Electronic circuit module and surface-mounted connector for use in the same

Abstract

A first recessed portion shaped so as to be open toward an outer periphery of a substrate is disposed on the substrate, and a conductive pattern is provided on an edge portion of the first recessed portion. A connector mounted on the substrate includes a body and terminals which are surface-mounted on the substrate and protrude from the body. The connector is mounted on the substrate such that a bottom of the terminals is positioned higher than a bottom of the body by a predetermined height. The connector is mounted on the substrate such that the body is disposed in the first recessed portion and the terminals contact the conductive pattern on the substrate.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a hand-held game apparatus;

FIG. 2 is a six-view diagram illustrating an electronic circuit substrate 22 having a cartridge connector 21 mounted thereon;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the electronic circuit substrate 22 having the cartridge connector 21 mounted thereon;

FIG. 4 is a six-view diagram illustrating the cartridge connector 21 which is not mounted on the electronic circuit substrate 22; and

FIG. 5 is a six-view diagram illustrating the electronic circuit substrate 22 on which the cartridge connector 21 is not mounted.

Claims

1. An electronic circuit module comprising a substrate and a connector which is at least surface-mounted on the substrate, comprising the substrate including a first recessed portion shaped so as to be open toward an outer periphery of the substrate, anda conductive pattern on an edge portion of the first recessed portion, andthe connector including a body, andterminals which are surface-mounted on the substrate and protrude from the body,the connector being mounted on the substrate such that a bottom of the terminals is positioned higher than a bottom of the body by a predetermined height, andthe connector being mounted on the substrate such that the body is disposed in the first recessed portion and the terminals contact the conductive pattern on the substrate.

2. The electronic circuit module according to claim 1, wherein the connector is mounted on the substrate such that a stepped portion provided between the bottom of the body and the bottom of the terminals engages with a side surface of the substrate at the first recessed portion.

3. The electronic circuit module according to claim 1, wherein the body includes a protrusion portion,the connector is mounted on the substrate such that a bottom of the protrusion portion is positioned higher than the bottom of the body by the predetermined height, andthe connector is mounted on the substrate such that the protrusion portion engages with the substrate.

4. The electronic circuit module according to claim 3, wherein the protrusion portion protrudes from the body and has the terminals mounted thereon, andthe terminals protrude from the protrusion portion.

5. The electronic circuit module according to claim 4, wherein an outer periphery of the first recessed portion of the substrate is defined by three sides,the conductive pattern is provided near an edge portion of a center side among the three sides, andthe protrusion portion engages with the substrate at a position near the center side when the connector is mounted on the substrate.

6. The electronic circuit module according to claim 4, wherein the body has reinforcing portions extending from both sides of the protrusion portion in a direction in which the terminals protrude from the protrusion portion.

7. The electronic circuit module according to claim 6, wherein the reinforcing portions are disposed to a right and a left of the terminals.

8. The electronic circuit module according to claim 5, wherein the body further includes auxiliary protrusion portions, andthe connector is mounted on the substrate such that the auxiliary protrusion portions engage with the substrate near a right side and a left side among the three sides, respectively, and bottoms of the auxiliary protrusion portions are positioned higher than the bottom of the body by the predetermined height.

9. The electronic circuit module according to claim 1, wherein an outer periphery of the first recessed portion of the substrate is defined by three sides, and a center side among the three sides is longer than a right side and a left side among the three sides,the conductive pattern is provided near an edge portion of the center side along almost an entire length of the center side,a surface, of the body, corresponding to the center side contacts the center side when the connector is mounted on the substrate, and the surface has a longitudinal length which is substantially equal to an entire length of the center side, andthe terminals are provided at a position which corresponds to the conductive pattern when the connecter is mounted on the substrate.

10. The electronic circuit module according to claim 1, wherein the first recessed portion is formed by removing at least almost a half of one side of the substrate so as to receive the connector, andthe first recessed portion engages with the connector so as to mount the connector on the substrate.

11. The electronic circuit module according to claim 1, wherein the first recessed portion includes second recessed portions so as to prevent the connector engaging with the first recessed portion from moving sideways, andthe connector includes projections shaped so as to correspond to the second recessed portions, and the projections are disposed at positions corresponding to the second recessed portions when the connector is mounted on the substrate.

12. The electronic circuit module according to claim 11, wherein an outer periphery of the first recessed portion of the substrate is defined by three sides, andthe second recessed portions are formed on a right side and a left side among the three sides.

13. The electronic circuit module according to claim 1, wherein switch components for allowing a user to operate the electronic circuit module are disposed to a right and a left of the connector mounted on the substrate.

14. The electronic circuit module according to claim 1, wherein the electronic circuit module is accommodated in a housing so as to be pressed against the housing.

15. The electronic circuit module according to claim 1, wherein the connector is a connector into which a cartridge for a game apparatus is inserted.

16. The electronic circuit module according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined height is determined such that a bottom of the substrate is flush with the bottom of the body when the connector is mounted on the substrate.

17. A connector which is surface-mounted on a predetermined substrate, comprising a body, andterminals which are surface-mounted on the predetermined substrate and protrude from the body,the connector being mounted on the predetermined substrate such that a bottom of the terminals is positioned higher than a bottom of the body by a predetermined height, andthe connector being mounted on the predetermined substrate such that the body is disposed in a recessed portion of the predetermined substrate and the terminals contact a conductive pattern on the predetermined substrate.