JP2000188148A - Connector - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To miniaturize the dimension in the connecting direction when a connector is connected. SOLUTION: In a couple of connectors comprising a receptacle connector 10 and a plug connector 20, each receptacle contact 15 of the receptacle connector is structured by supporting its one end part 15d by the inside surface of a receptacle housing 11, by locking a part 15b of the other side by the bottom part of the housing and by providing a contact surface 15a protruding in a spring-like form between them. Each plug contact 25 of the plug connector is formed into a cross-sectionally rectangular shape, and is structured by arranging its one surface 25a on the bottom surface of a recessed slot part 21a formed in a plug housing 21a as a contact surface and by forming a lock means on its other surface to lock and retain it with a tip part of the plug housing. The receptacle contact is prevented from being wrenched and the connector miniaturized in connecting dimension when it is fitted can be provided by this structure.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a connector and a connector cable used for transmitting information inside an electric device or between devices, and more particularly, to a connector and a connector cable used in a transportation device such as a vehicle, which has severe restrictions on external dimensions in the connection direction of the connector. Related connectors.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As shown in FIG. 5, for example, a connector used for transportation equipment such as a vehicle for transmitting electric signals has a tab-like shape projecting into a receptacle housing 81 in accordance with the number of signals. A receptacle 80 having a metal contact 85, and a socket-shaped metal contact inserted into and fitted into the housing to individually wrap the outer peripheries of the plurality of tab-shaped contacts 85 and to make an electrical connection therein; 95 with a plug 90.

The housing 8 of the receptacle 80
1 has a plug housing 9 as shown by a two-dot chain line in the figure.
In order to prevent the tab-shaped contact 85 from being deformed when the connector 1 is inserted obliquely or twisted, the dimension of the hood H of the housing 81 covering the outer periphery of the contact 85 is increased, and the contact 85 is The plug housing 95 is disposed at the back so that even when the plug housing 95 is obliquely inserted, the corners of the plug housing do not directly contact the contacts 85 in the receptacle housing 81.

[0004]

However, in the connector having the above-described structure, the plug contact 95 has a socket-like shape and is electrically connected to the tab-like contact 85 therein. It is necessary to approach the center of the housing of the socket. Therefore, in order to prevent the contact from being deformed due to stiffening or the like, it is necessary to increase the size of the hood (H in FIG. 5) of the receptacle housing. there were. For this reason, there has been a problem that the dimension in the connection direction of both connectors is increased.

Since the electrical connection is maintained by joining the outer peripheral surface of the tab-shaped contact and the inner peripheral surface of the socket-shaped contact as described above, these two contacts are locked and fixed to the respective housings. It has been necessary to provide the locking means separately from the portion for performing the electrical connection as described above. For example, in order to fix the tab-shaped contact to the receptacle housing, it is necessary to provide a fixing portion for fixing the contact exclusively at the base of the contact that protrudes into the housing and makes electrical connection. For this reason, the dimension of the fixed portion (R in FIG. 5) is required in the projecting direction of the tab, that is, the joining direction of the two connectors, and there is a problem that the dimension of the connecting direction of the two connectors is further increased. .

For example, in a connector for a board-to-wire (BW) connection provided on the back side of an automotive meter panel, which has many restrictions on the dimensions of the connector connection direction among the vehicle connectors, the above-described connector is used. The problem of larger connector connection dimensions has been highlighted as a problem to be solved in vehicle design.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems. Even when a plug is inserted obliquely, the corners of the plug housing do not come into contact with the contacts in the receptacle housing, and the two connectors have the same structure. An object of the present invention is to provide a connector in which a dimension in a connection direction is significantly reduced.

[0008]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, according to the present invention, a plurality of receptacle contacts (for example, receptacle contacts 11) are provided along the inner surface of a receptacle housing (for example, receptacle housing 11 in the embodiment) having an upper opening. Receptacle contact 1 in embodiment
5) and a plug housing (for example, the plug housing 2 in the embodiment).
In a pair of connectors each including a plug connector having a plurality of plug contacts (for example, the plug contact 25 in the embodiment) along the outer surface of 1), the receptacle contact is provided at one end thereof (for example, The support portion 15d) in the embodiment is supported on the inner wall surface of the receptacle housing, and another part (for example, the locking portion 15b in the embodiment) is locked on the bottom surface of the receptacle housing, and between them. The receptacle connector has a receptacle-side contact surface (for example, the contact surface 15a in the embodiment) that is urged toward and protrudes toward the inner surface of the receptacle housing to constitute a receptacle connector, and the plug contact is a plug that fits into the receptacle housing. The tip of the housing (for example, the locking projection 2 at the tip of the plug housing in the embodiment) b and a plug-side contact surface (for example, the contact surface 25a in the embodiment) which is locked to the plug housing at the plug contact tip end portion and is exposed on the outer surface of the plug housing. I do.

In the connector constructed as described above, the contact surface of the receptacle contact disposed along the inner wall surface of the receptacle housing and urged toward the inside of the opening is disposed so as to be exposed on the outer surface of the plug housing. The connector is connected by contacting the contact surface of the plug-side contact. Therefore, it is not necessary to dispose the receptacle contact at the center of the receptacle housing. Therefore, the hood for preventing the receptacle contact from coming into contact with the corner of the plug housing is made smaller, and the dimension in the connector connection direction is reduced. Can be.

In addition to the provision of the contact surface as described above, the receptacle contact is locked at the bottom surface of the receptacle housing, and the plug contact is locked at the tip of the plug housing. For this reason, it is possible to reduce the size required only for fixing the contact, which is conventionally required, and to reduce the size in the connector connection direction.

The receptacle contact is formed in a leaf spring shape in the vicinity of the receptacle side contact surface, and the plug contact is formed in a rectangular cross section in the vicinity of the plug side contact surface. A locking means (for example, a locking portion 25b at the tip of the plug contact in the embodiment) locked on the outer surface of the plug housing;
It is preferable that another outer surface has a plug-side contact surface (for example, the contact surface 25a in the embodiment) that comes into contact with the receptacle-side contact surface.

With the above configuration, the contact area between the two contacts can be secured, and the contact surface pressure can be appropriately and stabilized. Further, for example, by making the contact surface and the locking surface of the plug contact two opposite surfaces, the plug contact insertion / removal mechanism can be easily arranged in the plug connector.

Further, the plug connector is disposed such that the plug-side contact surface is exposed on the bottom surface of a concave groove portion (for example, concave groove portion 21a in the embodiment) formed in the outer surface of the plug housing so as to extend vertically. The receptacle connector has a plug contact, and the receptacle connector has at least an opening of the receptacle housing, and a protrusion that engages with the concave groove at the time of fitting with the plug connector (for example, the protrusion 11a in the embodiment). ) Is desirable.

With the above-described configuration, even when the plug connector is accidentally brought into contact with another member or the like during the operation of attaching or detaching the plug connector, the plug-side contact surface, which is an electrical connection surface, is disposed at the bottom of the concave groove. Since it is provided, the probability of damaging it can be significantly reduced. In addition, when the plug connector and the receptacle are connected and fitted, the concave and convex portions serve as a guide, so that the two connectors are not moved in the left and right direction in which both contacts are arranged. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the contact from being damaged by moving the contact in the left-right direction (moving in the shearing direction).

[0015]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. First, FIG. 1 shows an overall perspective view of a connector 1 according to the present invention. In the present embodiment, a board-mounted receptacle connector 10 is shown.
And a plug connector 20 of a connector cable type, which are fitted together to form a pair of connectors for board-to-wire (BW) connection.

The receptacle connector 10 mounted on the printed circuit board (B) includes a metal receptacle contact 1 having a lead 15c for mounting a substrate in a receptacle housing 11 formed of a nonconductive material such as a polymer material.
5 are held in parallel and soldered to the through holes on the printed circuit board by the lead portions 15c to transmit the signal of the board pattern to the contact surface 15a of the receptacle contact. In the illustrated receptacle housing 11, mounting holes 12a are provided in legs 12 on both left and right ends of the housing, and are fixed on a printed circuit board such as a meter panel using screws or studs.

The connector plug 20 to which the signal wire is connected has a metal plug contact 25 for crimping the wire W at a crimping portion 25c in a plug housing 21 formed of a nonconductive material such as a polymer material. A plurality of latches are held and held in parallel at the same pitch corresponding to the receptacle contacts, and signals of devices connected via the wires W are transmitted to the contact surfaces 25 a of the plug contacts 25.

On the outer surface of the plug housing 21, the plurality of plug contacts 25 are isolated from each other, and the contact surface 25a of the plug contact is damaged even when the plug connector 20 is handled, for example, by dragging a factory road. In order to prevent this, a concave groove 21a is formed, and the contact surface 25a of each plug contact is disposed at the bottom of the groove 21a.

At the opening of the receptacle housing 11 which is fitted and connected to the plug connector 20, a convex portion (11a) is formed which engages with the concave portion 21a formed in the plug housing 21. By engaging and connecting the two connectors, the contact surface 15a of the corresponding receptacle contact 15 and the contact surface 25a of the plug contact 25 in the receptacle housing 11 are brought into mutual contact with each other, and the printed circuit board ( B) and a device connected to the wire W are transmitted.

Hereinafter, the configuration of both connectors will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. First, the receptacle connector 10 has a top view in FIGS. 2A, 2B, and 2C, a cross-sectional view indicated by IIb-IIb in FIG.
Opening 1 mounted on printed circuit board B and opening upward
A plurality of receptacle contacts 15 are opposed and held in parallel in the receptacle housing 11 having Oa along the inner surface of the opening. In the following drawings, hatching of the cross section of the receptacle contact 15 is omitted.

The receptacle contact 15 is made of a highly elastic sheet metal material such as phosphor bronze, and is punched out and press-molded to form a leaf spring-like contact portion 15a, a locking portion 15b, a support portion 15d, and the like as shown in FIG. A prismatic lead portion 15c is formed, and a high-conductivity corrosion-resistant plating such as nickel plating, silver plating, or gold plating is further applied to the lead portion 15c according to the use environment to finish. Then, the receptacle contact 15 is inserted and locked from the rear side of the receptacle housing 11 by an automatic machine or the like to form the receptacle connector 10, which is mounted and held on the printed circuit board B as described above.

The receptacle contact 15 is provided with a contact insertion hole 16 formed in the receptacle housing 11.
Is locked by a locking portion 15b protruding inside the slot portion 16b, and is supported on the inner wall surfaces on both sides of the receptacle housing 11 with the folded-up end portion 15d. The dimension between the slot portion 16b of the contact insertion hole and the two inner wall surfaces is smaller than the dimension between the locking portion 15b and the support portion 15d in the natural state of the receptacle contact. When the contact portion 15a is urged toward the inside of the opening, the receptacle contact 15 having the folded U-shaped portion has a spring property and ensures the locking and holding force in the slot.

As shown in FIG. 2 (a), the opening of the receptacle housing 11 has a convex projection 11 corresponding to a portion where the receptacle contact 15 protrudes toward the inside of the opening.
a is provided, and between adjacent receptacle contacts, a rib-shaped wall is formed to partition these receptacle contacts.

In the receptacle connector 10 constructed as described above, even when a foreign object, a plug connector, or the like is obliquely inserted as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. Contact
Or, there is no worry of being twisted by the corners. For this reason, there is almost no need to provide the hood portion H which has been conventionally required, and therefore, the size of the connector in the connection direction can be reduced to provide a small-sized connector.

Next, the plug connector 20 is shown in FIGS.
3 (c) shows a top view of the plug connector 20, and FIG. 3 (c) shows a cross-sectional view taken along line IIIb-IIIb and a bottom view, in which a plug contact 25 And a plurality of parallel holding and holding. As described above with reference to the perspective view of the entire external appearance shown in FIG. 1, the outer surface of the plug housing 21 separates the plurality of plug contacts 25 and prevents the contact surface of the plug contact from being damaged.
Are formed in parallel corresponding to the number of signal poles, and the contact surface 25a of each plug contact is provided at the bottom of the groove 21a.

The plug contact 25 is made of the same metal material as the receptacle contact 15 and is formed by a similar molding technique into a rectangular prism having a rectangular end face at the tip end as shown in FIG. Contact surface 25a,
The surface facing the contact surface is provided with a locking hole 25b, and each drawing shows a state after the wire W has been crimped and gripped.
c, forming a wire gripper for gripping the coated wire,
It is finished by the same plating process as the receptacle contact 15.

Then, as shown in the figure, each wire W is crimped and gripped using a crimping tool or the like, and then inserted into the plug housing 21. A locking projection 21b is provided inside the plug housing 21 at a position corresponding to the locking hole 25b of the plug contact to be inserted, which is elastically urged outward (in the horizontal direction in FIG. 3) and protrudes. The projection is pressed along the outer peripheral surface thereof by the insertion of the plug contact 25 and is elastically deformed.
b and is engaged therewith to lock and hold the plug contact 25 in the plug housing 21.

At the upper part of the plug housing, each plug contact 25 locked as described above is further connected to the plug housing 2 at the upper part of the prism of the plug contact.
A lock spacer 27 for locking and holding is provided in the unit 1, and a double locking mechanism is formed in combination with the locking mechanism by the locking projection 21b. (FIG. 3 shows the state after locking by the lock spacer.)

In the bottom of the plug housing, there is formed a contact hole 26 for releasing the engagement of the receptacle contact 25 by the engagement projection 21b. When it becomes necessary to remove the plug contact, the locking can be released by operating the release lever portion 21c inside the contact removal hole 26 from the bottom surface of the plug housing.

The plug connector 20 constructed as described above is provided at the tip of the plug contact so as to face the contact surface 25a of the plug contact.
5b. For this reason, it is possible to provide a small-sized connector by eliminating the dimension R in the connector connection direction, which is conventionally provided only for locking the contact.

Next, the fitting state of the receptacle connector 10 and the plug connector 20 configured as described above will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 4, to explain the operation of each contact, the right half of the drawing shows the state of the receptacle contact before connection, and the left half of FIG. 4 shows the contact state of the contact in the fitted state.

When the two connectors are connected, the plug connector 20 is connected to the opening 10 of the receptacle connector by aligning the projection 11a provided on the receptacle housing 11 with the recess 21a provided on the plug housing 21.
Insert into a. At this time, since the plug connector 20 is inserted so as to be guided by the engagement of the concave and convex portions, the connectors are moved and connected only along the connection axis direction.

As shown in the right half of FIG. 4, the receptacle contact 15 is a plug contact 25 in a natural state.
And is held in a state of being urged toward the contact surface side with the contact.
Therefore, when the plug connector 20 is inserted as described above, the receptacle contact 15 is
The contact surface 25a of the plug contact and the contact surface 15 of the receptacle contact are elastically deformed between the contact 5b and the bearing 15d.
a contact each other, and furthermore, the mutual contact slides along the longitudinal direction (connection axis direction) without being twisted by the guiding action of the uneven portion, as shown in the left half of FIG. Fitted and connected.

In the connected state, the receptacle contact 15 generates a spring reaction force according to the amount of compressive deformation thereof,
A contact surface pressure is generated between the contact surface 15a of the receptacle contact and the contact surface 25a of the plug contact to press and support the plug connector 20 from both sides.

In the present embodiment described above, the case where the receptacle connector 10 is mounted on the printed circuit board B using the existing through holes and mounting holes has been described as an example, so that the receptacle contacts 15 move left and right from the receptacle housing 11. Although it is configured to protrude largely curved, the mounting method of the receptacle housing and the shape of the lead portion of the receptacle contact etc. are designed on the board (for example, drop it directly below without curving the lead portion, or Can be appropriately changed according to the peripheral device design and the like.

In the present embodiment, an example has been described in which one surface of a rectangular cross section is used as a contact surface and a locking hole is provided on the other surface as a plug contact. However, this contact is, for example, a plug for receiving a rectangular receptacle pin. It is also possible to use a contact, or to form a flat plate and provide locking means on both side end surfaces of the tip.

Further, in this embodiment, a board-mount type receptacle connector and a connector cable-type plug connector, which are fitted to each other to form a pair of board-to-wire (BW) connectors. Although the present invention has been described, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment. For example, the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and may be applied to a configuration of a board-to-board (BB) or a wire-to-wire (WW). It can be implemented similarly.

[0038]

As described above, according to the present invention, the receptacle contact disposed inside the opening of the receptacle connector has one end supported on the inner wall surface of the receptacle housing and the other part of the receptacle housing. The receptacle connector has a receptacle-side contact surface which is locked to the bottom surface and elastically projects between the receptacle housing and the inner surface of the receptacle housing. It has a plug-side contact surface that is locked and exposed on the outer surface of the plug housing, and a pair of connectors is formed using these contacts.

In the connector constructed as described above, since the contact surface of the receptacle contact is disposed along the inner wall surface of the receptacle housing, the contact between the plug housing corner and the receptacle contact due to the oblique insertion of the plug housing or the like. The size of the hood portion to be prevented can be reduced, and the size in the connector connection direction can be reduced. Also,
The receptacle contact locks at the bottom surface of the receptacle housing, and the plug contact locks at the tip of the plug housing. For this reason, it is possible to reduce the size required only for fixing the contact, which is conventionally required, and to reduce the size in the connector connection direction.

The receptacle contact has a contact surface formed in a leaf spring shape, the plug contact has a plug-side contact surface on one outer surface formed in a rectangular cross-sectional shape, and engages with the other outer surface. It is preferable to have a stopping means. With this configuration, the contact surface pressure can be appropriately and stabilized by securing the contact area of both contacts, and the contact surface and the locking surface of the plug contact are made to be two different surfaces. The plug contact insertion / removal mechanism can be easily arranged in the plug connector.

A concave groove extending vertically is formed on the outer surface of the plug housing, and the plug-side contact surface is exposed at the bottom of the groove. The receptacle connector has at least an opening at the opening of the receptacle housing. ,
It is desirable to have a convex projection that engages with the concave groove when both connectors are fitted. With such a configuration, when the two connectors are connected, the uneven portion acts as a guide, so that an unreasonable external force such as stiffness is not applied to both the contacts, thereby preventing the contacts from being damaged. it can. Also, even if the plug connector is accidentally brought into contact with other members while the plug connector is removed,
The probability of damaging the plug-side contact surface can be greatly reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external view (perspective view) of a connector according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a three-view drawing showing a configuration of a receptacle connector of the connector. Figure (a) is a top view,
(b) is a cross-sectional view of a portion indicated by IIb-IIb in FIG. (a), and (c) is a bottom view.

FIG. 3 is a three side view showing a configuration of a plug connector of the connector. Of these, figure (a) is a top view and figure (b) is a figure.
(c) is a cross-sectional view of a portion indicated by IIIb-IIIb, and (c) is a bottom view.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a connection state between the receptacle connector and the plug connector.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory view showing a conventional connector.

[Explanation of symbols]

B Board (Printed Circuit Board) W Wire (Connector Cable) 1 Connector 10 Receptacle Connector 11 Receptacle Housing 11a Convex Protrusion (Convex Protrusion of Receptacle Housing) 15 Receptacle Contact 15a Receptacle Side Contact Surface 20 Plug Connector 21 Plug Housing 21a Recessed groove (recessed groove of plug housing) 21b Locking means (plug housing protrusion) 25 Plug contact 25a Plug-side contact surface 25b Locking means (plug contact locking part)

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A receptacle connector having a plurality of receptacle contacts extending vertically along an inner surface of a receptacle housing having an opening at an upper side, and a receptacle connector holding a plurality of receptacle contacts arranged in a horizontal direction, and extending vertically along an outer surface of a plug housing. And a plug connector that holds a plurality of plug contacts arranged side by side in the left-right direction, and receives and fits the plug housing into an opening of the receptacle housing to electrically connect the receptacle contact and the plug contact. The receptacle contact has one end supported on the inner wall surface of the receptacle housing, and the other part is engaged with the bottom surface of the receptacle housing. Urged toward the inner surface of the The plug contact has a plug-side contact surface that is locked to the plug housing at a distal end of the plug housing that fits with the receptacle housing and is exposed on an outer surface of the plug housing. A connector characterized in that when the receptacle connector and the plug connector are fitted together, the receptacle-side contact surface and the plug-side contact surface come into contact with each other for connector connection. 2. The receptacle contact is formed in a leaf spring shape in the vicinity of the receptacle-side contact surface, and the plug contact is formed in a rectangular cross-sectional shape in the vicinity of the plug-side contact surface. An outer surface having a locking means to be locked to the plug housing, and the other outer surface of the rectangular cross section having the plug-side contact surface in contact with the receptacle-side contact surface. Item 2. The connector according to Item 1. 3. The receptacle connector has a plug contact having a plug-side contact surface exposed at a bottom surface of a concave groove formed on an outer surface of the plug housing and extending vertically. 3. The connector according to claim 2, wherein at least the opening of the receptacle housing has a convex protrusion that engages with the concave groove at the time of fitting with the plug connector. 4.