JP4781971B2 - Thin connector with light guide - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention belongs to the field of electrical connectors, and relates to an electrical connector with a light guide that includes therein a light guide for guiding light.

The modular jack disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes a light pipe formed of a transparent resin and bent at a substantially right angle, and a reflection surface is provided between a horizontal portion and a vertical portion of the light pipe. The light emitted from the LED mounted on the substrate enters from one end surface of the light pipe, is reflected by the reflecting surface, and is guided to the other end surface. The modular jack type electrical connector provided with the light emitting means disclosed in Patent Document 2 includes an L-shaped light pipe formed of transparent polycarbonate, and an oblique reflection surface is formed at the joint between the two legs. Is formed. The light from the LED on the printed circuit board is reflected to the front surface of the modular jack. The modem disclosed in Patent Document 3 includes a lens formed in a substantially L shape by a translucent plastic, and guides the light of the LED provided on the circuit board to the outside through the lens.
Japanese Patent No. 3274411 Japanese Patent No. 3035822 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-41366

  There are thin connectors, such as electrical connectors for cards, that are shorter in the thickness direction than in the depth direction. An L-shaped light guide such as the above-mentioned light pipe or lens is provided inside such a connector so that one straight line portion is substantially along the depth direction, and one end face of this straight line portion is used as a light receiving surface and the inner part of the connector. If the other end face is exposed to the upper surface of the part in front of the connector as the light emitting surface, the light from the light source enters the light receiving surface, is reflected by the reflecting surface, and is directed upward and out of the light emitting surface, The inventors of the present application faced the following problems. That is, since the connector is thin, a sufficient thickness cannot be secured even in the light guide. On the other hand, in order to increase the visibility of the light emitting surface, for example, it is desired to increase the dimension along the front-rear direction of the light emitting surface. However, since the light emitting surface becomes larger than the light receiving surface in that case, the light emitting surface only shines partly and does not shine on the entire surface, so that sufficient visibility cannot be obtained after all. This problem seems to be further promoted when the distance from the light receiving surface to the reflecting surface is long.

  As the inventors of the present application have made various trials in a thin connector with a light guide having such a basic configuration, the light guide is formed so that the cross section gradually increases from the light receiving surface to the reflecting surface and is reflected. By making the surface sufficiently large to match the light emitting surface, the above problem could be solved. The object of the present invention is to allow light entering from such a relatively small light receiving surface to be emitted from the entire surface of a large light emitting surface provided farther from the light receiving surface than this type of conventional light guide. It is to provide a thin connector with a guide.

  In order to achieve the above object, a thin connector with a light guide according to the present invention is formed of a thin connector body whose dimension in the thickness direction is shorter than the dimension in the depth direction, and a material having translucency. And a light source provided in the depth direction with respect to the light guide in the connector main body, the light guide including a first light-transmitting portion extending in the depth direction, and the first light-transmitting portion. A second translucent part protruding from the end of the light part in the depth direction toward the one side in the thickness direction, and the end face of the first translucent part on the back side in the depth direction is formed so as to substantially face the depth direction. The end surface projecting in the thickness direction of the second light-transmitting portion is substantially in the thickness direction and the dimension (a) in the depth direction is the thickness of the light-receiving surface. Formed to be larger than the dimension (d) in the direction. The end surface on the near side in the depth direction of the first light transmitting portion is formed to be inclined so as to approach the light emitting surface as it advances toward the near side in the depth direction. As for 1 translucent part, the area of the cross section cut | disconnected by the surface which faces to a depth direction is gradually enlarged as it goes to the near side of a depth direction from the light receiving surface or the position of the nearer depth direction than a light receiving surface as a starting point. The outer surface of the light guide is shielded except for the vicinity of the light receiving surface and the light emitting surface, and the light emitted from the light source enters the first light transmitting portion from the light receiving surface, passes through the first light transmitting portion, and is reflected by the reflecting surface. And the dimension (c) in the thickness direction of the portion adjacent to the reflecting surface in the first light transmitting portion is the thickness of the light receiving surface. Reflected in the first light-transmitting part, which is formed larger than the dimension (d) in the vertical direction. The dimension (c) in the thickness direction of the portion adjacent to the light-emitting surface is formed to be substantially equal to the dimension (a) in the depth direction of the light emitting surface, and the dimension (b) in the depth direction of the reflecting surface is the dimension in the depth direction of the light emitting surface. It is larger than or substantially equal to (a).

  Light emitted from the light source enters the first light transmitting portion from the light receiving surface, passes through the first light transmitting portion, is reflected by the reflecting surface, and exits from the light emitting surface through the second light transmitting portion. In that case, the light spreads in the thickness direction as the cross-sectional area increases while passing through the first light-transmitting portion. This is presumed to be caused by light diffusion, for example. Since the first light-transmitting part is longer than the second light-transmitting part, the cross-sectional change can be moderated, so that it is estimated that, for example, irregular reflection of light does not easily occur. It is presumed that light is distributed almost uniformly along the thickness direction in adjacent portions. In addition, since the dimension (c) in the thickness direction of the portion adjacent to the reflecting surface in the first light transmitting part is substantially equal to the dimension (a) in the depth direction of the light emitting surface, the light exits the first light transmitting part. Thus, there is no excess or deficiency in allowing light to reach almost the entire length of the light emitting surface in the depth direction. Furthermore, since the area of the cross section cut by the surface facing the thickness direction of the second light transmitting portion does not change, the spread of light cannot be expected, but the depth direction dimension (b) of the reflecting surface is the depth direction of the light emitting surface. Since it is larger than or substantially equal to the dimension (a), the light reflected by the reflecting surface reaches almost the entire length in the depth direction of the light emitting surface.

  In the thin connector with a light guide according to the present invention, instead of providing the light source on the connector body, the light source surface does not face the light source of the counterpart member when the connector body is mounted or mounted without providing the light source on the connector body. It may be configured.

  In this way, the present invention can be applied when the connector body has no light source and the counterpart member has a light source.

  The thin connector with a light guide according to the present invention may be configured such that at least one of the surfaces on both sides in the thickness direction of the first light transmitting portion is inclined so as to be separated from the center portion in the thickness direction toward the near side in the depth direction. Good.

  In this way, since the cross-sectional change can be moderated, it is estimated that, for example, irregular reflection of light is unlikely to occur. For this reason, in the portion adjacent to the reflection surface in the first light transmitting portion, the light is transmitted in the thickness direction. It is estimated that it is distributed almost uniformly along.

  The thin connector with a light guide according to the present invention can emit light from a relatively small light receiving surface from the entire surface of a large light emitting surface provided farther from the light receiving surface than this type of conventional light guide. High visibility can be obtained.

  As one of the optimum examples of the enlarged structure of the cross-sectional area in the first light transmitting part, at least one of the surfaces on both sides in the thickness direction of the first light transmitting part is centered in the thickness direction toward the near side in the depth direction. The form which made it incline so that it may leave | separate from a part could be illustrated.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below. 1 and 2 show a thin connector 100 with a light guide according to an embodiment. This thin connector 100 with a light guide is an electrical connector for a card that accepts a SIM card and is attached to the counterpart member, thereby enabling an electrical signal to be exchanged between the SIM card and the counterpart member. The mating member is a mating connector, which is provided, for example, at an insertion port of a computer or other electronic device. However, this does not limit interpretation of the configuration and use of the thin connector with a light guide of the present invention. The present invention can be widely applied to a thin connector with a light guide including a thin connector main body, a light guide, and a light source. For convenience of description, a depth direction, a width direction, and a thickness direction orthogonal to each other are set. In the case of this embodiment, the directions indicated by D, W, and T shown in FIG. 1 are the depth direction, the width direction, and the thickness direction, respectively. In the depth direction D, the direction indicated by the arrow is the back side, and the opposite side is the front side. If FIG. 5 which shows a light guide is demonstrated, the left-right direction of a figure is a depth direction, the direction perpendicular | vertical to the paper surface of a figure is a width direction, and the up-down direction of a figure is a thickness direction. In the depth direction, the right side is the back side and the left side is the front side.

  The thin connector 100 with a light guide is formed of a thin connector body 110 having a dimension in the thickness direction shorter than a dimension in the depth direction and a light-transmitting material such as transparent polycarbonate. The light guide 120 provided in 110 and the light source 130 provided in the depth direction rather than the light guide 120 in this connector main body 110 are provided. The connector main body 110 is formed in a box shape. The connector main body 110 receives a SIM card (not shown) inserted from the insertion port 112 on the front side in the depth direction with the wide surface in the thickness direction, and is received in the storage chamber 113 on the far side in the depth direction from the insertion port 112. Further, the SIM card stored in the storage chamber 113 is configured to be discharged from the insertion port 112 to the near side in the depth direction. A printed wiring board 114 having a wide surface in the thickness direction is provided on the back side in the depth direction of the storage chamber. A contact 115 that contacts the SIM card terminal is mounted in front of the printed wiring board 114 in the depth direction, and a contact 116 that contacts the mating member is mounted in the depth direction of the printed wiring board 114. However, this does not limit the configuration of the connector main body of the thin connector with a light guide according to the present invention, and the connector main body may be a thin connector main body whose dimension in the thickness direction is shorter than that in the depth direction. That's fine. Two light guides 120 are provided on both sides in the width direction of the storage chamber 113 inside the housing 111 so that the longitudinal direction is substantially along the depth direction. However, this does not limit the arrangement of the light guides in the connector main body of the thin connector with a light guide of the present invention and the number of light guides provided in the connector main body. The light source 130 is mounted on the printed wiring board 114. The light source 130 is an LED, but other members may be used as long as they emit light. Electricity is supplied to the light source from the counterpart member, but a thin connector with a light guide may incorporate a power source. Although two light sources are provided according to the number of light guides 120, the number of light sources is not limited, and the light sources may be provided on the far side in the depth direction with respect to the light guide in the connector body.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 to 7, the light guide 120 includes a first light transmitting part 121 extending in the depth direction and an end of the first light transmitting part 121 on the near side in the depth direction to one side in the thickness direction. A protruding second light transmitting part 122 is provided. The end surface of the first translucent part 121 on the back side in the depth direction is formed so as to be substantially directed in the depth direction and serves as a light receiving surface 123. The light receiving surface 123 is located on the near side in the depth direction of the light source 130, and the light receiving surface 123 faces the light source 130. The end surface of the second light transmitting portion 122 protruding in the thickness direction is a light emitting surface 124 substantially in the thickness direction. The dimension (a) in the depth direction of the light emitting surface 124 is formed larger than the dimension (d) in the thickness direction of the light receiving surface 123. In this embodiment, the direction of the light receiving surface 123 is inevitably inclined in the width direction slightly from the depth direction because of the positional relationship with the light source 130. For the same reason, in the vicinity of the light receiving surface 123, the dimension in the width direction is increased toward the light receiving surface 123 along the depth direction. Except for this part, the width of the light guide 120 is substantially constant.

  The end surface on the near side in the depth direction of the first light transmissive portion 121 is formed to be inclined so as to approach the light emitting surface 124 as it goes to the near side in the depth direction, and becomes a reflection surface 125. The reflection surface 125 is a flat surface. The angle θ formed by the reflecting surface 125 with the depth direction is about 45 degrees in this embodiment. However, the angle θ may be greater than 0 degree and less than 90 degrees.

  The first light transmitting portion 121 is formed so that the area of the cross section cut by the surface facing the depth direction gradually increases as it goes to the near side in the depth direction starting from the position on the near side in the depth direction from the light receiving surface 123. Has been. In that case, the cross-section includes the previous cross-section as it goes from the starting point to the near side in the depth direction, and changes so as to further expand. In the case of this embodiment, at least one of the surfaces on both sides in the thickness direction of the first light transmitting portion 121 is inclined so as to be away from the center portion in the thickness direction as it goes to the near side in the depth direction. Here, the surface on the side where the second light transmitting portion 122 protrudes is inclined among the surfaces on both sides in the thickness direction of the first light transmitting portion 121. The angle α formed by the inclined surface with the depth direction is more than 0 degree and less than 45 degrees, but is preferably about 5 degrees to about 20 degrees. The surface on the opposite side may be inclined, or both surfaces may be inclined. Further, this inclined surface may be slightly curved. The starting point for expanding the area may be the light receiving surface 123. That is, it may be formed such that the area of the cross section cut by the surface facing the depth direction gradually increases from the light receiving surface 123 toward the front in the depth direction.

  The outer surface of the light guide 120 is shielded except for the vicinity of the light receiving surface 123 and the vicinity of the light emitting surface 124. In the case of this embodiment, the outer surface of the light guide 120 is covered with the light shielding component of the connector main body 110 except for the vicinity of the light receiving surface 123 and the vicinity of the light emitting surface 124. A light-shielding member of the housing 111 of the connector main body 110 is in close contact with the outer surface of the light guide 120, thereby preventing light from entering and exiting between the light guide 120 and the outside. However, the vicinity of the light receiving surface 123 and the vicinity of the light emitting surface 124 are not in contact with such a light-shielding member of the housing 111 and are open so that light can enter and exit from the outside. However, the light shielding mode in the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, the light guide may be coated on the light guide except for the vicinity of the light receiving surface and the light emitting surface.

  With the above configuration, when the thin connector 100 with a light guide is attached to the mating member, the light emitted from the light source 130 enters the first light transmitting portion 121 from the light receiving surface 123, passes through the first light transmitting portion 121, The light is reflected by the reflection surface 125, passes through the second light transmitting part 122, and exits from the light emitting surface 124.

  8, the dimension (c) in the thickness direction of the portion 121a adjacent to the reflection surface 125 in the first light transmitting portion 121 is larger than the dimension (d) in the thickness direction of the light receiving surface 123. Is formed. Further, the dimension (c) in the thickness direction of the portion 121a adjacent to the reflecting surface 125 in the first light transmitting part 121 is formed substantially equal to the dimension (a) in the depth direction of the light emitting surface 124. Further, the dimension (b) in the depth direction of the reflecting surface 125 is formed to be larger or substantially equal to the dimension (a) in the depth direction of the light emitting surface 124.

  Therefore, when the thin connector with light guide 100 is attached to the mating member, the light emitted from the light source 130 enters the first light transmitting portion 121 from the light receiving surface 123, passes through the first light transmitting portion 121, and is reflected on the reflecting surface. The light is reflected by 125 and passes through the second light transmitting part 122 and exits from the light emitting surface 124. In that case, the light spreads in the thickness direction as the area of the cross section increases while passing through the first light transmitting portion 121. This is presumed to be caused by light diffusion, for example. Since the first translucent part 121 is longer than the second translucent part 122, the cross-sectional change can be moderated, so that it is estimated that, for example, irregular reflection of light or the like hardly occurs. Therefore, in the first translucent part 121 It is presumed that light is distributed almost uniformly along the thickness direction at the portion 121a adjacent to the reflection surface 125. In addition, since the dimension (c) in the thickness direction of the portion 121a adjacent to the reflecting surface 125 in the first light transmitting part 121 is substantially equal to the dimension (a) in the depth direction of the light emitting surface 124, the light is transmitted through the first light transmitting part. At the stage of exiting the portion 121, there is no excess or deficiency in allowing light to reach almost the entire length of the light emitting surface 124 in the depth direction. Furthermore, since the second translucent portion 122 does not change the area of the cross section cut by the surface facing the thickness direction, the spread of light cannot be expected, but the dimension (b) of the reflection surface 125 in the depth direction is that of the light emitting surface 124. Since it is larger than or substantially equal to the dimension (a) in the depth direction, the light reflected by the reflecting surface 125 reaches almost the entire length of the light emitting surface 124 in the depth direction. Therefore, light entering from the relatively small light receiving surface 123 can be emitted from the entire surface of the large light emitting surface 124 provided far away from the light receiving surface 123 as compared with this type of conventional light guide, and high visibility is achieved. can get.

  The thin connector with a light guide of the present invention does not limit the shape of the surfaces on both sides in the thickness direction of the first light transmitting portion. Among them, the thin connector 100 with a light guide of the present invention is such that at least one of the surfaces on both sides in the thickness direction of the first light transmitting portion 121 is separated from the central portion in the thickness direction as it goes to the near side in the depth direction. Tilted. In this way, since the cross-sectional change can be moderated, it is presumed that, for example, irregular reflection of light does not easily occur. For this reason, the light is thick at the portion 121a adjacent to the reflection surface 125 in the first light transmitting portion 121. It is estimated that it is distributed almost uniformly along the vertical direction. As a result, one of the optimum examples of the enlarged structure of the cross-sectional area in the first light transmitting portion 121 could be shown.

  FIG. 9 is a modification of the light guide 120. The same parts as those of the light guide 120 of the above embodiment are given the same reference numerals. In the above embodiment, the light receiving surface 123 is slightly inclined in the width direction, and in the vicinity of the light receiving surface 123, the dimension in the width direction is increased toward the light receiving surface 123 along the depth direction. However, in the modified example, this is not done, and the width of the entire light guide 120 is made substantially constant. Also in this modified example, the same effect as the case of the said embodiment was acquired.

  The thin connector with light guide 100 of the above embodiment is inserted into the insertion port of the electronic device, and the contact 116 is connected to the mating connector by contacting the contact of the mating connector which is the mating member. As another embodiment, there is a thin connector with a light guide mounted on a mating member made of a printed wiring board or the like. At that time, the contact of the thin connector with a light guide is soldered to a printed wiring board or the like. Moreover, although the light source was provided in the connector main body in the said embodiment, when a thin connector with a light guide is mounted | worn or mounted in the other party member without providing a light source in a connector main body, a light-receiving surface will face the light source of the other party member. You may comprise. However, this does not limit interpretation of the configuration and use of the thin connector with a light guide of the present invention. The present invention can be widely applied to a thin connector with a light guide provided with a thin connector body and a light guide.

  The present invention includes an embodiment in which the features of the above embodiments are combined. Moreover, the above embodiment showed only an example of the thin connector with a light guide of this invention. Therefore, the description of this embodiment does not limit the thin guide with light guide of the present invention.

It is a disassembled perspective view of the thin connector with a light guide of embodiment. It is a perspective view of the thin connector with a light guide of an embodiment. It is a perspective view of the light guide integrated in the thin connector with a light guide of an embodiment. It is a perspective view when the light guide incorporated in the thin connector with a light guide of the embodiment is viewed from a direction different from FIG. It is a side view of the light guide incorporated in the thin connector with a light guide of an embodiment. It is a top view of the light guide integrated in the thin connector with a light guide of an embodiment. It is a front view of the light guide incorporated in the thin connector with a light guide of the embodiment. It is the expanded sectional view which looked at the light guide incorporated in the thin connector with a light guide of an embodiment from the side in the longitudinal section. The white arrow indicates the direction in which light passes. It is a perspective view which shows the modification of a light guide.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Thin connector with light guide 110 Connector main body 120 Light guide 121 1st light transmission part 121a The part adjacent to the reflective surface in 1st light transmission part 122 2nd light transmission part 123 Light-receiving surface 124 Light-emitting surface 125 Reflective surface 130 Light source

Claims (3)

A thin connector body that is shorter in the thickness direction than the dimension in the depth direction, a light guide that is formed of a light-transmitting material and provided in the connector body, and a depth greater than the light guide in the connector body A light source provided at the back of the direction,
The light guide includes a first light-transmitting portion extending in the depth direction, and a second light-transmitting portion protruding from the end on the near side in the depth direction of the first light-transmitting portion to one side in the thickness direction,
The end surface of the first light transmitting portion on the back side in the depth direction is a light receiving surface that is formed so as to face substantially in the depth direction and faces the light source,
The end face protruding in the thickness direction of the second light transmitting portion is substantially in the thickness direction and the dimension (a) in the depth direction is larger than the dimension (d) in the thickness direction of the light receiving surface. Formed to be a light emitting surface,
The end surface on the near side in the depth direction of the first light-transmitting portion is formed to be inclined so as to approach the light emitting surface as it proceeds to the near side in the depth direction, and is a reflective surface.
The first translucent portion gradually increases in the area of the cross section cut by the surface facing the depth direction as it goes to the near side in the depth direction starting from the light receiving surface or a position on the near side in the depth direction from the light receiving surface. Formed into
The outer surface of the light guide is shielded except near the light receiving surface and light emitting surface.
The light emitted from the light source enters the first light transmitting portion from the light receiving surface, passes through the first light transmitting portion, is reflected by the reflecting surface, and exits from the light emitting surface through the second light transmitting portion,
The dimension (c) in the thickness direction of the portion adjacent to the reflecting surface in the first light transmitting portion is formed larger than the dimension (d) in the thickness direction of the light receiving surface,
The dimension (c) in the thickness direction of the portion adjacent to the reflecting surface in the first light transmitting portion is formed to be approximately equal to the dimension (a) in the depth direction of the light emitting surface.
A thin connector with a light guide, wherein the dimension (b) in the depth direction of the reflecting surface is larger than or substantially equal to the dimension (a) in the depth direction of the light emitting surface. In the thin connector with a light guide according to claim 1, instead of providing the light source in the connector body,
A thin connector with a light guide configured such that a light receiving surface faces a light source of a counterpart member when the connector body is not provided with a light source and is mounted or mounted on the counterpart member.   3. The light guide according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the surfaces on both sides in the thickness direction of the first light transmitting portion is inclined so as to be separated from the center portion in the thickness direction toward the near side in the depth direction. Thin connector.

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