting sheet metal 50. Subsequently, the connector 43 of the cable connector 40 is inserted into the connector provided on the control circuit board 30 in the stacking direction of the electronic modules. Here, the interposer 60 is attached to the connector 43 in advance. Therefore, the interposer 60 is interposed between the connector 42 and the connector 43 by the insertion of the connector 43.

  Finally, the rear case 12 is placed and fixed on the front case 11.

  The electronic device is assembled as described above.

  By fixing the rear case 12 to the front case 11, the ribs 122 formed on the rear case 12 abut against the connector 43, and the disconnection of the connector 43 is restricted. At the same time, the interposer 60 is restricted from moving in the stacking direction by the connector 43, so that the connector 42 is also prevented from coming off.

  The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and it goes without saying that various modifications are possible within the technical scope described in the claims.

It is a perspective view of an example of an electronic device. FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a part of a housing of the electronic device illustrated in FIG. 1 in a perspective manner. 3A is a front view of the electronic device shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional view taken along the cutting line 3B-3B in FIG. 3A, and FIG. It is an enlarged view which shows a part of b). It is the perspective view which looked at a part of the housing | casing of the electronic device to which the components for connectors by embodiment of this invention were applied. FIG. 5A is an exploded perspective view showing a part of the housing of the electronic device shown in FIG. 4, and FIG. 5B is an enlarged view showing a part of FIG. is there. 6A is a front view of the electronic device shown in FIG. 4, FIG. 6B is a sectional view taken along the cutting line 6B-6B in FIG. 6A, and FIG. It is an enlarged view which shows a part of b).

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Front case 12 Rear case 13 Window 122 Rib 20 LCD module 30 Control circuit board 40 Cable connector 41 Flat cable 42, 43 Connector 50 Mounting sheet metal 60 Interposer

Claims (7)

A first electronic module; a second electronic module stacked on the first electronic module at a predetermined interval; a first connector inserted into the first electronic module in a stacking direction; A second connector that is inserted into the second electronic module in the stacking direction; and a housing that accommodates the first and second electronic modules, the housing being attached to the second electronic module A connector part that is applied to an electronic device having a main surface facing the main surface, wherein the main surface is formed with a protrusion that restricts the second connector from coming off;
A connector part that is disposed between the first connector and the second connector, and that restricts movement of the first connector by the movement of the second connector in the stacking direction.   The connector component according to claim 1, wherein the connector component is attached to the first or second connector.   The connector component according to claim 1, wherein the connector component is formed integrally with the first or second connector.   A connector system comprising the connector component according to claim 1, and the first and second connectors.   The connector system according to claim 4, wherein the first connector and the second connector are electrically connected.   The connector system according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the first connector and the second connector have the same shape.   An electronic apparatus comprising the connector system according to claim 4, the first and second electronic modules, and the housing.

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