JPH11162592A - Contact - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce the internal volume of a housing and thereby miniaturize a connector without increasing the number of components by folding a flat spring part or the multiple folded parts of the spring part after blanking at a virtual bending line along the expandable direction of the spring part. SOLUTION: A metal plate is blanked and then the multiple folded parts located at both sides of a flat spring part 22 are folded at a virtual folding line along the expandable direction E of the spring part 22. A contact 2 is completed via such a process. Since the whole shape of the spring part 22 is formed into a generally U-shaped form by folding the folded parts of the flat spring parts 22 of the contact 2 at the virtual folding line along the expandable direction E of the spring part 22, a connector can be miniaturized. In this case, the shape of the spring part is formed into the U-shaped form when viewed from the expandable direction E of the spring part but it may be formed into a V-shaped, Z-shaped, C-shaped or circular form as another variational example.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] The present invention relates to a contact formed by stamping a metal plate.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIGS. 5 to 7 show a conventional connector provided with a contact having a contact portion for contacting an object to be connected (a mating connector) and a spring portion for pressing the contact portion toward the object to be connected. FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing a first example of a conventional connector, FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing a second example of a conventional connector, and FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing a third example of a conventional connector. is there.

[0005] The connector shown in FIG. 5 includes a contact 12 and a housing 13 for accommodating the contact 12. The contact 12 includes a contact part 121, a spring part 122, and a terminal part 123. Contact portion 121 of contact 12
Project from the housing 13 to the outside. The contact 12 is formed by bending a metal plate.

[0006] The connector shown in FIG. 6 includes a contact 15 and a housing 16 for accommodating the contact 15. The contact 15 includes a contact part 151, a spring part 152, and a terminal part 153. Contact portion 151 of contact 15
Project from the housing 16 to the outside. The contact 15 is formed by stamping a metal plate.

[0007] The connector shown in FIG. 7 is called a probe type connector, and includes a contact 18 and a housing 19 for accommodating the contact 18. The contact 18 includes a first contact member 181 and a second contact member 181.
182 and a coil spring 183. The first contact member 181 is substantially cup-shaped, and the second contact member 182 is hat-shaped. One end of the second contact member 182 is slidably accommodated in the first contact member 181. The coil spring 183 is accommodated in the first contact member 181 and urges the second contact member 182 toward the connection target 4.

[0006]

Each of the connectors shown in FIGS. 5 to 7 has the following problems.

In the case of the connector shown in FIG. 5, the contact 12 is merely a bent metal plate,
22 has a two-dimensionally large spread, and accordingly the housing must be enlarged, and there is a problem that the connector becomes large.

Similarly, in the case of the connector shown in FIG. 6, since the contact 15 is merely a stamped metal plate, the spring portion 152 has a two-dimensionally large spread, and the housing must be enlarged accordingly. Therefore, there is a problem that the connector becomes large.

In the case of the connector of FIG. 7, the size can be reduced more easily than those of FIGS. 5 and 6, but there is a problem that the number of parts is large and the manufacturing cost is high. Further, when the second contact member 182 is pressed against the connection target 4, the second contact member 182 is slightly inclined, so that the contact force between the first contact member 181 and the second contact member 182 is reduced. It is difficult to keep it constant and there is a problem that the contact resistance is not stable.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a contact having a small size, a small number of parts, and a stable contact resistance, and a connector using the same.

[0011]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a contact for contacting an object to be connected, and a contact portion for urging the contact toward the object. A contact formed by punching a metal plate, wherein the flat spring portion after punching is bent along a virtual bending line along the direction of expansion and contraction of the spring portion. It is characterized by.

Since the flat spring portion after the punching is bent along a virtual bending line along the direction of expansion and contraction of the spring portion, the internal volume of the housing for accommodating the contacts can be reduced.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a contact comprising: a contact portion for contacting a connection object; and a meandering curved spring portion for urging the contact portion toward the connection object. In the contact formed by punching, a plurality of folded portions of the flat spring portion after punching are bent along virtual folding lines along the direction of expansion and contraction of the spring portion.

Since the plurality of folded portions of the flat spring portion after the punching are bent at virtual folding lines along the direction of expansion and contraction of the spring portion, the internal volume of the housing for accommodating the contacts can be reduced.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the contact according to the second aspect of the present invention, the folded portion of the spring portion which is adjacent in the direction of expansion and contraction does not contact when the spring portion is compressed. The position of the bending line is shifted in a direction orthogonal to the expansion and contraction direction.

The position of the imaginary bending line is shifted in a direction perpendicular to the direction of expansion and contraction of the spring portion, so that the folded portions of the adjacent spring portions in the direction of expansion and contraction of the spring portion do not come into contact with each other when the spring portion is compressed. Of the conductor path does not fluctuate greatly.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the contact according to the first, second or third aspect, the contact portion of the contact is covered with a contact portion cover movable integrally with the contact portion. It is characterized by.

As described above, since the contact portion of the contact is covered with the contact portion cover which can be moved integrally with the contact portion, the strength of the contact portion of the contact is increased.

[0019]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a connector provided with a contact according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 (a) is a plan view, and FIG. 1 (b) is a cross section taken along line AA of FIG. 1 (a). Figure, Figure 1
2C is a sectional view taken along line BB of FIG. 1A, FIG. 2 shows a contact of the connector of FIG. 1, FIG. 2A is a perspective view showing a state before bending, and FIG. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a state after bending.

This connector comprises a contact 2 and a housing 3.

The contact 2 includes a contact portion 21 and a spring portion 22
And a fixing portion 23 and a terminal portion 24. The contact 2 is formed by punching a metal plate having conductivity and elasticity and then bending it.

The contact portion 21 has a tongue-like shape, and is a portion that comes into contact with the terminal of the mating connector 4 to be connected.

The spring portion 22 is provided at one end of the contact portion 21 and extends while meandering to the fixed portion 23. Spring part 22
Is telescopic. The spring part 22 is a part that presses the contact part 21 against the mating connector 4. Flat spring part 22
A plurality of folded portions 22a located on both sides of (see FIG. 2 (a)) are bent along a virtual bending line V along the extension / contraction direction E of the spring portion 22 (see FIG. 2 (b)). That is, the spring portion 22 is bent substantially in a U-shape. The virtual bending line V along the expansion / contraction direction E includes not only a bending line strictly parallel to the expansion / contraction direction E of the spring portion 22 but also the spring portion 2.
A bending line slightly inclined with respect to the expansion / contraction direction E of FIG.

The fixing part 23 is provided at the other end of the spring part 22 and is fixed to the housing 3.

The terminal portion 24 is provided at one end of the fixing portion 23, is inserted into a through hole of a printed circuit board (not shown), and is a portion to be electrically connected.

To manufacture the contact 2, first,
Using a press machine, the metal plate is punched into the shape shown in FIG. 2A, and then a plurality of folded portions 22a located on both sides of the planar spring portion 22 are formed along the direction of expansion and contraction E of the spring portion 22. Fold along the virtual bending line V. Through these steps, the contact 2 having the shape shown in FIG. 2B is completed.

The housing 3 is made of an insulating material and has a contact accommodating portion 31, an insertion hole 32, and a fixing groove 33. The contact 2 has a contact 2
Is accommodated. The contact portion 21 of the contact 2 is
2, it can protrude from the housing 3 and move in the direction of expansion and contraction E of the spring portion 22. In addition, the contact housing 3
The fixing portion 23 of the contact 2 housed in the
The contact 2 is pressed into the housing 3
Fixed to

When the contact portion 21 of the contact 2 comes into contact with the mating connector 4, it is retracted into the contact accommodating portion 31 of the housing 3 as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. At this time, the reaction force of the spring portion 22 is compressed at the contact portion 21 by the mating connector 4
And the contact force.

According to the contact of the first embodiment, as described above, the flat portion 22a of the flat spring portion 22 of the contact 2 is bent along the virtual bending line V along the extension / contraction direction E of the spring portion 22. , The entire shape of the spring portion 22 is substantially U
Because of the letter shape, the size of the connector can be reduced.

FIG. 3 shows a contact of the connector according to the second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.
FIG. 3B is a perspective view showing a state before the contact shown in FIG. 3A is bent.

The same portions as those of the contact shown in FIG. 2 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted.

In this embodiment, the virtual bending lines V1, V
2 are substantially parallel to the expansion / contraction direction E, respectively, but the virtual bending lines V1 and V2 are not located on the same straight line.
That is, the virtual bending line V extends in a direction orthogonal to the stretching direction E.
The positions of 1 and V2 are shifted. Similarly, the virtual bending line V
The virtual bending lines V3, V4, and V5 are not located on the same straight line, though the virtual bending lines V3, V4, and V5 are also substantially parallel to the expansion / contraction direction E, respectively. That is, the positions of the virtual bending lines V3, V4, and V5 are shifted in a direction orthogonal to the expansion / contraction direction E.

Therefore, the folded portion 42 of the spring portion 42
aa to 42ae are bent at virtual bending lines V1 to V5,
When this (the contact in the state shown in FIG. 3A) is used as the contact 52 of the connector, the folded portions 42aa, 42ab, and 42ac adjacent to each other in the expansion / contraction direction E, and the folded portions 42ad and 42ae adjacent to each other, No contact occurs when the part 42 is compressed.

According to the contact of the second embodiment, the same effect as that of the first embodiment can be obtained, and the adjacent folded portions 42ad to 42ae do not contact each other when the spring portion 42 is compressed. Contact 52
The conductor path length does not fluctuate greatly, and the conductor resistance is stabilized.

FIG. 4 shows a connector provided with a contact according to a third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 (a) is a plan view, and FIG. 4 (b) is a cross section taken along line CC of FIG. 4 (a). FIG. 4
FIG. 4C is a sectional view taken along line DD of FIG. The same parts as those of the contact 2 shown in FIG.

The housing 7 has a contact accommodating portion 71, an insertion hole 72, and a fixing groove 73.

The contact 82 includes the contact portion 61 and the spring portion 2
2, a fixing part 23 and a terminal part 24. A notch 61a is formed at the center of the tip of the contact portion 61, and projections 61b are formed on both sides of the notch 61a. The contact portion 61 is covered with a hat-shaped contact member (contact portion cover) 8. The contact member 8 is made of a conductive material. One end of the contact member 8 is the housing 7
Is slidably accommodated in the contact accommodating portion 71.
The other end of the contact member 8 is provided with an insertion hole 72 of the housing 7.
From the outside. The protrusion 61b is in pressure contact with the inner peripheral surface of the cap 8.

The contact portion 61 of the contact 82 does not directly contact the mating connector 4 but contacts the mating connector 4 via the cap 8.

According to the contact of the third embodiment, the same effect as that of the first embodiment can be obtained, and the strength of the contact portion 61 is increased, and the durability is improved.

In each of the above embodiments, the shape of the spring portion is U-shaped when the contact is viewed from the direction of expansion and contraction E of the spring portion. However, as other modified examples, V-shaped, Z-shaped, C
The shape may be a letter shape or an arc shape. When formed into a C-shape or an arc, the curved surface of the spring portion can be regarded as a portion obtained by bending the spring portion along a number of imaginary bending lines, and these modifications are also included in the scope of the present invention.

[0042]

As described above, according to the contact of the first or second aspect of the present invention, a flat spring portion or a plurality of folded portions of the spring portion after punching is formed by imaginary extension along the direction of expansion and contraction of the spring portion. Since it is bent at the bending line, the internal volume of the housing that accommodates the contacts can be reduced,
The size of the connector can be reduced without increasing the number of parts.

According to the contact of the third aspect of the present invention, the position of the virtual bending line is shifted in a direction orthogonal to the direction of expansion and contraction of the spring portion, and the folded portions of the adjacent spring portions in the direction of expansion and contraction of the spring portion are separated from each other. The contact length does not fluctuate because the contact does not contact when the part is compressed.
Conductor resistance is stabilized.

According to the contact of the fourth aspect of the present invention, since the contact portion of the contact is covered with the cap-shaped contact which can be moved integrally with the contact portion, the strength of the contact portion of the contact is increased, and the durability is improved. I do.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 shows a connector provided with a contact according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 (a) is a plan view, and FIG. 1 (b) is a line AA in FIG. 1 (a). FIG. 1C is a sectional view taken along line BB of FIG. 1A.

2 shows a contact of the connector of FIG. 1, FIG. 2 (a) is a perspective view showing a state before bending, and FIG. 2 (b) is a perspective view showing a state after bending.

FIG. 3 shows a contact of the connector according to the second embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 3 (a) is a perspective view, and FIG.
FIG. 3B is a perspective view showing a state before the contact shown in FIG. 3A is bent.

4A and 4B show a connector provided with a contact according to a third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4A is a plan view, and FIG. 4B is a line CC in FIG. 4A. FIG. 4C is a cross-sectional view taken along line DD of FIG. 4A.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing a first example of a conventional connector.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing a second example of a conventional connector.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing a third example of a conventional connector.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Connector 2, 42, 52, 82 Contact 3, 17 Housing 4 Mating connector 21, 61 Contact part 22 Spring part 23 Fixed part 24 Terminal part 31, 71 Contact accommodation part 32, 72 Insertion hole 33, 73 Fixing groove

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A contact formed by stamping a metal plate, comprising: a contact portion for contacting an object to be connected; and a meandering curved spring portion for urging the contact portion toward the object to be connected. 3. The contact according to claim 1, wherein the flat spring portion after punching is bent along a virtual bending line along a direction in which the spring portion expands and contracts. 2. A contact formed by stamping a metal plate, comprising: a contact portion for contacting a connection object; and a meandering curved spring portion for biasing the contact portion toward the connection object. In the plurality of folded portions of the flat spring portion after punching,
A contact which is bent at an imaginary bending line along a direction in which the spring portion extends and contracts. 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the position of the virtual bending line is shifted in a direction orthogonal to the expansion and contraction direction so that folded portions of the spring portions adjacent to each other in the expansion and contraction direction do not contact each other when the spring portion is compressed. 3. The contact according to claim 2, wherein: 4. The contact according to claim 1, wherein the contact portion of the contact is covered with a contact portion cover that can move integrally with the contact portion.