JPS6369170A - Electronic connector - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention (Industrial Application Field) The present invention provides an electronic connector that uses a shape memory spring as an actuator for a plurality of contacts in combination to enable mating contacts to be inserted and removed without any insertion/extraction force. It is related to.

(Prior Art) Recently, with the rapid development of semiconductor integrated circuits such as ICs and LSIs, printed circuit boards are also becoming extremely densely wired. Along with this, the contact pitch of electronic connectors is becoming narrower and the number of contacts is increasing. In general, the force required to insert and remove an electronic connector increases in proportion to the number of contact pins. Therefore, when inserting and removing a multi-pole electronic connector from a densely packed printed circuit board, operability decreases and it becomes difficult. Damage is likely to occur due to insertion and removal.

To solve this problem, various electronic connectors have been proposed that can be inserted and removed without any insertion or removal force.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) However, all conventional non-insertion/extraction force type electronic connectors are mechanical mechanisms, so they have a complicated structure, are large-scale, and have a large number of parts. There was a problem.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an electronic connector that can be attached and detached without any insertion/extraction force, has a simple structure, and has a small number of parts.

(Means for Solving the Problems) The structure of the present invention for achieving the above object will be explained with reference to FIGS. 1 to 9 corresponding to embodiments. In an electronic connector in which contacts 3 are assembled in a row, each contact 3 is driven by the action of a shape memory spring 4 incorporated in the connector housing 1, the shape memory spring 4 is It is characterized in that one end is supported by the connector housing 1 and the other end biases the contact 3.

(Function) In this way, when the shape memory spring 4 recovers its memorized shape and operates, the -i side is supported by the connector housing 1 and does not move, so it moves only toward the other end, and the shape is The spring pressure of the memory spring 4 is effectively transmitted to the contact 3.

(Example) Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

1 to 6 show a first practical example of the present invention. As shown in the figure, the electronic connector of this embodiment has a connector housing 1 made of an insulating material, and two rows of contact chambers 2 are formed on the front surface of the connector housing 1. A plurality of contacts 3 are housed in each contact chamber 2 in a row in the longitudinal direction, and each terminal leg portion 3A thereof is led out to the bottom side of the connector housing 1.

Each contact 3 has a contact spring portion 3C formed in a U-shape with respect to the contact base 3B, and each contact spring portion 3C has a shape in which a shape memory spring gripping portion 3D is formed by cutting and bending. There is. A shape memory spring 4 is provided for driving the three rows of contacts in common. This shape memory spring 4 is N+-T
It is formed of i-alloy or the like into a U- or V-shaped cross section, and one side of the opening is held by the shape memory spring gripping part 3D of each contact 3, and the other side is held by the shape memory spring gripping part 3D of the connector housing 1. It is supported by a cantilevered stopper 6 on the partition part 5. With such a support structure, the shape memory spring 4 can be attached at once by being inserted from one side in the longitudinal direction. The surface of the shape memory spring 4 is coated with an insulating material 7 such as a silicon layer, thereby providing insulation between the shape memory spring 4 and each contact 3. Short circuits are prevented. In order to heat each shape memory spring 4, a planar heater 8 is supported on the partition portion 5 of the connector housing 1. In addition, 9 is a contact of the other party's electronic component.

In this embodiment, the shape memory spring 4 has a transformation point set at 80°C. Therefore, at room temperature, it is a soft martensite phase, and at temperatures above 80°C, it becomes an austenite phase, generating a large force.

5 and 6 show the operating state of the electronic connector of this embodiment. That is, Fig. 5 shows the state of 80°C or higher, and Fig.
The figure shows a cross-sectional view at room temperature.

When the heater 8 is energized and the shape memory spring 4 is heated to 80° C. or higher, the shape memory spring 4 becomes an austenite phase.
As shown in FIG. 5, the shape returns to the stored shape (in this case, it is stored to be compressed), and its spring force overcomes the force of the contact spring portion 3C and attracts the contact spring portion 3C. The mutual distance between the base portion 3B and the contact spring portion 3C is increased. Such a shape memory spring 4
During operation, since one end thereof is fixed to the connector housing 1, the spring pressure of the shape memory spring 4 can be effectively applied to the contact spring portion 3C to operate the contact spring portion 3C. In this state, the other party's contact 9
can be restored without any insertion/extraction force.

When the power supply to the heater 8 is stopped and the temperature drops to, for example, about 50°C, the shape memory spring 4 becomes a martensitic phase and becomes soft, and the spring force of the contact 3 overcomes the spring force of the contact 3.
As shown in the figure, the contact spring portion 3C is pulled back toward the contact base portion 3B and clamps the mating contact 9 with a predetermined spring pressure.

Note that the insulation between the shape memory spring 4 and each contact 3 may be achieved by supporting an insulating material 7 on a portion of each contact 3 that is in contact with the shape memory spring 4.

FIG. 7 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. Note that parts corresponding to those in the first embodiment described above are designated by the same reference numerals. In this embodiment, each contact spring portion 3C
This embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the roles of the shape memory springs 4 and 4 in relation to the non-insertion/extraction force are reversed, and the other configurations are the same.

That is, in this embodiment, the transformation point of the shape memory spring 4 is set to a high temperature (for example, 100° C.).

Therefore, at room temperature, the shape memory spring 4 is soft in the martensitic phase, and the force of the contact spring portion 3C overcomes the force of the shape memory spring 4, and the spring pressure causes the contact spring portion 3C to move away from the contact base 3B. The contact 9 is expanded and is in a state where no insertion/extraction force is applied, and the mating contact 9 can be inserted/extracted without any insertion/extraction force.

When the electronic connector is housed in a burn-in device for testing the reliability of electronic components, for example, with the mating contact 9 inserted between the contact base portion 3B and the contact spring portion 3C without any insertion/extraction force, the heating effect of the device As a result, the shape memory spring 4 is also heated to a high temperature, becomes an austenite phase, and recovers to a pre-memorized shape. Therefore, the shape memory spring 4 overcomes the spring pressure and presses the contact spring portion 3C toward the contact base portion 3B, so that the contact base portion 3B and the contact spring portion 3C sandwich the mating contact 9 with a predetermined spring pressure.

FIG. 8 and FIG. 9 show a third embodiment and a fourth embodiment of the present invention. In both cases, the shapes of each contact 3 and each shape memory spring 4 are different from those of the above-mentioned embodiment, and the other structures are the same as those of the above-mentioned embodiment.

In these re-embodiments, the shape memory springs 4 are all in a state of no insertion/extraction force as shown at room temperature, and when the shape memory springs 4 are heated in this state, they recover to the memorized shape and push out the contact spring portion 3C. This allows the contact to be brought into pressure contact with the mating contact.

(Effects of the Invention) As explained above, since the electronic connector according to the present invention uses a shape memory spring, the structure can be simplified even though it is a non-insertion/extraction force type, and the number of parts is reduced.
Cost reduction can be achieved. Furthermore, in the present invention,
One end of the shape memory spring is supported by the connector housing,
Since the contact is biased at the other end, the shape memory spring moves only toward the other end, that is, toward the contact, when the shape memory spring is activated, effectively transmitting the spring pressure of the shape memory spring to the contact. Contacts can be driven.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a side perspective view of a first embodiment of an electronic connector according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a contact spring portion of this embodiment, and FIG. The figure is a perspective view of the shape memory spring of this embodiment, FIGS. 5 and 6 are explanatory diagrams of different operating states of this embodiment, and FIGS.
- It is a main part cross-sectional view of 4th Example. 1... Connector housing, 2... Contact chamber,
3...Contact, 3B...Contact base, 3C
...Contact spring part, 4...Shape memory spring. Figure 1 @ Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 5 Figure 6 Whistle Figure 7 Figure 8 Figure 9 Legs

Claims (1)

[Claims] In an electronic connector in which a plurality of contacts are incorporated in a row in a connector housing, and each of the contacts is driven by the action of a shape memory spring incorporated in the connector housing, the shape memory spring is connected to one end of the connector housing. is supported by the connector housing, and has a structure in which the other end biases the contact.