JP4722898B2 - Hybrid connector - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a hybrid connector for simultaneously connecting an optical waveguide and a conductive wire.

  Conventionally, in an electronic apparatus such as a personal computer, a mobile phone, a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), a digital camera, a video camera, a music player, a game machine, and a vehicle navigation device, the entire housing is used. In order to achieve both a reduction in size and an increase in the size of the display, the housing can be folded. In this case, a conductive wire such as a flexible circuit board or a thin coaxial cable is provided so as to pass through the inside (for example, an inner diameter of 4 mm) of the hinge portion that rotatably connects one housing and the other housing. It arranges and transmits a signal by parallel transmission.

  In recent years, there has been a demand for high-speed signals due to high-definition images, etc., but there is a limit to the internal size of the hinge part, so it is difficult to arrange wide or large-diameter conductive wires. . In addition, when EMI (Electro Magnetic Interference) measures are taken, the conductive wire becomes wider or larger in diameter.

  Thus, optical transmission capable of serially transmitting a large amount of signals and excellent in EMI compatibility has been studied (for example, see Patent Document 1).

  FIG. 15 is a perspective view showing a conventional optical connector.

  In the figure, reference numeral 901 denotes an optical fiber, and an optical connector main body 920 is attached to the tip. Reference numeral 850 denotes a photoelectric conversion module mounted on a circuit board (not shown), which is a chip or array module on which a light emitting element and a light receiving element are mounted. Reference numeral 801 denotes a connector holder that holds the optical connector body 920, and is mounted on a circuit board so as to cover the photoelectric conversion module 850. The connector holder 801 includes a main body portion 811 made of a metal plate, and a base end of a pair of presser pieces 821 formed by bending the metal plate is connected to the upper surface of the main body portion 811. The presser piece 821 is arranged so that the curved protrusions face each other.

When connecting the optical connector main body 920 to the photoelectric conversion module 850, the optical connector main body 920 is pushed between the pair of pressing pieces 821 from above. As a result, the spacing between the protrusions of the pressing piece 821 is increased. When the lower surface of the optical connector main body 920 faces the upper surface of the photoelectric conversion module 850, the optical connector main body 920 is sandwiched by the pressing pieces 821 from both sides, and the convex portions 921 formed on both sides of the optical connector main body 920. Is pressed downward by the protrusion of the presser piece 821. Thereby, the optical connector main body 920 is connected to the photoelectric conversion module 850.
JP 2004-348123 A

  However, in the conventional optical connector, the width and thickness of the optical connector main body 920 attached to the tip of the optical fiber 901 are larger than the width and thickness of the optical fiber 901. As described above, since there is a limit to the size of the hinge portion that rotatably connects one housing and the other housing of the electronic device, if the optical connector body 920 is large, an optical fiber 901 cannot pass through the inside of the hinge portion. However, since the protrusion 921 is locally pressed by the protrusion of the pressing piece 821, the connection between the optical connector main body 920 and the photoelectric conversion module 850 is maintained, so that the strength of the entire optical connector main body 920 is increased. The optical connector body 920 is difficult to downsize.

  In addition, since the connection between the optical connector main body 920 and the photoelectric conversion module 850 is maintained only by pressing the convex portion 921 by the protruding portion of the pressing piece 821, the alignment between the optical connector main body 920 and the photoelectric conversion module 850 is maintained. The accuracy cannot be improved, and as a result, the alignment between the light emitting element and the light receiving element of the photoelectric conversion module 850 and the corresponding optical waveguide of the optical fiber 901 cannot be performed accurately.

  Further, since no consideration is given to connecting the conductive wires, signal transmission between one housing and the other housing of the electronic device is performed not only with the optical fiber 901 but also with the conductive wires. In some cases, it is necessary to prepare a conductive wire and an electrical connector separately.

  The present invention solves the above-described conventional problems by providing a hybrid cable in which an optical waveguide and a conductive wire are laminated, and a positioned portion, a plug-side optical connection portion, and a plug-side electrical connection portion arranged in tandem. The plug can be reduced in size by connecting the plug to the connector housing including the positioning portion, the optical connection portion, and the electrical connection portion arranged in tandem. Wiring work can be performed easily, and optical connection with the optical waveguide and electrical connection with the conductive wire can be performed simultaneously and accurately with a simple operation. The structure is simple and the manufacturing cost is low. An object of the present invention is to provide a hybrid connector that is easy to operate.

For this purpose, the hybrid connector of the present invention has a connector housing to which a plug connected to a hybrid cable in which an optical waveguide and a conductive wire are laminated, and the plug is formed at the tip of the hybrid cable. flat connection end, and includes a plug housing in which the connection end is inserted, the connection end portion is provided with a plug-side optical connection portion is disposed on the lower surface and the plug-side electric connection portion, said The plug housing includes a positioned portion, and the positioned portion, the plug-side optical connecting portion, and the plug-side electrical connecting portion are sequentially arranged in the axial direction of the hybrid cable, and the plug-side optical connecting portion is positioned. are arranged adjacent to, the plug-side optical connection portion is provided with an inclined surface to change the orientation of light passing through the optical waveguide, the connector housing Positioning portion, provided with an optical connection portion and an electric connecting portion, the positioning portion, an optical connection portion and the electrical connections, in turn arranged in the axial direction of the connector housing, and the light connecting portion is adjacent to the positioning unit In the plug, the positioning portion engages with the positioned portion, and the plug-side optical connection portion and the plug-side electrical connection portion arranged on the lower surface of the connection end portion are arranged on the upper surface of the connector housing. Opposed to the optical connection portion and the electrical connection portion, the connector housing is mounted so that light can be transferred between the optical connection portion and the optical waveguide and conduction between the electrical connection portion and the conductive wire can be performed.

  In another hybrid connector of the present invention, both the connector housing and the plug are flat members, and the plug is attached to the connector housing such that the lower surface thereof faces the upper surface of the connector housing.

  In still another hybrid connector of the present invention, the optical connection unit further includes a light receiving element that receives light emitted from the optical waveguide and / or a light emitting element that emits light incident on the optical waveguide.

In still another hybrid connector of the present invention, the plug-side optical connection portion is an optical path conversion portion formed in an optical waveguide in the connection end portion, and the plug-side electrical connection portion is formed of the conductive wire. obtain Bei connection pad portion formed on the tip.

  According to the present invention, a hybrid connector connects a plug including a positioned portion, a plug-side optical connection portion, and a plug-side electrical connection portion arranged in tandem to a hybrid cable in which an optical waveguide and a conductive wire are stacked. The plug is attached to a connector housing having a positioning portion, an optical connection portion, and an electrical connection portion arranged in tandem. As a result, the plug can be reduced in size, the wiring work of the hybrid cable can be easily performed, and the optical connection with the optical waveguide and the electrical connection with the conductive line can be simultaneously performed with a simple operation, and Can be done accurately. Furthermore, the structure of the hybrid connector can be simplified, the manufacturing cost can be suppressed, and the operation can be facilitated.

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

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a hybrid connector according to an embodiment of the present invention, and shows a state in which a lock member is opened before connecting a hybrid cable.

  In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a receptacle connector as a hybrid connector in the present embodiment, which is mounted on a surface of a circuit board or the like (not shown) and functions as a hybrid cable connector for connecting the hybrid cable 101.

  Here, the hybrid cable 101 is a composite cable in which an optical waveguide and a conductive wire 151 to be described later are integrated. Specifically, a flexible circuit board (FPC: Flexible Printed Circuit) or the like is provided on one surface of a strip-shaped optical waveguide. A flexible flat plate cable is attached and laminated together, or a conductive pattern is formed on one surface of a strip-shaped optical waveguide.

  A plug 120 as a counterpart hybrid connector is attached to the end of the hybrid cable 101. The hybrid cable 101 is connected to the receptacle connector 1 by fitting the plug 120 with the receptacle connector 1.

  The hybrid cable 101 may be used for any application. For example, the hybrid cable 101 is a personal computer, a mobile phone, a PDA, a digital camera, a video camera, a music player, a game machine, a vehicle navigation device, or the like. , Used in electronic devices in which the housing is divided into a plurality of parts and each adjacent part is rotatably connected, and is wired so as to pass through the inside of the hinge part that rotatably connects each adjacent part Suitable for such applications. Further, the hybrid cable 101 can serially transmit a signal through an optical waveguide and is excellent in EMI compatibility. Therefore, the hybrid cable 101 is suitable for use in transmitting a large amount of signals at high speed. Furthermore, the receptacle connector 1 is suitable for applications such as being mounted on the surface of a substrate disposed in the casing of the electronic device.

  In the present embodiment, the upper, lower, left, right, front, rear, etc. are used to describe the configuration and operation of the receptacle connector 1, the hybrid cable 101, the plug 120, and the members included therein. The expression indicating the direction is relative rather than absolute, and is appropriate when the receptacle connector 1, the hybrid cable 101, the plug 120, and the members included therein are in the posture shown in the figure. When the attitudes of the receptacle connector 1, the hybrid cable 101, the plug 120, and the members included therein are changed, the attitude should be changed according to the change in attitude.

  The receptacle connector 1 is integrally formed of a connector housing 11 integrally formed of an insulating material such as a synthetic resin and an insulating material such as a synthetic resin or a metal material, and the posture of the connector housing 11 is changed. And a lock member 21 which is attached in a possible manner. The lock member 21 has a base end (lower end in the figure) rotatably connected to a distal end (left end in the figure) of the connector housing 11 and changes its posture so that the plug 120 is attached to the connector housing 11. An open position as the first position as shown and a closed position as the second position for locking the plug 120 are shown. The lock member 21 may be formed by processing a plate-like metal material by bending or pressing. The lock member 21 includes a pair of side wall portions 22 extending in the axial direction of the hybrid cable 101 in the closed position, and each side wall portion extends inward from the inner side surface of the side wall portion 22. The plate-like plug pressing portion 24 integrally connected to the connector 22 is provided so that the plug 120 can be pressed against the connector housing 11 from above.

  The connector housing 11 is a plate-like member having a substantially rectangular planar shape, and is arranged in tandem in the major axis direction from the front end to the rear end, the optical connection portion 16, and the electrical connection. The unit 17 is provided. The guide portion 14 functions as a positioning portion and includes a flat upper surface as a guide surface and a guide protrusion 31 as a guide member protruding upward from the upper surface. By engaging the guide hole 131 as the guided hole 120, the plug 120 to be mounted on the connector housing 11 is accurately guided to a predetermined position, and becomes a reference for the alignment of the receptacle connector 1 and the plug 120. The plug 120 is a thin plate-like member having a substantially rectangular planar shape. When the plug 120 is attached to the connector housing 11, the lower surface thereof faces the upper surface of the connector housing 11.

  Further, the optical connecting part 16 is a part that delivers light to and from the optical waveguide of the hybrid cable 101, and includes a light receiving element 72, a light emitting element 73, and a control circuit that controls the light receiving element 72 and the light emitting element 73, which will be described later. It is a recessed part which accommodates optical devices, such as control IC71 as a light emitting / receiving control element with which it is equipped. The optical connection portion 16 is also made of a conductive material such as metal, and also accommodates an optical terminal 61 connected to the light receiving element 72, the light emitting element 73, the control IC 71, or the like. The optical terminal 61 includes a tail part 63 as a board connection part connected to a connection pad formed on the board surface by soldering or the like, and the tail part 63 projects to the side of the connector housing 11. ing.

  The electrical connection portion 17 is a portion that is electrically connected to the conductive wire 151 of the hybrid cable 101, and is a recess that accommodates an electrical connection terminal 51 made of a conductive material such as metal. The electrical connection terminal 51 includes a tail portion 53 as a connection portion for a substrate connected to a connection pad formed on the surface of the substrate by soldering or the like, and the tail portion 53 is formed on the side of the connector housing 11. It protrudes.

  Next, the configuration of the plug 120 will be described in detail.

  2 is an exploded perspective view showing the plug in the embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 3 is a view showing the plug housing body in the embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a view showing the plug top plate in the embodiment of the present invention. It is. In addition, in FIG. 3, (a) is a top view, (b) is a side view, (c) is a ZZ arrow sectional drawing in (a).

  The hybrid cable 101 is an elongated strip-shaped thin plate member, but only a part near the front end (left end in the figure) is depicted in FIG. Reference numeral 102 denotes a connection end formed in a range of a predetermined length from the front end face 102b, and is formed to be slightly thicker than other portions.

  Further, on the lower surface of the hybrid cable 101, a plurality of foil-like conductive wires 151 made of a material having conductivity such as metal on the insulating layer showing the electrical insulation of the hybrid cable 101, For example, six are arranged in parallel at a predetermined pitch. The lower side of the conductive wire 151 is covered with another insulating layer. At the connection end portion 102, the other insulating layer is removed, and the lower surface of the conductive wire 151 is exposed.

  A wide connection pad portion 152 is formed at the tip of each conductive line 151. Each of the connection pad portions 152 is formed at a portion corresponding to the electrical connection terminal 51 accommodated in the electrical connection portion 17 of the connector housing 11 in a state where the hybrid cable 101 is connected to the receptacle connector 1. The The area where the connection pad portion 152 is disposed functions as the plug-side electrical connection portion 153. Further, the arrangement of the connection pad portions 152 can be arbitrarily set. However, as shown in the figure, it is desirable that the connection pad portions 152 be arranged in a staggered manner and in a tandem arrangement in the axial direction of the hybrid cable 101. . Accordingly, a large number of connection pad portions 152 can be disposed without expanding the width of the connection end portion 102, and as a result, the size of the plug 120 in the width direction can be suppressed.

  Further, in the connection end portion 102, an optical path conversion portion 161 as a plug-side optical connection portion is formed at a portion closer to the front end than the connection pad portion 152. The optical path conversion unit 161 includes an inclined surface 162 (to be described later) that functions as a mirror surface, and converts the direction of light transmitted through the optical waveguide to a substantially right angle. That is, the optical path in the axial direction of the hybrid cable 101 is converted into an optical path in a direction perpendicular to the lower surface of the hybrid cable 101. Thereby, the light transmitted through the optical waveguide can be emitted downward from the lower surface of the hybrid cable 101, and the light incident on the lower surface of the hybrid cable 101 from below can be transmitted to the optical waveguide. The optical path changing portion 161 is formed at a portion corresponding to the light receiving element 72 and the light emitting element 73 housed in the optical connecting portion 16 of the connector housing 11 in a state where the hybrid cable 101 is connected to the receptacle connector 1. The

  The plug housing 130 includes a plug housing body 121 that is a rectangular frame-like member extending in the axial direction of the hybrid cable 101 and a plug that is a rectangular plate-like member extending in the axial direction of the hybrid cable 101. And a top plate 126. The plug housing body 121 is a member integrally formed of an insulating material such as a synthetic resin, and a pair of side wall portions 124 extending in the major axis direction and a front horizontal rail connecting the front ends of the side wall portions 124. Part 122 and a rear horizontal cross part 123 connecting the rear end of the side wall part 124. Reference numeral 125 denotes a rectangular opening penetrating the plug housing main body 121 in the thickness direction, and the periphery is defined by the side wall portion 124, the front horizontal rail portion 122, and the rear horizontal rail portion 123.

  The side wall portion 124 is an elongated rod-like member having a rectangular cross-sectional shape, and functions as a pressed portion that is pressed from above by the plug pressing portion 24 of the lock member 21. Note that the dimension in the thickness direction of the side wall 124 is substantially the same as the dimension in the thickness direction of the connection end 102 of the hybrid cable 101. Further, the side wall portion 124 is positioned in the width direction of the hybrid cable 101 by the inner side surface 124 a coming into contact with the side surface 102 a of the connection end portion 102 of the hybrid cable 101.

  The front horizontal cross section 122 functions as a positioned portion of the plug 120 and is a rectangular plate-like member having a rectangular cross-sectional shape, and has a flat lower surface as a guided surface and a thickness direction. A guide hole 131 is provided as a guided member that penetrates. The front horizontal cross section 122 functions as a guided portion when the plug 120 is attached to the connector housing 11, the guide hole 131 engages with the guide protrusion 31 of the connector housing 11, and the lower surface is the guide of the connector housing 11. Engages with the upper surface of the portion 14. Note that the lower surface of the front horizontal crosspiece 122 is formed to be flush with the lower surface of the side wall 124. Further, the rear end surface 122a of the front horizontal crosspiece 122 is in contact with the front end surface 102b of the connection end portion 102 of the hybrid cable 101, thereby positioning the hybrid cable 101 in the axial direction. In addition, the dimension in the thickness direction of the front crosspiece 122 is substantially the same as the value obtained by adding the dimension in the thickness direction of the plug top plate 126 to the dimension in the thickness direction of the side wall 124.

  Further, the rear horizontal cross section 123 is a rectangular plate-shaped member having a rectangular cross-sectional shape, and has a flat upper surface, and the upper surface comes into contact with the lower surface of the connection end portion 102 of the hybrid cable 101. The hybrid cable 101 is supported from below. Since the rear horizontal crosspiece 123 is connected to the side wall 124 so that the upper surface thereof is substantially flush with the lower surface of the side wall 124, the rear end surface of the plug housing body 121 is substantially the same as viewed from the rear. It has a U-shape.

  The plug top plate 126 is a thin plate member having a substantially rectangular shape, and is attached and fixed to the plug housing main body 121 so as to close the opening 125 from above. In the example shown in the figure, the plug housing main body 121 and the plug top plate 126 are formed separately, but the plug housing main body 121 and the plug top plate 126 may be integrally formed. . The plug top plate 126 desirably functions as a shield plate. For example, the plug top plate 126 includes a metal plate, a metal plate integrally formed of a synthetic resin, and a metal layer. It is desirable to be formed from a laminated composite plate or a conductive composite material in which a conductive material such as metal or carbon is mixed into a compound such as a synthetic resin.

  Further, the length of the plug top plate 126, that is, the dimension in the major axis direction is substantially equal to the dimension from the rear end surface 122a of the front horizontal beam portion 122 to the front end surface of the rear horizontal beam portion 123 in the plug housing main body 121. The width of the plug top plate 126, that is, the dimension in the minor axis direction is substantially equal to the dimension from the outer surface of one side wall portion 124 to the outer surface of the other side wall portion 124 in the plug housing body 121. In addition, on both sides of the plug top plate 126, elongated rectangular cutout portions 127 are formed.

  Then, when the plug top plate 126 is attached and fixed to the plug housing main body 121 so that the front end surface of the plug top plate 126 contacts the rear end surface 122a of the front horizontal crosspiece 122, the plug housing 130 is completed. In this case, the entire surface of the opening 125 and the upper surface of the side wall portion 124 are covered with the plug top plate 126, but the upper surface of the side wall portion 124 is exposed at a portion corresponding to the notch portion 127. In the case where the plug housing main body 121 and the plug top plate 126 are integrally formed, the plug top plate 126 has been attached to the plug housing main body 121 from the beginning.

  In the completed plug housing 130, the upper surface of the front horizontal crosspiece 122 and the plug top plate 126 are flush with each other, and the outer side surface of the side wall portion 124 and the side surface of the plug top plate 126 are surfaces except for the cutout portion 127. Become one.

  Next, the configuration of the connection end 102 of the hybrid cable 101 will be described in detail.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the configuration of the connection end of the hybrid cable in the embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the layer structure of the connection end of the hybrid cable in the embodiment of the present invention. 5, (a) is a perspective view as viewed from above, (b) is a perspective view as viewed from below, (c) is an enlarged view of the main part of (b), and in FIG. Is a side sectional view, and (b) is a schematic diagram of a side section.

  The hybrid cable 101 according to the present embodiment is an elongated strip-like flexible flat plate-like member, and has a laminated structure in which a layer of the conductive wire 151 is laminated below the layer of the optical waveguide. As described above, the conductive wire 151 is exposed on the lower surface of the connection end portion 102, and the optical path conversion portion 161 is formed at a portion closer to the front end than the connection pad portion 152 of the conductive wire 151. The transmitted light can be emitted downward from the lower surface of the hybrid cable 101, and the light incident on the lower surface of the hybrid cable 101 from below can be transmitted to the optical waveguide.

  Here, as shown in FIG. 6B, the optical waveguide has a core part 111 serving as an optical transmission path for transmitting light, and a function of surrounding the core part 111 and confining light in the core part 111. And a clad portion 112 provided. In the example shown in the figure, the number of core portions 111 is two, but may be one, may be three or more, and can be arbitrarily set.

  The optical waveguide may be any propagation mode such as a single mode type, a multimode type, and a step index mode, but here it is assumed to be a multimode type. The refractive index of the cladding part 112 is preferably lower than the refractive index of the core part 111. For example, the refractive index difference between the core part 111 and the cladding part 112 is 0.01 or more. It is desirable to consist. The optical waveguide is not limited to these forms, and may be any form having a core part for transmitting light and a clad part for confining light in the core part. The optical waveguide is formed by laminating materials. Or an optical waveguide produced by an etching method, an optical waveguide having a photonic crystal structure, or the like.

  The optical waveguide may be made of any kind of material as long as it satisfies such a refractive index condition. For example, the optical waveguide may be made of a silicon substrate, or a glass substrate. May be composed of a hybrid substrate composed of an organic material and an inorganic material, or may be composed of a flexible resin film, but here it is composed of a flexible resin film. The example which is what is demonstrated is demonstrated.

  An insulating film 113 as an insulating layer is attached to the lower surface of the cladding portion 112. The insulating film 113 may be made of any material as long as it has flexibility, translucency, and insulation, but here, it is assumed that the insulating film 113 is a film made of polyimide. Thus, since the insulating film 113 has translucency, light can be transmitted through the insulating film 113 and emitted below the hybrid cable 101 or incident from below the hybrid cable 101.

  Further, a foil-like conductive wire 151 is attached to the lower surface of the insulating film 113. The conductive wire 151 may be made of any material as long as it has conductivity. For example, the conductive wire 151 is made of a copper foil or a gold foil, and the surface of the copper foil is plated with gold. May be.

  On the other hand, a support film 114 as a support member is attached to the upper surface of the clad portion 112. The support film 114 has the same width as that of the hybrid cable 101 and is affixed over the entire range of the connection end portion 102 to give a certain degree of rigidity to the connection end portion 102 and hardly deform. To do. As a result, in the flexible hybrid cable 101, only the connection end portion 102 has a certain degree of rigidity and is difficult to be deformed. Therefore, the work of attaching the plug housing 130 to the connection end portion 102 is facilitated, and after installation, The adhesion between the connection end 102 and the plug housing 130 is improved. The support film 114 is made of a synthetic resin. However, the support film 114 may be made of any material as long as it has a certain degree of rigidity as well as insulation.

  Here, the optical path conversion unit 161 has a substantially isosceles right triangle in cross section, and is an elongated hole extending in the width direction of the hybrid cable 101, and includes an inclined surface 162 that functions as a mirror surface. The inclined surface 162 is inclined at an angle of approximately 45 degrees with respect to the axial direction (lateral direction in FIG. 6B) and the thickness direction (vertical direction in FIG. 6B) of the hybrid cable 101, and the optical waveguide Is reflected and emitted below the hybrid cable 101, and the light incident from below the hybrid cable 101 is reflected and introduced into the optical waveguide.

  Note that the inclination angle of the inclined surface 162 can be appropriately changed depending on the refractive indexes of the core part 111 and the clad part 112 so that the optical loss is optimized. In addition, the inclined surface 162 can be formed by performing dicing or die cutting or laser processing. Specifically, before the step of attaching the support film 114, a groove extending in the width direction having a substantially right-angled isosceles triangle and having an upper surface opened is formed in the optical waveguide by dicing or laser processing. To do. Thereafter, a support film 114 is attached to the upper surface of the clad portion 112 to close the upper surface of the groove, whereby an elongated hole-shaped optical path changing portion 161 can be obtained. Since the upper surface of the optical path changing unit 161 is covered with the support film 114, the possibility that foreign matters such as dust enter the optical path changing unit 161 and adhere to the inclined surface 162 is reduced. The lower end of the groove bites into the clad portion 112 below the core portion 111, but is formed so as not to penetrate the clad portion 112 downward.

  Next, a method for assembling the plug 120 by attaching the plug housing 130 to the connection end 102 of the hybrid cable 101 will be described.

  FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing assembly of the plug in the embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing assembly of the plug in the embodiment of the present invention. 7A is a perspective view before assembly, FIG. 7B is a perspective view after assembly, FIG. 8A is a plan view during assembly, and FIG. 7B is a plan view of FIG. YY arrow sectional drawing, (c) is sectional drawing after an assembly.

  First, as shown in FIG. 7A, an adhesive 128 is applied to the lower surface of the plug top plate 126 of the plug housing 130. The adhesive 128 has adhesiveness with the support film 114.

  Subsequently, after the plug housing 130 and the hybrid cable 101 are arranged so that the rear end surface of the plug housing main body 121 and the front end surface 102b of the connection end portion 102 face each other as shown in FIG. The hybrid cable 101 is moved forward relative to the plug housing 130. Then, the connection end portion 102 is inserted into the space defined by the side wall portions 124 on both sides of the plug housing main body 121 and the plug top plate 126 from the rear side of the plug housing 130.

  In this case, as shown in FIG. 8B, the upper surface of the connection end portion 102 is in sliding contact with the lower surface of the plug top plate 126, and the lower surface of the connection end portion 102 is in sliding contact with the upper surface of the rear horizontal beam portion 123. The contact end 102 is guided by contact. Further, the side surface 102 a of the connection end portion 102 is in sliding contact with the inner side surface 124 a of the side wall portion 124. Then, as indicated by the arrow, the hybrid cable 101 is further advanced relative to the plug housing 130. In this case, the position of the connection end portion 102 in the vertical direction, that is, the thickness direction is defined by the plug top plate 126 and the rear horizontal crosspiece portion 123, and the position in the left-right direction, that is, the width direction is defined by the side wall portion 124. Therefore, it is inserted into the plug housing 130 in a properly positioned state.

  Finally, as shown in FIGS. 7B and 8C, when the front end face 102b of the connecting end 102 abuts the rear end face 122a of the front horizontal crosspiece 122, the insertion of the connecting end 102 is completed. To do. Then, the adhesive 128 is cured by heating, ultraviolet irradiation, or the like, so that the plug top plate 126 of the plug housing 130 and the support film 114 of the connection end 102 can be securely bonded. In this case, the lower surface of the plug top plate 126 of the plug housing 130 and the upper surface of the connection end portion 102 are in close contact with each other, and the lower surface of the connection end portion 102 is flush with the lower surface of the front horizontal rail portion 122 and the lower surface of the side wall portion 124. Become. In addition, the rear horizontal crosspiece 123 functions as a peeling (separation) prevention unit and supports the connection end 102 from below, thereby preventing the connection end 102 from being detached from the plug top plate 126.

  In the plug 120 assembled in this manner, the front end surface 102b of the connection end portion 102 is brought into contact with the rear end surface 122a of the front horizontal crosspiece 122, whereby the hybrid cable 101 is axially positioned with respect to the plug housing 130. Done. Therefore, if the optical path conversion unit 161 and the plug-side electrical connection unit 153 are positioned in the axial direction with the front end surface 102b as a reference, the optical path conversion unit 161 and the plug are connected from the guide hole 131 formed in the front horizontal cross section 122. The distance in the axial direction to the side electrical connecting portion 153 can also be determined easily by strictly contacting the front end surface 102b of the connecting end portion 102 with the rear end surface 122a of the front horizontal rail portion 122.

  Further, the lateral direction positioning of the hybrid cable 101 with respect to the plug housing 130 is performed by bringing the side surface 102 a of the connection end portion 102 into contact with the inner side surface 124 a of the side wall portion 124. Therefore, if the optical path conversion unit 161 and the plug-side electrical connection unit 153 are positioned in the width direction on the basis of the side surface 102a, each core unit 111 and the plug-side electrical unit in the optical path conversion unit 161 from the outer surface of the side wall unit 124. The distance in the width direction to the connection portion 153 can also be easily defined simply by bringing the side surface 102a of the connection end portion 102 into contact with the inner side surface 124a of the side wall portion 124.

  And the guide hole 131 which is a to-be-guided part at the time of mounting | wearing the connector housing 11 with the plug 120, the optical path conversion part 161, and the plug side electrical connection part 153 are arranged in tandem in the axial direction, and are not arranged in parallel. Therefore, it is not necessary to increase the dimension of the plug 120 in the width direction, and it is only necessary to make the value slightly larger than the dimension of the hybrid cable 101 in the width direction. Specifically, it is only necessary to add the dimension in the width direction of the pair of side wall portions 124 to the dimension in the width direction of the hybrid cable 101. In this case, since the side wall portion 124 is an elongated rod-like member, the dimension in the width direction is a slight value. As a result, the dimension in the width direction of the plug 120 is slightly smaller than the dimension in the width direction of the hybrid cable 101. Can be kept at a large value.

  In addition, since the optical path conversion unit 161 requiring higher positional accuracy than the plug-side electrical connection unit 153 is disposed in the vicinity of the guide hole 131, the distance from the guide hole 131 to the optical path conversion unit 161 is consequently increased. Shorter. The fitting of the receptacle connector 1 and the plug 120 is performed with reference to the engagement position between the guide protrusion 31 of the receptacle connector 1 and the guide hole 131 of the plug 120, and as a result, the light receiving element 72 and / or the light emitting element 73. The optical path conversion unit 161 can be optically connected with high positional accuracy, and low optical loss can be realized.

  Further, the thickness in the thickness direction of the plug 120 only needs to be added to the dimension in the thickness direction of the plug top plate 126 to the dimension in the thickness direction of the connection end 102. It can be kept at a slightly larger value.

  Furthermore, the overall shape of the plug 120 is also a simple shape having a rectangular planar shape and side surface shape, and has very little unevenness.

  Therefore, for example, even when the hybrid cable 101 is wired so as to pass through the inside of the hinge portion that connects each part of the casing of the electronic device, the plug 120 attached to the end of the hybrid cable 101 is connected to the hybrid cable 101. Since the cable 101 is slightly wider than the cable 101 itself, is small enough to be slightly thick, and has a simple shape, wiring work can be performed very easily.

  Next, the configuration of the receptacle connector 1 will be described in detail.

  FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view showing the receptacle connector in the embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 10 is a view showing a fitting state of the connector housing and the lock member in the embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 11 is an embodiment of the present invention. The figure which shows the upper surface and lower surface of the connector housing and lock member in a form, FIG. 12: is a figure which shows the method of mounting | wearing the connector housing in embodiment of this invention with the sealing plate. 10, (a) is a plan view, (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line WW in (a), FIG. 11 (a) is a top view, (b) is a bottom view, and FIG. (A) is a figure before mounting | wearing, (b) is a figure after mounting | wearing.

  The connector housing 11 is a rectangular parallelepiped member having a substantially rectangular planar shape and a low height, and includes a pair of side wall portions 12 extending in the major axis direction. A bearing hole 13 is formed in the vicinity of the front end (the left end in FIG. 10B) of the side wall portion 12, and the rotation shaft 23 of the lock member 21 is inserted into the bearing hole 13 so as to be rotatably supported. Further, the tail part 53 of the electrical connection terminal 51 and the tail part 63 of the optical terminal 61 protrude from the side wall part 12.

  A rear end wall portion 15 extending in the width direction and connecting the side wall portions 12 on both sides is disposed at the rear end of the connector housing 11. The side wall portions 12 on both sides are connected by a guide portion 14 extending in the width direction at the front end, and extend in the width direction in the middle to partition the optical connection portion 16 and the electrical connection portion 17. 35 are connected. Lock protrusions 15a are formed as latching portions projecting rearward in the vicinity of both ends in the width direction of the rear end wall portion 15, that is, on the rear end surfaces of the side wall portions 12 on both sides. When the locking member 21 is in the closed position, the locked projection 25a as the latched portion engages with the locking projection 15a so as to be latched on the connector housing 11, thereby locking the plug 120.

  Further, a front engagement protruding wall 18 that protrudes upward and extends in the long axis direction is connected to the upper surface of the side wall portion 12 in the vicinity of the front end of the connector housing 11. The front engagement protruding wall 18 is integrally connected to the front end thereof, and includes an auxiliary portion 18a extending in the minor axis direction, that is, in the width direction. Thereby, the front engaging protrusions 18 on both sides have L-shaped planar shapes, respectively, and can be engaged with the corners on both sides of the front end of the plug 120. That is, the inner side surface of the front engagement protrusion wall 18 and the rear side surface of the auxiliary portion 18 a engage with the side surface and the front end surface in the vicinity of the front end of the plug 120.

  On the other hand, a rear engagement protruding wall 19 protruding upward is connected to the upper surface of the side wall portion 12 at the rear end of the connector housing 11, that is, the upper surface of both ends in the width direction of the rear end wall portion 15. The inner side surface of the rear engagement protrusion wall 19 is engaged with the side surface in the vicinity of the rear end of the plug 120.

  Note that the alignment of the connector housing 11 and the plug 120 is uniquely performed with reference to the guide portion 14. The vertical direction, that is, the thickness direction of the plug 120 is based on the upper surface of the guide portion 14, and the longitudinal direction and the short side direction, that is, the axial direction and the width direction of the hybrid cable 101 are based on the guide protrusion 31. In the example shown in the figure, there are two guide protrusions 31, but there may be one or three or more. However, it is desirable that there are a plurality of guide protrusions 31.

  The optical connection unit 16 accommodates an optical device such as a light receiving element 72, a light emitting element 73, a control IC 71 including a control circuit for controlling the light receiving element 72 and the light emitting element 73. In the example shown in the figure, the light receiving element 72 is disposed on the right side facing the front, and the light emitting element 73 is disposed on the left side. However, the light receiving element 72 is disposed on the left side and light is emitted on the right side. An element 73 can also be provided. Further, in the example shown in the figure, one light receiving element 72 and one light emitting element 73 are provided, but the number of light receiving elements 72 and light emitting elements 73 can be arbitrarily set. They can be arranged one by one or more. The positions of the light receiving element 72 and the light emitting element 73 in the longitudinal direction of the connector housing 11 correspond to directly below the inclined surface 162 of the optical path changing portion 161 of the plug 120 fitted to the receptacle connector 1. The position of the element 73 in the short direction of the connector housing 11 corresponds to a position directly below each core portion 111 of the plug 120 fitted to the receptacle connector 1.

  In addition, the control IC 71 connected to the light receiving element 72 and the light emitting element 73 can be disposed at any position inside or outside the optical connecting unit 16, From the viewpoint of signal transmission / reception performance, a position close to the light receiving element 72 and the light emitting element 73 is desirable. The control IC 71 is not necessarily formed separately from the light receiving element 72 and the light emitting element 73, and may be formed integrally with the light receiving element 72 and the light emitting element 73. In the present embodiment, the control IC 71 is described as being disposed in the optical connection unit 16.

  Further, the optical connection portion 16 also accommodates an optical terminal 61 for connecting the light receiving element 72 and the light emitting element 73 to the control IC 71 and for connecting the control IC 71 and a connection pad formed on the surface of the substrate. The A portion of the optical terminal 61 connected to a connection pad formed on the surface of the substrate protrudes outward from the connector housing 11 as a tail portion 63. Note that the tail portion 63 does not necessarily protrude only from the outer surface of the side wall portion 12 of the connector housing 11, and may protrude from the front end surface of the guide portion 14 as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11. Good. Further, the number and arrangement of the tail portions 63 can be arbitrarily set.

  A thin plate-shaped sealing plate 41 made of a translucent material such as glass is attached to the upper surface of the optical connection portion 16. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 12A, an adhesive 42 is applied to the upper surface of the convex portion in the optical connecting portion 16. The adhesive 42 has adhesiveness with the sealing plate 41 made of glass or the like. Subsequently, the sealing plate 41 is placed on the optical connection unit 16, and the upper surface of the optical connection unit 16 is sealed as shown in FIG. Is cured. As a result, the optical connection portion 16 becomes a sealed space surrounded by the surroundings, and foreign matter such as dust in the air enters the optical connection portion 16 to receive the light receiving element 72, the light emitting element 73, the control IC 71, and the optical terminal 61. Contamination etc. is prevented. Since the sealing plate 41 has translucency, the light receiving element 72 and the light emitting element 73 accommodated in the optical connection portion 16 can transmit and receive light and emit light through the sealing plate 41.

  Further, the electrical connection portion 51 accommodates an electrical connection terminal 51. In addition, a spacing member 32 for holding each electrical connection terminal 51 and preventing the adjacent electrical connection terminals 51 from contacting each other is housed in the electrical connection portion 17.

  In the example shown in the figure, the electrical connection terminal 51 extends in the short direction of the connector housing 11, the base end portion is supported through the side wall portion 12, and the free end is within the electrical connection portion 17. It is a cantilever-like member located near the side wall portion 12 on the opposite side. A contact portion 52 formed in the vicinity of the free end is also located in the electrical connection portion 17, and a tail portion 53 extending outward from the contact portion 52 protrudes outward from the outer surface of the side wall portion 12. The contact portion 52 protrudes upward from the upper surface of the side wall portion 12 so as to contact the connection pad portion 152 of the hybrid cable 101 and is formed in a substantially Λ shape.

  The electrical connection terminals 51 are arranged so that the base ends of adjacent ones are divided into left and right and are alternately supported by the left and right side walls 12. Moreover, in each electrical connection terminal 51, the contact part 52 is located near the side wall part 12 opposite to the side wall part 12 on which the base end part is supported. As a result, the arrangement of the contact portions 52 on the plane is staggered and arranged in tandem in the longitudinal direction of the connector housing 11, and corresponds to the arrangement of the connection pad portions 152 of the hybrid cable 101. Moreover, since the part from the contact part 52 which can be elastically deformed and can function as a spring becomes long, an elastic deformation range becomes wide and it prevents that the terminal 51 for electrical connection deforms plastically. Furthermore, the contact pressure of the contact portion 52 with respect to the connection pad portion 152 can be sufficiently increased. The number and arrangement of the electrical connection terminals 51 can be arbitrarily set in correspondence with the connection pad portions 152 of the hybrid cable 101.

  Then, the spacing member 32 is inserted and fixed into the electrical connection portion 17 through the open bottom surface of the electrical connection portion 17. The spacing member 32 is formed with a plurality of terminal receiving grooves 33 extending in the short direction of the connector housing 11 and having an open upper surface, and extending into the electrical connection portion 17 of the electrical connection terminal 51. Each part is accommodated in the terminal accommodating groove 33. This reliably prevents the adjacent electrical connection terminals 51 from coming into contact with each other in the electrical connection portion 17.

  The lock member 21 is a substantially gate-shaped member, and includes a pair of elongated bar-shaped side wall portions 22 and a connecting bar portion 25 that connects one end of the side wall portion 22. Then, the other end of the side wall portion 22 is formed with a rotating shaft 23 protruding inward, and the rotating shaft 23 is inserted into the bearing hole 13 of the connector housing 11 and is rotatably supported. The lock member 21 is rotatably attached to the connector housing 11.

  Further, at one end of the side wall part 22, that is, at both ends of the connecting bar part 25, a locked projection 25 a that protrudes toward the other end of the side wall part 22 is formed. Then, as shown in FIG. 10, when the locking member 21 is in the closed position, the locked projection 25 a is latched to the locking projection 15 a of the connector housing 11, so that the locking member 21 is latched to the connector housing 11. Thus, the plug 120 is locked.

  In addition, the lock member 21 includes a plate-like plug pressing portion 24 integrally connected to each side wall portion 22 so as to extend inward from the inner side surface of the side wall portion 22 in the middle of the side wall portion 22. . When the lock member 21 is in the closed position, the plug pressing portion 24 presses the plug 120 from above and presses it against the upper surface of the connector housing 11. More specifically, an engaging portion 27 that is slightly thicker than the other portions is formed at the tip of the plug pressing portion 24. When the plug pressing portion 24 presses the plug 120 from above, the engaging portion 27 engages with the cutout portion 127 of the plug top plate 126 and is exposed at a portion corresponding to the cutout portion 127. It abuts on the upper surface of 124 and presses the side wall 124 from above.

  In addition, when the lock member 21 is a metal material and is formed by bending a metal plate, the plug 120 may be pressed from above using the elasticity of the metal plate. In this case, the plate-shaped plug retainer 24 extends inward from the inner surface of the side wall 22 and is further bent so as to be inclined toward the plug 120 attached to the receptacle connector 1. Has been processed. Since the bent plug holding portion 24 has a spring property, the plug 120 can be pressed using the elasticity of the metal plate without forming the engaging portion 27.

  Next, an operation of connecting the hybrid cable 101 to the receptacle connector 1 by fitting the plug 120 to the receptacle connector 1 will be described.

  FIG. 13 is a view showing an operation of fitting the plug in the receptacle connector in the embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 14 is a view showing a state in which the plug in the embodiment of the present invention is fitted in the receptacle connector. 13A is a diagram in which the plug is positioned above the receptacle connector, FIG. 13B is a diagram in which the plug is positioned, FIG. 13C is a diagram in which the plug is locked, and FIG. ) Is a plan view, (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line V-V in (a), (c) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line U-U in (a), and (d) is an enlarged view of a portion D in (b). (E) is an enlarged view of a portion E in (b), (f) is a schematic diagram showing an optical path of light incident on the hybrid cable, and (g) is a schematic diagram showing an optical path of light emitted from the hybrid cable.

  First, as shown in FIG. 13A, the lock member 21 of the receptacle connector 1 is set to the open position, and the plug 120 is positioned above the connector housing 11. In this case, the lower surface of the plug 120, that is, the exposed surface of the connection pad portion 152 is opposed to the upper surface of the connector housing 11, and the front horizontal rail portion 122 of the plug 120 is positioned directly above the guide portion 14 of the connector housing 11. Then, the rear horizontal crosspiece 123 of the plug 120 is positioned above the rear end wall 15 of the connector housing 11.

  Subsequently, the plug 120 is lowered relative to the connector housing 11 and fitted into the connector housing 11. In this case, the guide protrusion 31 of the connector housing 11 is inserted into the guide hole 131 of the plug 120, and the plug 120 is lowered so that the guide hole 131 is along the guide protrusion 31. Thereby, the guide hole 131 engages with the guide protrusion 31, and the plug 120 is accurately positioned with respect to the connector housing 11 in the axial direction and the width direction of the hybrid cable 101. As a result, the optical path changing portion 161 and the plug-side electric connecting portion 153 of the plug 120 face the optical connecting portion 16 and the electric connecting portion 17 of the connector housing 11, respectively. Further, positioning in the thickness direction is performed by the lower surface of the front horizontal crosspiece 122 contacting the upper surface of the guide portion 14. Further, the corners on both sides of the front end of the plug 120 engage with the front engaging protrusions 18 on both sides of the connector housing 11, and the side surface near the rear end of the plug 120 engages with the rear engaging protrusions 19 of the connector housing 11. Therefore, the positional relationship between the plug 120 and the connector housing 11 is stably maintained. From these, even if external force is received, the positional relationship is not disturbed.

  Subsequently, the lock member 21 is rotated from the open position, and the plug 120 is locked at the closed position as shown in FIG. In this case, the lock member 21 is engaged with the lock protrusion 15 a of the connector housing 11 by engaging the locked protrusion 25 a of the lock member 21 with the connector housing 11. Further, the engaging portion 27 formed at the tip of the plug pressing portion 24 of the lock member 21 engages with the notch 127 of the plug top plate 126 of the plug 120 and is exposed at a portion corresponding to the notch 127. It abuts on the upper surface of the portion 124 and presses the side wall portion 124 from above. As a result, the plug 120 cannot move in the up / down, front / back, and left / right directions with respect to the connector housing 11.

  Thereby, the fitting of the plug 120 to the receptacle connector 1 is completed, the hybrid cable 101 is connected to the receptacle connector 1, and the hybrid cable 101 and the receptacle connector 1 are in an optically and electrically connected state.

  As described above, when the plug 120 is fitted to the receptacle connector 1, the lower surface of the plug 120 comes into close contact with the upper surface of the connector housing 11 as shown in FIG. 14C, the side wall portion 124 of the plug 120 is pressed from above by the engaging portion 27 of the plug pressing portion 24 of the lock member 21. Therefore, the contact portion 52 of the electrical connection terminal 51 corresponding to the connection pad portion 152 of the hybrid cable 101 is pressed from above. As a result, the electrical connection terminal 51 is elastically deformed to exert a spring force, and the contact portion 52 is pressed against the connection pad portion 152 by the spring force, so that the contact between the contact portion 52 and the connection pad portion 152 is ensured. Maintained.

  14D, since the guide hole 131 is engaged with the guide protrusion 31, the plug 120 is positioned with respect to the connector housing 11 in the axial direction and the width direction of the hybrid cable 101. Has been. Therefore, each connection pad portion 152 of the hybrid cable 101 and the contact portion 52 of each electrical connection terminal 51 of the receptacle connector 1 are reliably in contact with each other. As a result, the hybrid cable 101 and the receptacle connector 1 are electrically connected.

  Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 14 (e), the optical path changing portion 161 of the hybrid cable 101 is positioned directly above the light emitting element 73 of the receptacle connector 1. Note that the core portion 111 corresponding to the light emitting element 73 is also located immediately above the light emitting element 73 in the width direction of the hybrid cable 101. Similarly, the optical path changing unit 161 of the hybrid cable 101 is located directly above the light receiving element 72 of the receptacle connector 1, and the core part 111 corresponding to the light receiving element 72 is also connected to the light receiving element 72 in the width direction of the hybrid cable 101. Located directly above. As a result, the hybrid cable 101 and the receptacle connector 1 are optically connected.

  That is, as shown in FIG. 14 (f), the light emitted from the light emitting element 73 enters the hybrid cable 101 from below, is reflected by the inclined surface 162 of the optical path changing unit 161, and changes its direction almost at a right angle. Then, it is introduced into the core part 111 corresponding to the light emitting element 73, and is transmitted along the axial direction of the hybrid cable 101 through the core part 111. Note that the arrow shown in FIG. 14F indicates the optical path of the light emitted from the light emitting element 73.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 14G, the light transmitted along the axial direction of the hybrid cable 101 in the core 111 corresponding to the light receiving element 72 is reflected by the inclined surface 162 of the optical path conversion unit 161. Then, the direction is changed to a substantially right angle, emitted downward from the hybrid cable 101, and received by the light receiving element 72. Note that the arrow shown in FIG. 14G indicates the optical path of the light incident on the light receiving element 72.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the receptacle connector 1 has the connector housing 11 to which the plug 120 connected to the hybrid cable 101 in which the optical waveguide and the conductive wire 151 are laminated is mounted. Here, the plug 120 includes a front horizontal beam portion 122 that functions as a positioned portion arranged in tandem in the axial direction of the hybrid cable 101, an optical path conversion unit 161 that functions as a plug-side optical connection portion, and a plug-side electrical connection. The connector housing 11 includes a guide portion 14, an optical connection portion 16, and an electrical connection portion 17 that function as positioning portions arranged in tandem in the long axis direction. The plug 120 includes the connector housing 11 such that the guide portion 14 engages with the front horizontal crosspiece portion 122, and the optical path conversion portion 161 and the plug-side electrical connection portion 153 face the optical connection portion 16 and the electrical connection portion 17. It is attached to.

  Thereby, the plug 120 can be reduced in size and the wiring work of the hybrid cable 101 can be performed very easily. In addition, the plug 120 can be securely fitted, and the optical and electrical connection with the hybrid cable 101 can be reliably achieved. Furthermore, since the hybrid cable 101 is integrally formed by laminating the optical waveguide and the conductive wire 151, it is not necessary to separately wire the optical waveguide and the conductive wire 151, and wiring work can be easily performed. Can do.

  The connector housing 11 and the plug 120 are both flat members, and the plug 120 is attached to the connector housing 11 such that the lower surface thereof faces the upper surface of the connector housing 11.

  Thereby, the connector housing 11 and the plug 120 can be reduced in size, and in particular, the width and thickness of the plug 120 can be reduced and the overall shape can be simplified.

  Further, the optical path conversion unit 161 is arranged adjacent to the front horizontal crosspiece 122, and the optical connection unit 16 is arranged adjacent to the guide unit 14. Thereby, in particular, the optical path conversion unit 161 and the optical connection unit 16 that require high positional accuracy are close to the front horizontal beam unit 122 that functions as the positioned unit and the guide unit 14 that functions as the positioning unit. The alignment accuracy between the part 161 and the optical connecting part 16 can be increased.

  Furthermore, the optical connection unit 16 controls the operation of the light receiving element 72 that receives light emitted from the optical waveguide, the light emitting element 73 that emits light incident on the optical waveguide, and the light receiving element 72 and the light emitting element 73. A control IC 71 is provided. As described above, since the optical devices such as the light receiving element 72, the light emitting element 73, and the control IC 71 are all disposed in the connector housing 11 and not disposed in the plug 120, the configuration of the plug 120 can be simplified. . Also, when the optical device is changed in order to increase the speed of optical transmission or the like, it is not necessary to change the plug 120, so there is no need to redo wiring.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment, It can change variously based on the meaning of this invention, and does not exclude them from the scope of the present invention.

It is a perspective view which shows the hybrid connector in embodiment of this invention, and is a figure which shows the state which open | released the locking member before connecting a hybrid cable. It is a disassembled perspective view which shows the plug in embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the plug housing main body in embodiment of this invention, Comprising: (a) is a top view, (b) is a side view, (c) is ZZ arrow sectional drawing in (a). It is a figure which shows the plug top plate in embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the structure of the connection end part of the hybrid cable in embodiment of this invention, Comprising: (a) is the perspective view seen from the top, (b) is the perspective view seen from the bottom, (c) is (b) FIG. It is a figure which shows the layer structure of the connection end part of the hybrid cable in embodiment of this invention, Comprising: (a) is a sectional side view, (b) is a schematic diagram of a side section. It is a perspective view which shows the assembly of the plug in embodiment of this invention, Comprising: (a) is a perspective view before an assembly, (b) is a perspective view after an assembly. It is sectional drawing which shows the assembly of the plug in embodiment of this invention, Comprising: (a) is a top view in the middle of an assembly, (b) is YY arrow sectional drawing of (a), (c) is after an assembly. FIG. It is a disassembled perspective view which shows the receptacle connector in embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the fitting state of the connector housing and lock member in embodiment of this invention, Comprising: (a) is a top view, (b) is WW arrow sectional drawing in (a). It is a figure which shows the upper surface and lower surface of a connector housing and a locking member in embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the method of mounting | wearing with the sealing board in the connector housing in embodiment of this invention, Comprising: (a) is a figure before mounting | wearing, (b) is a figure after mounting | wearing. It is a figure which shows the operation | movement which fits the plug in embodiment of this invention to a receptacle connector, Comprising: (a) is the figure which positioned the plug above the receptacle connector, (b) is the figure which positioned the plug, c) is a view of the plug locked. It is a figure which shows the state by which the plug in embodiment of this invention was fitted to the receptacle connector, Comprising: (a) is a top view, (b) is the VV arrow sectional drawing in (a), (c). (A) is a cross-sectional view taken along the arrow U-U in (a), (d) is an enlarged view of a portion D in (b), (e) is an enlarged view of an E portion in (b), and (f) is a view of light incident on the hybrid cable. A schematic diagram showing an optical path, (g) is a schematic diagram showing an optical path of light emitted from a hybrid cable. It is a perspective view which shows the conventional optical connector.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Receptacle connector 11 Connector housing 12, 22, 124 Side wall part 13 Bearing hole 14 Guide part 15 Back end wall part 15a Locking protrusion 16 Optical connection part 17 Electrical connection part 18 Front engagement protrusion wall 18a Auxiliary part 19 Rear engagement protrusion wall 21 Locking member 23 Rotating shaft 24 Plug holding part 25 Connecting bar part 25a Locked protrusion 27 Engagement part 31 Guide protrusion 32 Spacing member 33 Terminal receiving groove 35 Partition wall part 41 Sealing plate 42, 128 Adhesive 51 For electrical connection Terminal 52 Contact part 53, 63 Tail part 61 Optical terminal 71 Control IC
72 Light-receiving element 73 Light-emitting element 101 Hybrid cable 102 Connection end portion 102a Side surface 102b Front end surface 111 Core portion 112 Cladding portion 113 Insulating film 114 Support film 120 Plug 121 Main body 122 Front horizontal beam portion 122a Rear end surface 123 Rear horizontal beam portion 124a Inner side surface 125 Opening 126 Plug top plate 127 Notch portion 130 Plug housing 131 Guide hole 151 Conductive wire 152 Connection pad portion 153 Plug side electric connection portion 161 Optical path conversion portion 162 Inclined surface 801 Connector holder 811 Main body portion 821 Pressing piece 850 Photoelectric conversion module 901 Optical fiber 920 Optical connector main body 921 Convex part

Claims (4)

(A) A hybrid connector having a connector housing to which a plug connected to a hybrid cable in which an optical waveguide and a conductive wire are laminated is mounted,
(B) said plug, plate-shaped connecting end portion formed at the distal end of the hybrid cable, and comprises a plug housing in which the connection end is inserted, the connection end portion is disposed on a lower surface The plug housing includes a positioned portion, and the positioned portion, the plug side optical connecting portion, and the plug side electrical connecting portion are arranged in the axial direction of the hybrid cable. And the plug-side optical connection portion is arranged adjacent to the positioned portion, and the plug-side optical connection portion includes an inclined surface that changes the direction of light passing through the optical waveguide,
(C) the connector housing is provided with a positioning unit, optical connection portion and an electric connection portion, the positioning portion, an optical connection portion and the electrical connections are sequentially side by side in the axial direction of the connector housing, and an optical connection Part is arranged adjacent to the positioning part,
(D) In the plug, the positioning portion engages with the positioned portion, and the plug-side optical connection portion and the plug-side electrical connection portion provided on the lower surface of the connection end portion are provided on the upper surface of the connector housing. It is mounted on the connector housing so as to face the optical connection portion and the electrical connection portion, and to allow light to be transferred between the optical connection portion and the optical waveguide and to conduct between the electrical connection portion and the conductive wire. Hybrid connector characterized by 2. The hybrid connector according to claim 1, wherein the connector housing and the plug are both flat members, and the plug is attached to the connector housing such that a lower surface thereof faces an upper surface of the connector housing. The hybrid connector according to claim 1, wherein the optical connector includes a light receiving element that receives light emitted from the optical waveguide and / or a light emitting element that emits light incident on the optical waveguide. The plug-side optical connection part is an optical path conversion part formed in an optical waveguide in the connection end part,
The plug-side electric connection portion, the hybrid connector according to claim 1 to obtain Bei connection pad portion formed on the distal end of the conductive wire.

Images