KR101839401B1 - Connecter Member Having Compact Coupling Structure and Improved Stability - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a mobile device including a novel battery pack connection structure, and more particularly, to a mobile device in which a chargeable and dischargeable battery pack is electrically connected to a device body, Wherein at least one of the connecting end of the connecting member, the connecting end of the battery pack, and the connecting end of the device is electrically connected by a mechanical connection method. Device.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention [0001] The present invention relates to a connector member having a compact fastening structure and improved stability,

The present invention relates to a connector member having a compact fastening structure and improved stability.

Due to the development of technology and demand for mobile devices, the demand for secondary batteries is also rapidly increasing. Among them, lithium secondary batteries, which have high energy density, high operating voltage and excellent storage and life characteristics, It is widely used as an energy source.

The secondary battery may be used in a detachable structure that is free to be inserted or removed depending on the type of external equipment to which the secondary battery is to be used, or may be used as a built-in structure in which the secondary battery is embedded in an external device. For example, devices such as notebooks can insert and leave batteries according to the user's needs, while some mobile devices, such as mobile phones, MPEG Audio Layer-3 (MP3), tablet PCs, smart pads, The use of a built-in battery pack may be required.

Such a built-in battery pack has a structure in which a connection terminal of a battery pack is electrically connected to a printed circuit board (PCB) inside the device and is mounted inside the device so that it is difficult for a user to easily separate or insert.

Here, as for the connection structure of the built-in battery pack and the device, a structure in which they are electrically connected to each other by a bolt using a plate type connecting member or electrically and mechanically by soldering or welding, or a structure in which a wire harness type and FPCB are used to mechanically connect the built-in battery pack and the device, and at the same time to make an electrical connection therebetween. In this regard, the background technology of the present invention is disclosed in Korean Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2013-0140977 (2013.12.26) and Korean Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2014-0046227 (April 2014.04.18).

However, in spite of the proposals of the technologies as the background of the above-mentioned invention, the method of connecting by soldering or welding in the process of mounting the built-in battery pack in the device is complicated by the difficulty of soldering or welding The high technology of the field is required. Further, since the built-in battery pack is mounted in a narrow internal space, a space for performing soldering or welding is narrow, resulting in a complicated manufacturing process and an increase in manufacturing cost.

Furthermore, a device having a structure in which a built-in battery pack is mounted using a plate-shaped connecting member has a problem of causing connection failure or malfunction due to accumulation of stress due to vibration or external impact.

Further, a connection structure using a connection connector member such as a wire harness type electrically connects the battery pack and the device by a point contact method in which the contact area is small. The contact resistance is high, and the FPCB Flexible PCB) requires a precise process such as an SMT (Surface Mounting Technology) process, so that the overall production process of the device becomes complicated.

Therefore, in addition to the structural stability, the electrical and mechanical connection between the battery pack and the device can be easily achieved. In order to miniaturize the device, the number and size of the components are minimized, and the need for a technique Is high.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art and the technical problems required from the past.

Specifically, an object of the present invention is to provide a cable member with a high structural stability, while minimizing the number and size of parts and simplifying the electrical and mechanical connection process of the battery pack and the device.

In order to accomplish the above object, a connector member according to the present invention is a connector member for receiving and fixing a printed circuit board (PCB) and an external cable in a surface-

An opening is formed at the lower end of the connecting cable so that the upper end of the connecting end of the outer cable is exposed when the connecting end of the outer cable is received therein and the connecting end of the outer cable is accommodated, A housing having an open upper end; And

And an upper end of the connecting end of the exposed external cable through the opening of the housing is pressed upon mounting so as to cover and cover the open top of the housing so that the PCB and the external cable are brought into contact with each other, A housing cover for fixing them;

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The housing cover has a structure in which one end of the housing cover is connected to one side of the housing by a hinge structure and is pivotally rotated with respect to the hinge to be coupled to the housing.

Such a connector member has a simple structure in which the housing and the housing cover are integrally connected by a hinge structure so that the structure is compact and the housing cover is pivotally rotated relative to the hinge to close the housing, It is composed of a bonded structure.

When the housing cover is pivotally rotated to engage with the housing, the coupling structure presses the external cable inserted into the housing to contact the PCB and the external cable, and fixes them by the pressing force of the housing cover, It is possible not only to achieve electrical and mechanical connection easily but also to press the connection end of the external cable housed inside the housing and electrically connect the external cable and the PCB by surface contact with low contact resistance without the fixing member.

Here, the housing cover may be combined with the housing and have a special structure for pressing the connecting end of the external cable.

In one specific example, the housing cover may include at least one or more protrusions that are fastened to the housing or press down the outer cable at at least one of the ends.

The projecting portion is not particularly limited as long as it can press the upper end of the connecting end of the outer cable exposed through the opening of the housing and can be mechanically fastened to the housing. And may be an L-shaped arm and / or an I-shaped arm extending downward from the end.

Particularly, the L-shaped arm can not only engage with the opening or groove of the corresponding housing, but also has a relatively wide pressing area, so that the locking and pressing can be performed at the same time.

Meanwhile, the connection end of the PCB and the external cable may have an opening through which the protrusion of the housing cover can be inserted. At this time, the protrusion of the housing cover continuously passes through the opening of the external cable and the opening of the PCB , They can be fixed.

The housing cover may further include a fastening portion for engaging with the housing. Specifically, of the end portions of the housing cover, with respect to the end portion of the housing cover mounted to the housing in a hinged configuration, at opposite ends thereof, when the housing cover closes the open top of the housing, The fastening portion may be formed.

Such a fastening portion is not particularly limited as long as it can be mechanically fastened, but may be in the form of a hook or a rib in detail.

And an elastic member capable of elastically pressing an external cable may be added to the inner surface of the housing cover. Such an elastic member may press the upper end surface of the connecting end of the exposed external cable through the opening of the housing so that the front surface of the connecting end is in surface contact with the PCB. The elastic member may be an electrically insulating material, and may be, for example, urethane or rubber, but is not limited thereto.

In one specific example, the housing includes a first wall, a second wall, and a third wall extending vertically from each end of the lower end, wherein the first wall, the second wall, And the inner space may be formed to surround the contact portion between the connection ends of the external cable.

The inner space is a connecting portion where the connecting end of the outer cable and the PCB are in contact with each other and the housing cover presses the connecting end of the exposed outer cable through the opening formed in the inner space of the housing.

The third wall may be a structure extending between the first wall and the second wall. Here, the first wall may be parallel to the second wall, and the third wall may be a structure extending vertically from the first wall and the second wall, respectively.

At this time, the first wall and the second wall are hingedly connected to the housing cover, so that the housing cover can pivot about the first wall and the second wall.

Further, the third wall may have a structure in which a fastening groove for fastening the fastening portion of the housing is formed when the housing cover closes the open upper end of the housing.

That is, when the housing cover pivots about the first wall and the second wall while reaching the third wall, a hook or a rib, which is a fastening portion of the housing, is inserted into and fastened to the fastening groove of the third wall. It may be a structure that closes the open top of the housing while being fixed.

Wherein at least one of the first wall and the second wall has a rectangular opening having a width of 110% to 130% of the width of the external cable so that the connection end of the external cable can be inserted into the internal space. have.

These openings allow the connecting end of the external cable to pass through, and at the same time, the housing cover may be used as the fastening groove of the protrusions formed in the housing cover.

Specifically, a protrusion extending downward from the end of the housing cover may be inserted into the opening, and the protrusion may be an L-shaped arm. Thus, the housing and the housing cover may be structured such that a part of the L-shaped arm extending downward from the end of the housing cover is inserted into the opening, fixed and mutually coupled.

The first wall, the second wall, and the third wall may further include a bent portion whose upper end is bent at 160 to 180 degrees in the outward direction with respect to the inner space.

These bent portions increase in thickness as the walls are bent, whereby the housing is reinforced with mechanical rigidity, so that it can have high elasticity and can prevent breakage of the housing against external force.

The bent portion may have a structure bent toward the inner space of the housing so as to enclose a part of the end of the housing cover corresponding to the bent portion when the housing cover closes the open top of the housing.

That is, the bent portion may be a structure that when the housing cover closes the open upper end of the housing, the bent portion of the housing cover elastically flows and encloses a part of the end of the housing cover so as to be accommodated inside the bent portion. Because of the rigidity and high elasticity, breakage of the upper end of the housing can be prevented even if the housing cover is repeatedly opened and closed.

In one specific example, the external cable may be an FFC (Flexible Flat Cable) or an FPC (Flexible Printed Circuit), but is not limited thereto.

The present invention also provides a device comprising the connector member.

The device may include a battery pack for use as a power source, and the battery pack may be an embedded battery pack including an external cable.

In addition, the device may include a PCB, and an external cable of the battery pack may be connected to the PCB through a connector member.

The device may be selected from among a notebook computer main body, a netbook main body, a camera main body, a mobile device main body, and a wearable device main body, but is not limited thereto.

As described above, in the connector member according to the present invention, the housing and the housing cover are integrally connected by the hinge structure, and not only the structure is compact, but also the housing cover is provided with a hinge So that the manufacturing process can be simplified.

When the housing cover is pivotally rotated to engage with the housing, the coupling structure presses the external cable inserted into the housing to contact the PCB and the external cable, and fixes them by the pressing force of the housing cover, It is possible not only to achieve electrical and mechanical connection easily but also to press the connection end of the external cable housed inside the housing and electrically connect the external cable and the PCB by surface contact with low contact resistance without the fixing member.

1 is a schematic view of a connector member according to the present invention;
2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the connector member;
3 is an exploded perspective view of the housing cover, the PCB and the outer cable;
4 is an enlarged schematic of a connector member, a PCB and an external cable in the device of the present invention;
5 is a schematic view showing a structure in which an external cable is housed in a connector member in Fig. 4;
6 is a schematic view showing a structure in which a PCB and an external cable are fixed by a connector member.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, but the present invention is not limited by the scope of the present invention.

1 is a schematic view of a connector member according to the present invention, and FIG. 1 is a vertical section of a connector member, and FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a housing cover, a PCB and an external cable .

Referring to these drawings, the connector member 100 includes a housing 120 mounted on one side of a PCB and a housing cover 110 fastened to one side of the housing 120.

The housing 120 includes a first wall 131, a second wall 132 and a third wall 133 extending vertically from each end of the lower end. The first wall 131 and the second wall 132 are parallel to each other and the third wall 133 extends between the first wall 131 and the first wall 131 between one end of the first wall 131 and the second wall 132, And second wall 132. As shown in Fig. The housing 120 has a hinge groove (not shown) formed at one end of the first wall and the second wall 132 to be hingedly connected to the housing cover 110, and the housing cover 110 The housing cover 110 is fastened to the first wall 131 and the second wall 132 in a structure in which the hinge protrusion 150 of the housing cover 110 is inserted into the housing 120 and the housing cover 110, You can pivot by reference.

The first wall 131 and the second wall 132 are formed with a first opening 124 through which the connecting end of the outer cable 200 can be inserted into the inner space of the housing 120, A second opening 122 is formed in the lower end of the inner space of the housing 120 so that the upper end of the connecting end of the second housing 200 can be exposed.

The housing cover 110 is fastened to the first opening 124 of the first wall 131 and the second wall 132 of the housing 120 and to the outer cable 200 exposed through the second opening 122 Protruding portions 114 for pressing the connecting ends of the housing cover 110 are formed at both side ends of the housing cover 110. [

The protrusion 114 may be formed of an L-shaped arm so as to be male and female engageable with the first opening 124.

The housing cover 110 includes a rib-shaped fastening portion 113 for fastening the housing 120 to the third wall 133 of the housing 120 at an end corresponding to the third wall 133 of the housing 120, And the third wall 133 is bent toward the inner space of the housing 120 so as to elastically enclose the coupling portion 113. [ That is, the portion bent inward from the third wall serves as a fastening groove for inserting the fastening portion 113. Of course, although not shown in the drawing, when a fastening portion of a hook structure is used, it is needless to say that various fastening grooves for engaging with the fastening portion of the hook structure can be applied.

A handle 112 is formed at an end of the coupling part 113 so that a user can easily open and close the housing cover 110. A third wall 133 corresponding to the handle 112 is opened, Is inserted into the open portion of the third wall 133.

The first wall 131 and the second wall 132 are bent at an angle of 160 to 180 degrees in the outward direction with respect to the inner space of the housing 120 in order to reinforce their mechanical rigidity (133, 134).

The bent portions 133 and 134 are formed so as to surround the projections 114 of the housing cover 110 corresponding to the bent portions 133 and 134 when the housing cover 110 closes the open top of the housing 120 Toward the inner space of the housing 120, as shown in Fig.

That is, the bent portions 133 and 134 are bent at the bent portions 133 and 134 of the bent portions 133 and 134 by the projecting portions 114 of the housing cover 110 when the housing cover 110 closes the open top of the housing 120 The protrusion 114 of the housing cover 110 is received inside the bent portions of the bent portions 133 and 134 and the protrusion 114 of the housing cover 110 and the housing 120 It is possible to secure the fastening. Further, due to the high mechanical rigidity and elasticity of the bent portions 133 and 134, breakage of the upper end of the housing 120 can be prevented even if the housing cover 110 is repeatedly opened and closed.

Although not shown, the third wall 133 also includes, like the first wall 131 and the second wall 132, a bent portion whose upper end is bent at 160 to 180 degrees in the outward direction, 133 are also bent toward the inner space of the housing 120 so as to enclose the fastening portions of the housing cover 110.

An elastic member 116 capable of elastically pressing the outer cable 200 is attached to the inner surface of the housing cover 110. The elastic member elastically presses the connecting end of the outer cable 200 accommodated in the housing 120, So that the PCB and the external cable 200 are in surface contact with each other, and they are firmly fixed.

At one end of the housing cover 110, protrusions 114 and 118 made of an L-shaped arm and an I-shaped arm are formed at the same time.

The protruding portion 118 made of the I-shaped arm of the housing cover 110 is longer in the downward direction than the protruding portion 114 made of the L-shaped arm, and the PCB 300 and the external cable (202, 302) having a size substantially corresponding to the size of the protrusion is formed at the connection end of the housing cover (200) so that the protrusion (118) made of the I-shaped arm of the housing cover (110) can be inserted.

At this time, when the housing cover 110 is fastened to the housing 120 to close the housing 120, the protrusion 118 made of the I-shaped arm of the housing cover 110 is inserted into the opening (not shown) of the external cable 200 202 and the openings 302 of the PCB 300, thereby fixing them.

4 to 6 are schematic enlarged views of the connector member 100, the PCB 300 and the external cable 200 in the device of the present invention, which in turn show the external cable 200, And the PCB 300 and the external cable 200 are fixed by the connector member 100 after being accommodated in the PCB 100. [

Referring first to FIG. 1, a connector member 100 is mounted on one side of a PCB 300 mounted on a device. The connector member 100 is mounted at a connection portion where the PCB 300 and the external cable 200 are electrically connected by surface contact.

6, the connection end of the outer cable 200 is received in the inner space of the housing 120 through the first opening 124 of the housing 120, and the connection of the outer cable 200 The end portion is located in the inner space of the housing 120.

7, the housing cover 110 is engaged with the housing 120 while the housing cover 110 closes the upper end of the housing 120, and the projections of the housing cover 110 and the elasticity The pressing member presses the connection end portion of the external cable 200 exposed through the second opening of the housing 120 to bring the PCB 300 and the external cable 200 into surface contact with each other while simultaneously connecting the external cable 200 to the internal space .

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims.

Claims (23)

A connector member for receiving and fixing a printed circuit board (PCB) and an external cable in a surface-to-
An opening is formed at the lower end of the connecting cable so that the upper end of the connecting end of the outer cable is exposed when the connecting end of the outer cable is received therein and the connecting end of the outer cable is accommodated, A housing having an open upper end; And
And an upper end of the connecting end of the exposed external cable through the opening of the housing is pressed upon mounting so as to cover and cover the open top of the housing so that the PCB and the external cable are brought into contact with each other, A housing cover for fixing them;
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The housing cover has a structure in which one end of the housing cover is connected to one side of the housing by a hinge structure, and is pivotally rotated with respect to the hinge to be coupled to the housing.
The housing includes a first wall, a second wall, and a third wall vertically extending from each end of the lower end, wherein the first wall, the second wall, and the third wall are disposed between the PCB and the connection ends of the external cable Forming an inner space in the form of surrounding the contact portion,
Wherein the first wall, the second wall and the third wall further include a bent portion whose upper end is bent at 160 to 180 degrees in the outward direction with respect to the inner space,
Wherein the bent portion is bent toward the inner space of the housing so that when the housing cover closes the open top of the housing, the bent portion folds a part of the end of the housing cover corresponding to the bent portion. The connector member according to claim 1, wherein the housing cover includes at least one or more projections on at least one end thereof, which are fastened to the housing or press down the external cable. The connector member according to claim 2, wherein the projecting portion is an L-shaped arm and / or an I-shaped arm extending downward from the end of the housing cover. 3. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein, of the ends, with respect to the end of the housing cover mounted to the housing in a hinged configuration, at its opposite end is affixed to the end of the housing cover, Wherein a fastening portion for fastening the connector is formed. 5. The connector member of claim 4, wherein the fastening portion is in the form of a hook and / or a rib. delete The connector member according to claim 1, wherein the first wall and the second wall are connected to the housing cover by a hinge structure. 2. The connector member according to claim 1, wherein the third wall extends between the first wall and the second wall. The connector member according to claim 1, wherein the third wall is formed with a fastening groove for fastening with the fastening portion of the housing when the housing cover closes the open upper end of the housing. 2. The connector of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first wall and the second wall has a rectangular opening having a width of 110% to 130% of the width of the external cable so that the connection end of the external cable can be inserted into the internal space. Wherein the connector member is formed of a metal. 11. The connector member according to claim 10, wherein a protrusion extending downward from an end of the housing cover is inserted into the opening. 12. The connector member according to claim 11, wherein the projecting portion is an L-shaped arm. delete delete The connector member according to claim 1, wherein the bent portion is a structure that elastically encloses a portion of an end portion of the housing cover when the housing cover closes the open top of the housing. The connector member according to claim 1 or 2, wherein an opening is formed in the connection end of the PCB and the external cable so that the protrusion of the housing cover can be inserted. The connector member according to claim 1, wherein an elastic member capable of elastically pressing an external cable is attached to the inner surface of the housing cover. The connector member according to claim 1, wherein the external cable is an FFC (Flexible Flat Cable) or an FPC (Flexible Printed Circuit). A device comprising a connector member according to claim 1. 20. The device of claim 19, wherein the device comprises a battery pack. 21. The device of claim 20, wherein the battery pack is an embedded battery pack including an external cable. 21. The device of claim 20, wherein the device comprises a PCB and the external cable of the battery pack is connected to the PCB via a connector member. 20. The device of claim 19, wherein the device is selected from a notebook computer body, a netbook body, a camera body, a mobile device body, and a wearable device body.

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