Hereunder, embodiments of the present invention will be explained with reference to the accompanying drawings. An electrical connector is explained as an example.
In the embodiment, the electrical connector 1 mainly comprises a housing 50 integrally formed of a resin or the like; shield members 70 and 72 formed of thin metal plates by punching out and bending; terminals 30 in a flat plate shape formed of thin metal plates by punching out; and locking pieces 10 having a flat shape. The shield members 70 and 72 comprise a first shielding member 70 and a second shielding member 72 having complimentary shapes. The shielding members 70 and 72 are attached to an outer circumference of the housing 50 in a pair. A total of five terminals 30 are arranged inside the housing 50 in a row in parallel to a longitudinal direction with a narrow pitch. Further, two locking pieces 10 are arranged in parallel to the terminals 30 in the housing 50, so that the locking pieces 10 sandwich the terminals 30 from both sides.
In the embodiment, the electrical connector 1 is used as a plug connector. In an operation, for example, the plug connector 1 may be attached to or detached from a mating connector in a direction indicated with an arrow “H” in
As shown in
Further, the first shielding member 70 is fitted into the housing 50, and the second shielding member 72 is fitted into the housing 50 from a direction indicated with an arrow “L”. The first shielding member 70 and the second shielding member 72 substantially cover the housing fitting portion 58 and an outer circumferential of side surfaces and a rear edge side of the housing 50 when fitted into each other.
At the same time, the cable 11 is arranged such that a plate portion 84 of the first shielding member 70 and a caulking portion 83 of the second shielding member 72 sandwich the cable 11. Further, a convex portion 85 and a concave portion 86 provided at both ends of the caulking portion 83 of the second shielding member 72 are mutually complimentary. The convex portion 85 and the concave portion 86 are fitted to caulk the cable 11 and the plate portion 84 from an outer circumference thereof. As a result, the electrical connector 1 is shifted to an open state from a closed state (not shown) in a tubular shape, and the assembly is completed.
In the embodiment, a total of five terminals 30 are shown in
A size and a length of a fixing portion 32 and an arm portion 33 of each terminal 30 are substantially identical in all terminals. The arm portion 33 is in a tapered shape toward a pressing direction and includes a contact portion 34 facing upwardly on a distal thereof. The contact portions 34 contact with contact portions of mating terminals of the mating connector when the electrical connector 1 and the mating connector are fitted. The contact portion 34 may send an electrical signal from the cable 11 to the mating connector.
In the embodiment, corresponding to the grooves 55, portions 87i of the rear anchor sides (shown in
In the embodiment, the terminals 30 and the locking pieces 10 are pressed into the housing 50 in parallel through vertical openings or holes (not shown) provided in a backside of the housing 50. At this time, the terminals 30 and the locking pieces 10 are pressed into the housing 50 without forming any gap at least in the direction that the terminals 30 and the locking pieces 10 are arranged. Accordingly, a resin to form the outside cover 2 does not flow into the holes at least in the arrangement direction.
In the embodiment, after the terminals 30 and the locking pieces 10 are pressed into the housing 50, an upper half of the arm portions 33 and the contact portions 34 are exposed through terminal openings 49 communicating with the vertical openings. Further, the arm portions 33 of the terminals 30 are elastically held along terminal grooves 59 of a thin wall portion 47 of the housing fitting portion 58.
Similarly, the locking pieces 10 are elastically held along the grooves 54 provided in the thick wall portion 48 of the housing fitting portion 58 through the locking holes 46 communicating with the vertical openings, in a state that an approximate upper half of the arm portion 15 and the locking portions 14 are exposed. When the electrical connector 1 fits into the mating connector, the locking pieces 10 engage with an engaged portion of the mating connector using the locking portions 14 elastically displaceable. The fitting state of the electrical connector 1 and the mating connector are thereby maintained.
When the electrical connector 1 is fitted into the housing 50, the pressed fixing portions 16 are pressed to fix to pressed portions 52 of the housing 50 using pressed protrusions 17 provided on the arm portions 15. The pressed portion 52 of the housing 50 are disposed between the arm portions 15 and the pressed fixing portions 16, and are provide with steps 53 corresponding to the pressed protrusions 17. Accordingly, a height of the locking pieces 10 is kept low enough while fixing to the housing 50 securely.
In the embodiment, the bent portions 13 make the arm portions 15 flexible. Accordingly, an approximate entire unit of the locking piece 10 may be elastically displaced at a specific amount in a height direction (displacement direction with respect to the arm portions 15 indicated with an arrow “M” in
When the locking pieces 10 are inserted into the housing 50, the locking portions 14 may be held to stand out against the housing 50 (a thin wall portion 47 of the housing fitting portion 58) by applying a preload while no stress is imposed. Accordingly, when the electrical connector 1 fits into the mating connector, the locking portions 14 securely engage with the engaged portions of the mating connector.
In order to apply the preload, for example, abutting portions 22 may be provided between the locking portions 14 and the bent portions 13 for abutting against an upper face inner wall 69 of a distal side of the housing 50, thereby controlling an amount that the arm portions 15 may be displaced upwardly. An excess upward displacement of the arm portions 15 may be prevented through a corner protruding portion 61 protruding frontward of the housing 50.
Accordingly, a displacement amount of the arm portions 15 of the locking pieces 10 may be regulated at a specific amount and metallic fatigue caused by repeated displacements is prevented because of the abutting portions 22. Further, a stable locking force may be obtained regardless of repeated plug and unplug actions.
In the embodiment, when the electrical connector 1 is plugged into or unplugged from the mating connector, the locking portions 14 may be naturally displaced in a height direction. The plug connector 1 and the mating connector are locked or unlocked spontaneously and easily through the plug and unplug actions.
As shown in
On the other hand, a certain amount of a force is required to unplug the electrical connector 1 from the mating connector. In the present invention, an operation portion to shift the locking portion 14 to the arm portion 15 is not provided as conventionally done. Accordingly, the electrical connector 1 is not enlarged to provide the operation portion.
In the electrical connector 1 of the present invention, a size thereof is reduced from that of a conventional connector through reducing the height direction to save spaces. While the electrical connector 1 is compact, a deterioration of a locking force and a damage on the electrical connector 1 due to the repeated plug and unplug actions may be prevented.
In the embodiment, regulating portions 18 are located on the opposite side of the direction the arm portions 15, and the pressed fixing portions 16 are extended from the base portions 12. In other words, the regulating portions 18 are located on the opposite side of the fitting side with respect to the mating connector and extend from the base portions 12 along a displacement direction with respect to the arm portions 15.
In the conventional plug connector, it is necessary to securely fix a fixing portion 16′ to a housing 50′ for supporting an elastic force of a locking piece 10′. Accordingly, a base portion 12′ has a thickness increased in a plate surface direction (sheet surface direction) to enlarge a base portion thereof, thereby reducing a load to the fixing portion 16′. Alternatively, the base portion 12′ has a length increased in a height direction (indicated with an arrow “M” in
In the embodiment of the present invention, when the locking pieces 10 has a size reduced in the height direction, it is necessary to decrease the L length of the moving part. With the configuration of the conventional plug connector, the fixing portion 16′ receives an overload and may fail to support the locking piece 10′. As a result, a stress to rotate the locking piece 10′ in a displacement direction is generated upon displacement, so that, as shown in
Further, when the conventional plug connector is not provided with a print circuit board or the like (not shown), a resin to form the outside cover 2 may flow into and be solidified in a space 51′ (in a vertical direction) between the housing 50′ and the locking pieces 10′, thereby damaging spring function of the locking pieces 10′.
In the present invention, as shown in
In the embodiment, the regulating portion 18 mainly includes a narrow width portion 19 on a side of the base portion 12 and a wide width portion 21 on a side of a free edge 20. When the plug connector 1 is fitted into the housing 50, the wide width portions 21 of the regulating portions 18 and bases 23 of the fixing portions 16 completely cover the housing 50 in the height direction thereof. That is, the regulating portions 18 function as a stopper or a lid. The plug connector 1 is securely fixed to the housing 50 in the height direction through the regulating portions 18.
With the configuration shown in
As described above, the plug connector 1 is provided with the regulating portions 18. Accordingly, the connector may be downsized (especially, in the displacement direction of the locking pieces or a height of the connector), while the locking pieces 10 are fixed to the housing 50 securely regardless of repeated plug and unplug actions. Accordingly, the lock may be highly reliable and stable. Further, since the locking pieces 10 completely cover vertical holes (not shown) in the backside of the housing 50 in a vertical direction, there is no space between the housing 50 and the locking pieces 10. Accordingly, an inflow of the resin to form the outside cover 2 may be effectively prevented. As a result, the resin does not ruin a spring characteristic of the locking pieces 10, and thereby the lock may be highly reliable.
A configuration of the first shielding member 70 and the second shielding member 72 will be explained with reference to
In the embodiment, the shield fitting portion 87 is connected with the top wall 91 through the bending portion 89 and is fixed at a lower flat portion 87e. Further, slits 78 are provided in the shield fitting portion 87 to place the locking pieces 10. The slits 78 are open at the rear anchor sides 87i of the shield fitting portion 87 and closed at a connection portion 87f in a front part of the shield fitting portion 87. That is, the shield fitting portion 87 is connected to the bending portion 89 and is provided with an upper flat portion 87a, a bent portion 87h, and the lower flat portion 87e.
In the embodiment, the upper flat portion 87a is sandwiched by a pair of the slits 78. The bent portions 87h are connected with the bending portion 89 through the connection portion 87f. The lower flat portion 87e faces and is arranged in parallel to the upper flat portion 87a. The upper flat portion 87a is provided with a convex portion 87g extended in a direction perpendicular to an extending direction with respect to the slits 78. The convex portion 87g improves strength of the shield fitting portion 87 and confirms the fitting state of the electrical connector 1 and the receptacle connector.
When the first shielding member 70 is fitted into the housing 50, the rear anchor sides 87i of the shield fitting portion 87 are inserted into the grooves 55 of the housing 50 and held there. At this time, the corner protruding portion 61 of the housing 50 covers around roots of the rear anchor sides 87i externally from a top part to side surfaces. The rear anchor sides 87i is inserted into the grooves 55. Accordingly, the electrical connector 1 may become more resistant to a twisting force.
When the first shielding member 70 is fitted into the housing 50, engaging holes 76 provided in the side walls 90 engage with engaging protrusions 56 provided on the side surfaces 60 of the housing 50. Accordingly, the first shielding member 70 may engage with the housing 50. At this time, the shield fitting portion 87 of the first shielding member 70 covers an approximate circumference of the housing fitting portion 58.
A body of the second shielding member 72 is complement with the first shield member 70. When the first shielding member 70 and the second shielding member 72 are fitted together, the first shielding member 70 and the second shielding member 72 cover the housing fitting portion 58 and outer side circumferences and a rear edge of the housing 50. When the second shielding member 72 is fitted into the housing 50, engaging holes 77 provided on side walls 92 engage with engaging protrusions 57 provided in the side surfaces 60 of the housing 50. The housing 50 thereby engages with the second shielding member 72.
The electrical connector of the present invention is widely applicable to compact electronics and electrical equipment.
The disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. 2006-282846, filed on Oct. 17, 2006, is incorporated in the application by reference.
While the invention has been explained with reference to the specific embodiments of the invention, the explanation is illustrative and the invention is limited only by the appended claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2006-282846 | Oct 2006 | JP | national |