JP6517655B2 - Electrical connector assembly - Google Patents

Description

  According to the present invention, the receptacle connector disposed on the mounting surface of the circuit board and the plug connector disposed on the mounting surface of the other circuit board are mutually fitted with the facing direction of the circuit boards as the fitting direction. Electrical connector assembly.

  An electrical connector assembly of this type is disclosed, for example, in Patent Document 1. In this patent document 1, a housing of a receptacle connector (hereinafter referred to as "receptacle housing") stands from a bottom wall facing the circuit board and a projecting wall extending in the longitudinal direction of the receptacle housing from the bottom wall. It has a shape surrounded by a peripheral wall. Between the projecting wall and the peripheral wall, a square annular space opened upward is formed as a receptacle side receiving portion for receiving the fitting portion of the plug connector. The peripheral wall has the two longitudinally extending side walls and the two end walls extending in the short direction of the receptacle housing perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and connecting the ends of the two side walls. ing.

  In the receptacle connector, the plurality of receptacle terminals are arranged in the longitudinal direction and held by the side wall by integral molding. The receptacle terminal is formed by bending a band-like metal plate member in a plate thickness direction, and a receptacle lock arm extending in the vertical direction along the inner surface of the side wall (the wall surface forming the receptacle side receiving portion); And a flexible receptacle contact arm extending vertically along the side of the projecting wall facing the inner surface. The receptacle lock arm is formed with a lock projection projecting from the plate surface toward the receiving portion in the central region of the width dimension (the dimension in the longitudinal direction) of the receptacle lock arm. Further, the receptacle contact arm portion is formed with a contact protrusion by being bent so as to convexly curve the receptacle contact arm portion toward the receiving portion side.

  The housing (hereinafter referred to as "plug housing") of the plug connector stands from the bottom wall facing the other circuit board, and forms a fitting portion with a peripheral wall having a shape adapted to the receptacle side receiving portion. The peripheral wall of the plug housing is two side walls extending in the longitudinal direction of the plug housing, and two side walls extending in the lateral direction of the plug housing perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and connecting ends of the two side walls. And an end wall. A space surrounded by the peripheral wall is formed as a plug side receiving portion for receiving the projecting wall of the receptacle connector.

  In the plug connector, the plurality of plug terminals are arranged in the longitudinal direction and held by the side wall by integral molding. The plug terminal is formed by bending a band-like metal plate member in the thickness direction, and a plug lock arm extending in the vertical direction along the outer surface of the side wall (the wall surface opposite to the plug receiving portion) And a plug contact arm extending in the vertical direction along the inner surface of the side wall (the wall surface forming the plug side receiving portion). The plug lock arm is formed with a locked recess recessed from a plate surface in a central region in the width direction (longitudinal direction) of the plug lock arm.

  In the electrical connector assembly having such a configuration, the locking projection of the receptacle terminal penetrates into the locked recess of the plug terminal in the connector fitting state and is locked in the connector extraction direction, and the contact protrusion of the receptacle terminal The terminals are electrically conducted by contacting the plate surface of the contact arm of the plug terminal.

JP 2012-160360

  In the receptacle connector and the plug connector of Patent Document 1, in a state where terminals are arranged in a molding space formed by combining a plurality of molds, the molten resin is injected into the molding space and then solidified to thereby form the terminals and the housing. And are integrally molded. At this time, the receiving part of each connector includes a mold (upper mold) disposed from above, a mold (lower mold) disposed from below, and a mold (side) disposed from the side. It is formed to open upward by forming the mold and removing it after molding.

  The upper mold used in the manufacture of the receptacle connector has a portion disposed in the receptacle side receiving portion, and the portions on both sides (surfaces perpendicular to the housing short direction) of the portion In order to avoid interference with the lock protrusion and the contact protrusion of the receptacle terminal when arranging the above from above, a groove portion extending in the vertical direction at a position corresponding to the lock protrusion or the contact protrusion in the longitudinal direction is provided. It needs to be formed. In other words, ridges extending in the vertical direction are formed between the grooves adjacent to each other in the longitudinal direction. Usually, there is a strong demand for miniaturization in the longitudinal direction in the electrical connector for circuit boards, and the distance between the terminals is set very narrow, so the width dimension of the ridge portion of the upper mold (in the longitudinal direction Size), and the shape of the upper mold becomes complicated. It is very difficult to produce such complex shaped molds and the ridges are susceptible to damage.

  On the other hand, the upper mold used for manufacturing the plug connector also has a portion disposed in the plug side receiving portion, but is formed on the plate surface of the contact arm portion of the plug terminal located in the plug side receiving portion Since the contact portion is flat, the portion does not interfere with the contact portion when the portion is placed from above. Therefore, as in the case of the receptacle connector, it is not necessary to form a groove on the side surface of the above portion, and the side surface can be a flat surface without irregularities, so that the shape of the upper mold does not become complicated. .

  An object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector assembly in which the shape of a mold for manufacturing a connector is simple.

In the electrical connector assembly according to the present invention, the receptacle connector disposed on the mounting surface of the circuit board and the plug connector disposed on the mounting surface of the other circuit board are mated in the facing direction of the circuit boards. an electrical connector assembly for mating connection with each other as, the receptacle connector is held and a receptacle housing that is disposed on the mounting surface of the circuit board, is formed integrally with the receptacle housing to the receptacle housing The receptacle housing has a bottom wall facing the mounting surface of the circuit board, and the receptacle housing stands up from the bottom wall in the fitting direction and is parallel to the mounting surface of the circuit board. The connector has a plurality of upright walls extending in the longitudinal direction of the connector which is one direction, and the plug connector is received between the adjacent upright walls. A receptacle for receiving is formed, and the receptacle terminal has a shape in which a strip-shaped metal member having a width in the length direction of the connector is bent in the thickness direction, and two receptacles forming the receptacle The receptacle locking arm which extends in the fitting direction along one of the rising walls among the rising walls and is lockable to the exposed plug connector with respect to the receiving part, and the fitting direction along the other rising wall extending exposed to said receiving portion, and electrically conductive manner receptacle contact arm portion in the thickness direction with respect to the elastically displaceable and plug connector, the ends of the lock arms and the contact arm portions has a receptacle coupling portion coupling, the plug connector includes a plug housing that is disposed on the mounting surface of the other circuit board, is integrally molded with the plug housing said Puraguha The plug housing has a fitting portion which can be fitted into the receiving portion of the receptacle housing, and the plug terminal has a width in the length direction of the connector The belt-like metal member having a shape bent in the plate thickness direction, and in the connector fitting state, the fitting direction on one side of the fitting portion corresponding to the one standing wall of the receptacle housing And a plug contact arm extending in the fitting direction on the other side of the fitting corresponding to the other standing wall, the plug lock arm and the plug contact arm And a plug connection portion connecting the end portions.

In the electric connector assembly, in the present invention, the maximum width dimension of the plug terminal in the connector length direction is smaller than the maximum width dimension of the receptacle terminal, and the receptacle lock arm of the receptacle terminal is A lock portion which is sunk from a plate surface located on the receiving portion side of the receptacle housing is formed, and the plug lock arm portion of the plug terminal is fitted to the lock portion of the receptacle terminal in a connector fitted state It is characterized in that a locked portion that locks in a direction is formed.

  The receptacle terminal has a receptacle lock arm portion extending in the connector fitting direction along one of the upstanding walls and exposed to the receiving portion, and a lock portion which is sunk from the plate surface of the lock arm portion is formed. That is, since there is no protrusion on the plate surface of the receptacle lock arm, the upper mold projects in a conventional manner on the side facing the receptacle lock arm among the two side faces of the portion disposed in the receiving part. There is no need to form a groove to avoid interference with the lock. Therefore, the side surface can be a flat surface without unevenness, and the upper mold can be formed into a simple shape.

  Further, in the plug lock arm portion of the plug terminal, a locked portion to be engaged with the lock portion formed by being sunk from the plate surface of the lock arm portion of the receptacle terminal is formed to protrude from the outer surface of the plug housing. It becomes. Usually, when manufacturing the connector, the lateral mold is placed laterally with respect to the outer surface, ie, in a direction perpendicular to the outer surface. Therefore, in order to avoid interference with the above-mentioned locked portion, only a recess is formed on the side surface (the surface facing the plug lock arm portion) of the side mold in a region corresponding to the locked portion. The other areas can be formed by a flat surface. Therefore, the lateral mold does not have a complicated shape.

  In the present invention, the locked portion of the plug terminal may be formed over the entire width of the plug lock arm. By forming the locked portion over the entire width of the plug lock arm in this manner, the locked portion is formed as compared to the case where the locked portion protrudes in the widthwise central region of the plug lock arm as in the prior art. The width dimension of the becomes larger. Therefore, the locking area of the receptacle terminal with respect to the lock portion is increased, and the lock strength is increased.

  In the present invention, the receptacle lock arm of the receptacle terminal is positioned so that the plate surface of the receptacle lock arm protrudes from the surface of one of the rising walls of the receptacle housing toward the receiving part, and the plug lock arm of the plug terminal The part of the plug lock arm may have a plate surface protruding from one side surface of the fitting part of the plug housing.

Under such a configuration, in the connector fitting process and the connector fitting state, even if the connectors shift slightly in the connector length direction and move slightly, the receptacle lock arm contacts and rubs with each other. And the plate surface of the plug lock arm. Therefore, the lock arms of one connector do not rub against the wall surface of the housing of the other connector. That is, since only the plate surfaces of the metal terminals are rubbed, the wall surfaces of the housings of both connectors are not scraped and damaged.
In the present invention, a plurality of plug terminals are provided, arranged in the connector length direction and held by the plug housing, and the plug terminals have connection portions connected to corresponding circuit portions of the circuit board. The width dimension of the connecting portion in the connector length direction may be smaller than the distance between the adjacent plug terminals.

  As described above, in the present invention, in the receptacle connector, the lock portion of the receptacle lock arm extending along one of the upstanding walls and exposed to the receiving portion is formed by being sunk from the plate surface of the lock arm. ing. Therefore, in the upper mold used for manufacturing the receptacle connector, the side surface of the upper mold facing the receptacle lock arm is provided with a groove for avoiding interference with the conventional protruding lock. Since the need is eliminated, the side surface can be a flat surface without irregularities, and the upper mold can be formed into a simple shape.

  Further, since the locked portion of the plug terminal is located on the outer surface of the plug housing, the side surface of the side mold used for manufacturing the plug connector is to avoid interference with the locked portion. It is only necessary to form a recess in the region corresponding to the locked portion. Therefore, the other area can be formed with a flat surface, and the side mold can be made into a simple shape.

(A) is a perspective view which shows the state before the connector fitting of the receptacle connector of the electrical connector assembly which concerns on embodiment of this invention, and a plug connector, (B) reverses the plug connector of (A) up and down It is the perspective view shown. (A) is the perspective view which abbreviate | omitted and showed the housing of the plug connector of FIG. 1 (A), (B) is the perspective view which abbreviate | omitted and shown the housing of the receptacle connector of FIG. 1 (A). FIG. 6A is a cross-sectional view of the electrical connector assembly in a plane perpendicular to the connector length direction at terminal positions in the connector length direction, wherein (A) shows the state before connector fitting, and (B) shows the connector The state after fitting is shown.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described based on the attached drawings.

  As seen in FIG. 1A, the receptacle connector 1 and the plug connector 2 in the present embodiment are circuit board electrical connectors disposed on the mounting surface of different circuit boards (not shown). An electrical connector assembly is configured in which the direction perpendicular to the mounting surface of the circuit board (vertical direction in FIG. 1A) is the insertion / removal direction. In this embodiment, the direction in which the plug connector 2 is fitted to the receptacle connector 1, that is, the direction in which the plug connector 2 is moved downward in FIG. 1A is referred to as the "connector fitting direction". The upward direction in 1 (A) will be described as the “connector removal direction”. Further, the fitting direction and the removal direction of the receptacle connector 1 which is the mating connector to the plug connector 2 are opposite to the “connector fitting direction” and the “connector removal direction” of the plug connector 2 described above.

[Configuration of Receptacle Connector 1]
As shown in FIG. 1A, the receptacle connector 1 has a receptacle housing 10 having a substantially rectangular outer shape, and a connector length direction (longitudinal direction of the receptacle housing 10) which is one direction parallel to the mounting surface. , And a plurality of receptacle terminals 20 and receptacle fasteners 30 held by the receptacle housing 10. The receptacle connector 1 is disposed and mounted on a circuit board in the attitude shown in FIG. 1 (A).

  As seen in FIG. 1A, the receptacle terminal 20 has a connector width direction perpendicular to the connector length direction (a receptacle in a range in the connector length direction of the projecting wall 12 described later of the receptacle housing 10) They are provided in two rows symmetrical in the short direction of the housing 10). The receptacle fasteners 30 are provided on the receptacle housing 10 at both outer positions with respect to the array range of the receptacle terminals 20 in the connector length direction.

  The receptacle housing 10 is made of an electrical insulating material such as resin, has a bottom surface (bottom surface) parallel to the mounting surface of a circuit board (not shown) which is a mounting target surface, and has a longitudinal direction of the connector length Bottom wall 11 extending as a direction (see FIG. 3A) and a projecting wall as an upstanding wall extending upward from the bottom wall 11 in the central region of the bottom wall 11 in the connector width direction and extending in the connector length direction 12 and a rectangular frame-like peripheral wall 13 which rises from the bottom wall 11 and surrounds the projecting wall 12. The peripheral wall 13 is a pair of side walls 14 as a pair of upstanding walls extending in the connector length direction, standing up from the edge of the bottom wall 11 opposed in the connector width direction, and an edge of the bottom wall 11 opposed in the connector length direction While standing up from the part, it has the end wall 15 as a pair of standing walls which connect the ends of the pair of side walls 14 and extend in the connector width direction. A square annular space opened upward between the peripheral wall 13 and the projecting wall 12 forms a receiving portion 16 for receiving the fitting portion of the plug connector 2.

  As can be seen in FIG. 3A, the bottom wall 11 is in the connector insertion and removal direction (vertical direction) at the terminal position in the connector length direction (direction perpendicular to the paper surface in FIG. 3A). Bottom holes 11A passing through are arranged in the connector length direction. The bottom hole 11A is formed when the lower mold (not shown) is removed downward after the receptacle housing 10 and the receptacle terminal 20 are integrally formed. Further, as seen in FIG. 1A, the bottom wall 11 has a bottom surface in which the lower surface of the bottom wall 11 is sunk at both sides in the connector width direction over the terminal arrangement range in the connector length direction. The recess 11B is formed (see also FIG. 3A).

  As seen in FIG. 3A, the bottom hole 11A is in the connector width direction (left-right direction in FIG. 3A) when viewed in the connector length direction (direction perpendicular to the paper surface). It is formed over a range including the whole of the terminal groove 12A of the protruding wall 12 described later and a part of the receiving portion 16 of the receptacle housing 10.

  As seen in FIG. 1A, the projecting wall 12 has a terminal groove 12A at a position corresponding to the receptacle terminal 20 in the connector length direction, and the side surface of the projecting wall 12 is perpendicular to the connector width direction. It is formed to sink from the surface and to extend in the vertical direction (see also FIG. 3A). As can be seen in FIG. 3A, the terminal groove 12A is formed over the entire rising range of the projecting wall 12 and is open at the upper end position and the bottom hole 11A of the bottom wall 11 at the lower end position. It is open for communication with the outside. The terminal groove 12A accommodates a contact arm described later of the receptacle terminal 20.

  As seen in FIG. 1A, in the side wall 14, at the terminal position in the connector length direction, the side holes 14A penetrating in the connector width direction (left and right direction) are arrayed in the connector length direction. (See also FIG. 3 (A)). The side hole portion 14A is formed when the side mold (not shown) is removed outward in the connector width direction after the receptacle housing 10 and the receptacle terminal 20 are integrally formed.

  As seen in FIG. 1 (A), the receptacle housing 10 has an end in the connector length direction (a portion formed by a portion outside the terminal array range of the pair of side walls 14 and one end wall 15). , And a portion higher than the arrayed range of the receptacle terminals 20. Further, the outer side surface (surface perpendicular to the connector width direction) of the end portion of the receptacle housing 10 is located outside in the connector width direction than the outer side surface of the side wall 14 in the terminal arrangement range. At the end portion, a side guide surface 14B which is inclined inward in the connector width direction as it goes downward is formed at the upper part of the inner surface (the surface located on the receiving portion 16 side) of the side wall 14. The side guide surface 14B guides the plug connector 2 toward the inside of the receiving portion 16 in the connector width direction in the connector fitting process.

  As seen in FIG. 1 (A), the end wall 15 has an end face (surface perpendicular to the connector length direction) in the connector length direction in the middle region in the connector width direction and the downward direction An open end recess 15A is formed. Slit-like holding groove portions (not shown) extending in the vertical direction are formed in a pair of inner wall surfaces facing each other in the connector width direction among the inner wall surfaces of the end concave portion 15A. It is designed to hold the press fit. The end recess 15A and the holding groove portion are formed when the lower mold (not shown) is removed downward after the receptacle housing 10 and the receptacle terminal 20 are integrally formed.

  At the upper part of the inner surface (the surface located on the receiving portion 16 side) of the end wall 15, an end guiding surface 15B is formed which inclines inward in the connector length direction as it goes downward. As seen in FIG. 1, the upper and lower edges of the end guide surface 15B are located at the same height as the upper and lower edges of the side guide surface 14B. The end guide surface 15B guides the plug connector 2 into the receiving portion 16 in the connector length direction in the connector fitting process.

  Further, between the side guide surface 14B and the end guide surface 15B, there is formed a corner guide surface 10A which inclines inward in the connector width direction and inward in the connector length direction as it goes downward. As seen in FIG. 1, the upper and lower edges of the corner guide surface 10A are located at the same height as the upper and lower edges of the side guide surface 14B and the end guide surface 15B. The corner guide surface 10A guides the plug connector 2 in the connector width direction and the connector length direction into the receiving portion 16 in the connector fitting process.

  The plurality of receptacle terminals 20 are held integrally with the receptacle housing 10 by integral molding and are integral with the receptacle housing 10. The plurality of receptacle terminals 20 have two types of receptacle terminals 20A and 20B having different lengths of connection portions described later. Here, when the receptacle terminal 20 with a long connection part is referred to as "receptacle terminal 20A" and the receptacle terminal 20 with a short connection part is referred to as "receptacle terminal 20B", it is not necessary to distinguish between the two. Collectively As seen in FIG. 1A, receptacle terminals 20A and 20B are alternately arranged in the connector length direction in each of the two terminal rows. Further, in the two terminal rows, different types of receptacle terminals 20 are disposed at the same position in the connector length direction. That is, the receptacle terminal 20B is disposed in the other terminal row at the connector length direction position where the receptacle terminal 20A is disposed in one of the two terminal rows.

  Hereinafter, each shape of receptacle terminal 20A and receptacle terminal 20B is explained one by one. The receptacle terminal 20A is formed by bending a strip-like metal plate strip in the thickness direction, and as seen in the right half of the receptacle connector 1 of FIG. 3A, the bottom wall 11 of the receptacle housing 10 And a receptacle contact arm 22A extending upward along the projecting wall 12 from the inner end of the base 21A on the projecting wall 12 side (hereinafter simply referred to as “contact arm 22A And the reverse U-shaped held portion 23A extended upward at the outer end of the side wall 14 side of the base 21A and folded back downward, and the connector from the lower end of the held portion 23A And a connecting portion 24A extending outward in the width direction.

  The base 21A functions as a receptacle connecting portion that connects the lower ends of the contact arm 22A and the below-described inner arm 23A-1 of the held portion 23A. As seen in FIG. 3 (A), the base 21A extends over the range including the receiving portion 16 in the connector width direction, and the outer end of the base 21A is held on the bottom wall 11 by integral molding. . The base 21 </ b> A is located lower than the upper surface of the bottom wall 11, and the upper surface is exposed to the inside of the receiving portion 16. Further, the portion of the base portion 21A excluding the outer end portion is located within the range of the bottom hole portion 11A of the bottom wall 11 in the connector width direction, and the lower surface of the portion is a circuit via the bottom hole portion 11A. It is exposed on the substrate side. The base 21A allows the bottom hole 11A to elastically displace the portion other than the outer end downward. In the present embodiment, the interval between the receptacle terminals 20A and 20B adjacent to each other in the connector length direction is formed to have a smaller width (dimension in the connector length direction) than that of the base 21A.

  The contact arm 22A is accommodated in the terminal groove 12A of the projecting wall 12, and can be elastically displaced in the plate thickness direction (connector width direction). As shown in FIG. 2 (B), the contact arm 22A has a lower portion formed to have the same width as the base 21A (a dimension in the connector length direction) and an upper portion having a smaller width than the lower portion. It is formed of dimensions. Further, as seen in FIG. 3A, the contact arm 22A has its upper end portion, which is the free end, convexly curved toward the side wall 14, and contacts the plug terminal 50 of the plug connector 2 described later. It is formed as a contact projection 22A-1 for the purpose (refer also to FIG. 3 (B)). In the contact arm 22A, in the free state, the curved top portion of the contact projection 22A-1 protrudes from the terminal groove 12A of the receptacle housing 10 and is positioned in the receiving portion 16 (see FIG. 3A).

  The held portion 23A, as seen in FIG. 3A, is an inner arm portion 23A-1 extending upward along the inner surface of the side wall 14 from the outer end of the side wall 14 side of the base 21A; A transition portion 23A-2 which is continuously folded downward from the upper end of the inner arm portion 23A-1 at a position outside the inner arm portion 23A-1 in the connector width direction, and the lower portion through the transition portion 23A-2. It has an outwardly extending outer arm 23A-3, and is held on the side wall 14 by integral molding. The held portion 23A is formed to have the same width as the base 21A, except for the lower end portion of an outer arm 23A-3 described later.

The inner arm 23 </ b> A- 1 functions as a lock arm that can lock the plug terminal 50 of the plug connector 2. The plate surface of the inner arm portion 23A-1 is positioned so as to protrude from the inner surface of the side wall 14 into the receiving portion 16 (see also FIG. 1A), and is recessed in a rectangular shape from the plate surface The lock recess 23A-1A is formed. It is not essential that the locking recess is recessed in a rectangular shape, and for example, the inner surface of the locking recess may be recessed so as to form a concave curved surface. The lock recess 23A-1A is formed, for example, by press processing or the like, and the width dimension (dimension in the connector length direction) is smaller than the width dimension of the inner arm portion 23A-1. Further, the locking recess 23A-1A, the width is larger than the locked stepped portion 51 B -1A as the locked portion of the plug terminal 50 provided on the plug connector 2 to be described later. As a result, the locking recess 23A-1A, said by engaging in the locked stepped portion 51 B -1A, while preventing dislodgement connectors while maintaining the connector fitting state,該被locking stepped portion 51 By contacting and electrically conducting at the time of locking with B- 1A, it also plays a role of assisting the contact protrusion 22A-1 (see FIG. 3 (B)).

  The transition portion 23A-2 is convexly curved upward, and the upper surface of the inner half portion connected to the inner arm portion 23A-1 is exposed from the side wall 14. The outer arm 23A-3 is embedded and held in the side wall 14 so as to be inclined inward as it goes downward, as seen in FIG. A part of the outer surface of 3 is exposed to the outside through the side hole 14A. The outer arm 23A-3 has a lower end portion formed with a smaller width dimension (dimension in the connector length direction) than the other portions, as is often seen in FIG. 2 (B).

The connection portion 24A extends in a crank shape outward from the lower end of the outer arm portion 23A-3 at a position lower than the base portion 21A as seen in FIG. 3A. The connection portion 24A is extended from the side surface of the bottom wall 11 to the connector width direction connector width direction outward, the tip of the connecting portion 24 A (free end), the receptacle housing 10 connector longitudinal ends It is located outward in the connector width direction than the outer surface. Further, the lower end (plate surface) of the distal end side portion of the connection portion 24A is positioned at substantially the same height as the lower surface of the bottom wall 11, and is soldered to the corresponding circuit portion of the circuit board. There is. The connecting portion 24A is formed to have a smaller width than the base portion 21A.

  In the present embodiment, the receptacle terminal 20A has a width dimension at the base 21A, the lower part of the contact arm 22A, the inner arm 23A-1, the transition part 23A-2, and the outer arm 23A-3 (part excluding the lower end) Is the largest.

  The receptacle terminal 20B differs in shape from the receptacle terminal 20A only in that the connection portion 24B is formed shorter than the connection portion 24A of the receptacle terminal 20A. As for the receptacle terminal 20B, only the shape of the connection portion 24B will be described, and the portions other than the connection portion 24B have the same shape as the corresponding portion in the receptacle terminal 20A, and thus the description thereof will be omitted. Moreover, about each part of receptacle terminal 20B, the code | symbol which substituted "A" of the code | symbol of the corresponding part in receptacle terminal 20A with "B" is attached | subjected.

  The connection portion 24B of the receptacle terminal 20B is located below the base portion 21B, as can be seen in the left half of the receptacle connector 1 of FIG. 3A, from the lower end of the outer arm 23B-3. It extends so as to incline outward in the connector width direction as it goes to the side. The front end (free end) of the connection portion 24B is substantially at the same position in the connector width direction as the outer surface of the connector longitudinal direction intermediate region (terminal arrangement range) of the side wall 14, specifically, slightly protrudes from the outer surface In position. Further, the tip side portion of the connection portion 24B is accommodated in the bottom recess 11B of the bottom wall 11, and the lower surface (plate surface) of the tip side portion is positioned at substantially the same height as the lower surface of the bottom wall 11. And soldered to the corresponding circuit portion of the circuit board.

  In the present embodiment, the receptacle terminals 20A and 20B are alternately arranged in the connector length direction, and the connection portions 24A and 24B of the receptacle terminals 20A and 20B are arranged in a zigzag in the connector length direction. As a result, the connection portions 24A and 24B of the receptacle terminals 20A and 20B adjacent to each other are separated by a sufficient distance in the connector width direction. Therefore, even if the distance between the receptacle terminals 20A and 20B is set small to miniaturize the receptacle connector 1 in the connector length direction, the connection portions 24A and 24B do not approach each other, At the time of mounting the connector, it is possible to prevent the solder soldered to each of the connection portions 24A and 24B from adhering to each other and the connection portions 24A and 24B being inadvertently connected.

  Further, in the present embodiment, most of the connection portion 24B of the receptacle terminal 20B is located within the range of the receptacle housing 10 in the connector width direction, so the connection portion 24A of the receptacle terminal 20A is in the connector width direction. The distance to the connection portion 24B can be secured, and the position close to the receptacle housing 10 can be provided. As a result, the receptacle connector 1 can be miniaturized in the connector width direction.

  The receptacle fixing fitting 30 is formed by punching so as to maintain the flat plate surface of the metal plate member, and as seen in FIG. 1A, the plate surface is in the connector length direction. The end wall 15 of the receptacle housing 10 is press-fit from below and held so as to be at a right angle (see also FIG. 2 (B)). As shown in FIG. 2B, the receptacle fixing fitting 30 is formed with a held projection 31 projecting outward in the widthwise direction of the connector in the upper half of the receptacle fixing fitting 30. The portion 31 is held by the end wall 15 by being pressed into the holding groove portion of the end wall 15 from below. As seen in FIG. 1A, in the receptacle fixture 30 held by the end wall 15, the plate surface is exposed from the end recess 15A of the end wall 15. Further, the lower end portion of the receptacle fixing bracket 30 is exposed from the lower surface of the bottom wall 11 of the receptacle housing 10, and forms a fixing portion 32 which is soldered to the corresponding portion of the circuit board.

  The receptacle connector 1 of the above configuration is manufactured in the following manner. First, as shown in FIG. 2B, receptacle terminals 20A and 20B are alternately arranged in the connector length direction. Next, the receptacle terminals 20A and 20B are arranged from the upper side by a mold arranged from the upper side (hereinafter referred to as "upper side mold"), and a mold arranged from the side in the connector width direction (hereinafter referred to as "lateral side" The mold is fixed by pressing from below with a mold (referred to as “lower mold”) placed from the side by the mold ”) and from the lower side. At this time, the upper mold and the lower mold hold a part of the upper surface and a part of the lower surface of the bases 21A and 21B of the receptacle terminals 20A and 20B in a sandwiching manner. Further, in the connector width direction, the lateral mold presses a part of the outer surface of the outer arm portions 23A-3 and 23B-3 of the receptacle terminals 20A and 20B from the outside in the connector width direction.

  Next, molten resin is injected into a molding space formed by combining the combined upper mold, side mold and lower mold, and the receptacle terminals 20A and 20B are integrally molded with the receptacle housing 10 Thus, the receptacle housing 10 is held.

  After integral molding, the upper mold is moved upward, the side mold is moved outward in the connector width direction, and the lower mold is moved downward to be removed. At this time, the receiving groove 16A of the receiving portion 16 and the projecting wall 12 is formed by removing the upper mold, the side hole 14A of the side wall 14 is formed by removing the side mold, and the lower mold is removed. Bottom hole 11A and bottom recess 11B of bottom wall 11 are formed.

  Next, the held protrusion 31 of the receptacle fixing fitting 30 is press-fit from below into the holding groove portion formed in the end wall 15 of the receptacle housing 10 to hold the receptacle fixing fitting 30 on the end wall 15. The connector 1 is completed.

  In the present embodiment, the receptacle terminals 20A and 20B are locks which are sunk from the plate surface of the inner arms 23A-1 and 23B-1 in the inner arms 23A-1 and 23B-1 extending along the inner surface of the side wall 14 Recesses 23A-1A and 23B-1A are formed as lock portions. That is, since the plate surfaces of the inner arm portions 23A-1 and 23B-1 do not have a protrusion, the upper mold is formed of two side surfaces (portions perpendicular to the connector width direction) of the portion disposed in the receiving portion 16 It is not necessary to form the groove part for avoiding interference with a projecting lock part like before in the side which faces inner side arm parts 23A-1 and 23B-1 among faces). Therefore, the side surface can be a flat surface without unevenness, and the upper mold can be formed into a simple shape.

  In the present embodiment, the case of forming the molding space by combining three types of molds of the upper mold, the side mold and the lower mold in the integral molding has been described, but instead, the upper mold is used. The molding space may be formed by only two types of molds, the mold and the lower mold. In this case, the side hole 14A is not formed in the side wall 14 of the receptacle housing 10 because the side mold is not necessary.

[Configuration of plug connector 2]
Next, the configuration of the plug connector 2 will be described. The plug connector 2 has a frame-like fitting portion (see FIG. 1B) adapted to the receiving portion 16 of the receptacle connector 1, and by fitting the fitting portion into the receiving portion 16, The connectors 1 and 2 are fitted and connected to each other. The plug connector 2 is held by the plug housing 40 in the connector length direction (longitudinal direction of the plug housing 40) parallel to the mounting surface of the circuit board (not shown) and the plug housing 40 having a substantially rectangular outer shape. And a plurality of plug terminals 50 and a plug fixing bracket 60.

  The plug housing 40 is made of an electrical insulating material such as resin, and as seen in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the plug housing 40 is mounted on a mounting surface of a circuit board (not shown) which is a mounting target surface. A bottom wall 41 (see FIG. 1 (A)) having parallel bottoms and extending in the connector length direction, and a fitting that stands from the bottom wall 41 downward (upward in FIG. 1 (B)) in FIG. And a peripheral wall 43 as a joint portion. As seen in FIG. 1 (B), the peripheral wall 43 connects two side walls 44 extending in the arrangement direction opposite to each other, and connects the ends of the two side walls 44 and is perpendicular to the connector length direction And two end walls 45 extending in the connector width direction (the short direction of the plug housing 40). A space surrounded by the peripheral wall 43 and opened upward (downward in FIG. 1A) in FIG. 1B forms a receiving portion 46 for receiving the projecting wall 12 of the receptacle connector 1 (FIG. 3). See also (A)).

  The end wall 45 is formed with a slit-like holding groove (not shown) extending at right angles to the connector length direction, and the plug fixing bracket 60 is press-fitted and held by the holding groove. .

  The plurality of plug terminals 50 are provided in two rows symmetrical in the connector width direction, and are held integrally by the plug housing 40 by integral molding so as to be integral with the plug housing 40. The plurality of plug terminals 50 include two types of plug terminals 50A and 50B having different lengths of connection portions described later. Here, the plug terminal 50 with a long connection part is called “plug terminal 50A”, the plug terminal 50 with a short connection part is called “plug terminal 50B”, and when there is no need to distinguish between the two, “plug terminal 50”. Collectively As seen in FIG. 1A, the plug terminals 50A and 50B are alternately arranged in the connector length direction in each of the two terminal rows. Further, in the two terminal rows, different types of plug terminals 50 are disposed at the same position in the connector length direction. That is, the plug terminal 50B is disposed in the other terminal row at the connector longitudinal position where the plug terminal 50A is disposed in one of the two terminal rows.

  Further, in the present embodiment, as seen in FIG. 1 (A) and FIGS. 3 (A) and 3 (B), the plug terminal 50A is positioned corresponding to the receptacle terminal 20B and the plug terminal 50B is located on the receptacle terminal 20A. The corresponding terminals are positioned to be electrically connected to each other.

  The respective shapes of the plug terminal 50A and the plug terminal 50B will be sequentially described below. The plug terminal 50A is formed by bending a strip-like metal plate strip in the plate thickness direction, and is held by the side wall 44 as is often seen in the left half of the plug connector 2 of FIG. From the upper end of a U-shaped U-shaped portion 51A and one of the two arms of the U-shaped portion 51A located on the receiving portion 46 side (inner arm 51A-3 described later), And a connecting portion 52A extending outward in the connector width direction and connected to the corresponding circuit portion of the circuit board (see also FIG. 2A). The plug terminal 50A is held by the U-shaped portion 51A by integral molding with the plug housing 40.

The U-shaped portion 51A is a portion that protrudes between the contact arm 22B of the receptacle terminal 20B of the receptacle connector 1 and the inner arm 23B-1 in the connector fitting state (left of FIG. 3B). As shown in FIG. 3A, the side wall 44 is embedded in the side wall 44 so as to straddle the lower side (upper side in FIG. 1B). The U-shaped portion 51A, as seen in the left half of the plug connector 2 of FIG. 3A, includes an outer arm 51A-1 extending downward along the outer surface of the side wall 44, and the outer arm 51A. A transition portion 51A-2 folded upward from the lower end of the lower side at the connector width direction inner position, and an inner arm 51A-3 extending upward along the inner surface of the side wall 44 via the transition portion 51A-2 And. The dimensions of the U-shaped portion 51A of the connector width direction, than the distance between the receptacle terminal 20 contact protruding 22B-1 and the inner arm portion 23B-1 of the plate surface which faces to the contact protruding part 22B-1 of B It is slightly bigger.

  The outer arm 51 </ b> A- 1 of the U-shaped portion 51 </ b> A functions as a plug lock arm that can be locked to the receptacle terminal 20 of the receptacle connector 1. As shown in FIG. 2 (A) and FIG. 3 (A), the outer arm 51A-1 is formed by pressing the outer surface (plate surface located on the outer side in the connector width direction) of the upper end portion thereof. A step is formed by immersing over the entire width of the outer arm 51A-1, and the step functions as a locked step 51A-1A. As seen in FIG. 1 (A) and FIG. 3 (A), the plate surface of the portion excluding the upper end side portion of the outer arm 51A-1 (the portion including the locked stepped portion 51A-1A) is It protrudes from the outer surface of the side wall 44.

In the present embodiment, the outer arm 51A-1 is formed with a width that is smaller than the width of the locking recess 23B-1A of the receptacle terminal 20B. Therefore, the lock stepped portion 51A-1A formed over the entire width of the outer arm 51A-1 enters the lock recess 23B-1A in the connector fitting state, and the lock stepped portion 51A-1A A locking surface (a surface substantially perpendicular to the vertical direction) is locked to the upper end surface of the lock recess 23B-1A (see the left half of FIG. 3B). In the present embodiment, as described above, the lock step portion 51A-1A is formed over the entire width of the outer arm portion 51A-1, and the lock recess 23B-1A engaged with the lock step portion 51A-1A is a receptacle. The terminal 20B is formed. Therefore, the width dimension of each of the locked stepped portion 51A-1A and the lock recess 23B-1A is larger than in the case where the locked portion is formed to project in the widthwise central region of the receptacle lock arm as in the prior art. Become. Accordingly, the locking area of the locked step portion 51A-1A with respect to the locking recess 23B-1A of the receptacle terminal 20B is increased, and the locking strength is increased.

In this embodiment, a locked stepped portion 51A-1A, which is a stepped portion extending over the entire width of the outer arm 51A-1, is formed as the locked portion provided in the outer arm 51A-1. Alternatively, the locked portion can be formed in various shapes. For example, by positioning the outer side surface of the outer arm 51A-1 so as to project from the side wall 44 of the plug housing 40 without pressing the outer arm 51A-1, the outer arm 51A-1 is formed. The upper end portion (tip end portion) of 1 can be a locked portion . In this case, the upper end surface (tip end surface) of the upper end portion is locked to the lock recess 23B-1A of the receptacle terminal 20B. Since the locked portion of such a shape has a width dimension over the outer arm portions 51A-1 of the full width, the locking area is increased relative to the locking recess 23B-1A, locking strength is increased.

  In addition, it is not essential that the locked portion is formed over the entire width of the outer arm 51A-1, as long as a sufficient locking area for the locking recess 23B-1A can be secured. For example, the to-be-locked stepped portion may have a shape projecting outward in the connector width direction at an intermediate region in the width direction (connector length direction) of the outer arm 51A-1. Further, the locked stepped portion may be shaped such that, for example, the width dimension (dimension in the connector length direction) decreases as going outward in the connector width direction.

  The transition portion 51A-2 functions as a plug connecting portion that connects the upper end portions of the outer arm 51A-1 and the inner arm 51A-3. The transition portion 51A-2 extends in the connector width direction as seen in the left half of the plug connector 2 of FIG. 3A, and in the lower surface of the transition portion 51A-2 (FIG. 1B) The top surface is exposed from the side wall 44. Further, in the transition portion 51A-2, the width dimension of the portion on the inner side (inner arm portion 51A-3 side) in the connector width direction is large.

  The inner arm 51A-3 functions as a plug contact arm for contacting the receptacle terminal 20B. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3A, in the inner arm portion 51A-3, the plate surface on the receiving portion 46 side is positioned so as to protrude from the inner surface of the side wall 44, and the plate surface is It is formed as a corresponding contact portion which contacts the contact projection 22B-1 of the receptacle terminal 20B with a contact pressure in a connector fitted state. The inner arm 51A-3 is formed to have a larger width than the outer arm 51A-1. Further, the width dimension of the inner arm portion 51A-3 is smaller than the interval between the plug terminals 50A and 50B adjacent to each other in the connector length direction. In the present embodiment, the width dimension of the contact projection 22A-1 of the receptacle terminal 20A is smaller than the width dimension of the inner arm 51A-3.

The connecting portion 52A extends in a crank shape outward in the connector width direction from the upper end of the inner arm 51A-3, as seen in the left half of the plug connector 2 of FIG. It extends from the outer side (see also FIG. 1 (A), (B)). The tip end portion of the connecting portion 52A is located at substantially the same height as the upper surface thereof (FIG. 1 (B) in the lower surface) of the bottom wall 4 1 of the upper surface (lower surface in FIG. 1 (B)), It is soldered to the corresponding circuit portion of the circuit board. The connecting portion 52A is formed to have the same size as the inner arm 51A-3. Further, the connection portion 52A is formed to have a width that is larger than the lock recess portions 23A-1A and 23B-1A of the receptacle terminals 20A and 20B. Further, the connection portion 52A is formed to have a width that is larger than the distance between the receptacle terminals 20A and 20B in the connector length direction.

  In the present embodiment, the plug terminal 50A has the largest width dimension in the range extending over the inner arm 51A-3 and the connecting portion 52A. Further, the maximum width dimension of the plug terminal 50A and the plug terminal 50B described later is smaller than the maximum width dimension of the receptacle terminals 20A and 20B. Therefore, in the connector fitted state, the plug terminals 50A, 50B are within the range of the receptacle terminals 20B, 20A in the terminal width direction (connector length direction).

  The plug terminal 50B is different in shape from the plug terminal 50A only in that the connection portion 52B is formed shorter than the connection portion 52A of the plug terminal 50A. As for the plug terminal 50B, only the shape of the connecting portion 52B will be described, and the portions other than the connecting portion 52B have the same shape as the corresponding portion in the plug terminal 50A, and thus the description thereof will be omitted. Moreover, about each part of the plug terminal 50B, the code | symbol which substituted "A" of the code | symbol of the corresponding part in the plug terminal 50A with "B" is attached | subjected.

The connection portion 52B of the plug terminal 50B extends in a crank shape outward in the connector width direction from the upper end of the inner arm 51B-3, as is often seen in the right half of the plug connector 2 of FIG. 3A. , Extends from the outer side surface of the bottom wall 41 (see also FIG. 1 (A), (B)). The front end side portion of the connection portion 52B is positioned inward in the connector width direction than the front end side portion of the connection portion 52A of the plug terminal 50A, and the upper surface (the lower surface in FIG. 1B) is the bottom wall 4 It is located at substantially the same height as the upper surface (the lower surface in FIG. 1 (B)) of 1 and is soldered to the corresponding circuit portion of the circuit board.

In the present embodiment, as in the receptacle terminals 20A and 20B of the receptacle connector 1 described above, the plug terminals 50A and 50B are alternately arranged in the connector length direction, and the connection portions 52A and 52B of the plug terminals 50A and 50B. Are arranged in a staggered manner in the connector length direction. Therefore, the connection portions 52A and 52B of the plug terminals 50A and 50B adjacent to each other are separated by a sufficient distance in the connector width direction, as described above for the receptacle terminals 20A and 20B. Therefore, even if the distance between the plug terminals 50A and 50B is set small for downsizing of the plug connector 2 in the connector length direction, the connection portions 52A and 52B do not approach each other, When the connector is mounted, it is possible to prevent the solder soldered to each of the connection portions 52A and 52B from being attached to each other and the connection portions 52A and 52B being inadvertently connected.

By the way, for example, in the case where the distance between the receptacle terminals 20A and 20B is set small in order to miniaturize the receptacle connector 1 in the connector length direction, the plug connector 2 also corresponds to the positions of the receptacle terminals 20A and 20B. It is necessary to make the plug terminals 50B and 50A close to each other in the connector length direction. In the present embodiment, since the maximum width of the plug terminal 5 0A, 5 0B as already described is smaller than the maximum width of the receptacle terminal 2 0A, 2 0B, plug terminal 50B, the 50A together reliably It can be separated, and the contact between the plug terminals 50B and 50A can be avoided. As a result, both the receptacle connector 1 and the plug connector 2 can be miniaturized in the connector length direction.

  The plug fixing bracket 60 is formed by punching so as to maintain the flat plate surface of the metal plate member, and the plug housing 40 is in a posture in which the plate surface is perpendicular to the connector length direction. 1 (A) from the upper side (lower side in FIG. 1 (B)) is press-fit and hold | maintained at the end wall 45 of (refer also to FIG. 2 (A)). As shown in FIG. 2A, in the lower part of the plug fixing bracket 60, the plug fixing bracket 60 is formed with a held projection 61 which protrudes outward in the connector width direction. The end wall 45 is held by the portion 61. Further, a fixing leg portion 62 extending outward in the connector width direction is formed on the top of the plug fixing bracket 60. As seen in FIG. 1A, the fixing leg 62 is exposed from the upper surface (the lower surface in FIG. 1B) of the bottom wall 41 of the plug housing 40, and is soldered to the corresponding portion of the circuit board. It has become so.

  The plug connector 2 having the above configuration is manufactured in the following manner. First, as seen in FIG. 2A, the plug terminals 50A and 50B are alternately arranged in the connector length direction. Next, the plug terminals 50A and 50B are arranged from above in the connector width direction by a mold (hereinafter referred to as "upper mold") arranged from above in FIG. From the side by a mold (hereinafter referred to as "side mold") and from below with a mold arranged from below (hereinafter referred to as "lower mold"), the mold is fixed by pressing from below.

  Next, a molten resin is injected into a molding space formed by combining the combined upper mold, side mold and lower mold, and the plug terminals 50A and 50B are integrally molded with the plug housing 40. Thus, the plug housing 40 is held.

  After integral molding, the upper mold is moved upward, the side mold is moved outward in the connector width direction, and the lower mold is moved downward to be removed. Next, the held projection 61 of the plug fixing bracket 60 is press-fit into the holding groove portion formed in the end wall 45 of the plug housing 40 from the lower side in FIG. Hold the plug connector 2 to complete the plug connector 2.

  In the present embodiment, the lock stepped portions 51A-1A and 51B-1A of the outer arm portions 51A-1 and 51B-1 of the plug terminals 50A and 50B are positioned to protrude from the outer surface of the plug housing 40, but the connector At the time of manufacture, since the side mold is disposed from the side as described above, the above-mentioned locked stepped portion 51A-1A, on the side surface of the side mold (the surface facing the plug lock arm), In order to avoid interference with 51B-1A, the other regions can be formed as flat surfaces only by forming recesses in the regions corresponding to the steps 51A-1A and 51B-1A. . Therefore, the lateral mold does not have a complicated shape, and can have a simple shape.

[Metering operation of connector]
Next, the fitting operation of the connectors 1 and 2 will be described based on FIGS. 1 (A) and 3 (A) and 3 (B). First, the connecting portions 24A and 24B of the receptacle terminals 20A and 20B of the receptacle connector 1 are soldered to the corresponding circuit portion of the circuit board, and the fixing portion 32 of the receptacle fixing bracket 30 is soldered to the corresponding portion of the circuit board Mount the receptacle connector 1 on the circuit board. Further, the connecting portions 52A and 52B of the plug terminals 50A and 50B of the plug connector 2 are soldered to corresponding circuit portions of other circuit boards, and the fixing leg portion 62 of the plug fixing bracket 60 is corresponding to the other circuit board Then, the plug connector 2 is mounted on the other circuit board by soldering.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3A, the receptacle connector 1 is in a posture in which the receiving part 16 is opened upward, and the receptacle is in a posture in which the receiving part 46 is opened downward. Position the connector 1 above. Then, as shown by the arrows in FIGS. 1 and 3A, the plug connector 2 is moved downward to fit the fitting portion of the plug connector 2 into the receiving portion 16 of the receptacle connector 1.

As a result, the U-shaped portions 51A and 51B of the plug terminals 50A and 50B of the plug connector 2 are the contact projections 22B-1 and 22A-1 of the receptacle terminals 20B and 20A of the receptacle connector 1 and the locking recesses 23B-1A and 23A. Push in between -1A and plunge. Then, the contact arms 22B and 22A are elastically displaced inward in the connector width direction. Further, when the U-shaped portions 51A and 51B rush, as shown in FIG. 3B, the contact protrusions 22B-1 and 22A-1 are U-shaped portions 51A, inner arms 51 a of 51B -3,51 B -3 (corresponding contact portion) contacts with with contact pressure, U-shaped portion 51A, the locked stepped portion of the outer arms 51A-51B-1 of the 51B 51A-1A, 51B-1A are inserted into the lock recesses 23B-1A, 23A-1A, and are positionably engageable with the upper end surfaces of the lock recesses 23B-1A, 23A-1A in the connector extraction direction. As a result, the terminals 20 and 50 of the connectors 1 and 2 are electrically conducted and locked to each other, and the connector fitting operation is completed.

  In the present embodiment, as described above, the plate surfaces of the inner arm portions (receptacle lock arm portions) 23A-1 and 23B-1 of the receptacle terminals 20A and 20B are positioned so as to protrude from the inner surface of the side wall 14 of the receptacle housing 10. The plate surfaces of the outer arms (plug lock arms) 51B-1 and 51A-1 of the plug terminals 50B and 50A protrude from the outer surface of the side wall 44 of the plug housing 40. Under such a configuration, in the connector fitting process and the connector fitting state, even if the connectors are slightly shifted in the connector length direction and slightly move in the connector length direction, the inner arms contact and rub against each other. It is plate surfaces of part 23A-1, 23 B-1 and said outer side arm part 51 B-1, 51 A-1. Therefore, the lock arms of one connector do not rub against the wall surface of the housing of the other connector. That is, since only the plate surfaces of the metal terminals rub against each other, it is possible to prevent the wall surfaces of the housings of both connectors from being scraped and damaged.

  In the present embodiment, the terminals 20 and 50 are arranged in two rows, but the number of rows is not limited to this, and may be arranged in one row, for example. Further, in the present embodiment, a plurality of the terminals 20 and 50 are arranged in the connector length direction. However, instead of this, only one terminal may be arranged.

  In the present embodiment, two types of terminals having different lengths of connection are provided. However, it is not essential that the lengths of the connection are different. For example, only one type of terminal having the same shape is used. May be provided. Further, in the present embodiment, the housings 10 and 50 have the end walls 15 and 45, but the provision of the end walls is not essential.

1 receptacle connector 2 plug connector 10 receptacle housing 11 bottom wall 12 projecting wall (upstanding wall)
14 Side wall (standing wall)
16 Receiving part 20, 20A, 20B Receptacle terminal 21A, 21B Base (receptacle connection part)
22A, 22B contact arm (receptacle contact arm)
23A-1, 23B-1 Inner arm (receptacle lock arm)
23A-1A, 23B-1A Lock recess (lock portion)
40 Plug housing 50, 50A, 50B Plug terminal 51A-1, 51B-1 Outer arm (plug lock arm)
51A-1A, 51B-1A Locked stepped portion (locked portion)
51A-2, 51 B-2 transition part (receptacle connection part)
51A-3, 51 B-3 inner arm (plug contact arm)

Claims (4)

An electrical connector set in which a receptacle connector disposed on the mounting surface of a circuit board and a plug connector disposed on the mounting surface of another circuit board are fitted and connected to each other, with the facing direction of the circuit boards as a mating direction Three-dimensional,
The receptacle connector has a receptacle housing disposed on the mounting surface of the circuit board, and a receptacle terminal integrally molded with the receptacle housing and held by the receptacle housing.
The receptacle housing has a bottom wall facing the mounting surface of the circuit board, and a connector length direction which is a single direction parallel to the mounting surface of the circuit board while standing up from the bottom wall in the fitting direction And a plurality of raised walls extending between the adjacent raised walls, and a receiving portion for receiving the plug connector is formed between the adjacent raised walls,
The receptacle terminal has a shape in which a strip-shaped metal member having a width in the length direction of the connector is bent in the thickness direction, and along the one of the two standing walls forming the receiving portion A receptacle lock arm which extends in the fitting direction and is lockable with respect to the open plug connector with respect to the receiving part, and extends in the mating direction along the other upstanding wall and is exposed to the receiving part ; A receptacle contact arm which is elastically displaceable in the thickness direction and electrically conductive to the plug connector; and a receptacle connector which connects the lock arm and the end of the contact arm. ,
The plug connector includes a plug housing disposed on the mounting surface of the other circuit board, and a plug terminal integrally formed with the plug housing and held by the plug housing.
The plug housing has a fitting portion that can be fitted into the receiving portion of the receptacle housing,
The plug terminal has a shape in which a strip-shaped metal member having a width in the connector length direction is bent in the plate thickness direction, and corresponds to the one standing wall of the receptacle housing in the connector fitting state. A plug lock arm extending in the fitting direction on one side of the fitting, and a plug contact arm extending in the fitting direction on the other side of the fitting corresponding to the other upstanding wall An electrical connector assembly comprising: the plug lock arm; and a plug connector connecting the ends of the plug contact arm.
The maximum width dimension of the plug terminal in the connector length direction is smaller than the maximum width dimension of the receptacle terminal;
The receptacle lock arm portion of the receptacle terminal is formed with a lock portion sunk from a plate surface positioned on the receiving portion side of the receptacle housing,
An electrical connector assembly characterized in that a plug lock arm portion of the plug terminal is formed with a locked portion which is locked in the fitting direction to the lock portion of the receptacle terminal in a connector fitted state. .   The electrical connector assembly according to claim 1, wherein the locked portion of the plug terminal is formed over the entire width of the plug lock arm. The receptacle lock arm of the receptacle terminal is positioned so that the plate surface of the receptacle lock arm protrudes from the surface of one of the rising walls of the receptacle housing toward the receiver.
The electrical connector according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the plug lock arm of the plug terminal is positioned with the plate surface of the plug lock arm projecting from one side surface of the fitting portion of the plug housing. Assembly. A plurality of plug terminals are provided, arranged in the connector length direction and held by the plug housing,
The plug terminal has a connection portion connected to the corresponding circuit portion of the circuit board,
The electrical connector assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a width dimension of the connection portion in the connector length direction is smaller than a distance between adjacent plug terminals.

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