This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority of the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2012-061634, filed on Mar. 19, 2012, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
A certain aspect of the embodiments discussed herein is related to a contact, a connector and a method for manufacturing a connector.
A coaxial cable is widely used as a connection means of various electric circuits. In the coaxial cable, a central conductor (i.e., a core wire or a signal line) that conducts a signal, and an outer conductor (i.e., a braided shield part) to which a ground potential is given are provided concentrically. In Patent Document 1 (see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2011-23319), the central conductor and the outer conductor are soldered to a tabular conductor provided on the surface of a substrate, so that the substrate is constituted as a harness. With respect to a connection method of the coaxial cable, a method for inserting the harness into a receptacle of a connector is disclosed in Patent Document 1.
A technique concerning a contact and a connector that are connectable to the coaxial cable is disclosed in Patent Document 2 (see Japanese Registered Utility Model No. 3069472) and Patent Document 3 (see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 10-223269)
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a contact including: a cable connection portion that is connected to a signal line in an exterior cable; a fixed portion that is extended toward a front edge of the contact from the cable connection portion, and fixed to an exterior connector cover; and a connector connection portion that is extended toward the front edge of the contact from the fixed portion, and connected to a conductor of an exterior connector.
The object and advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by means of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the claims.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed.
(First Embodiment)
The connector of the present embodiment is connected to the two coaxial cables 4. Each of the coaxial cables 4 includes a core wire 41 that is a central conductor, an insulator 40 that covers the periphery of the core wire 41, and an outer peripheral shield part 42 that covers the periphery of the insulator 40 as an outer conductor. The core wire 41, the insulator 40 and the outer peripheral shield part 42 are concentrically formed as viewed from a cross-section surface of the coaxial cable 4. The core wire 41 functions as a signal line transmitting a signal.
In the coaxial cable 4, a signal is transmitted to the core wire 41, for example. On the contrary, a ground potential (GND) is given to the outer peripheral shield part 42, and a characteristic impedance is set as 50 (Ω) or 75 (Ω). There is no limitation in the material and the size of the coaxial cable 4.
The connector cover 3 is an insulating member for holding and covering the first contacts 1 and the second contact 2 as a housing, and is obtained by carrying out injection molding of an elastic plastic, for example. The connector cover 3 has a shape in which four cut edge parts 34a to 34d arranged in a width direction and through-holes 33a to 33d are provided on a rectangular parallelepiped indicated by a width W1×a length L1×a height H1. The cut edge parts 34a to 34d are spaces in the shape of the rectangular parallelepiped which exist between five wall parts 30 arranged in the width direction, respectively. The wall parts 30 are mutually opposed so as to be spaced by an interval d1 in the width direction.
Each of the through-holes 33a to 33d is a rectangular parallelepiped-like space which are surrounded with a pair of wall parts 30, a top board part 31 and a bottom board part 32, and the through-holes 33a to 33d are coupled to the cut edge parts 34a to 34d, respectively. The top board part 31 and the bottom board part 32 are spaced by an interval h and are opposed to each other in a height direction. The through-holes 33a to 33d and the corresponding cut edge parts 34a to 34d are arranged so as to be spaced by a constant pitch. For example, the width W1, the length L1, the height H1, the interval d1 and the interval h are 5.08 mm, 3 mm, 1.27 mm, 0 9 mm and 0.8 mm, respectively.
Each of the first contacts 1 and the second contact 2 is a member that electrically connects a connection object of the connector to the coaxial cable 4, and is made of a conductive component, such as copper. The first contacts 1 are connected to the core wires 41 of the coaxial cables 4, and are inserted into the through-holes 33a and 33c via the cut edge parts 34a and 34c. The second contact 2 is connected to the outer peripheral shield part 42 of the coaxial cable 4. The second contact 2 includes the two same members as the first contacts 1, and the two members are inserted into the through-holes 33b and 33d via the cut edge parts 34b and 34d.
The cable connection part 10 is connected to the core wire 41 which is a signal line of the coaxial cable 4. The cable connection part 10 includes a bottom face 100, and a pair of opposed side faces 101 stood from both ends of the bottom face 100, for example. Then, the cable connection part 10 functions as a accepting portion that accepts the core wire 41 of the coaxial cable 4. The shape of the cable connection part 10 is not limited to this, and may be the shape of a tube or a flat plate
When the first contact 1 is fixed to the connector cover 3, the cable connection part 10 is held in a position protruded from the rear edge of the connector cover 3 so that soldering is easy. A distance d3 between the side faces 101 and a height H2 are decided according to the size of the core wire 41, and are, for example, 0.5 mm and 0.8 mm, respectively.
The fixed part 11 illustrated in
The connector connection part 12 is extended toward the front edge from the fixed part 11, and is connected to a conductor of an exterior connector (i.e., the connection object). For example, the connector connection part 12 pinches an exterior convex conductor. When the connector is connected to a pin of the exterior connector which is the connection object, the connector connection part 12 pinches the connection object to secure electrical connection.
The connector connection part 12 is tabular clip members in which the front edges thereof spread toward both outsides, for example. The connector connection part 12 includes: a pair of base side walls 120 that are extended from both side ends of the bottom face 100 in the height direction; a pair of arm parts 121 that are extended toward the front edge from the pair of base side walls 120; and a pair of contact parts 122 are extended toward the front edge from the pair of arm parts 121. When the pair of arm parts 121 and the pair of contact parts 122 are press-fitted into the connector cover 3, they are held in each of through-holes 33a to 33d.
The pair of arm parts 121 extend in the shape of straight lines toward the front edge and have a function of flat springs, so that the arm parts 121 are biased in a direction in which a distance between the arm parts 121 narrows. The pair of contact parts 122 contact the connection object of the connector. The arm parts 121 have arc shapes as viewed from above so that the front edges of the arm parts 121 spread toward both outsides. Project portions of the arcs are spaced by an interval d2 and are opposed to each other. Therefore, the pin of the connection object can easily extend the pair of contact parts 122 toward outside directions and can contact the pair of contact parts 122. On the contrary, the connector connection part 12 may have a pin shape, and the conductor of the exterior connector of the connection object may have a clip shape. Here, the distance d2 is decided according to the size of the connection object, and is 0.1 mm, for example.
As described above, since the first contact 1 has the cable connection part 10 connected to the core wire 41 of the coaxial cable 4, soldering with the core wire 41 is easy. Since the first contact 1 has the fixed part 11 to be fixed to the exterior connector cover 3, the assembly work of the connector is simplified. Moreover, since the first contact 1 has the connector connection part 12 to be connected to the conductor of the exterior connector, the first contact 1 is connected to the pin which is the connection object of the connector, without using another connection member.
Then, in the first contact 1, the cable connection part 10, the fixed part 11 and the connector connection part 12 are extended according to this order, so that a conductive path from the conductor of the exterior connector as the connection object to the core wire 41 of the coaxial cable 4 is secured. Therefore, a characteristic impedance of a connection part between the first contact 1 and the coaxial cable 4 is easily matched with a characteristic impedance of a connection part between the first contact 1 and the conductor of the exterior connector, and the manufacture of the first contact 1 is easy.
The shield connection part 20 is connected at the rear edge side of the cable connection part 10, and contacts the outer peripheral shield part 42 of the coaxial cable 4. The shield connection part 20 is formed in the shape of a board, and extends in a direction perpendicular to a direction in which the cable connection part 10, the fixed part 11 and the connector connection part 12 are arranged. The present embodiment is not limited to a case where plural sets of cable connection parts 10, fixed parts 11 and connector connection parts 12, i.e., plural main units 21a and 21b are provided on the single shield connection part 20, and a single main unit may be provided on the shield connection part 20. The shield connection part 20 may be integrally molded with at least one main unit 21a or 21b.
In order to improve adhesion, the valley part 200 may be formed according to the shape of the outer periphery of the outer peripheral shield part 42. A distance between the mountain part 201 and the valley part 200 may be decided according to a distance between adjacent through-holes (33a and 33b, 33b and 33c, or 33c and 33d) or adjacent cut edge parts (34a and 34b, 34b and 34c, or 34c and 34d) of the connector cover 3 so that the main units 21a and 21b of the second contact 2 are easily inserted into the connector cover 3.
Since the second contact 2 includes the construction of the first contact 1, the second contact 2 obtains the above-mentioned effects of the first contact 1. Moreover, since the shield connection part 20 of the second contact 2 is a plate-like member, the manufacture of the second contact 2 is easy, as is the case with the first contact 1.
Next, a description is given of a method for manufacturing the connector according to the present embodiment. In a first mounting process illustrated in
Next, in a removal process, the shield connection part 20 of the fixed second contact 2 is removed. In the removal process, the coupling parts 210 are cut off along a line C in
Next, in a second mounting process illustrated in
The connector of the first embodiment is obtained by the processes described above. According to the manufacturing method, the connector can be assembled easily by the effects of the first contacts 1 and the second contact 2 described above.
In this connector, the first contacts 1 are fixed to the connector cover 3 by the fixed parts 11 so that the connector connection parts 12 are held in the through-holes 33a and 33c. On the contrary, the second contact 2 is fixed to the connector cover 3 by the fixed parts 11 so that the connector connection parts 12 are held in the through-holes 33b and 33d. The through-holes 33a and 33c for holding the connector connection parts 12 of the first contacts 1, and the through-holes 33b and 33g for holding the connector connection parts 12 of the second contact 2 are adjacent to each other. That is, the first contact 1 to be connected to the ground of the exterior connector, and the first contact 1 to be connected to the signal line the first contact 1 to be connected to are adjacent to each other.
The connector of the first embodiment is obtained by the processes described above. According to the manufacturing method, the connector can be assembled easily by the effects of the first contacts 1 and the second contact 2 described above.
The connector is connected to coaxial cable 4, so that a coaxial cable with the connector that alternately assigns a signal flowing through the core wire 41 and a ground potential of the outer peripheral shield part 42 to the through-holes 33a to 33d can be obtained. Thus, the signal and the ground potential are arranged so as to adjoin each other, so that an electrical characteristic is stabilized and impedance matching becomes easy.
(Second Embodiment)
The connector illustrated in
Therefore, it is desirable that each mountain part 201 of the shield connection part 20 is formed according to the shape of the surface of the outer peripheral shield part 42, as is the case with the valley part 200. Thus, by connecting more outer peripheral shield parts 42 to the shield connection part 20, the ground potential is stabilized and the consistency of characteristic impedances improves.
(Third Embodiment) A third embodiment illustrates an example of a connector that is applied to a twin-coaxial cable as substitute for the coaxial cable 4 described above.
In the connector cover 6, the number of through-holes 61a to 61g is different from the number of through-holes of the previous embodiments. The through-holes 61a to 61g are arranged in a line. The connector connection parts 12 of the main units 51a to 51c of the second contact 5 are held in the through-holes 61a, 61d and 61g, respectively. The connector connection parts 12 of the first contacts 1 obtained by the above-mentioned removal process are held in the through-holes 61b, 61c, 61e and 61f.
The outer peripheral shield part 74 has a flat surface extending in the width direction, and is soldered to the shield connection part 50 via the flat surface. The core wires 71 are accepted by the cable connection parts 10 of the first contacts 1 in the through-holes 61b, 61c, 61e and 61f, and soldered to the cable connection parts 10.
On the contrary, the drain wires 73 are accepted by the cable connection parts 10 in the through-holes 61a and 61d, and soldered to the cable connection parts 10. Each of the core wires 71 and the drain wires 73 is bent to compensate a positional difference between each of the core wires 71 and the drain wires 73, and each of corresponding cable connection parts 10. Since the drain wire 73 contacts the outer peripheral shield part 74, the drain wire 73 has the ground potential.
When it is assumed that each of the through-holes 61b, 61c, 61e and 61f that holds the connector connection part 12 of the first contact 1 is set as a first hole, and each of the through-holes 61a, 61d and 61g that holds the connector connection part 12 of the second contact 5 is set as a second hole, the through-holes 61a to 61g are arranged in order of the second hole, the first hole and the first hole. That is, in this connector, the assignment of terminals is performed based on a pattern of the ground potential, the signal, and the signal, as seen in the example of the codes “S” and “G” in
(Fourth Embodiment)
(Fifth Embodiment)
When it is assumed that each of through-holes 81a, 81b, 81e, 81f, 81k, 81l, 81o and 81p in upper and lower lines that holds the connector connection part 12 of the first contact 1 is set as the first hole, and each of through-holes 81c, 81d, 81g, 81h, 81i, 81j, 81m and 81n in upper and lower lines that holds the connector connection part 12 of the second contact 5 is set as the second hole, the through-holes 81a to 81h and 81i to 81p of this connector are arranged in order of the second hole, the second hole, the first hole and the first hole. Moreover, in the through-holes 81a to 81p arranged in the two lines, the second hole, the second hole, the first hole and the first hole arranged in one line are adjacent to the first hole, the first hole, the second hole and the second hole arranged in another line, respectively. Thereby, the same effects as those in the above described embodiments can be obtained.
As described above, the second contact 2 or 5 is used and the connector covers 3, 6, 8a or 8b are stacked as the stack members, so that a connector having various pin configuration can be easily obtained. There is no limitation in the number of main units, i.e., the same member as the first contact 1 in the second contact 2 or 5. As long as the connector cover 3, 6, 8a or 8b has a shape in which the fixed part 11 of the contact 1, 2 or 5 can be press-fitted and the connector connection part 12 can be held, there is no limitation in the shape of the connector cover 3, 6, 8a or 8b.
All examples and conditional language recited herein are intended for pedagogical purposes to aid the reader in understanding the invention and the concepts contributed by the inventor to furthering the art, and are to be construed as being without limitation to such specifically recited examples and conditions, nor does the organization of such examples in the specification relate to a showing of the superiority and inferiority of the invention. Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail, it should be understood that the various change, substitutions, and alterations could be made hereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2012-061634 | Mar 2012 | JP | national |