JPH11214078A - Connector - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a connector for easily judging the connection state in a plural signal wires-connected connector. SOLUTION: This connector is equipped with a connection portion 1 and a connection portion 2 connected to the connection portion 1. The connection portion 1 has mutually non-conductive first signal wire 3 and second signal wire 5, when the connection portion 2 is connected to the connection portion 1, the first signal wire 3 and the second signal wire 2 are brought into mutual conduction by a third signal portion 6 of the connector. By the connector the connection state of the connection portion 1 and the connection portion 2 can be discriminated by whether the first signal wire 3 and the second signal wire 5 are brought into conduction mutually or not.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a connector for connecting a plurality of signal lines.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, for example, when signals are transmitted and received between a plurality of boards built in a computer main body and various control units, both are connected using a cable having a plurality of built-in signal lines. These boards and cables are connected by connectors. In some cases, two cables are connected by a connector. An example of this connector will be described with reference to FIG. The connector is connected to
1 and a connection part 22 connected to the connection part 21. The connection unit 21 is connected to the unit A by connecting a plurality of signal lines 23 used for transmitting and receiving data.
The connection unit 22 is connected to the unit B by connecting a plurality of signal lines 24 used for data transmission and reception. In this connector, when the connection unit 21 and the connection unit 22 are connected, each of the plurality of signal lines 24 is connected to each of the plurality of signal lines 23, and data transmission and reception between the unit A and the unit B is performed. Will be able to

[0003]

By the way, as a factor that causes a situation in which data cannot be transmitted and received between the units A and B, one of the units is abnormal, the cable between the units is disconnected, Alternatively, it is conceivable that the connector is not properly connected. However, it is not easy to determine which of these causes data cannot be transmitted / received. Therefore, in the related art, the unit has only been designed so that the fail-safe function works even in the event that data cannot be transmitted or received. In particular, poor connection of the connector is difficult to observe directly because the cable is obscured by routing the cable, and even if it can be observed, it is difficult to judge whether or not a connection failure has occurred from the appearance. Is problematic. An object of the present invention is to provide a connector capable of easily determining a connection state.

[0004]

Means for Solving the Problems To be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4 showing an embodiment of the present invention, the object is to provide a first connection part (1) and a first connection part (1). And a second connection portion (2) connected to the first connector.
The connection part (1) has a first signal line (3) and a second signal line (5) that are not electrically connected to each other, and the second connection part (2) has a first signal line (2).
When connected to the connection section (1), the first signal line (3) and the second signal line (3)
This is achieved by a connector characterized by having a third signal line (6) for conducting with the signal line (5). According to the connector, the connection state between the first connection portion (1) and the second connection portion (2) depends on whether the first signal line (3) and the second signal line (5) are conductive. You can judge.

[0005]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A connector according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. First, a schematic configuration of the connector according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. The connector according to the present embodiment has a connection part 1 and a connection part 2 connected to the connection part 1.

[0006] The connection section 1 has a plurality of terminals 11 for attaching signal lines. One end of the first signal line 3 is connected to the terminal 11 located at one end of the connection portion 1. The other end of the first signal line is connected to an input side of a buffer (amplifier) 10, and the buffer 10 is connected to a CPU (Central Processing Unit) not shown. Further, a power supply 9 is connected to the first signal line 3 via a resistor 8. The second signal line 5 not connected to the first signal line 3 is connected to the terminal 11 located at the end opposite to the terminal 11 to which the first signal line 3 is connected. This second signal line 5
Are connected (grounded) to GND (ground). The remaining terminals 11 are connected to a plurality of signal lines 4 connected to a unit A (not shown) and used for transmitting and receiving data.

[0007] The connection section 2 has a plurality of terminals 12 for attaching signal lines. The third signal line 6 is connected to the terminals 12 located at both ends of the plurality of terminals 12. When the connection portion 2 is connected to the connection portion 1 by the third signal line 6, the first signal line The signal line 3 and the second signal line 5 are made conductive. The remaining terminals 12 are connected to a plurality of signal lines 7 connected to a unit B (not shown) and used for data transmission / reception, and when the connection unit 2 is connected to the connection unit 1. , A plurality of signal lines 7 and a plurality of signal lines 4
Are conducted so that data can be transmitted and received between the unit A and the unit B.

Next, the operation of the connector according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG.
2 shows the connector in a state where the connection unit 2 is connected, and FIG. 2 shows the connector in a state where the connection unit 1 and the connection unit 2 are not connected. In FIG. 2, illustration of the signal lines 4 and 7 is omitted. In the connector in which the connection unit 1 and the connection unit 2 are connected, the first
The signal line 3 and the second signal line 5 are conducted by the third signal line 6, and the first signal line 3 is connected to GND. Therefore, the potential of the first signal line 3 becomes a low (low) level. on the other hand,
In the connector in which the connection portions 1 and 2 are not connected, the first signal line 3 and the third signal line 6 are not conducted by the third signal line 6 and the potential of the first signal line 3 is Becomes High level.

The potential level of the first signal line 3 is transmitted to the CPU via the buffer 10, and the CPU determines whether the connector is properly connected based on the potential level. be able to. That is, if the potential level is Low level, it can be determined that the connector is properly connected, while if it is High level, it can be determined that the connector is not connected. Here, if the CPU displays an error code for specifying an unconnected connector on a display device (not shown), the user can be notified of the connection state of the connector. In this case, for example, it is possible to easily grasp the connection state of the connector located in an invisible place, a distant place, or the like.

A connector according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. First, a schematic configuration of the connector according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. Here, components having the same functions as those of the above-described first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof is omitted.
In FIGS. 3 and 4, the signal lines 4 and 7 are not shown. While the first signal line 3 in the connector according to the first embodiment is connected to the buffer 10, the first signal line 3 in the connector according to the present embodiment has one end connected to the connection unit 1. , And the other end is connected to the inverter 13. And the inverter 13
Is connected to an LED (Light Emitting Diode) unit 14,
The LED section 14 is connected to a power supply 15. Note that LE
The D section 14 is preferably installed at a position where it is easy to see.

Next, the operation of the connector according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG.
FIG. 4 shows the connector in a state where the connection part 1 and the connection part 2 are not connected. In the connector in which the connection part 1 and the connection part 2 are connected, the first signal line 3
The second signal line 5 is electrically connected to the second signal line 6 by the third signal line 6, the first signal line 3 is connected to GND, and the electric potential becomes Low level. Therefore, the LED unit 1 is controlled by the inverter 13.
The potential on the fourth side is set to High level. by this,
The current supplied from the power supply 15 does not flow in the direction in which the LED unit 14 emits light (arrow in the figure), and the LED unit 14 does not emit light.

On the other hand, in the connector in which the connection portions 1 and 2 are not connected, the first signal line 3 and the third signal line 6 are not conducted by the third signal line, and the first signal line 3
Is set to a high level by the power supply 9. For this reason, the potential on the LED unit 14 side is set to L by the inverter 13.
ow level. Accordingly, the direction in which the current supplied from the power supply 15 turns on the LED unit 14 (arrow in the figure)
And the LED section 14 is turned on. Therefore, the LED unit 1
The connection state of the connector can be determined by lighting 4. Further, since the determination can be made by turning on the LED, the determination can be made in a dark place. The connector according to the present embodiment can be used for a board to which a plurality of connectors such as a motherboard and an interface board are connected.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, but can be variously modified. For example, in the above-described embodiment, a connector for connecting units that electrically transmit and receive data has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and is also applied to, for example, an optical connector for connecting an optical fiber in optical communication. be able to.

[0014]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to easily determine whether or not the connector is connected.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a connector according to a first embodiment of the present invention and showing a state where the connector is connected.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a state in which a connector according to the first embodiment of the present invention is not connected.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a connector according to a second embodiment of the present invention, and showing a state in which the connector is connected.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a state where a connector according to a second embodiment of the present invention is not connected.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a conventional connector.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1, 2 connection part 3 first signal line 5 second signal line 6 third signal line

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A connector having a first connection portion and a second connection portion connected to the first connection portion, wherein the first connection portion is connected to a first signal line and a second signal line which are not electrically connected to each other.
A signal line, and wherein the second connection portion has a third signal line that connects the first signal line and the second signal line when connected to the first connection portion. The connector characterized by the above.