JP7340340B2 - card edge connector - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to card edge connectors.

2. Description of the Related Art A card edge connector that fits onto a circuit board (printed board) and connects a board terminal provided at an end of the circuit board to a lead wire is known (for example, Patent Document 1). The card edge connector of Patent Document 1 has a main body having an insertion opening in which a plurality of spring parts are arranged in a row, and a lead wire extends from the main body. Each lead wire is connected to a spring portion at one end. When the end of the circuit board is inserted into the insertion slot, the spring portion comes into contact with the board terminal, and the board terminal and the lead wire are connected.

Utility Model Publication No. 59-180385

In the card edge connector of Patent Document 1, when the other end side of the lead wire extending from the main body is connected to a plurality of electronic devices, the electronic devices cannot be individually separated from the card edge connector, making it difficult to maintain the electronic devices individually. is difficult.

In order to make it possible to separate the electronic devices individually from the card edge connector, it is conceivable to provide a relay connector on the lead wire that connects the electronic device and the card edge connector. However, providing a relay connector requires a separate process for providing the relay connector on the lead wire, and there are problems in that the number of parts increases.

If the plug terminal constituting the spring portion is made removable from the main body, electronic devices can be individually connected and separated from the circuit board. However, if one electronic device is connected to the circuit board via multiple lead wires, it is necessary to remove multiple plug terminals at the same time when separating one electronic device, so it is difficult to separate the electronic device. is not easy.

The problem to be solved by the present invention is to enable a plurality of plug terminals to be easily engaged and detached in a card edge connector.

The card edge connector (1) according to one embodiment of the present invention is a card edge connector for connecting to a circuit board (3) having board terminals (11) on the end surface, the card edge connector being engageable with the circuit board. Each includes a main housing (13) and a plurality of plug terminals (19) to which lead wires (5) can be connected, and a plurality of plug terminals that engage and disengage from the main housing in order to connect and separate the plug terminals from the board terminals. A sub-housing (17).

According to this card edge connector, a plurality of plug terminals can be simultaneously engaged and disengaged from a circuit board by engaging and disengaging the sub-housing from the main housing, thereby facilitating engagement and disengagement of a plurality of plug terminals.

Furthermore, when the electronic devices are respectively associated with the sub-housings and the electronic devices are connected to the plug terminals of the associated sub-housings using lead wires, the sub-housings are connected to and disengaged from the main housing engaged with the circuit board. , electronic devices can be individually connected and separated to the circuit board.

In the above card edge connector, preferably, the main housing has a board insertion hole (45) into which the circuit board can be inserted from one side, and a plurality of connector mounting holes (49) into which the sub-housing can be inserted from the other side. ), the board insertion hole and the connector mounting hole communicate with each other via a communication portion (54), and when the sub-housing is inserted into the connector mounting hole, at least a portion of the plug terminal The connector passes through the communication portion from the connector mounting hole and comes into contact with the circuit board located in the board insertion hole.

According to this card edge connector, when the circuit board is inserted into the board insertion hole, the plug terminal comes into contact with the circuit board. By providing the board terminal in the portion of the circuit board that the plug terminal contacts, the circuit board and the electronic device can be electrically connected via the lead wire.

In the above card edge connector, preferably, the connector mounting hole is provided with a locking portion (57), and the outer surface of the sub-housing is provided with a locked portion (37) that is removable from the locking portion. , an operating section (39) for disengaging the locked section from the locking section.

According to this card edge connector, the sub-housing is locked in the connector mounting hole by the engagement between the locked part and the locking part. Furthermore, the engagement between the locked part and the locking part is released by operating the operating part, and the subhousing can be removed from the connector mounting hole.

In the above card edge connector, preferably, the main housing includes a board locking portion (61) that engages with a recess provided in the circuit board or a locking hole (9) penetrating the circuit board.

According to this card edge connector, the configuration of the circuit board for engaging with the main housing is simplified.

In the above card edge connector, preferably, the connector mounting holes are arranged in parallel along the circuit board inserted into the board insertion hole in the main housing, and adjacent connector mounting holes are arranged in parallel along the circuit board inserted into the board insertion hole. An inner wall body (59) is provided to partition the connector mounting hole, and a notch (66) recessed in the insertion direction of the circuit board is formed in the inner wall body located at both ends in the direction along the circuit board, The substrate locking portion is provided in the notch.

According to this card edge connector, the main housing is more firmly coupled to the circuit board by providing the board locking portion on the inner wall body furthest apart in the direction along the circuit board. Furthermore, by providing the board locking portion in the notch, it becomes difficult for the board locking portion to be exposed, and the board locking portion may move unintentionally and the board locking portion may be removed from the recess or locking hole of the circuit board. This can prevent them from leaving.

In the above card edge connector, preferably, the main housing includes two vertical wall bodies (47) that are erected in a direction perpendicular to the circuit board and have different thicknesses, and the vertical wall body (47) is provided in the circuit board. A slit having a width corresponding to the thickness of the corresponding vertical wall body is provided at a position aligned with each body, and the vertical wall body is inserted into the corresponding slit to engage the main housing with the circuit board. will be combined.

According to this card edge connector, the circuit board is prevented from being engaged with the card edge connector in a state where the circuit board is turned over.

In the above card edge connector, when the circuit board is inserted into the board insertion hole, the connector mounting hole opens a pair of horizontal holes (51) defined on the front side and the back side of the circuit board, respectively. The sub-housing includes a pair of insertion parts (21) each inserted into the horizontal hole, each of the horizontal holes communicating with the board insertion hole through the communication part, and connecting the insertion part with the insertion part. are each provided with a terminal mounting hole (27) into which the plug terminal is mounted, and each of the terminal mounting holes is open at a position aligned with the communication portion so that the plug terminal can pass therethrough.

According to this card edge connector, when the insertion sections are inserted into the respective horizontal holes, the plug terminals pass through the opening provided in the insertion section and the communication section, and come into contact with the front and back surfaces of the circuit board. Therefore, board terminals can be provided on the front and back sides of the circuit board, and lead wires can be electrically connected to the respective board terminals.

In the above card edge connector, preferably, the horizontal hole portion is provided with a guide protrusion (55) that protrudes toward the insertion portion, the insertion portion receives the guide protrusion, and the A guide recess for positioning in the horizontal hole is provided, and the guide recess communicates with the terminal mounting hole, thereby forming a viewing hole (36) communicating with the terminal mounting hole.

According to this card edge connector, it is possible to position the insertion portion in the horizontal hole portion and visually observe the plug terminal inserted into the terminal mounting hole from the other side through the viewing hole. Thereby, it can be confirmed that the plug terminal is properly inserted into the terminal mounting hole.

According to the card edge connector according to this embodiment, a plurality of plug terminals can be easily connected and disconnected in the card edge connector.

A perspective view of a card edge connector in a state connected to a circuit board according to an embodiment of the present invention Exploded perspective view of the card edge connector according to this embodiment Front view of the main housing according to this embodiment Rear view of the main housing according to this embodiment Vertical cross-sectional view of the sub-connector according to this embodiment VI-VI sectional view in Figure 1 VII-VII sectional view in Figure 1 An explanatory diagram for explaining the assembly of the card edge connector to the circuit board according to the present embodiment

One embodiment of the card edge connector according to the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 7. In the following explanation, up and down, left and right, and front and rear are defined as shown by the arrows in FIG. 1. However, this definition of direction is for convenience of explanation and is not limited thereto.

The card edge connector 1 is a connector that is coupled to the rear edge of the circuit board 3, as shown in FIG. 1, and for connecting wiring (not shown) provided on the circuit board 3 and lead wires 5. The circuit board 3 is a so-called rectangular printed circuit board on which electronic components are mounted on both sides and wiring for connecting the electronic components is provided on both sides. As shown in FIG. 2, the circuit board 3 is provided with two slits 7 extending forward from the rear edge and two board locking holes 9 penetrating in the thickness direction between the two slits 7. There is. Further, on the rear end surface (top surface) and the rear end back surface (bottom surface) of the circuit board 3, there are two plurality of terminals (hereinafter referred to as board terminals 11) connected to the wiring provided on the circuit board 3, respectively. They are arranged in parallel along the rear edge between the slits 7.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the card edge connector 1 includes a main housing 13 that can be engaged with the circuit board 3, and a plurality of sub-connectors 15 that can be engaged with and detached from the main housing 13. Each sub-connector 15 is connected to two or more lead wires 5. In this embodiment, one main housing 13 has three sub-connectors 15 (hereinafter referred to as two-pole sub-connectors 15A) each connected to two lead wires 5, and one main housing 13 connected to four lead wires 5. The two sub-connectors 15 (hereinafter referred to as 4-pole sub-connectors 15B) are connected to and disconnected from each other. Since the 4-pole sub-connector 15B generally has a shape in which the 2-pole sub-connectors 15A are arranged on the left and right and connected, the structure of the 2-pole sub-connector 15A will be described in detail below.

As shown in FIG. 2, each of the two-pole sub-connectors 15A includes a sub-housing 17 made of a resin molded product and a plug terminal 19 provided on the sub-housing 17.

The sub-housing 17 has a substantially U-shape when viewed from the side. That is, the sub-housing 17 includes a pair of upper and lower insertion portions 21 extending back and forth, a rear lower edge of the upper insertion portion 21 (hereinafter referred to as the upper insertion portion 21A), and a lower edge of the lower insertion portion 21 (hereinafter referred to as the lower insertion portion 21B). A connecting portion 23 (see FIG. 5) is provided to connect the rear upper edge of the holder to the rear upper edge of the holder. In the sub-housing 17, a board accommodating recess 25 that is recessed rearward is defined by the upper insertion part 21A, the lower insertion part 21B, and the connection part 23. The width of the board accommodating recess 25 in the vertical direction is slightly larger than the thickness of the circuit board 3.

As shown in FIG. 5, the insertion portion 21 is provided with terminal mounting holes 27 that extend back and forth. Each of the terminal mounting holes 27 opens at the rear surface, has a rectangular cross section, and is recessed forward. The terminal mounting holes 27 (hereinafter referred to as upper terminal mounting holes 27A) provided in the upper insertion portion 21A each have an opening 28A on the lower front surface of the upper insertion portion 21A, and the terminal mounting holes 27 provided in the lower insertion portion 21B each have an opening 28A on the lower front surface of the upper insertion portion 21A. Each of the lower terminal mounting holes 27B (hereinafter referred to as lower terminal mounting holes 27B) has an opening 28B on the front upper surface of the lower insertion portion 21B. As a result, the upper terminal mounting hole 27A and the lower terminal mounting hole 27B open in directions facing each other, and communicate with the inside of the board accommodating recess 25, respectively.

Terminal locking protrusions 29 are provided on the wall surfaces of the sides that define the upper and lower parts of the terminal mounting holes 27 and that are away from the board accommodating recesses 25, respectively, and protrude toward the side adjacent to the terminal mounting holes 27. There is. More specifically, the terminal locking protrusions 29 are provided on the upper wall defining the upper terminal mounting hole 27A and the lower wall defining the lower terminal mounting hole 27B. Each of the terminal locking protrusions 29 has an inclined surface 29A that slopes toward the rear in a direction away from the board accommodation recess 25 on its rear edge, and a terminal locking surface 29B that faces forward on its front edge. good.

The lower insertion portion 21B is provided with a guide recess 31B that opens at the front surface of the lower insertion portion 21B and is recessed rearward. The guide recess 31B is formed on the lower side of the terminal mounting hole 27 of the lower insertion portion 21B, that is, on the side away from the board accommodating recess 25 in the vertical direction.

The upper insertion portion 21A includes a guide recess 31A that opens at the front surface of the upper insertion portion 21A and is recessed rearward, and a first lightening hole that extends rearward from the upper rear edge of the guide recess 31A and opens at the rear upper surface of the sub-housing 17. 35A, and a second lightening hole 35B extending rearward from the lower rear edge of the guide recess 31A. The guide recess 31A is formed above the terminal mounting hole 27 of the upper insertion portion 21A, that is, on the side that is vertically away from the board accommodating recess 25. Hereinafter, the guide recess 31A of the upper insertion part 21A and the guide recess 31B of the lower insertion part 21B will be collectively referred to as the guide recess 31, if necessary.

Each of the terminal mounting holes 27 opens at the front end on the side facing away from the board accommodating recess 25 and communicates with the guide recess 31 . As a result, each of the insertion portions 21 is formed with a terminal viewing hole 36 that communicates with the terminal mounting hole 27 from the front side.

By forming the guide recess 31A, the first lightening hole 35A, and the second lightening hole 35B, the wall defining the upper surface of the upper insertion portion 21A (hereinafter referred to as the upper wall 21C) defines the upper terminal mounting hole 27A. The upper insertion portion 21A is spaced upwardly from the upper wall 27C, and is supported at the left and right edges of the upper insertion portion 21A by the left and right side walls (see FIG. 2) at its front portion. That is, the upper wall body 21C is supported by the left and right side walls of the upper insertion portion 21A by a double-supported beam structure.

A housing locking projection 37 (locked portion) projecting upward is integrally molded on the upper surface of the upper insertion portion 21A, more specifically, on the upper surface of the upper wall body 21C. The housing locking projection 37 preferably has a rearwardly facing housing locking surface 37A at its rear edge. The housing locking protrusion 37 is displaced in the vertical direction due to the downwardly convex elastic deformation of the upper wall body 21C.

An operating portion 39 is formed to protrude from the rear upper portion of the upper wall body 21C. The operating portion 39 is connected at its front end to the rear edges of the connecting portions of the left and right side walls of the upper wall body 21C and the upper insertion portion 21A, protrudes rearward and upward, and extends further rearward. When the operating portion 39 is pressed downward by fingertip operation, the upper wall body 21C is elastically deformed in a downwardly convex manner.

The subhousing 17 has a retainer through hole 41, as shown in FIG. The retainer through hole 41 is a through hole that passes through the subhousing 17 in the left and right direction, extends in the left and right direction across a portion of both the upper and lower terminal mounting holes 27, and is open on the left side and the right side. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 5, the retainer through hole 41 is located at a position in the vertical direction corresponding to between the upper and lower terminal mounting holes 27, and is located in the upper terminal mounting hole of the connecting portion 23 and the upper insertion portion 21A. It extends in the left-right direction across the lower part of the lower terminal mounting hole 27A and the upper part of the lower terminal mounting hole 27B of the lower insertion part 21B.

As shown in FIG. 2, the sub-connector 15 includes a retainer 43 that is a separate part from the sub-housing 17. The retainer 43 is a resin molded product, and includes a rod-shaped insertion part 43A that can be inserted into and removed from the retainer through hole 41, an attachment/detachment operation grip part 43B that is connected to the left end of the insertion part 43A and overlaps the left side surface of the sub-housing 17, It extends to the right from the rear end of the attachment/detachment operation grip part 43B, and has a rear end part 43C that overlaps the rear side surface of the sub-housing 17, forming a U-shape when viewed from above.

Each plug terminal 19 is a member formed by bending a flat metal plate, and is inserted into each terminal mounting hole 27 as shown in FIG. Each of the plug terminals 19 includes a lead wire connection portion 19A that can be connected to the lead wire 5, a housing 19B that is located in front of the lead wire connection portion 19A and guides the slide of the plug terminal 19 within the terminal mounting hole 27, and a housing. It has a spring piece 19C which is an elastic piece supported by the body 19B. The lead wire 5 connected to the lead wire connection portion 19A may be, for example, a vinyl-coated conducting wire, and the lead wire connection portion 19A is connected to the conductor of the lead wire 5, thereby connecting the lead wire 5 and the plug terminal 19. Conduct each other.

The housing 19B has a substantially rectangular cylindrical shape extending back and forth. A contact opening 19D is provided in the outer peripheral wall of the casing 19B, penetrating in the thickness direction. The spring piece 19C passes through the contact opening 19D and projects outward from the outer peripheral surface of the housing 19B. A terminal locking hole 19E is provided behind the contact opening 19D of the housing 19B, penetrating in the thickness direction and capable of receiving the terminal locking protrusion 29. By fitting the terminal locking protrusion 29 into the terminal locking hole 19E formed in the sub-housing 17, the plug terminal 19 is locked to the sub-housing 17 so as not to come off.

The main housing 13 is a resin molded product, and, as shown in FIG. 2, has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape extending in the left-right direction. As shown in FIG. 3, the main housing 13 has a board insertion hole 45 that is a recess that extends rearward from approximately the center in the vertical direction of the end surface (front end surface) on one end side in the insertion direction, and as shown in FIG. It is provided with a plurality of sub-connector mounting holes 49 which are recesses extending forward from the end surface (rear end surface) on the other end side. As shown in FIG. 2, four sub-connector mounting holes 49 are arranged in parallel in the left-right direction in the main housing 13 of this embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 3, the board insertion hole 45 has a substantially rectangular cross section extending left and right. The vertical width of the board insertion hole 45 is slightly larger than the thickness of the circuit board 3. The width of the board insertion hole 45 in the left-right direction is approximately equal to the distance in the left-right direction between the two slits 7 of the circuit board 3, and is smaller than the width of the main housing 13 in the left-right direction. In other words, the thickness of the circuit board 3 is set to be slightly smaller than the vertical width of the board insertion hole 45, and the distance between the two slits 7 of the circuit board 3 in the left and right direction is equal to the width of the board insertion hole 45 in the left and right direction. is set to be approximately equal to . As shown in FIG. 6, in this embodiment, the board insertion hole 45 communicates with the rear end surface of the main housing 13.

As shown in FIG. 3, the left and right outer edges of the board insertion hole 45 each have a main surface facing in the left-right direction, and are each defined by two vertical walls 47 that are erected in a direction perpendicular to the left-right direction. The left vertical wall body 47 and the right vertical wall body 47 have different thicknesses in the left-right direction. Each of the slits 7 provided in the circuit board 3 has a width in the left-right direction corresponding to the thickness in the left-right direction of the vertical wall body 47, and the vertical wall body 47 has a width in a direction perpendicular to the circuit board 3. It can be inserted into the corresponding slit 7 in an upright state.

As shown in FIG. 4, the three sub-connector mounting holes 49 (hereinafter referred to as 2-pole sub-connector mounting holes 49A) on the right side are connected to each other by inserting and removing the sub-housing 17 of the corresponding 2-pole sub-connector 15A. The sub-connector 15A is removable. The sub-housing 17 of the 4-pole sub-connector 15B is inserted into and removed from the sub-connector mounting hole 49 (hereinafter referred to as 4-pole sub-connector mounting hole 49B) located on the leftmost side, so that the 4-pole sub-connector 15B can be inserted and removed. be. Below, as necessary, the right 2-pole sub connector mounting hole 49A will be replaced with the right 2-pole sub connector mounting hole 49AR, and the 2-pole sub connector located in the center of the three 2-pole sub connector mounting holes 49A will be mounted. The hole 49A will be referred to as the middle two-pole sub-connector mounting hole 49AM, and the two-pole sub-connector mounting hole 49A located on the leftmost side will be referred to as the left two-pole sub-connector mounting hole 49AL. Since the 4-pole sub-connector mounting hole 49B has a shape in which the 2-pole sub-connector mounting hole 49A is generally connected on the left and right sides, the 2-pole sub-connector mounting hole 49A will be described in detail below.

As shown in FIG. 6, the sub-connector mounting hole 49 has a pair of upper and lower horizontal holes 51. The horizontal hole portions 51 are holes that are arranged above and below the board insertion hole 45 and extend back and forth, and are each open at the rear surface of the main housing 13. The front ends of the horizontal holes 51 are located forward of the rear ends of the board insertion holes 45, and the sub-connector mounting holes 49 overlap the board insertion holes 45 in the upper and lower horizontal holes 51, respectively, when viewed from above.

The upper and lower horizontal hole portions 51 and the board insertion hole 45 communicate with the board insertion hole 45 via communication portions 54, respectively. More specifically, the upper and lower horizontal holes 51 each overlap the board insertion hole 45 at the front in a top view, and the communication part 54 connects the upper and lower horizontal holes 51 and the board insertion hole 45, respectively. . In this embodiment, the lower edge of the upper horizontal hole 51 (hereinafter referred to as upper horizontal hole 51A) and the upper edge of the board insertion hole 45 communicate with each other through the upper communication portion 54 (hereinafter referred to as upper communication portion 54A). , the upper edge of the lower horizontal hole portion 51 (hereinafter referred to as the lower horizontal hole portion 51B) and the lower edge of the board insertion hole 45 communicate with each other through the lower communication portion 54 (hereinafter referred to as the lower communication portion 54B). .

In this embodiment, guide protrusions 55 that protrude rearward are provided on surfaces defining the front edges of the upper and lower horizontal holes 51 of the main housing 13, respectively.

As shown in FIG. 4, the widths of the two-pole sub-connector mounting hole 49A in the left-right direction are approximately equal to each other, and the width of the four-pole sub-connector mounting hole 49B in the left-right direction is larger than that of the two-pole sub-connector mounting hole 49A. In the 2-pole sub-connector mounting hole 49A, one guide protrusion 55 is provided on each surface defining the front edge of the lateral hole 51, and in the 4-pole sub-connector mounting hole 49B, the guide protrusion 55 is provided in the lateral hole. Two of them are arranged side by side in the left and right direction on a surface defining the front edge of 51.

As shown in FIG. 6, each of the sub-connector mounting holes 49 is provided with a sub-connector locking portion 57 for locking the sub-connector 15 to the main housing 13. In this embodiment, the sub-connector locking portion 57 is provided on a wall surface that defines the upper surface of the 2-pole sub-connector mounting hole 49A, that is, on a wall surface that defines the upper edge of the upper horizontal hole portion 51A of the 2-pole sub-connector mounting hole 49A. It is formed as a stepped section. The main housing 13 is further provided with a main housing viewing hole 58 that communicates with the sub-connector locking portion 57 . The sub-connector locking portions 57 are arranged side by side in the left-right direction on a wall defining the upper edge of the upper horizontal hole portion 51A of the 4-pole sub-connector mounting hole 49B.

As shown in FIG. 4, a wall body (hereinafter referred to as a middle wall body 59) having a main surface facing in the left-right direction and extending in a direction perpendicular to the left-right direction is provided between adjacent sub-connector mounting holes 49. Adjacent sub-connector mounting holes 49 are separated by inner wall bodies 59, respectively. As shown in FIG. 3, a middle wall body 59 (hereinafter referred to as right middle wall body 59R) located between the right 2-pole sub-connector mounting hole 49AR and the middle 2-pole sub-connector mounting hole 49AM, and the 4-pole sub-connector A board locking portion 61 is provided in each of the inner wall body 59 (hereinafter referred to as left inner wall body 59L) between the mounting hole 49B and the middle two-pole sub-connector mounting hole 49AM. That is, the board locking portions 61 are provided on the inner wall body 59 at both left and right ends, respectively. As shown in FIG. 7, the board locking part 61 is supported at the lower edge of the inner wall body 59 at the upper end, and has an extension part 61A extending forward, and a claw projecting downward at the front end of the extension part 61A. 61B.

More specifically, the right side middle wall 59R and the left side middle wall 59L are an upper middle wall 59A defining the left and right edges of the upper side hole 51, and a left and right side of the lower side hole 51, respectively. It has a lower middle wall body 59B that defines an edge in the direction. The upper part of the inner wall 59A and the lower part of the inner wall 59B are vertically opposed to each other with the board insertion hole 45 interposed therebetween.

As shown in FIG. 3, the middle wall upper portion 59A includes a left wall portion 59AL that defines the right edge of the horizontal hole portion 51 located on the left side, and a right wall portion that defines the left edge of the horizontal hole portion 51 located on the right side. 59AR, and a central portion 59AM connected to the upper ends of the right wall portion 59AR and the left wall portion 59AL, respectively. The center portion 59AM is supported at the upper end by the right wall portion 59AR and the left wall portion 59AL.

As shown in FIG. 7, the central portion 59AM includes an upper main portion 63 that is shaped like a rectangular parallelepiped and extends back and forth, and a width that is smaller in the front-rear direction than the upper main portion 63 from the rear of the lower edge of the upper main portion 63. and a narrowed portion 65 extending downward. The front edge of the upper main portion 63 is located further back than the front edges of the right wall portion 59AR and the left wall portion 59AL. As a result, the main housing 13 has notches that are notched rearward and recessed at a position corresponding to the upper main part 63 of the right side middle wall body 59R and a position corresponding to the upper main part 63 of the left side middle wall body 59L. 66 (see FIG. 2) is formed.

The board locking portion 61 is connected to the lower edge of the narrowed portion 65 . The front edges of the extending portion 61A and the claw portion 61B are located at the rear of the front edges of the right wall portion 59AR and the left wall portion 59AL, and the board locking portion 61 is housed inside the notch portion 66. The claw portion 61B of the board locking portion 61 is movable up and down by elastic deformation of the upper portion of the central portion 59AM and the narrow portion 65.

The middle wall lower part 59B includes a substantially rectangular parallelepiped-shaped lower main part 67 extending back and forth, and a lower protruding part 69 projecting upward from the upper edge of the lower main part 67. As shown in FIG. 3, the lower protruding portion 69 has a substantially rectangular shape when viewed from the front, is connected to the lower main portion 67 at its lower edge, and protrudes forward at its left edge, right edge, and upper edge, respectively.

As shown in FIG. 3, the middle wall body 59 (hereinafter referred to as the center middle wall body 59M) located between the middle 2-pole sub-connector mounting hole 49AM and the right 2-pole sub-connector mounting hole 49AR is inserted into the board when viewed from the front. It overlaps the hole 45. It is preferable that the central inner wall body 59M is recessed rearward in a portion overlapping with the board insertion hole 45, and its front end is aligned in the front-back direction with the front end of the lower protrusion 69 in the portion overlapping with the board insertion hole 45 in a front view. .

Next, a method of using the card edge connector 1 configured as described above will be explained. The operator first associates each electronic device to be connected to the circuit board 3 with the sub-connector 15, and connects the lead wire 5 connected to the electronic device to the lead wire of the plug terminal 19 provided in the corresponding sub-connector 15. Connect to the connection part 19A.

Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 2, after arranging the plug terminal 19 so that the spring piece 19C faces downward, the plug terminal 19 is placed on the free end side of the housing 19B until the terminal locking hole 19E engages with the terminal locking protrusion 29. Then insert the plug terminal 19 into the upper terminal mounting hole 27A. Similarly, after arranging the plug terminal 19 so that the spring piece 19C faces upward, the lower terminal mounting hole is moved from the free end side of the housing 19B until the terminal locking hole 19E engages with the terminal locking protrusion 29. Insert the plug terminal 19 into 27B. The plug terminal 19 is connected to the sub-housing 17 by engaging the terminal locking protrusion 29 in the terminal locking hole 19E.

At this time, the operator can confirm that the plug terminals 19 are properly inserted into the terminal mounting holes 27 by visually observing the plug terminals 19 from the front side of the sub-connector 15 through the terminal viewing holes 36. can.

After the insertion of the plug terminal 19 into the terminal mounting hole 27 is completed, the rear end 43C is aligned with the rear surface of the sub-housing 17, and the insertion portion 43A of the retainer 43 is inserted into the retainer through-hole 41, thereby attaching the sub-connector. 15 assembly is completed. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the rear end of the housing 19B of the plug terminal 19 comes into contact with the insertion part 43A of the retainer 43, and the detachment of the plug terminal 19 from the sub-housing 17 is more reliably prevented. Ru.

As shown in FIG. 8, after the assembly of the sub-connector 15 is completed, the sub-connector 15 is inserted into the corresponding sub-connector mounting hole 49 from the rear. More specifically, the insertion portion 21 of the sub-housing 17 is slid forward along the corresponding horizontal hole portion 51. At this time, the guide protrusion 55 is received in the guide recess 31, and the sub-housing 17 is guided and positioned at an appropriate position. Further, when the sub-connector 15 is inserted, the housing locking protrusion 37 is received in the sub-connector locking portion 57. This prevents the sub-connector 15 from separating rearward from the main housing 13. Furthermore, the front wall surface that defines the front end of the sub-connector mounting hole 49, the upper and lower wall surfaces that define the upper and lower ends, and the left and right wall surfaces that define the left and right ends of the sub-connector mounting hole 49 allow the sub-connector 15 to be moved forward, up and down, and left and right with respect to the main housing 13. Movement of the sub-connector 15 is restricted and the sub-connector 15 is coupled to the main housing 13. This completes the assembly of the card edge connector 1.

At this time, the operator can confirm that the housing locking protrusion 37 is properly engaged with the sub-connector locking part 57 by visually checking from the front of the main housing 13 through the main housing viewing hole 58. .

At this time, as shown in FIG. 6, each of the spring pieces 19C of the plug terminal 19 inserted into the upper terminal mounting hole 27A passes through the communication portion 54 from the upper terminal mounting hole 27A and reaches the board insertion hole 45. . Similarly, each of the spring pieces 19C of the plug terminal 19 inserted into the lower terminal mounting hole 27B passes through the communication portion 54 and reaches the board insertion hole 45.

Next, as shown in FIG. 8, the vertical walls 47 of the main housing 13 are inserted into the slits 7 of the circuit board 3 from the rear, and the assembled card edge connector 1 is moved forward. As a result, the inner wall upper portion 59A of the main housing 13 is elastically deformed, and the claws 61B of the board locking portions 61 respectively enter and fit into the board locking holes 9 of the circuit board 3, and the board locking portions 61 is fitted into the board locking hole 9 (see FIG. 7). This restricts movement of the circuit board 3 in the front-rear direction relative to the main housing 13. The vertical movement of the circuit board 3 relative to the main housing 13 is restricted by the board locking part 61, the lower main part 67 (see FIG. 7), and the upper and lower surfaces defining the board insertion hole 45 (see FIG. 6). Ru. Further, the left and right vertical walls 47 (see FIG. 3) restrict the movement of the circuit board 3 in the left and right direction relative to the main housing 13, and the circuit board 3 is inserted into the board insertion hole 45 with its rear end 43C. It is locked to the main housing 13.

Further, in this embodiment, forward movement of the main housing 13 with respect to the circuit board 3 is restricted by the front end surface of the central middle wall body 59M and the front end surface of the lower protrusion 69.

Thereby, as shown in FIG. 6, the circuit board 3 and the plurality of sub-connectors 15 are mechanically coupled via the main housing 13. At this time, the circuit board 3 is inserted into the board insertion hole 45. The board insertion hole 45 is defined as a portion of the main housing 13 into which the circuit board 3 is inserted, as shown in FIG. When the circuit board 3 is inserted into the board insertion hole 45, an upper horizontal hole portion 51A is defined in the main housing 13 on the front side (upper side) of the circuit board 3. Similarly, when the circuit board 3 is inserted into the board insertion hole 45, a lower horizontal hole portion 51B is defined in the main housing 13 on the back side (lower side) of the circuit board 3. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 8, the upper insertion part 21A is inserted into the upper horizontal hole 51A, and the lower insertion part 21B is inserted into the lower horizontal hole 51B. Plug terminals 19 are respectively mounted in the upper terminal mounting hole 27A of the upper insertion portion 21A and the lower terminal mounting hole 27B of the lower insertion portion 21B.

The spring piece 19C of the plug terminal 19 attached to the upper terminal attachment hole 27A is elastically deformed from the state shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. comes into contact with. Similarly, the spring piece 19C of the plug terminal 19 attached to the lower terminal attachment hole 27B is also elastically deformed from the state shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. It contacts the terminal 11 elastically. Thereby, the lead wires 5 can be electrically connected to the board terminals 11 on the front and back surfaces of the circuit board 3. Moreover, since each spring piece 19C comes into elastic contact with the board terminal 11, good electrical contact can be obtained between the plug terminal 19 and the board terminal 11.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, in this embodiment, the two slits 7 are configured to have different widths, so when the main housing 13 is upside down, the vertical wall 47 of the main housing 13 is It cannot be inserted into the slit 7. This prevents the card edge connector 1 from being fitted to the circuit board 3 with the main housing 13 upside down, that is, preventing incorrect fitting.

As shown in FIG. 1, when the sub-connector 15 is installed in the sub-connector installation hole 49 of the main housing 13, the operating section 39 is located outside the sub-connector installation hole 49 and is in a position where it can be pressed by the operator. . When separating the sub-connector 15 from the main housing 13, the operator only has to apply a downward load to the operating section 39 and pull the sub-connector 15 out of the main housing 13. When a downward load is applied to the operating section 39, the upper surface of the upper insertion section 21A is elastically deformed, and the housing locking projection 37 moves downward. As a result, when the fitting between the housing locking protrusion 37 and the sub-connector locking portion 57 is released, the sub-housing 17 is pulled out backwards from the main housing 13 and separated, and the sub-connector 15 and the main housing 13 are separated. Can be separated. When the sub-connector 15 and the main housing 13 are separated, each spring piece 19C is separated from the board terminal 11, and the lead wire 5 is electrically separated from the board terminal 11 on the front and back surfaces of the circuit board 3.

After separating the sub-connector 15 and the main housing 13, the sub-connector 15 is inserted into the sub-connector mounting hole 49 from the rear, and the housing locking protrusion 37 and the sub-connector locking portion 57 are fitted together to connect the sub-connector 15 to the main housing 13. The connector 15 can be reconnected to the main housing 13 and the lead wires 5 can be electrically connected to the board terminals 11 on the front and back sides of the circuit board 3.

Next, the effects of the card edge connector 1 configured as described above will be explained. By coupling each sub-connector 15 to the main housing 13, electronic devices can be individually connected to the circuit board 3. Further, by separating each sub-connector 15 from the main housing 13, the electronic device can be separated into individual circuit boards 3. This makes it possible to separate electronic equipment requiring maintenance from the circuit board 3 and perform maintenance without cutting the lead wires 5.

In this manner, in the card edge connector 1 according to the present embodiment, the electronic device can be separated from the circuit board 3 by separating the sub-connector 15. Similarly, compared to the case where a conventional card edge connector is used and a relay connector is provided between the electronic device and the card edge connector 1 so that they can be separated individually, the process required to provide the relay connector is reduced. and the number of parts can be reduced. Furthermore, compared to the case where a relay connector is provided, the number of contacts provided between the electronic device and the circuit board 3 can be reduced, further reducing the risk of poor connection between the electronic device and the circuit board 3. be able to.

By connecting and disconnecting the sub housing 17 to and from the main housing 13, that is, by inserting and removing the sub connector 15 into and from the main housing 13, a plurality of (two or four in this embodiment) plug terminals provided on one sub connector 15 can be connected to each other. 19 engages and disengages from the circuit board 3 at the same time. Thereby, a plurality of plug terminals 19 can be easily engaged and disengaged compared to the case where the plug terminals 19 are engaged and disengaged from the circuit board 3 one by one.

When each electronic device is connected to one corresponding sub-connector 15, the connection and separation of the electronic device to the circuit board 3 can be performed by inserting and removing the corresponding one sub-connector 15 into the sub-connector mounting hole 49, It is easy to connect and separate electronic equipment to the circuit board 3.

The card edge connector 1 is easily fitted to the circuit board 3 by the claw portion 61B provided at the front end of the board locking portion 61 entering the board locking hole 9 of the circuit board 3. Further, in order to fit the card edge connector 1, it is sufficient to provide a board locking hole 9, which is a through hole, in the circuit board 3, and the structure is simple.

The board locking portions 61 are provided on the inner wall body 59 at both left and right ends, respectively. Thereby, the board locking portion 61 can be provided at the inner wall body 59 that is furthest apart in the direction along the circuit board 3 . As a result, the main housing 13 is locked to the circuit board 3 at a position further away from the circuit board 3 in the left-right direction, so that movement of the main housing 13 is reliably restricted and the main housing 13 is more firmly coupled to the circuit board 3. Furthermore, by housing the board locking portion 61 in the notch 66, the board locking portion 61 is less likely to be exposed, and the board locking portion 61 may move unintentionally, causing the board locking portion 61 to become attached to the circuit board 3. It is possible to prevent the board from coming off from the board locking hole 9.

The main housing 13 is a resin molded product and can be freely molded, whereas the circuit board 3 has wiring provided on its outer surface, so it is desirable to have a simpler configuration. In this embodiment, the main housing 13 is directly coupled to the plurality of sub-connectors 15 and serves to connect the sub-connectors 15 to the circuit board 3 all at once, thereby locking each of the sub-connectors 15 to the circuit board 3. The number of through holes (board locking holes 9) to be provided in the circuit board 3 can be reduced compared to the case where the circuit board 3 is provided with the through holes (board locking holes 9). This simplifies the configuration of the circuit board 3 and prevents a decrease in rigidity of the rear end portion 43C of the circuit board 3 due to an increase in the number of board locking holes 9.

When the circuit board 3 is inserted into the board insertion hole 45 and the sub-connector 15 is inserted into the main housing 13, as shown in FIG. It passes through the communication portion 54A and comes into contact with the board terminal 11 on the surface of the circuit board 3. Further, the plug terminal 19 mounted in the lower terminal mounting hole 27B passes through the opening 28B and the lower communication portion 54B and comes into contact with the board terminal 11 provided on the surface of the circuit board 3. In this way, by using the card edge connector 1, the plug terminals 19 can be brought into contact with the board terminals 11 on the front and back sides of the circuit board 3, respectively, and the lead wires can be connected to the wiring on the front and back sides of the circuit board 3, respectively. 5 can be connected.

Although the present invention has been described above with reference to its preferred embodiments, as will be easily understood by those skilled in the art, the present invention is not limited to such embodiments, and there may be no deviation from the spirit of the present invention. It can be changed as appropriate to the extent that it does not.

In the embodiment described above, the board locking hole 9 is formed as a through hole penetrating the circuit board 3, but the present invention is not limited to this embodiment. The board locking hole 9 may have any form in which the circuit board 3 is locked to the main housing 13 by engaging with the claw portion 61B provided in the board locking portion 61. For example, the groove may be a downwardly recessed portion, a groove formed on the outer surface of the circuit board 3, or the like.

In the embodiment described above, the sub-connector 15 is provided with one or two pairs of plug terminals 19 arranged vertically, but the present invention is not limited to this embodiment. The sub-connector 15 may be provided with three or more pairs of plug terminals 19 arranged vertically. Further, the sub-connector 15 may be provided with only the upper terminal mounting hole 27A or the lower terminal mounting hole 27B.

In the above embodiment, the sub-connector 15 is provided with the retainer 43, but the retainer 43 may not be provided.

In the above embodiment, the slit 7 is provided in the circuit board 3 at a position aligned with the vertical wall 47, but the invention is not limited to this aspect. For example, the slit 7 is provided in the circuit board 3 at a position aligned with the inner wall 59. 7 may be provided, and the inner wall body 59 may be inserted into the slit 7.

1: Card edge connector 3: Circuit board 5: Lead wire 7: Slit 9: Board locking hole (locking hole)
11: Board terminal 13: Main housing 15: Sub-connector 15A: 2-pole sub-connector 15B: 4-pole sub-connector 17: Sub-housing 19: Plug terminal 19A: Lead wire connection section 19B: Housing 19C: Spring piece 19D: For contact Opening 19E: Terminal locking hole 21: Insertion part 21A: Upper insertion part 21B: Lower insertion part 21C: Upper wall body 23: Connection part 25: Board accommodation recess 27: Terminal mounting hole 27A: Upper terminal mounting hole 27B: Lower side Terminal mounting hole 27C: Upper wall 29: Terminal locking projection 29A: Inclined surface 29B: Terminal locking surface 31: Guide recess 31A: Guide recess 31B: Guide recess 35A: First lightening hole 35B: Second lightening hole 36: Terminal Visibility hole 37: Housing locking protrusion (locked part)
37A: Housing locking surface 39: Operation section 41: Retainer through hole 43: Retainer 43A: Insertion section 43B: Attachment/detachment operation grip section 43C: Rear end section 45: Board insertion hole 47: Vertical wall body 49: Sub connector mounting hole 49A: 2-pole sub-connector mounting hole 49AL: Left 2-pole sub-connector mounting hole 49AM: Middle 2-pole sub-connector mounting hole 49AR: Right 2-pole sub-connector mounting hole 49B: 4-pole sub-connector mounting hole 51: Side hole portion 51A: Upper horizontal hole portion 51B: Lower horizontal hole portion 54: Communication portion 54A: Upper communication portion 54B: Lower communication portion 55: Guide protrusion 57: Sub connector locking portion (locking portion)
58: Main housing viewing hole 59: Middle wall 59A: Upper middle wall 59AL: Left wall 59AM: Center 59AR: Right wall 59B: Lower middle wall 59L: Left middle wall 59M: Center middle wall 59R : Right side middle wall body 61 : Board locking part 61A : Extension part 61B : Claw part 63 : Upper main part 65 : Narrowed part 66 : Notch part 67 : Lower main part 69 : Lower protruding part

Claims (10)

A card edge connector connected to a circuit board having a board terminal on an end surface,
a main housing engageable with the circuit board;
a plurality of sub-housings each including a plurality of plug terminals to which lead wires can be connected, and a plurality of sub-housings that engage and disengage from the main housing so as to connect and separate the plug terminals from the board terminals;
The main housing has a board locking part that engages with a recess provided in the circuit board or a locking hole penetrating the circuit board,
A state in which the main housing is directly coupled to the circuit board by the board locking portion protruding into the recess of the circuit board or the locking hole of the circuit board, and the main housing is engaged with the circuit board. and the sub-housing is individually removable from the main housing,
The main housing includes a board insertion hole into which the circuit board can be inserted from one side, and a plurality of connector mounting holes into which the sub-housing can be inserted from the other side,
The connector mounting holes are arranged in the main housing along the circuit board inserted into the board insertion hole,
An inner wall body separating the adjacent connector mounting holes is provided between the adjacent connector mounting holes,
The inner wall body located at both ends in the direction along the circuit board is formed with a notch recessed in the insertion direction of the circuit board, and the board locking part is provided in the notch. Card edge connector. The connector mounting hole includes a pair of horizontal holes located on the front side and the back side of the circuit board,
The sub-housing includes a pair of insertion portions each inserted into the horizontal hole portion,
The card edge connector according to claim 1, wherein each of the insertion portions is provided with a terminal mounting hole into which the plug terminal is mounted. A card edge connector connected to a circuit board having a board terminal on an end surface,
a main housing engageable with the circuit board;
A plurality of sub-housings, each of which includes a plurality of plug terminals to which lead wires can be connected, and which engage and disengage from the main housing so as to connect and separate the plug terminals from the board terminals,
The main housing has a board locking part that engages with a recess provided in the circuit board or a locking hole penetrating the circuit board,
A state in which the main housing is directly coupled to the circuit board by the board locking portion protruding into the recess of the circuit board or the locking hole of the circuit board, and the main housing is engaged with the circuit board. and the sub-housing is individually removable from the main housing,
The main housing includes a board insertion hole into which the circuit board can be inserted from one side, and a plurality of connector mounting holes into which the sub-housing can be inserted from the other side,
The connector mounting hole includes a pair of horizontal holes located on the front side and the back side of the circuit board,
The sub-housing includes a pair of insertion portions each inserted into the horizontal hole portion,
Each of the insertion portions is provided with a terminal mounting hole into which the plug terminal is mounted,
The sub-housing includes a connecting portion that connects the pair of upper and lower insertion portions, a retainer through-hole that passes through both the terminal mounting holes provided in each of the pair of insertion portions, and a retainer through-hole that is inserted into the retainer through-hole. further comprising a retainer that locks the plug terminal inserted into the terminal mounting hole in the subhousing,
The pair of the insertion portion and the connection portion provide a board accommodating recess that is recessed from the front end in the insertion direction into the horizontal hole portion to the rear in the insertion direction,
The card edge connector is characterized in that the retainer through hole is located further back in the insertion direction than the rear end of the board accommodating recess in the insertion direction. The connector mounting holes are arranged in the main housing along the circuit board inserted into the board insertion hole,
An inner wall body separating the adjacent connector mounting holes is provided between the adjacent connector mounting holes,
The inner wall body located at both ends in the direction along the circuit board is formed with a notch recessed in the insertion direction of the circuit board, and the board locking part is provided in the notch. The card edge connector according to claim 3. The board insertion hole and the connector mounting hole communicate with each other via a communication portion,
When the sub-housing is inserted into the connector mounting hole, at least a portion of the plug terminal passes through the communication portion from the connector mounting hole and comes into contact with the circuit board located in the board insertion hole. The card edge connector according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that: The communication portion is provided on each of the front side and the back side of the circuit board,
Each of the horizontal hole portions communicates with the front and back surfaces of the corresponding circuit board via the communication portion,
6. The card edge connector according to claim 5, wherein each of the terminal mounting holes is opened at a position aligned with the communication portion so that each of the plug terminals can pass therethrough. The horizontal hole portion is provided with a guide protrusion that protrudes toward the insertion portion,
The insertion portion is provided with a guide recess that receives the guide protrusion and positions the insertion portion in the horizontal hole,
The card edge according to any one of claims 2 to 6, wherein the guide recess communicates with the terminal mounting hole, thereby forming a viewing hole communicating with the terminal mounting hole. connector. A locking portion is provided in the connector mounting hole,
The outer surface of the sub-housing is provided with a locked part that is removable from the locking part, and an operation part that accepts an operation for disengaging the locked part from the locking part,
1 . The locking portion can be detached from the locked portion in a state in which the board locking portion and the locking hole are engaged with each other by the operation on the operating portion. 10 . - A card edge connector according to any one of claims 7 to 9 . Each of the main housings includes two vertical walls that are erected in a direction perpendicular to the circuit board and have different thicknesses,
A slit having a width corresponding to the thickness of the corresponding vertical wall is provided at a position aligned with each of the vertical walls on the circuit board,
The card edge connector according to any one of claims 1 to 8 , wherein the vertical wall body is inserted into the corresponding slit so that the main housing is engaged with the circuit board. . According to any one of claims 1 to 9, the main housing includes a plurality of the board locking parts arranged in a direction perpendicular to a direction in which the circuit board is inserted into the board insertion hole. Card edge connectors listed in section .

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