The present application is based on and claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2008-15471 filed on Jan. 25, 2008, the contents of which are incorporated in their entirety herein by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a card edge connector and a method of manufacturing a card edge connector.
2. Description of the Related Art
JP-A-2000-164273 discloses a connector that includes a housing and a plurality of terminals protruding from the housing. One end portions of the terminals are soldered with respective lands on a circuit board. The other end portions of the terminals are configured to be connected with an external connector. The other end portions of the terminals are arranged in a plurality of steps in a direction vertical to a planer direction of the circuit board in addition to the planer direction of the circuit board so that a width of the connector in the planer direction of the circuit board is reduced.
In the connector, each of the terminals is required to be soldered with the corresponding land on the circuit board. Thus, the number of components and the number of manufacturing process increase. In addition, when the circuit board is discarded, a segregated disposal of the circuit board requires time and effort.
In view of such circumstances, JP-A-2003-178834 discloses a card edge connector that includes a housing and a plurality of connector terminals disposed in the housing. In the present case, a plurality of contact terminals is disposed on a surface of a circuit board. When the circuit board is inserted into the housing, the contact terminals come in contact with the connector terminals, and thereby the contact terminals and the connector terminals are electrically coupled with each other.
In the card edge connector, the connector terminals are arranged in the housing so that the connector terminals can come in contact with the contact terminals disposed on the surface of the circuit board. Thus, the connector terminals are difficult to be arranged in a plurality of steps in a direction vertical to a planer direction of the circuit board.
JP-U-6-86366 discloses a card edge connector in which connector terminals are arranged in a plurality of steps in a direction vertical to a planer direction of a circuit board. The circuit board includes a multilayered substrate. An end portion of an inner substrate extends to an outside of an end portion of an outer substrate, and a plurality of terminals is disposed at the end portion of the inner substrate and the end portion of the outer substrate. Thus, a step is provided between an inner card edge part formed at the end portion of the inner substrate and an outer card edge part formed at the end portion of the outer substrate. In the card edge connector, a plurality of connector terminals are arranged in a plurality of steps in the direction vertical to the planer direction of the circuit board so as to correspond to the terminals of the circuit board.
In a case where the step is provided by using a thickness of one substrate in the multilayered substrate, it is difficult to provide a step having an enough height. Thus, the connector terminals of the card edge connector are formed into a shape fitted into a height of the step and the connector terminals are required to be closely arranged. As a result, a short circuit may occur.
In view of the foregoing problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a card edge connector. Another object of the invention is to provide a method of manufacturing a card edge connector.
A card edge connector according to an aspect of the invention includes a housing, a first conductive part, a second conductive part, a supporting conductive part, a connecting element, a first harness, and a second harness. The housing has an insertion hole for receiving an end portion of an electronic substrate therein. The electronic substrate includes a first terminal and a second terminal disposed on a surface of the end portion, and the first terminal is located in front of the second terminal in an insertion direction that the end portion of the electronic substrate is inserted into the card edge connector. The first conductive part is disposed in the insertion hole and is configured to come in contact with the first terminal when the end portion of the electronic substrate is received by the housing. The first conductive part is located at a first distance from the surface of the electronic substrate in a direction approximately vertical to the planer direction of the electronic substrate when the electronic substrate is received by the housing. The second conductive part is disposed in the insertion hole and is configured to come in contact with the second terminal when the electronic substrate is received by the housing. The supporting conductive part is disposed in the housing and is located at a second distance from the first surface of the electronic substrate in the direction approximately vertical to the planer direction of the electronic substrate when the end portion of the electronic substrate is received by the housing. The second distance is larger than the first distance. The connecting element couples the second conductive part and the supporting conductive part. The first harness is coupled with the first conductive part and protrudes to an outside of the housing. The second harness is coupled with the supporting conductive part and protrudes to an outside of the housing.
In the present card edge connector, the first conductive part and the supporting conductive part can be arranged in the direction approximately vertical to the planer direction of the electronic substrate so as to have a predetermined distance between the first conductive part and the supporting conductive part.
In a method according to another aspect of the invention, a card edge connector adapted to receive an electronic substrate is manufactured. In the method, a first harness is coupled with a first conductive part. A second harness is coupled with a supporting conductive part. A connecting element is coupled with a second conductive part. The first conductive part coupled with the first harness is disposed in a first cavity of a first housing. The supporting conductive part coupled with the second harness is disposed in a storage cavity of the first housing. The second conductive part coupled with the connecting element is disposed in a second cavity of a second housing in such a manner that the connecting element protrudes to an outside of the second housing through a through hole of the second housing. The first housing is fitted with the second housing in such a manner that the first cavity communicates with the second cavity so as to configurate an insertion hole for receiving the electronic substrate therein and the storage cavity communicates with the through hole. The connecting element is contacted with the supporting conductive part.
In the present manufacturing method, the first conductive part and the supporting conductive part can be arranged in a direction approximately vertical to a planer direction of the electronic substrate so as to have a predetermined distance between the first conductive part and the supporting conductive part.
Additional objects and advantages of the present invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments when taken together with the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:
A card edge connector 25 according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to
The first housing 1 has a first cavity 9 and the second housing 2 has a second cavity 3. The first cavity 9 communicates with the second cavity 3 so as to configurate an insertion hole for receiving an electronic substrate 31 therein. The electronic substrate 31 is inserted into the insertion hole from the second cavity 3 to the first cavity 9.
The electronic substrate 31 is housed in a substrate housing 30. At an end portion of the substrate housing 30, a cover 30a is provided. The first housing 1 and the second housing 2 are fitted into the cover 30a. The electronic substrate 31 extends to an inside of the cover 30a. The electronic substrate 31 has a upper surface and a lower surface. At an end portion of each of the upper surface and the lower surface, a plurality of front terminals 32 and a plurality of inner terminals 33 are disposed. The front terminals 32 are located in front of the inner terminals 33 in an insertion direction that the electronic substrate 31 is inserted into the insertion hole of the card edge connector 25. The front terminals 32 are arranged on each of the upper surface and the lower surface of the electronic substrate 31 in a direction approximately perpendicular to the insertion direction of the electronic substrate 31. The inner terminals 33 are also arranged on each of the upper surface and the lower surface of the electronic substrate 31 in a direction approximately perpendicular to the insertion direction. In the electronic substrate 31 illustrated in
In the first cavity 9 of the first housing 1, a plurality of first connector pins 10 is disposed. Each of the first connector pins 10 corresponds to a first conductive part. The first connector pins 10 are arranged so as to correspond to the respective front terminals 32 disposed on each of the upper surface and the lower surface of the electronic substrate 31. When the electronic substrate 31 is inserted into the first cavity 9, the electronic substrate 31 is interposed between the first connector pins 10 located on an upper side of the first cavity 9 and the first connector pins 10 located on a lower side of the first cavity 9. The first housing 1 has a first partition 16. The first partition 16 divides a space where the first connector pins 10 are disposed into two. The first connector pins 10 are inserted into the first housing 1 from an opposite side of the contact surface of the first housing 1.
The first connector pins 10 are made of a metal having a high electronic conductivity, for example, a copper alloy. As illustrated in
The first harnesses 18a are attached with individual seals 14. The individual seals 14 are press-fitted into respective seal-housing parts provided at an end portion of the first housing 1. The individual seals 14 prevent moisture and the like from seeping to the first housing 1 from a clearance between each of the first harnesses 18a and the first housing 1. The individual seals 14 are separated for each of the first harnesses 18a as illustrated in
The first housing 1 has the storage cavities 12 on an upper side and a lower side of the first cavity 9. In each of the storage cavities 12, a plurality of third connector pins 13 is disposed. Each of the third connector pins 13 corresponds to a supporting conductive part. Each of the storage cavities 12 opens on the contact surface of the first housing 1 and the opening portion becomes a connecting-element insertion hole 19. Each of the third connector pins 13 includes a joint section, a body section, and a contact element in a manner similar to the first connector pins 10. Each of the contact elements of the third connector pins 13 is also elastically deformable. Each of the third connector pins 13 has a hole at the body section thereof. The second projections 11b provided on the surfaces of the second partitions 11 are fitted into the respective holes of the third connector pins 13. Thereby, each of the third connector pins 13 is fixed at a predetermined position.
In each of the first connector pins 10, the contact element is located at an outside of the body section. In each of the third connector pins 13, the contact element is located at an inside of the body section. The third connector pins 13 are joined with respective second harnesses 18b. As illustrated in
On an external surface of the first housing 1, a sealing member 17 having a ring shape is disposed. The sealing member 17 is made of silicon rubber, for example. When the first housing 1 and the second housing 2 of the card edge connector 25 are fitted into the cover 30a of the substrate housing 30, the sealing member 17 prevents moisture and the like from seeping into the substrate housing 30 from a clearance between an inner surface of the cover 30a and the external surfaces of the first housing 1 and the second housing 2.
In the second cavity 3 of the second housing 2, a plurality of second connector pins 4 is disposed. Each of the second connector pins 4 corresponds to a second conductive part. The second connector pins 4 are arranged so as to correspond to the respective inner terminals 33 disposed on each of the upper surface and the lower surface of the electronic substrate 31. When the electronic substrate 31 is inserted into the second cavity 3, the electronic substrate 31 is interposed between the second connector pins 4 located on the upper side of the second cavity 3 and the second connector pins 4 located on the lower side of the second cavity 3. Each of the second connector pins 4 includes a body section and a contact element. In addition, each of the second connector pins 4 is coupled with a connecting element 5. Each of the connecting elements 5 has an approximately L-shape, for example. As illustrated in
The second connector pins 4 and the connecting elements 5 are inserted into the second housing 2 from the side where the electronic substrate 31 is inserted. The second housing 2 includes a holding part 6 that holes the second connector pins 4. The holding part 6 has a plurality of through holes 7 into which the connecting elements 5 are inserted respectively. Each of the through holes 7 communicate with the corresponding storage cavity 12 through the corresponding connecting-element insertion hole 19. Thus, each of the connecting elements 5 extends from the second cavity 3 to the corresponding storage cavity 12 through the corresponding through hole 7 and the corresponding connecting-element insertion hole 19. The holding part 6 has a plurality of projects at a surface facing the second cavity 3. The projections are inserted into holes provided at the body sections of the second connector pins 4. Thereby, the second connector pins 4 are fixed to the holding part 6.
As illustrated in
The holding part 6 has a plurality of protruding portions 6a that functions as a guide. By sliding each of the protruding portions 6a along the corresponding second partition 11, the second housing 2 can be fitted with the first housing 1 so as to have a predetermined positional relationship and the protruding part 2a of the second housing 2 is fitted into the recess part 1a of the first housing 1.
The second housing 2 is formed by resin injection molding. When the resin injection molding is performed, metal plates 8 are insert-molded in the holding part 6 that holds the second connector pins 4. Because the metal plates 8 are insert-molded in the holding part 6 and the metal plates 8 are located adjacent to the second connector pins 4, the metal plates 8 can improve the strength of the holding part 6 that is a part of the second housing 2. Thus, the holding part 6 is restricted from being creep-deformed and a contact pressure between the contact elements of the second connector pins 4 and the inner terminals 33 of the electronic substrate 31 is restricted from being reduced. The metal plates 8 may also be insert-molded in the first housing 1 so as to be located adjacent to the first connector pins 10 and/or the third connector pins 13.
In the first cavity 9 of the first housing 1, a supporting member 20 is disposed for stably fixing the first connector pins 10 and the second connector pins 4. The supporting member 20 has an open box shape. The supporting member 20 has a through hole at a bottom portion thereof so that the electronic substrate 31 is inserted into the first cavity 9 from the through hole. An inner side surface and an inner bottom surface of the supporting member 20 are in contact with a side surface of the body sections of the first connector pins 10 and end surfaces of the first connector pins 10, respectively. An outer side surface of the supporting member 20 is in contact with end surfaces of the second connector pins 4.
An exemplary method of manufacturing the card edge connector 25 will be described with reference to
Then, as illustrated in
Next, as illustrated in
Next, as illustrated in
The holes of the body section of the first connector pins 10 are fitted with the first projection 11a of the second partitions 11 and the holes the body section of the third connector pins 13 are fitted with the second projection 11b of the second partitions 11. Thereby, the first connector pins 10 and the third connector pins 13 are fixed to the second partitions 11. At this time, the contact elements of the third connector pins 13 are in contact with the connecting elements 5 at the predetermined contact pressure, and thereby electric connections between the third connector pins 13 and the connecting elements 5 are ensured.
In this way, the card edge connector 25 illustrated in
In the present card edge connector 25, the first connector pins 10 are configured to come in contact with the respective front terminals 32 when the electronic substrate 31 is received by the first housing 1 and the second housing 2. The second connector pins 4 are configured to come in contact with the respective inner terminals 33 when the electronic substrate 31 is received by the first housing 1 and the second housing 2. The first connector pins 10 located on the upper side of the first cavity 9 and the second connector pins 4 located on the upper side of the second cavity 3 are located in a plan approximately parallel to the planer direction of the electronic substrate 31. In addition, the first connector pins 10 located on the lower side of the first cavity 9 and the second connector pins 4 located on the lower side of the second cavity 3 are located in a plan approximately parallel to the planer direction of the electronic substrate 31.
The second connector pins 4 and the third connector pins 13 are electrically coupled through the connecting elements 5. In the direction approximately vertical to the planer direction of the electronic substrate 31, a distance between the third connector pins 13 and the surfaces of the electronic substrate 31 is larger than a distance between the first connector pins 10 and the surfaces of the electronic substrate 31 when the electronic substrate 31 is received by the first housing 1 and the second housing 2. Thus, even if the front terminals 32 and the inner terminals 33 are disposed along the insertion direction of the electronic substrate 31, the first connector pins 10 and the third connector pins 13, which are electrically coupled with the front terminals 32 and the inner terminals 33, respectively, can be arranged in a plurality of steps in the direction approximately vertical to the planer direction of the electronic substrate 31, and a predetermined distance can be provided between the first connector pins 10 and the third connector pins 13.
Although the present invention has been fully described in connection with the preferred embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be noted that various changes and modifications will become apparent to those skilled in the art.
For example, the first harnesses 18a joined with the first connector pins 10 may be coupled with a power source (PS) as illustrated in
In the above-described embodiment, the front terminals 32 and the inner terminals 33 are disposed on both of the upper surface and the lower surface of the electronic substrate 31. The first connector pins 10 and the third connector pins 13 are arranged in two steps in the direction approximately vertical to the planer direction of the electronic substrate 31 so as to correspond to the front terminals 32 and the inner terminals 33 disposed on the upper surface of the electronic substrate 31. In addition, the first connector pins 10 and the third connector pins 13 are arranged in two steps so as to correspond to the front terminals 32 and the inner terminals 33 disposed on the lower surface of the electronic substrate 31. The front terminals 32 and the inner terminals 33 may also be disposed only one of the upper surface and the lower surface of the electronic substrate 31. Alternatively, the front terminals 32 may be disposed on both of the surfaces, the inner terminals 33 may be disposed on one of the surfaces, and the first connector pins 10 and the third connector pins 13 may be arranged in a plurality of steps on only one side corresponding to the one of the surfaces. When the, first connector pins 10 and the third connector pins 13 are arranged in a plurality of steps, the number of step may be greater than two.
In the above-described embodiment, the third connector pins 13 are disposed in the first housing 1, as an example. The third connector pins 13 may also be arranged in the second housing 2. In the present case, a cavity is provided at the first housing and the second housing 2 so as to communicate with each other, and the third connector pins 13 is inserted into the cavity from the first-housing side to the second-housing side. Thus, the connecting elements 5, which are coupled with the second connector pins 4, are not required to protrude from the second housing 2 and the connecting elements 5 may terminate in the second housing 2.
In the above-described embodiment, a housing of the card edge connector 25 is divided into the first housing 1 and the second housing 2 in view of a manufacture. However, the housing of the card edge connector 25 may be integrally formed as long as the card edge connector 25 having the above-described structure can be manufactured.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
2008-015471 | Jan 2008 | JP | national |
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
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3852700 | Haws | Dec 1974 | A |
5239748 | Hamilton | Aug 1993 | A |
5348491 | Louwagie et al. | Sep 1994 | A |
6086427 | Cahaly | Jul 2000 | A |
6830486 | Norris et al. | Dec 2004 | B2 |
6851953 | Kamiyamane | Feb 2005 | B2 |
7369415 | Kojima | May 2008 | B2 |
7524211 | Norris et al. | Apr 2009 | B2 |
Number | Date | Country |
---|---|---|
U-5-43489 | Jun 1993 | JP |
U-6-86366 | Dec 1994 | JP |
A-11-003753 | Jan 1999 | JP |
A-2000-164273 | Jun 2000 | JP |
A-2000-214214 | Aug 2000 | JP |
A-2001-230032 | Aug 2001 | JP |
A-2003-178834 | Jun 2003 | JP |
A-2004-47331 | Feb 2004 | JP |
A-2004-134214 | Apr 2004 | JP |
A-2004-273129 | Sep 2004 | JP |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20090191760 A1 | Jul 2009 | US |