JPH0462779A - Connector - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To realize smooth and stable connecting operation by positioning plug contacts and socket contacts during their turning operation by engaging their respective position regulating parts. CONSTITUTION:A pair of a position regulating protrusion part 32 and a plug contact 24 corresponding to each other is continuously formed on the same plane, and the protrusion part 32 and the contact 24 are relatively slid in the same groove 40 following turning operation of a socket 22. In this case, the protrusion part 32 and a position regulating flange part 39 are always engaged with each other regardless of a position of turning operation of the socket 22. Consequently even in the case that the contact 24 is apart from a socket contact 37, the contact 24 is positioned at a predetermined place by engaging the protrusion part 32 with the flange part 39. As a result, operation accuracy of each contact 24 and 37 through turning operation can be heightened over for a connector 20 having a small pitch with a number of the contacts 24 and 37 arranged.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] Industrial applications The present invention relates to connectors, particularly plugs and sockets.

The present invention relates to a connector having a structure in which parts are relatively rotatable.

Conventional Technology A small personal computer called a laptop type has a display section 1 as shown in FIG.
The display section 1 is configured to be able to rotate relative to the main body 2, and when not in use, the display section 1 is rotated toward the main body section 2 and stored, thereby improving portability.

In the personal computer 3 having the above configuration, it is necessary to electrically connect the display section 1 and the main body section 2. Conventionally, as a means for electrically connecting the display section 1 and the main body section 2, a cable wire 4 has been used as shown in FIG. This cable line 4 is inserted between the display section 1 and the device main body 2 by inserting it into the rotating shaft 5 that rotatably supports the display section 1 on the device main body 2, and connects both electrically. Connect to. Further, connectors 6 to 8 are arranged at both ends of the cable line 4, and each of the connectors 6 to 8 is connected to the connectors 11 to 13 arranged on the display side circuit board 9 and the device main body side circuit board 10. was connected to.

However, in the case of the above-mentioned connection structure, since the number of cable wires 4 disposed between the display section 1 and the main body section 2 is generally as large as 20 to 50, each connector 6 to 8.
The work of connecting cable lines 4 to 11 to 13 is troublesome, and the work of connecting cable lines 4 to 4 is troublesome. Connector (plug connector) 6~
This method requires a large number of connectors such as 8, 11 to 13, and is difficult to assemble, resulting in an increase in assembly man-hours and product costs.

Therefore, as a means to solve the above problem, a hinge function is provided by assembling the plug and socket so that they can rotate freely relative to each other, and as the plug and socket rotate, the plug contact and the socket contact are connected. It is possible that the connector is configured like this.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, in the connector with the above configuration, a large number of plug contacts and socket contacts are arranged within a limited space, and therefore the pitch between adjacent contacts is also narrow. .

Therefore, it is necessary to configure the plug and socket so that predetermined contacts are stably connected to each other as the plug and socket rotate relative to each other without causing adjacent contacts to come into contact with each other.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to provide a connector that can stably connect a plug contact and a socket contact.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to solve the above problems, in the present invention, a plug and a socket are assembled in a relatively rotatable configuration, and a plurality of plug contacts are provided on the surface of the plug facing the socket. and a plurality of socket contacts are arranged on the surface of the socket opposite to the plug, and a corresponding pair of plug contacts and socket contacts or electrical contact is generated as the plug and socket rotate relative to each other. In the connector configured to slide relative to each other while making a connection, a first position regulating portion is formed on the plug, a second position regulating portion is formed on the socket, and the first position regulating portion is formed on the socket. The present invention is characterized in that the positioning of the plug contact and the socket contact during the above-mentioned rotational operation is performed by engaging the second position regulating portion with the second position regulating portion.

Function In the connector configured as described above, the positioning of the plug contact and the socket contact during the rotation operation is performed by engaging the first position regulating portion and the second position regulating portion. Even if the pitch is narrow, adjacent contacts will not come into contact with each other, and smooth and stable connection operation can be achieved.

Embodiments Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 1st
The figure shows a plug 21 constituting a connector 20 which is an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 shows a socket 22 constituting the connector 20. Also, Figure 3 shows plug 2
FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of the socket 2.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of No. 2; This connector 20 is a connector configured to form a hinge structure by assembling a plug 21 and a socket 22 and to achieve electrical continuity between the two. For example, the display unit 1 of the personal computer 3 shown in FIG. The plug 21, which is applied to the connection part between the device main body 2 (indicated by arrow A in the figure), is fixed to the device main body 2 of the personal computer 3, and is connected to a plug mold 23 and a plurality of (2)
0 to 50 plug contacts 24. The plug mold 23 is integrally molded from resin and includes a fixing portion 25, an upright portion 26, an arcuate convex portion 27, shaft portions 28, 29, and the like.

A pair of holes 25a and 25b are formed in the fixing part 25, and the plug 21 is screwed into the circuit board of the device main body 2 by inserting screws (not shown) into the pair of holes 25a and 25b. It is fixed to the device main body 2. Also, the fixed part 25
A guide groove 30 for holding and guiding the end of the plug contact 24 on the device body side is formed in the back surface 25c.

As shown in FIG. 1(D), the upright portion 26 has an L-shape, and an arcuate convex portion 27 is formed at the end opposite to the fixing portion 25. The arcuate convex portion 27 has a curvature that allows it to face an arcuate recess 31 formed in the socket 22, which will be described later, with a constant clearance. A position regulating protrusion 32 and a contact holding groove 33 (not shown in FIG. 3) are formed in the arcuate protrusion 27 at a predetermined pitch.

FIG. 5 shows a sectional view taken along the Y-Y line in FIG. 1(A). As shown in the figure, the position regulating convex portion 32 and the contact holding groove portion 33 are formed in the same plane. Further, the position regulating convex portion 32 is formed at the upper position in the figure, and a contact holding groove portion 33 is formed continuously from the position regulating convex portion 32. The end of the plug contact 24 on the arcuate convex side is bent along the contact holding groove 33 and is held within the groove 33 to form a connecting terminal portion 24a. In addition, the fixed part side end of the plug contact 24 is bent along the guide groove part 30 formed in the fixed part 25, and a part thereof protrudes from the fixed part 25 (this part cannot be soldered to the terminal). section 24b).

In this soldering, the terminal portion 24b is soldered to a device main body side circuit board (not shown) installed inside the device main body 2 of the personal computer 3. Note that the plug contact 24 is fixed by insert molding into the plug mold 23.

The shaft portions 28 and 29 are formed on both sides of the arc-shaped convex portion 27. The shaft portions 28, 29 rotatably engage bearing portions 34, 35 formed in the socket 22, which will be described later. By engaging the shaft portions 28 and 29 with the portions 34 and 35 of this bearing, the plug 21 and the socket 22 constitute a hinge, and the socket 22 is configured to be freely rotatable with respect to the plug 21.

Next, the socket 22 will be explained using FIGS. 2 and 4.

The socket 22 is fixed to the display unit 1 of the personal computer 3, and the socket mold 36
and a number of socket contacts 37 corresponding to the number of plug contacts 24. The socket mold 36 is integrally molded with resin, and has the above-mentioned arcuate recess 3.
1. The bearing forms a fixed part 38 together with parts 34 and 35.

As described above, the arc-shaped recess 31 has a curvature that allows it to face the arc-shaped protrusion 27 formed on the plug 21 with a certain clearance, and the socket contact 37 is formed along the curved shape. It is arranged. The socket contacts 37 are fixed to the socket mold 36 by insert molding, and their arrangement pitch is set to be equal to the arrangement pitch of the plug contacts 24 disposed on the circular convex portion 27.

Further, a plurality of position regulating collar portions 39 are formed in the arcuate recess 31 so as to sandwich the arrangement position of the socket contact 37 therebetween. The distance between the adjacent pair of position regulating flange portions 39 is determined by the position regulating convex portion 32 formed on the plug 21.
The size is selected such that it is movably engaged with the inside of the plug contact 24a to restrict its position, and that it can enter into the inside of the connecting terminal portion 24a of the plug contact 24.

Furthermore, the number of grooves 40 corresponding to the number of socket contacts 37 is formed, or the thickness dimensions of the socket mold 36 in the plurality of grooves 40 are not all the same, and the thickness of the socket mold 36 is not the same. The wall thickness is changed depending on the function of the circuit of the computer 3.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XX in FIG. 2(A), and the wall thickness of the groove portion 40 is the wall thickness W shown by hatching in the same figure. Some are later, and some are Wl as shown by the broken line in the same figure. This difference in wall thickness is
The socket mold 36 is formed all at once by the mold for molding the socket mold 36. The reason why the thickness of the groove 40 is made different in this way is to make the connection timing between the plurality of plug contacts 24 and the socket contacts 37 different, as will be described later.

As shown in FIG. 6, the bearing portions 34 and 35 are U-shaped grooves formed on both sides of the arcuate recess 31, and the shaft portions 28 and 29 described above extend in the direction of arrow B in the figure. inserted.

In this bearing, tapered portions 34a and 35a are formed at the upper portions of portions 34 and 35 to facilitate insertion of shaft portions 28 and 29.

The fixing part 38 is a part that extends laterally from the arc-shaped recess 31 in a brim shape, and has a pair of holes 38a and 38b formed therein. Screws (not shown) are inserted into the pair of holes 38a and 38b, and the screws are inserted into the circuit board 45 of the display section l.
The socket 22 is fixed to the display part l by screwing (as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8). Further, the fixing portion 38 is formed with a guide groove 41 for holding and guiding the end portion of the socket contact 37 on the display portion side. 2(C) and 6, the socket contacts 37 are attached to the socket mold 36.
This is a jig insertion hole into which a jig for positioning the socket contact 37 at a predetermined position is inserted during insert molding.

Next, the operation of the connector 20 constituted by the plug 21 and socket 22 configured as described above will be explained.

7 and 8 show an embodiment in which the connector 20 is applied to the personal computer 3, FIG. 7 shows a state in which the display section 1 is closed and stored in the device main body 2, and FIG. This shows a usage state in which the display unit 1 is opened. In the connector 20 of the present invention, as described above, the shaft portion 28.29 of the plug 21 rotatably engages with the bearing portion 34.35 of the socket 22, so that the plug 21 and the socket 22 form a hinge. When the contacts 24 and 37 are connected, it functions as a connector that electrically connects the display section 1 and the main body 2 of the device.

As shown in FIG. 7, when the display part 1 is closed and housed in the main body 2 of the apparatus, the plug contact 24 and the socket contact 37 are separated from each other, and there is no electrical connection between them.

On the other hand, when the personal computer 3 is used, the display section 1 is rotated clockwise in the figure and is used in the state shown in FIG. This rotation of the display section 1 is
The shaft portions 28 and 29 formed on the plug 21 are connected to the socket 22.
The bearings formed in are rotated in the parts 34,35.

In the state shown in FIG. 8 in which the display section 1 is opened, the plug contact 24 and the socket contact 37 are connected, and therefore the display section 1 and the device main body 2 are electrically connected.

During this connection, a plurality of (approximately 20 to 50) plug contacts 24 and socket contacts 37 are connected at once. Therefore, each plug contact 24 and socket contact 37 can be easily connected, and one connector 20 can electrically connect a large number of terminals.

Therefore, the cable line 4 that was conventionally required is no longer necessary, and there is also no need to use a large number of connectors 6-8, 11-13, so that the product cost of the personal computer 3 can be reduced. Furthermore, since the connecting terminal portion 24a of the plug contact 24 slides over a wide range of the socket contact 37 as the socket 22 rotates, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of wear due to repeated sliding on the same contact point, and the connector 20 can be improved in durability and reliability.

Here, the position regulating convex portion 32 formed on the plug 21,
The position regulating flange 39 formed on the socket 22 will be explained.

The position regulating flange portions 39 are formed with the socket contact 37 sandwiched therebetween as described above, and the distance between the adjacent pair of position regulating flange portions 39 is such that the position regulating protrusion 32 is movable therein. As well as engaging and regulating its position,
The connecting terminal portion 24a of the plug contact 24 is selected to have a dimension that allows it to enter inside the connecting terminal portion 24a. Also, Figures 7 and 8
As shown in the figure, the position regulating convex portion 32 and the position regulating collar portion 39 are always engaged regardless of the rotational position of the socket 22.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged view showing the engagement position of the position regulating convex portion 32 and the position regulating collar portion 39. In the figure, the plug contact 24 and the socket contact 37 are shown with matte finish. Since the pair of corresponding position regulating protrusions 32 and contact holding grooves 33 (i.e., plug contacts 24) are continuously formed on the same plane, the position regulating protrusions 32 and the plug contacts 24 can be rotated in the socket 22. Same groove 4 due to movement
Slide relatively within 0. During this rotation, as described above, the position regulating convex portion 32 and the position regulating collar 39 are always engaged regardless of the rotating position of the socket 22, so that the plug contact as shown in FIG. Even when the plug contact 24 is spaced apart from the socket contact 37, the position regulating protrusion 32 engages with the position regulating collar 39, so that the plug contact 24 is positioned at a predetermined position.

Therefore, even if the connector 20 has a narrow pitch in which a large number of plug contacts 24 and socket contacts 37 (40 to 50 contacts) are arranged, the operating accuracy of each plug contact 24 and socket contact 37 due to the above-mentioned rotation can be maintained. It is possible to prevent the occurrence of pitch errors (meaning that contacts other than the predetermined contacts are connected to each other due to a deviation in the pitch of each contact). Therefore, the contacts 24, 37 can be connected smoothly and reliably as the socket 22 rotates. Furthermore, even if an external force is applied to the display section l, this external force will directly affect each contact 24.37.
Since this external force is not applied to the contacts 24 and 37 and is received at the engagement position between the position regulating convex portion 32 and the position regulating collar portion 39, deformation of each contact 24 and 37 can be prevented.

Next, the reason why the wall thickness of the groove 40 formed in the socket 22, which was explained using FIG. 6, is made different for each socket contact 37 will be explained below.

As mentioned above, the socket contact 37 is located in the arcuate recess 3
It is arranged along the curved shape of 1.

Therefore, the thicker the groove 40 is, the closer the socket contact 37 is to the plug 21 (that is, the connection terminal part 24a), and conversely, the thinner the groove 40 is, the closer the socket contact 37 is to the connection terminal part 24a. The configuration is such that they are spaced apart.

FIG. 10 shows a configuration in which the wall thickness of the groove 40 (indicated by Wo in the figure) is increased. In this configuration, since the socket contact 37 is close to the connecting terminal part 24a, when the socket 22 is rotated to a substantially vertical position as shown in the figure, the connecting terminal part 24a is connected to the socket contact 37.
is connected to.

However, as shown in FIG. 11, the wall thickness of the groove 40 (
In the case where the socket contact 37 is made smaller than the wall thickness W0 shown in FIG. 10, the socket contact 37 is spaced apart from the connection terminal portion 24a.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 11, the connection terminal portion 24a is not connected to the socket contact 37 when the socket 22 is rotated to a substantially vertical position.

The connection terminal portion 24a connects to the socket contact 37 at the position shown in FIG. 12, where the socket 22 is further rotated clockwise from the position shown in the same figure. By making the wall thickness of the groove 40 different for each contact 24.37 in this way, the timing at which each contact 24.37 is connected can be changed depending on the rotational position of the socket 22.

In general, in electronic devices such as personal computers 3, the timing of connecting the power terminals and signal terminals is different, and by connecting the signal terminals after connecting the power terminals, it is possible to protect integrated circuits and reduce noise. We are preventing contamination. Conventionally, as a method for making the connection timing different, a separate electronic circuit was provided to prevent the signal terminal from being connected until the power supply terminal was connected. However, by using the connector 20 according to the present invention, it is possible to vary the connection timing by simply varying the wall thickness of the groove 40 for each contact 24°37. Therefore, the timing at which each contact 24, 37 is connected can be set with a simple configuration.

Further, the above configuration can be widely applied in cases where it is desired to provide a difference in connection timing not only between the power supply terminal and the signal terminal as described above but also between the connections of the respective contacts 24 and 37.

In the embodiments described above, the connector 20 according to the present invention is applied to the personal computer 3, but the present invention is not limited to this. Of course, the present invention can be widely applied to electronic devices that require electrical connections.

Furthermore, although the above embodiment shows a structure in which the plug contact and the socket contact are insert-molded in the plug mold and the socket mold, the method of fixing the plug contact and the socket contact is not limited to this. For example, each contact is inserted into each mold. It may be fixed by being press-fitted into a press-fitting hole formed in the body.

Effects of the Invention As described above, according to the present invention, the first position regulating portion and the second
Since the positioning of the plug contact and the socket contact during the above-mentioned rotational movement is performed by engaging the position regulating part of the connector, there is no possibility that adjacent contacts will come into contact with each other even if the pitch between each contact is small. It has features such as being able to realize smooth and stable connection operation.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a diagram for explaining a plug constituting a connector which is an embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 2 is a diagram illustrating a socket constituting a connector which is an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the schematic structure of the plug, FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the schematic structure of the socket, FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the Y-Y line in FIG. - A sectional view taken along the X-ray; FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a state in which the display part is closed when the connector according to the present invention is applied to a personal computer; FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a state in which the connector according to the present invention is applied to a personal computer. 9 is an enlarged view showing the engagement position of the position regulating protrusion and the position regulating flange, and FIGS. Figure 13 is an external view of a personal computer, and Figure 14 is a diagram illustrating a configuration in which the connection timing of each contact is changed by changing the wall thickness. FIG. l...Display section, 2...Device main body, 3...
Personal computer, 20... Connector, 21.
... Plug, 22 ... Socket, 23 ... Plug mold, 24 ... Plug contact, 24a ... Connection terminal part, 27 ... Arc-shaped convex part, 28.29 ... Shaft part, 31... Arc-shaped recess, 32... Position regulating convex part,
34.35...Bearing part, 36...Socket mold, 37...Socket contact, 39...Position regulating flange part. Figure 5 Figure 9 Figure 10 Figure 11 Figure 13

Claims (1)

[Claims] A plug and a socket are assembled in a relatively rotatable configuration, and a plurality of plug contacts are disposed on a surface of the plug facing the socket, and a plurality of plug contacts are disposed on a surface of the plug facing the socket, and A plurality of socket contacts are disposed on opposing surfaces of the socket, and a corresponding pair of the plug contact and the socket contact slide relative to each other while electrically connecting as the plug and the socket rotate relative to each other. In the connector configured to move, the plug is formed with a first position regulating part, the socket is formed with a second position regulating part, and the first position regulating part and the second position regulating part are connected to each other. A connector characterized in that the connector is configured to position the plug contact and the socket contact during the rotational operation by engaging with each other.