JP6751867B2 - Conductive connection structure of elastic connector and elastic connector - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an elastic connector and a conductive connection structure of an elastic connector in an electronic device.

In electronic devices such as portable electronic devices such as smartphones and tablet terminals, the LCD screen occupies the surface, so a metal outer frame with high mechanical rigidity and a high-class design can be realized. It is used as a material for the housing. If there is such a metal part in the housing, the electromagnetic wave noise is collected by the antenna effect, and the electromagnetic wave noise may be dissipated inside the electronic device, which may adversely affect the signal processing by the circuit board. In addition, the static electricity charged on the metal portion may be discharged to the circuit board. Therefore, it is common to make a conductive connection (ground connection) between the metal part of the housing and the built-in circuit board.

Connection members used for such conductive connections include, for example, conductive sponges, ground springs, cables, and the like. As the techniques described in the patent documents, for example, a connector technique for connecting a coaxial cable to the surface of a circuit board (Patent Document 1) and a connector technique for connecting a cable to a plate end at an angle (Patent Document 2) are known. ..

JP-A-2002-198137 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2010-165627

Such existing connecting members have the following problems. That is, since the conductive sponge has a small size and a simple shape, it is difficult to attach it to a narrow portion between the metal portion of the housing and the circuit board and hold it by pressing. Further, the ground spring is difficult to install due to its complicated shape for imparting springiness, and is easily disengaged due to the repulsive force of the spring. Since it is difficult to attach the cable such as soldering and it is also difficult to reduce the size of the cable, it is not suitable for conductive connection in a narrow part. The techniques described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 have a complicated structure in any of the connecting members, and it is difficult to adopt them in a narrow portion inside an electronic device.

Moreover, it is difficult to achieve angle connection with those connecting members. That is, the metal portion of the housing of the electronic device and the contact portion of the circuit board are arranged so as to intersect each other, and the angle between the contact direction of the connecting member with respect to the metal portion and the contact direction of the circuit board is large. When a certain conductive connection (angle connection) is made, it is difficult to make a conductive connection by bringing the connecting members into close contact with each other because the contact directions are different.

It is the present invention that has been made against the background of the above-mentioned prior art. An object of the present invention is to provide a connecting member and a conductive connection structure that can easily perform a reliable conductive connection even in a narrow portion inside an electronic device. Another object of the present invention is to provide a connecting member and a conductive connection structure that can easily perform angle connection even in a narrow portion inside an electronic device.

The present invention that achieves the above object provides the following elastic connector and conductive connection structure of the elastic connector.

First, in the present invention, a columnar conductive portion that contacts and electrically connects the first connection object and the second connection object, and an insulating portion made of an insulating rubber-like elastic body that covers the conductive portion. The elastic connector provided with the above has an end contact portion that makes conductive contact with the first connection object at one end of the conductive portion, and an insulating portion is coated on the side surface of the conductive portion. It has an exposed portion that is lacking, and the exposed portion has a side contact portion that makes conductive contact with a second connection object.

Secondly, the present invention relates to a conductive connection structure of an elastic connector for conducting a conductive connection between a first connection object and a second connection object provided in an electronic device by an elastic connector, the first connection object and the second connection object. The objects to be connected are arranged apart from each other inside the electronic device, and the elastic connector has a columnar conductive portion and an insulating portion made of an insulating rubber-like elastic body that covers the conductive portion. The end face contact portion provided on one end of the conductive portion is in conductive contact with the first object to be connected, and the exposed portion has an exposed portion on the side surface of the conductive portion that lacks the coating of the insulating portion. It is characterized in that the provided side contact portion makes conductive contact with the second connection object.

According to the elastic connector of the present invention and the conductive connection structure of the elastic connector, one end of the conductive portion has an end contact portion that makes conductive contact with the first connection object, and the side surface of the conductive portion has an insulating portion. By having an exposed portion lacking a coating and having a side contact portion that makes conductive contact with the second connection object in the exposed portion, an unprecedented connection form can be realized.

That is, there is known an elastic connector in which the outer circumference of a columnar conductive portion is coated with a cylindrical insulating portion made of an insulating rubber-like elastic body, but this connects objects to be connected which are opposed to each other. It is for connecting. On the other hand, in the present invention, since the end contact portion is provided on one side end of the conductive portion and the side contact portion is provided on the side surface, the first connection object and the second connection object are opposed to each other. It is possible to connect them electrically without them. When the connection form in which two connection objects having different contact directions are conductively connected is called an angle connection, the elastic connector of the present invention can easily perform an angle connection, and the structure of the elastic connector is entirely rubber. It can be easily and compactly formed with a elastic body. Therefore, angle connection can be easily performed even in a narrow portion inside an electronic device.

The first connection object can be a metal portion provided in a housing of an electronic device, and the second connection object can be a contact portion of a circuit board.
With the conductive connection structure of the present invention, the conductive connection between the metal portion of the housing and the contact portion of the circuit board can be easily and reliably performed. In particular, even if the housing has a thin plate shape, such as the housing of a small electronic device, for example, a smartphone, it is possible to easily and surely make an angle connection between the metal portion provided on the inner surface of the housing and the contact portion of the circuit board. It is possible.

The conductive portion is made of conductive particles oriented inside the rubber-like elastic body.
According to the present invention, since the conductive portion is made of conductive particles oriented inside a rubber-like elastic body, a desired conductive portion is integrally formed in the insulating portion in terms of material, position, size, number, flexibility, and the like. can do. As described above, the elastic connector using the rubber-like elastic body as the base material can be flexibly formed as a whole including the conductive portion, and has shape followability and close contact with the first connection object and the second connection object. It can be made excellent in sex.

The exposed portion has a flat portion extending over the entire length of the conductive portion.
According to the present invention, since the exposed portion on the side surface of the conductive portion is a flat portion extending over the entire length of the conductive portion, the entire length or a part of the conductive portion can be a side contact portion on the flat surface portion. Therefore, even if the entire elastic connector is made small for use in a narrow part inside an electronic device, by using the entire length of the flat surface part as the contact part of the side contact part, a reliable conductive connection with the second connection object is made. Can be achieved. Further, since the flat surface portion to be the side surface contact portion is a flat surface, it is possible to make conductive contact with the second object to be connected in a stable posture.

The exposed portion has a longitudinal plane portion extending from one end side of the conductive portion to an intermediate position along the length direction, and a lateral plane portion extending in the intersecting direction of the longitudinal plane portion.
According to the present invention, since the exposed surfaces of the side surfaces of the conductive portion are the longitudinal plane portion and the lateral plane portion, the longitudinal plane portion or the lateral plane portion, or the side surfaces thereof, depending on the shape of the second connection object. It can be set as a contact part, and various conductive connections can be realized. Further, since both the longitudinal flat surface portion and the short flat surface portion are flat surfaces, it is possible to make conductive contact with the second object to be connected in a stable posture.

The insulating portion has a protruding portion that protrudes in the intersecting direction with respect to the side contact portion.
According to the present invention, since the insulating portion has a protruding portion that protrudes in the intersecting direction with respect to the side contact portion, for example, a second connection object that is in conductive contact with the side contact portion is abutted against the protruding portion. The second connection object can be reliably placed in a predetermined position. As a result, the contact position of the side contact portion with respect to the second connection object is also stable, so that a reliable conductive connection can be easily obtained.

The insulating portion has a support portion that sandwiches a second connection object with the side contact portion.
According to the present invention, since the insulating portion has a support portion that sandwiches the second connection object with the side contact portion, the second connection object that is in conductive contact with the side contact portion is inserted into the support portion. The mounted state can be maintained. As a result, the contact of the side contact portion with the second connection object is stable, so that a reliable conductive connection can be easily obtained.
Further, the support portion can be formed so as to sandwich the second connection object in a pressed state, which makes it difficult for the elastic connector to fall off from the second connection object, and the elastic connector is attached. It is also possible to incorporate the second connection object into an electronic device or the like in this state.

The insulating portion has a recess on the opposite side of the side contact portion.
According to the present invention, when the second object to be connected is pressed against the side contact portion, the strain generated in the elastic connector caused by the elastic deformation of the rubber-like elastic body can be released to the recess. Therefore, the elastic connector can suppress the collapse of the entire shape due to the elastic deformation of the rubber-like elastic body, and can be installed in a stable posture.

According to the elastic connector of the present invention and the conductive connection structure of the elastic connector, by providing the end contact portion and the side contact portion having different contact directions in the conductive portion of the elastic connector, various connection forms that have never been seen before are realized. can do. In particular, even in a narrow portion inside an electronic device, a plurality of connection objects having different contact directions can be easily and surely conductively connected. Specifically, it is possible to easily and surely make an angle connection between the metal portion of the housing and the contact portion of the circuit board built in the housing. Further, since the elastic connector as a whole can be easily miniaturized and the degree of freedom in shape can be increased, it is possible to realize an elastic connector that can be attached to a narrow portion inside an electronic device. Therefore, according to the present invention, it is possible to realize a conductive connection suitable for further miniaturization of electronic devices.

The schematic plan view which shows the internal structure of the smartphone which attached the elastic connector by one Embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view of the elastic connector of the first embodiment, in which the sectional view (a) is a perspective view including a front surface, a plane and a right side surface, and the division diagram (b) is a perspective view including a back surface, a plane and a left side surface. The plan view of the elastic connector of FIG. The bottom view of the elastic connector of FIG. An enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion in which the elastic connector of FIG. 2 corresponding to the SA-SA line cross-sectional view of FIG. 1 is housed in a smartphone. It is a perspective view of the elastic connector of 2nd Embodiment. An enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion in which the elastic connector of FIG. 6 corresponding to the SA-SA line cross-sectional view of FIG. It is a perspective view of the elastic connector of 3rd Embodiment. An enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion in which the elastic connector of FIG. 8 corresponding to the SA-SA line cross-sectional view of FIG. 1 is housed in a smartphone. It is a perspective view of the elastic connector of 4th Embodiment. An enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion in which the elastic connector of FIG. 10 corresponding to the SA-SA line cross-sectional view of FIG. 1 is housed in a smartphone. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an elastic connector according to a modified example of the embodiment.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the elastic connector and its conductive connection structure according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In all of the following embodiments, a smartphone is illustrated as an example of an electronic device, and an elastic connector for conductively connecting the housing and a circuit board built therein, and a conductive connection structure thereof will be described. This conductive connection is a ground connection. FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view showing the internal structure of the smartphone 1, and shows an enlarged portion of the smartphone 1 to which the elastic connector 11 (21, 31, 41, 51) is attached. In addition, duplicate description will be omitted for the same material, composition, manufacturing method, action, effect, etc. in each embodiment.

First Embodiment [Figs. 1 to 5] :

A perspective view of the elastic connector 11 of the present embodiment is shown in FIG. 2, a plan view is shown in FIG. 3, a bottom view is shown in FIG. 4, and a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of the elastic connector 11 attached to the smartphone 1 is shown in FIG. ..

The elastic connector 11 has a conductive portion 12 and an insulating portion 13 made of an insulating rubber-like elastic body that covers the conductive portion 12. The shape of the elastic connector 11 is different from that of a known elastic connector (not shown) in which the entire circumference of a cylindrical conductive portion is covered with a rectangular parallelepiped or cylindrical insulating portion. That is, as shown in FIG. 2, the upper bottom surface 12a of the conductive portion 12 is formed into a partial circular shape obtained by halving the circle up to an intermediate position (about 2/3 in the present embodiment) along the length direction of the conductive portion 12. Along with the lack, a part of the insulating portion 13 is formed on the opposite side in a rectangular parallelepiped shape.

The conductive portion 12 has an upper bottom surface 12a having a partial circular shape (semicircular shape in the present embodiment) forming an "end contact portion" and a partial circular shape (semicircular shape in the present embodiment) having a "short flat surface portion". The intermediate bottom surface 12b forming the above and the circular lower bottom surface 12c are formed in parallel. Further, the conductive portion 12 is formed with a rectangular intermediate side surface 12d extending along the longitudinal direction thereof to form a “longitudinal plane portion”. The upper bottom surface 12a, the intermediate bottom surface 12b, the lower bottom surface 12c, and the intermediate side surface 12d are formed so that the surface directions intersect each other. Further, the intermediate side surface 12d and the intermediate bottom surface 12b form a part of the side surface 12e of the conductive portion 12, and form an exposed portion 12f that is not covered with the insulating portion 13. The intermediate side surface 12d of the exposed portion 12f is a portion that serves as a “side contact portion” that makes conductive contact with the contact portion 5 of the circuit board 4, which will be described later.

As shown in FIG. 5, in the elastic connector 11, the lower bottom surface 12c of the conductive portion 12 is in conductive contact with the metal portion 3 of the housing 2 of the smartphone 1. Therefore, the lower bottom surface 12c constitutes the "end contact portion" of the present invention, and the metal portion 3 constitutes the "first connection object". Further, the intermediate side surface 12d of the conductive portion 12 is in conductive contact with the contact portion 5 of the circuit board 4. Therefore, the intermediate side surface 12d constitutes the "side contact portion" of the present invention, and the contact portion 5 constitutes the "second connection object". As described above, the elastic connector 11 can be attached even in a narrow portion inside the housing of the smartphone 1, and the housing 2 and the circuit board 4 can be easily and surely conductively connected to each other.

As shown in FIG. 5, the protrusion 13a enters the gap between the circuit board 4 and the metal portion 3 of the housing 2, which contributes to positioning and prevention of falling off when the elastic connector 11 is mounted. In other words, the circuit board 4 can be abutted against the protrusion 13a, which contributes to the positioning of the circuit board 4 and the contact portion 5. The protrusion 13a is formed so as to project from the intermediate side surface 12d of the conductive portion 12 and the intermediate side surface 13b of the insulating portion 13 formed flush with the intermediate side surface 12d. Further, the side surface 13c of the insulating portion 13 located on the side opposite to the intermediate side surfaces 12d and 13b is formed with a recess 13d recessed in a groove shape toward the conductive portion 12 in the width direction of the side surface 13c. Both side portions sandwiching the recess 13d are in contact with the flat plate portion 2c of the housing 2. As shown in FIG. 5, the recess 13d is provided corresponding to the position between the contact portion 5 and the protrusion 13a.

Such an elastic connector 11 is assembled to the smartphone 1 and pressed and sandwiched between the elastic connector 11 and the circuit board 4 to reduce the electrical resistance and to reduce the electrical resistance and to intersect the side wall portion 2a of the housing 2 and the circuit board. 4 can be conductively connected (ground connection).

Examples of the insulating rubber-like elastic body constituting the insulating portion 13 of the elastic connector 11 include silicone rubber, natural rubber, isoprene rubber, butadiene rubber, 1,2-polybutadiene rubber, styrene-butadiene rubber, nitrile rubber, butyl rubber, and ethylene. -Propylene rubber, urethane rubber, etc. can be used. Silicone rubber is a preferable material from the viewpoint of electrical insulation and environmental characteristics. Further, as will be described later, when the conductive portion 12 is composed of conductive particles oriented inside an insulating rubber-like elastic body, a rubber-like elastic material that is liquid before solidification is preferable. Further, when the viscosity (25 ° C.) of the liquid state is about 10 to 50 Pa, the conductive particles are easily magnetically oriented inside the liquid rubber-like elastic material.

In the elastic connector 11, a conductive portion 12 in which a conductive rubber is arranged inside an insulating rubber-like elastic body to form a conductive path can be adopted. Examples of the conductive rubber include those in which an insulating rubber-like elastic body is highly filled with conductive particles made of a conductive metal or carbon, and those in which fine metal wires are arranged along the conductive direction. Among these, it is preferable that the conductive particles are oriented inside the rubber-like elastic body. This is because if the conductive particles are oriented (or arranged) in the conductive direction to form a conductive path, the resistance value can be lowered with a relatively small amount of the conductive particles with respect to the entire elastic connector 11. For example, the resistance value between the contact surfaces from one surface to the other surface to be conductively connected is about 25,000 Ω with a uniform conductive rubber as a whole, by orienting or arranging the conductive particles in the conductive direction. The electrical resistance can be reduced to 50 mΩ. The orientation of the conductive particles can be formed by utilizing a magnetic field or a flow field.

The conductive portion 12 is obtained from a conductive material, and uses a liquid rubber-like elastic material in which magnetic conductive particles are dispersed, and orients the magnetic conductive particles by applying a magnetic field in a molding die. It is preferable that the material is formed by forming the material. When the conductive portion 12 is observed macroscopically, it seems that only the conductive particles are present, but when observed microscopically, the conductive particles are oriented inside the rubber-like elastic body, which has been described above. In addition to keeping the electrical resistance low with a low filling amount, it is also preferable in that appropriate flexibility can be obtained.

The rubber-like elastic body that fills the gaps between the conductive materials constituting the conductive portion 12 is the same as the material constituting the insulating portion 13. In addition, examples of the conductive particles used as the conductive material include particulate, fibrous, fragmentary, and fine wire-shaped metal particles. More specifically, nickel, cobalt, iron, ferrite, or alloys containing a large amount thereof, metals such as gold, silver, platinum, aluminum, copper, iron, palladium, and chromium, and alloys such as stainless steel. It is possible to use a powder or fine wire made of a kind, resin, ceramic or the like plated with a magnetic conductor, or conversely a magnetic conductor plated with a metal of a good conductor. As for the size of the metal particles, if the average particle size is about 1 to 200 μm, a chain state can be efficiently formed along the magnetic field line direction in a magnetic field acting in the molding die, which is preferable. ..

Various methods can be used to manufacture the elastic connector 11. For example, a liquid rubber-like elastic material containing conductive particles is injected into a molding mold, the conductive particles are oriented by magnetic poles arranged in the molding mold to form a conductive path, and then the liquid rubber-like elasticity is formed. The material can be cured to obtain an elastic connector 11 in which the conductive portion 12 and the insulating portion 13 are integrated. Alternatively, a conductive rubber having a predetermined electric resistance is molded in advance in the shape of the conductive portion 12, insert molding is performed in which the conductive rubber is placed in a molding mold, and the conductive portion 12 is covered with the insulating portion 13. The integrated elastic connector 11 can be obtained.

The size of the elastic connector 11 is 0.5 to 10 mm in the vertical direction of FIG. 2, 0.5 to 10 mm in the width direction when the intermediate side surface 12d is viewed from the front, and 0.5 to 10 mm in the depth direction. be able to.

According to the elastic connector 11, the outer periphery of the cylindrical conductive portion lacks a rectangular parallelepiped shape with respect to a known elastic connector (not shown) in which the outer periphery is covered with a rectangular parallelepiped shape or a cylindrical insulating portion. .. Therefore, the circuit board 4 arranged along the flat surface of the electronic device and the housing 2 arranged in a positional relationship intersecting with each other so as to surround the outer periphery of the circuit board 4 can be brought into close contact with each other. In this way, the elastic connector 11 can easily connect the circuit boards 4 and the housing 2 having different contact directions at an angle.

Then, according to the elastic connector 11, since the upper bottom surface 12a and the intermediate side surface 12d intersecting the upper bottom surface 12a (orthogonal in the present embodiment) are provided as the surface of the conductive portion 12, they intersect with each other such as the metal portion 3 and the contact portion 5. The surfaces of the conductive portions 12 can face each other and come into contact with a plurality of connection objects arranged in a positional relationship without gaps, and the housing 2 and the circuit board 4 can be reliably conductively connected. ..

Further, the metal portion 3 is on an extension line of the surface of the contact portion 5 with respect to the contact portion 5, and the elastic connector 11 can reliably conduct a conductive connection to such a compact structure.

Since the conductive portion 12 of the elastic connector 11 is covered with the insulating portion 13 except for the portion necessary for the conductive connection, the conductive portion 12 is not exposed in the portion where insulation is required, and the surrounding parts are short-circuited. There is no. Further, if the rubber-like elastic body constituting the insulating portion 13 is toned, the surface of the elastic connector 11 can be decorated with an arbitrary color.

In addition, since the elastic connector 11 is sandwiched between the circuit board 4 and the housing 2 (flat plate portion 2c) and mounted, it is pressed from the Y-axis direction, that is, from the vertical direction of FIG. Further, since it is pushed and mounted between the metal portion 3 of the housing 2 and the circuit board 4, it is pressed from the X-axis direction, that is, from the left-right direction in FIG. Since the conductive portion 12 is mounted by being pressed from these two directions, the conductive portion 12 is in close contact with the metal portion 3 and the contact portion 5, and the conductive resistance can be lowered to achieve a suitable conductive connection. Further, when the outer frame of the electronic device is opened to replace and repair the internal parts thereof, the elastic connector 11 is hard to come off, and unexpected loss can be prevented.

Since the recess 13d is provided in a part of the insulating portion 13, the distortion generated in the mounted elastic connector 11 can be suppressed to a low level. That is, among the insulating portions 13 in the vicinity where the recess 13d is formed, the portion of the insulating portion 13 on the upper bottom surface 12a side of the recess 13d, which is considered to have a large influence on the pressurization in the Y-axis direction, and the portion in the X-axis direction. By insulating the portion of the insulating portion 13 on the lower bottom surface 12c side of the recess 13d, which is considered to have a large effect on pressurization, structurally discontinuously by the recess 13d, it is possible to eliminate the portion where strain is concentrated. Is.

The elastic connector 11 has the above-mentioned structure, and the conductive portion 12 is formed as a shape lacking a part thereof from the cylindrical shape. Therefore, after taking out from the molding die, cutting or the like is performed to obtain a predetermined shape. There is no need to provide a molding process. That is, the conductive portion 12 can be formed only by forming a magnetic field in the uniaxial direction at the time of mold molding, and the elastic connector 11 can be manufactured by producing a molding mold that is molded with the outer shape of the elastic connector 11 as it is. In other words, a cutting step of forming the outer shape of the elastic connector 11 is unnecessary other than the steps of cutting burrs and runners and polishing the surface.

In the smartphone 1 accommodating the elastic connector 11, the flat plate portion 2c is a part of the housing 2, but it may be a part of the component parts provided inside the housing 2. Further, the contact portion 5 of the circuit board 4 may be a terminal or the like provided at the end of the conductive wiring on the circuit board 4, and the terminal may be a terminal whose metal plane is partially exposed.

Further, in the present embodiment, the objects to be connected to the conductive portion 12 of the elastic connector 11 are the metal portion 3 provided on the housing 2 and the contact portion 5 provided on the circuit board 4, but the housing 2 itself. In the case of forming a metal outer frame, the surface thereof can be a metal part, or can be a conductive part provided on a conductive plate other than the housing 2 and the circuit board 4. .. Examples of the conductive plate other than the housing 2 and the circuit board 4 include a metal plate and a metal frame provided in an electronic device, a rigid substrate, a flexible substrate (FPC), a metal terminal plate of an electronic component such as a battery, and the like. The elastic connector 11 can be brought into contact with the conductive portion provided on the conductive plate of the above.

As described above, the elastic connector 11 is not limited to the conductive connection (ground connection) between the metal portion 3 of the housing 2 and the built-in circuit board 4, and the signal connection between the boards (including the flexible board). It can be used for various conductive connections.

Second Embodiment [FIGS. 1, 6-7] :

A perspective view of the elastic connector 21 of the present embodiment is shown in FIG. 6, and a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of the elastic connector 21 attached to the smartphone 1 is shown in FIG. The elastic connector 21 has a support projection 13e as a "support portion" for inserting and sandwiching the plate end of the circuit board 4 into the insulating portion 13 so as to face the intermediate side surfaces 12d and 13b. Different from. Since the elastic connector 21 is provided with the support protrusion 13e, it is more effective in preventing the elastic connector 21 from falling off from the circuit board 4.

Third Embodiment [FIGS. 1, 8-9] :

FIG. 8 shows a perspective view of the elastic connector 31 of the present embodiment, and FIG. 9 shows a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of the elastic connector 31 attached to the smartphone 1. Unlike the elastic connector 11 described above, the elastic connector 31 does not have a portion protruding from the base portion such as a protrusion 13a. An elastic connector (not shown) having a general structure in which the outer periphery of a cylindrical conductive portion is covered with a rectangular parallelepiped or cylindrical insulating portion so as to simply cross a cylindrical conductive portion in the axial direction. The shape is such that it is divided in half over its entire length. Therefore, not only the upper bottom surface 12a of the conductive portion 12 but also the lower bottom surface 12c is semicircular. The intermediate side surface 12d is formed along the longitudinal direction of the conductive portion 12, and constitutes the "side contact portion", the "exposed portion", and the "planar portion" of the present invention.

Since the elastic connector 31 does not have the protrusion 13a, it can be more preferably used when the distance between the circuit board 4 and the housing 2 (side wall portion 2a) is narrow. The internal structure of the smartphone 1 shown in FIG. 9 is slightly different from the internal structure shown in FIG. 5, and the metal portion 3 is provided slightly above the circuit board 4 (in the Y-axis direction).

In the elastic connector 31, the holding force in the X-axis direction does not work, but when pressed in the Y-axis direction, the elastic connector 31 is sandwiched between the housing 2 (flat plate portion 2c) and the circuit board 4, and the circuit board 4 It is possible to make a conductive connection between the contact portion 5 of the above and the metal portion 3 of the housing 2.

Fourth Embodiment [FIGS. 1, 10-11] :

A perspective view of the elastic connector 41 of the present embodiment is shown in FIG. 10, and a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of the elastic connector 41 attached to the smartphone 1 is shown in FIG. The elastic connector 41 is a modification of the elastic connector 31 described above, and has a structure that does not have a recess 13d. Even with the elastic connector 41, the holding force in the X-axis direction does not work, but when pressed in the Y-axis direction, it is sandwiched between the housing 2 (flat plate portion 2c) and the circuit board 4, and with the contact portion 5 of the circuit board 4. A conductive connection can be made with the metal portion 3 of the housing 2.

Modification example of the embodiment [Fig. 12] :

The above-described embodiment is an example of the present invention, and the embodiments can be changed, known techniques can be added, combinations, and the like can be performed without departing from the spirit of the present invention, and these techniques are also within the scope of the present invention. It is included in. For example, the elastic connector 11 or the elastic connector 21 may have a shape in which the recess 13d is not provided.

Further, the elastic connectors 11,21,31,41 described in the above embodiment are connected to the objects to be connected (metal portion 3 and contact portion 5) at two locations, the lower bottom surface 12c and the intermediate side surface 12d of the conductive portion 12. Although they are in contact with each other, contact surfaces for two or more objects to be connected may be provided. In such a case, another surface of one conductive portion 12, for example, the upper bottom surface 12a may be contributed to the conductive connection, and as shown in FIG. 12, one conductive portion 12 is contained in one elastic connector 51. Another conductive portion 12 having the same shape and facing in the same direction may be provided so that the plurality of conductive portions 12 come into contact with the object to be connected.

As a method of fixing the elastic connectors 11, 21, 31, 41, 51, they may be sandwiched between a housing (case) of an electronic device, a circuit board, or the like for pressure welding, or may be fixed to them with an adhesive or double-sided tape. .. Further, a metal plate may be partially integrally formed on the elastic connectors 11, 21, 31, 41, 51, and the metal plate portion may be fixed to the surface of the object to be connected by soldering.

1 Smartphone (electronic device)
2 Housing 2a Side wall 2b Flat plate 2c Flat plate 3 Metal part (first connection object)
4 Circuit board 5 Contact part (circuit contact)
11,21,31,41,51 Elastic connector 12 Conductive part 12a Upper bottom surface 12b Intermediate bottom surface (short flat surface part)
12c Lower bottom surface (end contact part)
12d Intermediate side surface (side contact part, longitudinal flat part)
12e Side surface 12f Exposed part 13 Insulation part 13a Protrusion 13b Intermediate side surface 13c Side surface 13d Recession 13e Support protrusion (support part)

Claims (9)

A columnar conductive portion that contacts and electrically connects the first connection object and the second connection object,
In an elastic connector including an insulating portion made of an insulating rubber-like elastic body that covers the conductive portion.
One end of the conductive portion has an end contact portion that makes conductive contact with the first connection object.
The side surface of the conductive portion has an exposed portion lacking the coating of the insulating portion, and the exposed portion has a side contact portion that makes conductive contact with the second connection object.
The exposed portion is an elastic connector characterized by being a longitudinal flat surface portion extending from one end side of the conductive portion to an intermediate position along the length direction and a short flat surface portion extending in the intersecting direction of the longitudinal plane portion.
A columnar conductive portion that contacts and electrically connects the first connection object and the second connection object,
In an elastic connector including an insulating portion made of an insulating rubber-like elastic body that covers the conductive portion.
One end of the conductive portion has an end contact portion that makes conductive contact with the first connection object.
The side surface of the conductive portion has an exposed portion lacking the coating of the insulating portion, and the exposed portion has a side contact portion that makes conductive contact with the second connection object.
The insulating portion is an elastic connector characterized by having a recess on the back side when the side surface is the front side.
The elastic connector according to claim 2, wherein the exposed portion is a flat portion extending over the entire length of the conductive portion.
The elastic connector according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the conductive portion is made of conductive particles oriented inside the rubber-like elastic body.
The elastic connector according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the insulating portion has a protruding portion that projects in an intersecting direction with respect to the side surface of the conductive portion that exposes the side contact portion.
Any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the insulating portion has a support portion facing the side surface so as to sandwich the second connection object with the side surface of the conductive portion with the side surface contact portion exposed. The elastic connector described in the section.
In the conductive connection structure of the elastic connector in which the first connection object and the second connection object provided in the electronic device are conductively connected by the elastic connector.
The first connection object and the second connection object are arranged apart from each other inside the electronic device.
The elastic connector has a columnar conductive portion and an insulating portion made of an insulating rubber-like elastic body that covers the conductive portion.
The end contact portion provided at one end of the conductive portion is in conductive contact with the first connection object.
An exposed portion lacking the coating of the insulating portion is provided on the side surface of the conductive portion, and the side contact portion provided on the exposed portion makes conductive contact with the second connection object.
The exposed portion is an elastic connector characterized by being a longitudinal flat surface portion extending from one end side of the conductive portion to an intermediate position along the length direction and a short flat surface portion extending in the intersecting direction of the longitudinal plane portion. Conductive connection structure.
In the conductive connection structure of the elastic connector in which the first connection object and the second connection object provided in the electronic device are conductively connected by the elastic connector.
The first connection object and the second connection object are arranged apart from each other inside the electronic device.
The elastic connector has a columnar conductive portion and an insulating portion made of an insulating rubber-like elastic body that covers the conductive portion.
The end contact portion provided at one end of the conductive portion is in conductive contact with the first connection object.
An exposed portion lacking the coating of the insulating portion is provided on the side surface of the conductive portion, and the side contact portion provided on the exposed portion makes conductive contact with the second connection object.
The insulating portion has a conductive connection structure of an elastic connector, characterized by having a recess on the back side when the side surface is the front surface.
The first connection object is a metal portion provided in the housing of the electronic device.
The conductive connection structure of an elastic connector according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the second connection object is a contact portion provided on a circuit board.

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