JPH0650953Y2 - Swivel connector - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial field of application] The present invention is used for devices in which a specific wiring board and another wiring board electrically connected thereto are relatively rotated. The present invention relates to a rotary connector.

[Prior Art] LC like laptop PCs and similar word processors
In equipment in which the D side wiring board is rotated with respect to the set main body side wiring board, conventionally, the lead wires that have flexibility between the circuits of the two types of wiring boards that are relatively rotated. And the relative rotation of the wiring board is absorbed by utilizing the flexibility of the lead wire.

When attempting to absorb the relative rotation of the wiring board by utilizing the flexibility of the lead wire, the lead wire is lengthened to make the lead wire have a large curvature for the mutual spacing of the connection points with the lead wire on each wiring board. It is necessary to allow the lead wire to bend, otherwise the lead wire is locally bent due to the relative rotation of the wiring board, and the wire breakage is likely to occur early.

[Problems to be solved by the invention] However, in recent devices, the wiring board is arranged in a narrow internal space of the set body or LCD for compactness, and a space for accommodating the bending portion of a long lead wire. Is becoming difficult to secure. Under such circumstances, it is not necessary to secure an extra space for accommodating the bending portion of the lead wire, and the connection is excellent in reliability and durability when connecting the wiring boards which are relatively rotated. The main stage was long-awaited.

In addition, the work of connecting the lead wires to the wiring board of the device in which the set body and the LCD are assembled not only needs to be performed using an extremely small space, but also obstacles that hinder the work. However, it is difficult to automate the connection work, and in the past most cases rely on manual work. However, even in the case of manual work, it is difficult to perform work such as connecting the connector on the lead wire side to the connector mounted on the wiring board while looking at the connector from the outside, which is extremely inefficient. It was forced.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances. That is, the present invention divides the connection means for connecting the wiring boards into two,
By making the connection between these divided bodies contact type, the above-mentioned extra space is not required, and the set body and LC
An object of the present invention is to provide a pivotable connector that can facilitate the work of connecting wiring boards to each other by making it possible to connect these divided bodies when assembling D.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In the rotary connector according to the first aspect of the invention, the main body having the boss and the sub body having the recessed hole are opposed to each other by fitting the boss and the recessed hole. Rotatably connected,
An arcuate contact piece curved so as to have a center at an eccentric position with respect to the relative rotation center of the main body and the sub body is provided on the sub body, and a linear contact piece provided on the main body is provided on the sub body. Is elastically contacted with the arcuate contact piece from the outside of the rotation path of the main body, and the contact piece of the main body is at least long enough to elastically contact the arcuate contact piece when both bodies are relatively rotated within the allowable range. is there.

In the rotary connector according to the second invention, a main body having a boss and a sub-body having a recessed hole are relatively rotatably connected by fitting the boss and the recessed hole into each other. A plate-shaped contact piece is provided on one of the body and the sub-body in a state orthogonal to the axis of the boss, and a partial spherical contact piece whose top is elastically contacted with the plate-shaped contact piece is provided on the other body. It is provided on the body.

[Operation] According to the first invention, the following operation is achieved. That is, when the sub body is rotated, the linear contact piece elastically contacts the arcuate contact piece, and the arcuate contact piece rotates while rubbing against the linear contact piece. At, the arcuate contact piece and the linear contact piece always maintain the connected state.

According to the second invention, the following action is achieved. That is, when the sub body is rotated, both contact pieces relatively rotate while the top of the partially spherical contact piece is elastically contacting the plate contact piece, and both contact pieces are moved within the rotation range of the sub body. Stay connected all the time.

Further, according to each of the above inventions, before the boss of the main body and the recessed hole of the sub body are fitted, that is, before the main body and the sub body are connected, each body is set or LCD.
At the same time when the main body is attached to the LCD and the LCD is assembled, the boss of the main body and the recessed hole of the sub body can be fitted together to connect the two bodies.

[Embodiment] FIG. 1 is a plan view in which a rotary connector according to an embodiment of the first invention is partially cut away, and FIGS. 2A and 2B are enlarged vertical sectional views of the connector.

This connector is a synthetic resin main body 1 which is an insulating material.
, The sub-body 3, and the conductor piece 5 provided on the main body 1.
And a conductor piece 7 provided on the sub body 3.

The main body 1 has brackets 11 and 11 standing upright on the upper left and right sides thereof, and circular bosses 12 and 12 projecting horizontally inward from the brackets 11 and 11. The conductor piece 5 on the main body 1 side has a linear contact piece 51 and a terminal 52, and the terminal 52 held in the main body 1 in a penetrating state is connected to the wiring board 10 on the set body side, for example.
0 circuits are connected.

The sub-body 3 is a bracket having long holes 32 at the left and right ends thereof.
31 has a semicircular curved surface 33 protruding in the protruding direction of the bracket 31. In addition, sub body 3
A space 34 into which the wiring substrate 200 on the LCD side is to be inserted is formed, for example. The conductor piece 7 on the side of the sub body 3 has the curved surface.
An arcuate contact piece 71 bent along the curved surface 33 and arranged on the curved surface 33, and a folded contact piece protruding into the space 34.
72 and.

Then, the bosses 12, 12 of the main body 1 and the long holes 32 of the sub body 3,
The main body 1 and the sub body 3 are connected to each other so that the main body 1 and the sub body 3 can rotate relative to each other, and the relative rotation center of the main body 1 and the sub body 3 at that time is P ₁ (see FIG. 2A). ). In the following description, the case where the main body 1 is fixed and the sub body 3 is rotated with respect to the main body 1 will be described.

The center P ₂ of the arcuate contact piece 71 arranged on the curved surface 33 of the sub body 3 is rotatably connected to the main body 1.
The center of rotation P ₁ is eccentric by A in the longitudinal direction of the long hole 32. In the example shown in FIG.
It is set to the same as. The linear contact piece 51 on the main body 1 side is elastically contacted with the arcuate contact piece 71 from the outside of the rotation path of the sub body 3. To obtain such an elastic contact state, the straight contact piece 51 is pressed against the elasticity by the arcuate contact piece 71 to bend the middle portion of the conductor piece 5 which is straight in the natural state as shown in the figure. It ’s okay,
Alternatively, the tip of the linear contact piece 51 may be hooked on an engaging portion (not shown) formed on the main body 1 to bend the middle portion of the conductor piece 5 which is straight in a natural state as shown in the figure. However, the middle portion of the conductor piece 5 may be bent in advance, but in any case, the straight contact piece 51 is fixed to the straight contact piece 51 in a state of being in contact with the arcuate contact piece 71. Must have been preloaded. In such a linear contact piece 51, when the sub body 3 is rotated within the allowable range, the linear contact piece 51 is formed.
Must always have at least a length that allows elastic contact with the arcuate contact piece 71 at all times.

The rotary connector in the illustrated example is a multi-pole connector, and a conductor piece 5 is provided between ribs 13 formed at a constant pitch on the main body 1 side.
Are arranged respectively. Further, the conductor pieces 7 are arranged between the ribs 35 formed at a constant pitch on the sub body 3 side. The linear contact piece 51 of each conductor piece 5 and the arcuate contact piece 71 of the conductor piece 7 correspond to each other.

Here, the long axis direction of the long hole 32 is a direction along the LCD side wiring board 200 to which the folded contact piece 72 of the conductor piece 5 is connected, and the boss 12 is arranged in the short axis direction of the long hole 32. Maintains relative rattling along the long axis. Further, as shown in FIG. 1, a gap is formed between the elongated hole 32 and the boss 12 in the axial direction of the boss 12. Therefore, assuming that the long axis direction of the long hole 32 is the X direction, the axial center direction of the boss 12 is the Y direction, and the short axis direction of the long hole 32 is the Z direction, the sub directions in the X direction, the Y direction, and the Z direction that are perpendicular to each other. The body 3 can move with respect to the main body 1 within a certain range.

In the long axis direction (X direction) of the long hole 32, relative rattling is maintained in the short axis direction (Z direction) with respect to the boss 12 when the connector is incorporated in a device. This is because the case where the center of the boss 12 does not exactly coincide with the rotation fulcrum may occur inevitably. That is, with the center of the boss 12
Even if the rotation fulcrum of the LCD is matched in design, the center of the boss 20 may be slightly decentered with respect to the rotation fulcrum of the LCD when the connector is actually incorporated. The rattling is provided in order to absorb the unavoidable misalignment in such a case and rotate the sub body 3 with respect to the main body 1 without difficulty. In other words, the rattling forms a play space when the sub body 3 rotates. Therefore, instead of the elongated hole 34, a circular hole having a size in which the body 20 can be loosely fitted or a recessed hole having another shape may be adopted.

In the rotary connector described above, the wiring board 200 on the LCD (not shown) side assembled to the set body (not shown)
The rotation center of is coincident with the rotation center P ₁ of the sub body 3,
When the wiring board 200 rotates, the sub body 3 rotates about the rotation center P ₁
Approximately 160 points from the position shown in Fig. 2A to the position shown in Fig. 2B
If the auxiliary body 3 is rotated within a range of degrees, the arcuate contact piece 71 makes contact with the linear contact piece 51 elastically in contact with the arcuate contact piece 71 while rubbing at one point. The point S gradually moves to the tip side of the linear contact piece 51. At this time, the contact point S of the arcuate contact piece 71 moves over almost the entire semi-circular arc portion, and the contact point S of the straight contact piece 51 moves over almost the entire length. Therefore, the self-cleaning action by the friction between the contact pieces is exerted, and high contact reliability between the arcuate contact piece 71 and the linear contact piece 51 can be obtained. Although rubbing the contact pieces together is generally considered to cause the service life of the contact pieces to be impaired, the contact points S do not stay at one location, but both contact pieces 71, 51
Therefore, it is difficult for the useful life to be shortened, which is a problem in practical use because of the transition to a wide range. Sub body 3 is first
The same self-cleaning action and the transition of the contact point S are also performed when rotating from the position of FIG. 2B to the position of FIG. 2A.

When the rotation range of the sub body 3 is constant, the wiring board 200
If the eccentricity amount A of the rotation center P ₂ of the arcuate contact piece 71 with respect to the rotation center (the rotation center P ₁ of the sub body 3) is increased, the transition range of the contact point S is widened, but the arc shape at the contact point S is increased. If the contact width of the contact piece 71 becomes narrower and the eccentricity amount A becomes smaller, the transition range of the contact point S becomes narrower, but the contact width of the arcuate contact piece 71 at the contact point S becomes wider. When the eccentricity amount A is zero, that is, when the rotation center P ₂ of the arcuate contact piece 71 coincides with the rotation center P ₁ of the sub body 3, the contact point S does not move. Such configurations are excluded from the scope of the present invention. The rotation range of the sub-body 3 can be easily changed by a means such as changing the contact portion between the main body 1 and the sub-body 3.

Further, since the sub body 3 can move within a certain range in the three axial directions of the X direction, the Y direction, and the Z direction at any position during the rotation, there is some play at the rotation fulcrum of the LCD. Even if there is, the displacement of the LCD rotation fulcrum due to the play can be effectively absorbed.

To install the connector shown in a laptop computer or a word processor of the same type, use the set body of those devices.
It can be done at the same time when the LCD is assembled.
That is, when performing such an assembling work, before connecting the main body 1 and the sub body 3, the main body 1 is attached to the set body side and the terminal 52 of the conductor piece 5 is connected to the circuit of the set body side wiring board 100. And the space 3 of the sub body 3
Insert the LCD side wiring board 200 into 4 and connect the conductor piece 7 to the circuit.
Connect the return terminal 72 of. After that, LCD on the set body
When assembling, the boss 12 is fitted into the elongated hole 32 to rotatably connect the main body 1 and the sub body 3. Such work is a well-ordered work, and is a work familiar with automation. In order to facilitate the fitting work, a groove-shaped guide hole that communicates with the long hole 32 and guides the boss 12 to the long hole 32 is provided in the bracket 31.
May be formed in advance.

FIG. 3 is a plan view in which a part of the rotary connector according to the second embodiment of the invention is cut away, and FIG. 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the connector.

In this connector, the main body 1 is provided with a boss 12 and a plate-like contact piece 54 that is orthogonal to the axis of the boss 12. Further, the sub-body 3 is provided with a long hole 32 and a partially spherical contact piece 74 whose top is elastically contacted with the plate-like contact piece 54.
The plate-shaped contact piece 54 is provided on the conductor piece 5 held by the main body 1. A pair of the partially spherical contact pieces 74 are provided so as to face the conductor piece 7 held by the sub body 3, and the plate-shaped contact piece 54 is formed by the pair of partially spherical contact pieces 74, 74. It is elastically sandwiched. The contact point S between the top of the partially spherical contact piece 74 and the plate-like contact piece 54 is defined by the auxiliary body 3
Although the center of rotation of the LCD and the center of rotation of the LCD match in design, a slight misalignment with the center of rotation of the LCD inevitably occurs in relation to the center of rotation of the LCD assembled in the set body. Often. Other configurations are shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 2A and FIG.
Since it is substantially the same as that described with reference to FIG. 2B, the same reference numerals are given to corresponding parts.

In this connector, when the wiring board 200 on the LCD side is rotated, a high contact pressure is obtained between the plate-like contact piece 54 and the partially spherical contact piece 74 which are in theoretical point contact, which means that This increases the contact reliability of the contact piece. Further, due to the above-mentioned unavoidable misalignment, the contact point S of the two contact pieces 54, 74 draws an arc when the wiring board 200 on the LCD side is rotated. Therefore, even if rubbing the contact pieces against each other is considered to cause the deterioration of the service life of the contact pieces as described above, the reduction of the service life, which is a practical problem, is unlikely to occur. The same applies when the partially spherical contact piece 74 is provided on the main body 1 side and the plate-like contact piece 54 is provided on the sub body 3 side. It goes without saying that the plate-like contact piece 54 and the partially spherical contact piece 74 always maintain the connected state within the rotation range of the sub body 3. As in the case described above, the work of incorporating the illustrated connector into a laptop personal computer or a word processor of the same type can be performed at the same time when the LCD is assembled to the set body of those devices.

The rotary connector of the present invention is applicable not only to laptop personal computers and same-type word processors, but also to devices having a structure in which two types of wiring boards are relatively rotated.

[Effects of the Invention] The rotary connector of the first invention has an opening part because the arcuate contact piece and the linear contact piece are always connected in the relative rotation range of the main body and the sub body. Not only is it possible to connect the wiring boards that are rotated relative to each other without securing the extra space described in the above, but also when the wiring boards are rotated relative to each other, the arcuate contact pieces are connected linearly. High contact reliability can be obtained by the self-cleaning function of the contact piece by rotating while rubbing against the piece. Further, rubbing the contact pieces together is generally considered to be a cause of impairing the service life of the contact pieces, but in the present invention, since the rubbing is not performed at one place, it is practically used. The problematic decrease in service life is unlikely to occur, and the service life is improved.

In the rotary connector according to the second invention, the partial spherical contact piece of the plate-like contact piece is always connected within the relative rotation range of the main body and the sub body. It is possible not only to connect two types of wiring boards that are rotated relative to each other without securing a large space, but also when the wiring boards are rotated relative to each other, a plate-like contact piece and a partially spherical contact piece are provided. Since and make a theoretical point contact, a high contact pressure is obtained, and the contact reliability of the contact piece is improved. If the center of relative rotation between the main body and the sub-body is slightly deviated from the center of rotation of the wiring board, the contact point between the plate-like contact piece and the partially spherical contact piece will be Draw an arc when turning. And it is practically difficult to accurately match the centers of rotation,
Usually, a slight misalignment often occurs inevitably, and therefore the contact point generally draws an arc. Therefore, even if it is considered that rubbing the contact pieces against each other as described above causes the service life of the contact pieces to be impaired, in the present invention, the rubbing is not performed in one place, so that it is practical. It is unlikely that the service life will decrease, which is a problem above, and the service life will be improved.

In any of the inventions, after the main body is attached to the set body and the sub body is attached to the LCD, the main body and the sub body can be rotatably connected at the same time when the set body and the LCD are assembled. This facilitates automation of the work of connecting the wiring boards, which has been considered difficult in the past using the lead wires, and at the same time, automation of the work of connecting the main body and the sub body. There is an effect.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway plan view of a rotary connector according to an embodiment of the first invention, FIGS. 2A and 2B are enlarged vertical sectional views of the connector, and FIG. 3 is a second invention. FIG. 4 is a partially cutaway plan view of the rotary connector according to the embodiment of FIG. 4, and FIG. 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the connector. 1 …… Main body, 3 …… Sub body, 12 …… Boss, 32 ……
Long hole (recessed hole), 51 …… straight contact piece, 54 …… plate contact piece, 71 …… arc contact piece, 74 …… partially spherical contact piece, P ₁ …… rotation of sub body Center, P ₁ …… The center of the arcuate contact piece, A …… The amount of eccentricity of the center of the arcuate contact piece with respect to the center of rotation of the sub body.

Claims (2)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A main body having a boss and a sub body having a recessed hole are rotatably connected to each other by fitting the boss and the recessed hole, and the main body and the sub body are relatively rotated. An arcuate contact piece bent so as to have a center at an eccentric position with respect to the center is provided on the sub body, and a linear contact piece provided on the main body is arcuately contacted from the outside of the rotation path of the sub body. A pivotable connector, which is elastically contacted with one piece, and wherein the contact piece of the main body has at least a length which is always elastically contacted with the arcuate contact piece when both bodies are relatively rotated within an allowable range. 2. A main body having a boss and a sub body having a recessed hole are rotatably connected to each other by fitting the boss and the recessed hole, and one of the main body and the sub body is connected. A plate-shaped contact piece is provided on the body of the body in a state orthogonal to the axis of the boss, and a partially spherical contact piece whose top is elastically contacted with the plate-shaped contact piece is provided on the other body. Characteristic rotary connector.