JP2020145068A - Electric connector - Google Patents

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to enable separation of a lock release member from a housing member when removing a flat signal transmission medium while preventing an electrical connector from increasing in size. SOLUTION: When a lock release member 14 is rotated to an operating position, a first engagement portion 11e provided on a housing member 11 is connected to a second engagement portion 14e provided on a main body portion 14a of the lock release member 14. to restrict the movement of the lock release member 14 in the direction in which the flat signal transmission medium PB is removed. A second engaging portion 14e is provided on the main body portion 14a of the lock releasing member 14 made of a member other than the shaft member, which is a member that prevents the unlocking member 14 from being separated and restricts the movement of the lock releasing member 14 in the removal direction. This design employs a configuration that also allows for miniaturization. [Selection diagram] Figure 21

Description

The present invention relates to an electrical connector.

Conventionally, in various electronic devices and the like, a flat plate-shaped signal transmission medium (hereinafter, referred to as "flat plate-shaped signal transmission medium") such as a flexible flat cable (FFC) or a flexible printed circuit board (FPC) has been referred to as a circuit wiring board. Electrical connectors for connecting to are widely used. This type of electrical connector is used in a state where a conductive contact member is soldered onto the main surface of a circuit wiring board and mounted, and is a flat plate signal transmission medium inserted through the insertion opening of the electrical connector. Is held in contact with the contact member so that an electrical connection to the circuit wiring board is made.

As described above, in order to hold the flat plate signal transmission medium inserted inside the electric connector, a configuration in which a part of the lock member is engaged with the flat plate signal transmission medium is generally adopted, but the lock member is used. In order to remove the flat plate-shaped signal transmission medium held by the above, the lock member in the engaged state is moved to the released state by operating the unlocking member.

Here, in Patent Document 1 below, a configuration is adopted in which the unlocking member is reciprocally rotated between a standby position which is an initial position separated from the insertion opening and an action position close to the insertion opening. By grasping the flat plate signal transmission medium with one hand while releasing the lock member, the operator can perform the removal operation with one hand, facilitating the removal of the flat plate signal transmission medium, and electric power. It is also possible to reduce the height and size of the connector.

JP-A-2018-97975

However, in the above-mentioned prior patent document, when the flat plate-shaped signal transmission medium inserted in the housing member is removed, the unlocking member rotated to the action position is sent to the operator together with the flat plate-shaped signal transmission medium. It may be gripped and separated from the housing member as it is. In order to prevent such a situation, for example, it is conceivable to increase the holding force between the shaft member and the housing member of the unlocking member, but in such a configuration, the shaft member has a larger diameter or a larger size. This may lead to an increase in the size of the electric connector.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to prevent the unlocking member from being separated from the housing member when the flat plate-shaped signal transmission medium inserted inside the housing member is removed, without causing an increase in size of the electric connector. And.

In the electric connector according to claim 1 for achieving the above object, the flat plate is formed by engaging a part of the lock member with the terminal portion of the flat plate-shaped signal transmission medium inserted inside the housing member. The state signal transmission medium is held by the lock member, and the unlocking operation portion of the unlocking member that rotates around the shaft member is brought closer to the housing member from a standby position separated from the housing member. In the electric connector in which the lock member in the engaged state is moved to the released state by rotating to the action position and the flat plate-shaped signal transmission medium is removed from the housing member, the housing member. Is provided with a first engaging portion, while a second engaging portion capable of engaging with the first engaging portion is provided on a main body portion of the unlocking member having the unlocking operation portion. When the unlocking member is rotated to the action position, the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion are engaged with each other, whereby the flat plate-shaped signal transmission medium is formed. A configuration is adopted in which movement in the direction of removal is restricted.

According to the invention according to claim 1, which has such a configuration, when the flat plate-shaped signal transmission medium inserted in the housing member is removed, the engaging force between the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion is obtained. Since the movement of the unlocking member is restricted by this, it is possible to prevent the unlocking member rotated to the action position from being grasped by the operator together with the flat plate signal transmission medium and being separated from the housing member as it is. .. In particular, since the second engaging portion, which is a member for restricting the movement of the unlocking member in the removal direction, is provided in the main body portion of the unlocking member, the member for restricting the movement of the unlocking member is a shaft member. The diameter of the shaft member is reduced or miniaturized, and the entire electric connector is also miniaturized, as compared with the configuration in which the diameter of the shaft member is increased or the size is increased by providing the shaft member.

At this time, like the electric connector according to claim 2, the first engaging portion is composed of a convex member protruding in the tangential direction of the rotation locus of the releasing operating portion, and the second engaging portion is formed. It is possible that the portion is composed of a concave member that is recessed in the tangential direction of the rotation locus of the release operation portion.

Further, like the electric connector according to claim 3, the first engaging portion is made of a concave member recessed in the tangential direction of the rotation locus of the releasing operation portion, and the second engaging portion is formed. The release operation unit can be configured to be composed of a convex member protruding in the tangential direction of the rotation locus.

Further, like the electric connector according to claim 4, the first engaging portion can be arranged at a portion near both ends of the housing member in the extending direction of the shaft member.

Furthermore, as in the electric connector according to claim 5, the first engaging portion can be arranged at a portion closer to the center of the housing member in the extending direction of the shaft member. ..

As described above, in the electric connector according to the present invention, when the unlocking member is rotated to the working position, the first engaging portion provided on the housing member is provided with the second engaging portion provided on the main body portion of the unlocking member. When the engaging portion is engaged to restrict the movement of the unlocking member in the removal direction of the flat plate signal transmission medium and the flat plate signal transmission medium is removed, the unlocking member is moved together with the flat plate signal transmission medium. A second engaging portion, which is a member that prevents the worker from being gripped and separated from the housing member as it is and restricts the movement of the unlocking member in the removal direction, is provided on the main body of the unlocking member. Since the configuration is adopted to reduce the size of the entire electric connector, the unlocking member can be separated from the housing member when the flat plate signal transmission medium inserted inside the housing member is removed. It can be prevented without inviting an increase in the size of the connector.

It is an external perspective explanatory view which showed the initial state (the state which the unlocking member is in a standby position) of the electric connector which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention from the front upper side. It is a front explanatory view of the electric connector shown in FIG. It is a plane explanatory view of the electric connector shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. It is a side explanatory view of the electric connector shown in FIGS. 1 to 3. It is explanatory drawing of the cross section along the VV line in FIG. It is sectional drawing explanatory view along the VI-VI line in FIG. It is explanatory drawing of the cross section along the line VII-VII in FIG. It is explanatory drawing of the cross section along the line VIII-VIII in FIG. It is an external perspective explanatory view which showed the lock member used for the electric connector shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 from the upper part of the back surface. It is a back view explanatory view of the lock member shown in FIG. 1 is an external perspective explanatory view showing a state in which a housing member and an unlocking member used in the electric connector shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 are disassembled. FIG. 5 is an external perspective explanatory view showing a state in which the unlocking member of the electric connector shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 is rotated to the “acting position”. It is a front explanatory view of the electric connector in the state shown in FIG. It is sectional drawing explanatory view along the XIV-XIV line in FIG. It is sectional drawing explanatory view along the XV-XV line in FIG. It is sectional drawing explanatory view along the XVI-XVI line in FIG. FIG. 3 is an explanatory cross-sectional view taken along the line XVII-XVII in FIG. FIG. 5 is an external perspective explanatory view showing a state in which a flat-plate signal transmission medium is inserted into the electric connector in the initial state shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 from the front upper side. It is a front explanatory view of the electric connector in the state which the flat-plate signal transmission medium shown in FIG. 18 is inserted. FIG. 5 is an explanatory cross-sectional view taken along the line XX-XX in FIG. 18 is an external perspective explanatory view showing a state in which the unlocking member of the electric connector in the state in which the flat plate-shaped signal transmission medium shown in FIGS. 18 to 20 is inserted is rotated to the “acting position”. It is an external perspective explanatory view which showed the flexible printed circuit board (FPC) which is an example of a flat plate signal transmission medium.

Hereinafter, the electric connector according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[Overall structure of electrical connector]
The electric connector 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIGS. 1 to 8 is a circuit wiring board (not shown) which constitutes a part of an electronic circuit provided in various electronic devices such as a smartphone. The electric connector 1 is mounted on the main surface of the circuit board by soldering or the like, and the electric connector 1 is arranged so as to stand up in a direction perpendicular to the main surface of a circuit wiring board (not shown) arranged substantially horizontally. It has a housing member 11 to be formed. The housing member 11 is formed of an insulating hollow frame-like body extending in an elongated shape along a main surface of a circuit wiring board (not shown).

In the following, it is assumed that the main surface of the circuit wiring board (not shown) extends in a horizontal state, and the direction in which the housing member 11 rises from the main surface of the circuit wiring board (not shown) is "upward". The direction opposite to the rising direction of the housing member 11 is defined as "downward". Further, the direction in which the housing member 11 extends in an elongated shape is defined as the "connector longitudinal direction", and the direction orthogonal to both the "connector longitudinal direction" and the "vertical direction" is defined as the "connector width direction". Further, in the "connector width direction", the direction toward the front where the unlocking member 14 described later is provided is referred to as "front", and the direction toward the opposite direction is referred to as "rear".

An insertion opening 11a extending in a slit shape along the "longitudinal direction of the connector" is provided on the upper end surface of the housing member 11 described above, and is as shown in FIG. 22 through the insertion opening 11a. A flat-plate signal transmission medium PB such as a flexible printed circuit board (FPC) is inserted inside the housing member 11. That is, in the portion from the insertion opening 11a to the inside of the housing member 11, a hollow medium insertion passage 11b in which the terminal portion of the flat plate signal transmission medium PB is housed extends "downward". It is provided.

When the flat plate signal transmission medium PB is inserted into the medium insertion passage 11b in this way, first, the terminal portion of the flat plate signal transmission medium PB is arranged to face each other above the insertion opening 11a of the housing member 11. The terminal portion of the flat-plate signal transmission medium PB held in a raised state, that is, in a state of being erected in a direction substantially orthogonal to the main surface of the circuit wiring board (not shown), is pushed downward. , As shown in FIGS. 18 to 20, the terminal portion of the flat plate signal transmission medium PB is inserted from the insertion opening 11a toward the inside of the medium insertion passage 11b.

According to the insertion structure of the flat plate signal transmission medium PB, the insertion is performed while the positional relationship between the insertion opening 11a and the flat plate signal transmission medium PB is easily observed from above the housing member 11. The operation of inserting the flat plate signal transmission medium PB is easily and accurately performed, and the state of the flat plate signal transmission medium PB after insertion is immediately confirmed.

[About housing members and contact members]
As described above, in the medium insertion passage 11b of the housing member 11 into which the terminal portion of the flat plate signal transmission medium PB is inserted, as shown in FIG. 5, a contact member made of a plurality of conductive members. The (conductive terminals) 12 are attached in parallel along the "longitudinal direction of the connector" at predetermined intervals. Each of these contact members 12 has an elastic beam portion 12a extending in the vertical direction along the medium insertion passage 11b of the housing member 11, and a circuit wiring board (at the lower end portion of the elastic beam portion 12a). A board connecting leg 12b connected to (not shown) is provided.

The board connecting legs 12b provided at the lower end of each contact member 12 project outward of the housing member 11 by extending substantially horizontally toward the rear (left side in FIG. 5). A signal is obtained by soldering the tip portion (rear end portion) protruding outward to a signal or ground conductive path (not shown) formed on the surface of a circuit wiring board (not shown). A part of the transmission circuit or the ground circuit is configured. It is possible to collectively perform the soldering work on the substrate connecting legs 12b arranged in parallel over a plurality of bodies.

Further, the elastic beam portion 12a described above is bent upward at a substantially right angle from the inner end portion (right end portion in FIG. 5) opposite to the solder joint portion (outer end portion) of each substrate connecting leg portion 12b. It extends like a right angle. The elastic beam portion 12a extends upward along the inner wall surface of the medium insertion passage 11b, and then extends diagonally upward toward the inside of the medium insertion passage 11b, and extends to the upper end portion of the elastic beam portion 12a. Is provided with a protruding contact portion 12c that contacts the terminal portion (not shown) of the flat plate signal transmission medium PB. The protruding contact portion 12c is formed so as to project in a substantially "<" shape on the side surface toward the internal space of the medium insertion passage 11b.

[About signal transmission media]
At the terminal portion of the flat plate-shaped signal transmission medium PB inserted inside the housing member 11, as shown in FIG. 22, a signal conductive path PB1 serving as a terminal portion exposed to the outside is a contact member. A plurality of them are provided in parallel in the "longitudinal direction of the connector" at intervals corresponding to 12. Further, a positioning portion PB2 composed of a pair of notch-shaped recesses is formed at an end edge portion of the flat plate-shaped signal transmission medium PB located outside the arrangement direction of the plurality of signal conductive paths PB1. The pair of positioning portions PB2 provided on the flat plate signal transmission medium PB are configured to engage the locking portions 13a of the locking member 13 (described later) attached to the electric connector 1. By the engaging action of 13, the inserted state of the flat plate signal transmission medium PB is maintained.

[About lock members]
A pair of lock members 13 and 13 formed by bending a thin plate-shaped metal member are directed from below to above inside the housing member 11 at both ends in the "connector longitudinal direction" of the housing member 11 described above. It is press-fitted and attached. The pair of lock members 13 and 13 are mounted so as to be symmetrically opposed to each other at both end portions in the "connector longitudinal direction", and by providing the pair of lock members 13 and 13 in this way, the electric connector 1 is provided. The inserted state of the flat plate signal transmission medium PB can be stably maintained.

Since both of these lock members 13 and 13 have the same configuration symmetrically, only one lock member 13 will be described in the following description, and the other lock member 13 will be described. The same reference numerals are given to the above, and the description thereof will be omitted.

In the lower portion of the lock member 13, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, a base frame plate 13b extending in a substantially U-shape in a plane along the outer shape of both end portions of the housing member 11 is provided. It is provided. A fixing piece 13c is provided on the outermost outermost wall portion (left end wall portion in FIG. 10) of the base frame plate 13b in the “longitudinal direction of the connector” so as to project upward, and the fixing piece 13c is provided. Is press-fitted into the housing member 11 to be locked, so that the entire lock member 13 is fixed.

The base frame plate 13b described above has a plate-shaped front wall portion (back wall portion in FIG. 10) and a back wall portion (front wall portion in FIG. 10) arranged so as to face each other in the “connector width direction”. A stopper piece 13d is provided on the rising portion of the back wall portion thereof so as to cut off a part of the rising portion of the back wall portion. The stopper piece 13d extends downward from the root portion of the upper end in a cantilever shape, and the lower end edge of the stopper piece 13d is a housing member 11 as shown in FIG. The locking member 13 is prevented from falling down by being abutted from above against the receiving surface extending substantially horizontally.

That is, the vertical counterforce against the housing member 11 by the stopper piece 13d described above prevents the entire lock member 13 from falling off downward, and the flat plate-shaped signal transmission medium PB is pulled out upward. At that time, the housing member 11 is prevented from being separated from the housing member 11 by coming out of the lock member 13 upward together with the flat plate signal transmission medium PB.

Further, the lower end edges of the front wall portion (back wall portion in FIG. 10) and the back wall portion (front wall portion in FIG. 10) constituting each of the base frame plates 13b described above are formed along the "connector width direction". Substrate connecting legs 13e and 13e made of plate-shaped members projecting substantially horizontally are provided, respectively. Each of these board connecting legs 13e is soldered to, for example, a conductive path for ground formed on a circuit wiring board (not shown), whereby a part of the ground circuit is formed and electricity is formed. The entire connector 1 is firmly held on the circuit wiring board.

Further, from the upper end edge of the front wall portion (the inner wall portion in FIG. 10) constituting the base frame plate 13b described above, a pair of lock arm members 13f and 13f made of elastically displaceable beam-shaped members are upward. It is bifurcated and protrudes toward. Each of these lock arm members 13f extends upward along the inner wall surface of the medium insertion passage 11b from the upper end edge of the front wall portion of the base frame plate 13b described above, and is located near the insertion opening 11a described above. After extending to the inside of the medium insertion passage 11b (inside the connector), it is folded back in a curved shape so as to form a substantially inverted U-shape on the side surface, and hangs downward from the folded portion. It extends like a cantilever.

The cantilever-shaped extending portion downward from the folded portion constituting the upper end portion of each lock arm member 13f described above is elastically displaceable in the "connector width direction" around the folded portion and its vicinity. It is done in part. A locking portion 13a that engages with the positioning portion PB2 of the above-mentioned flat plate signal transmission medium PB is provided in the lower end region of the swinging portion of each of the lock arm members 13f. Here, the reason why the lock arm member 13f has a bifurcated structure (see FIG. 9) as described above is to ensure good flexibility and rigidity of the lock arm member 13f.

The bifurcated lock arm member 13f extends downward from the folded portion at the upper end by a predetermined amount, but the lower end edge portions of the pair of lock arm members 13f and 13f are in the "connector longitudinal direction". It is integrally connected by an arm connecting portion 13g extending to. Of the pair of lock arm members 13f and 13f integrated by the arm connecting portion 13g, the locking portion 13a described above is a medium on the side edge portion of the lock arm member 13f closer to the center of the electric connector 1. It is provided so as to project inward of the insertion passage 11b.

The locking portion 13a is formed of a substantially triangular hook-shaped member, and projects from the side edge portion of the lock arm member 13f to the medium insertion passage 11b of the housing member 11 so as to bend at a substantially right angle. The lower end edge corresponding to the triangular base forming the outer shape of the locking portion 13a is an engaging side with respect to the positioning portion PB2 of the flat plate-shaped signal transmission medium PB described above, and the positioning portion PB2 thereof. The engagement side of the locking portion 13a can be engaged with the inner peripheral edge portion.

Further, from the engaging side of the locking portion 13a, the guide side having the guide function for the positioning portion PB2 of the flat plate-shaped signal transmission medium PB described above forms an inclined surface shape that reduces the amount of protrusion upward. After the terminal portion of the flat plate-shaped signal transmission medium PB extending and inserted into the medium insertion passage 11b of the housing member 11 moves so as to ride on the guide side of the locking portion 13a while contacting from above. The engaging side of the locking portion 13a is engaged with the positioning portion PB2 of the flat plate signal transmission medium PB.

The contact-shaped member indicated by reference numeral 13h in FIGS. 9 and 10 constitutes a terminal member for grounding, and is a back side wall portion of the base frame plate 13b described above (front wall portion in FIG. 10). Cantileverly protrudes diagonally upward from the medium insertion passage 11b. A ground contact portion that comes into contact with a ground terminal portion (not shown) provided on the flat plate signal transmission medium PB is provided at the upper end portion of the ground contact-shaped member 13h.

[About unlocking member]
The lock member 13 having such a configuration is provided with an unlock member 14 for disengaging the locking portion 13a from the positioning portion PB2 of the flat plate signal transmission medium PB. The unlocking member 14 has a configuration in which the pair of locking members 13 and 13 described above are operated at the same time, and as shown in FIG. 11, a plate extending in the "connector longitudinal direction" in particular. The main body portion 14a made of the shaped member extends along the upper edge portion of the front wall portion (right wall portion in FIG. 5) of the housing member 11 described above.

The main body portion 14a described above integrally has a release operation portion 14b described later in the central region of the “connector longitudinal direction”, and a substantially central region of the “connector longitudinal direction” at the lower end portion of the release operation portion 14b. Has a rotation support shaft 14c. The rotation support shaft 14c is rotatably supported by the inner wall surface of the bearing recess 11c provided in the front wall portion (right wall portion in FIG. 5) of the housing member 11 in a substantially horizontally extending state. The entire lock release member 14 is integrally rotated around the rotation support shaft 14c. The detailed structure of the bearing recess 11c described above will be described later.

Here, the above-mentioned rotation support shaft 14c has an outer peripheral sliding surface 14c1 having an arc-shaped cross section and a stopper surface 14c2 having a flat surface shape, as shown in FIG. The entire unlocking member 14 rotatably held by the outer peripheral sliding surface 14c1 having an arcuate cross section is in the initial position shown in FIGS. 1 to 8 with the rotation support shaft 14c as the center. It is configured to reciprocate between the "position" and the "acting position" shown in FIGS. 12 to 17. Then, when the unlocking member 14 is located at the "acting position", the stopper surface 14c2 of the rotation support shaft 14c described above comes into contact with the upper surface portion of the inner wall surface forming the bearing recess 11c. The structure is such that the subsequent rotation of the unlocking member 14 is restricted.

If the rotation support shaft 14c is provided with the stopper surface 14c2 that regulates the rotation range when the release operation unit 14b is operated, the excessive rotation operation of the lock release member 14 is restricted. It is possible to obtain actions and effects such as avoiding plastic deformation of the lock member 13 and preventing damage to each part constituting the connector 1.

Here, the bearing recess 11c described above is formed below the bearing body 11d projecting from the front wall portion (right wall portion in FIG. 5) of the housing member 11. The bearing body 11d is provided in a state of forming a block shape in a substantially central portion of the housing member 11 in the “connector width direction” and projecting “forward”, and a groove formed below the bearing body 11d. The shaped recess is formed in the bearing recess 11c. Further, the lower end surface of the bearing body 11d constituting the bearing recess 11c is formed so as to form a flat surface, and as described above, the stopper surface 14c2 of the rotation support shaft 14c is the bearing body 11d. The rotation of the unlocking member 14 is restricted by abutting on the lower end surface of the.

On the other hand, a pair of unlocking action portions 14d and 14d are integrally provided at both end portions of the main body portion 14a of the above-mentioned unlocking member 14 in the "connector longitudinal direction". These release action portions 14d and 14d are arranged at the outermost end portion of the medium insertion passage 11b including the insertion opening 11a described above in the "connector longitudinal direction", and the pair of release action portions 14d and 14d are arranged with each other. , The main body portion 14a described above is connected so as to be integrated.

Each of these releasing action portions 14d has a claw-shaped contact portion 14d1 extending downward from the main body portion 14a, particularly as shown in FIGS. 8 and 11. The claw-shaped contact portion 14d1 is arranged so as to hang downward inside the medium insertion passage 11b, with respect to the arm connecting portion 13g of the above-mentioned lock member 13 also arranged in the medium insertion passage 11b. It is arranged so as to face the "connector width direction" from the back surface (right side in FIG. 8).

Then, by the release operation applied to the release operation unit 14b described below, the release action unit 14d is rotated clockwise (clockwise) in FIG. 8 around the rotation support shaft 14c. The claw-shaped contact portion 14d1 provided on the release action portion 14d is configured to come into contact with the arm connecting portion 13g of the lock member 13 from the back surface (right side in FIG. 8).

As described above, when the claw-shaped contact portion 14d1 of the release action portion 14d comes into contact with the arm connecting portion 13g of the lock member 13 and then the release operation by the release operation portion 14b described later is further continued, in particular, FIG. As shown in, the claw-shaped contact portion 14d1 of the release action portion 14d presses the arm connecting portion 13g of the lock member 13 toward the front surface (left side in FIG. 15), whereby the lock member 13 The lock arm members 13f and 13f are elastically displaced, and the locking portion 13a is configured to be displaced toward the front surface (left side in FIG. 15).

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 11, a block-shaped release operation portion 14b is integrally provided at a substantially central portion in the "connector longitudinal direction" of the main body portion 14a of the above-mentioned unlock member 14. ing. The release operation portion 14b extends over a length of about two-thirds of the main body portion 14a in the "longitudinal direction of the connector", and has an outer wall surface having a flat surface shape to which the fingertips of the operator can contact. are doing.

As shown in FIG. 8, the release operation unit 14b described above is arranged in a region located opposite to the release action unit 14d described above in the direction of the rotation radius centered on the rotation support shaft 14c. The release operation unit 14b and the release action unit 14d are arranged so as to face each other with the rotation support shaft 14c in between. More specifically, the release operation unit 14b is arranged in a region above the rotation support shaft 14c described above and in a region closer to the front surface (left side in FIG. 8) in the "connector width direction". , The "standby position" (see FIGS. 1 to 8) at which the release operation unit 14b is initially separated from the insertion opening 11a, and the "action position" close to the insertion opening 11a (FIGS. 12 to 12). (See FIG. 17), it is configured to be able to reciprocate around the rotation support shaft 14c.

When the release operation portion 14b of the lock release member 14 moves so as to rotate about the rotation support shaft 14c in this way, the release operation portion 14b is a flat plate inserted into the medium insertion passage 11b of the housing member 11. It is close to the signal transmission medium PB. On the other hand, the claw-shaped contact portion 14d1 of the release action portion 14d arranged closer to the region opposite to the release operation portion 14b (rear region shown in FIG. 8) with the rotation support shaft 14c sandwiched between them is a housing member. It is separated from the flat plate signal transmission medium PB inserted into the medium insertion passage 11b of 11 toward the front direction (left direction in FIG. 8).

More specifically, first, when the release operation unit 14b is in the "standby position" separated from the insertion opening 11a, as shown in FIG. 8, the claw-shaped contact portion 14d1 of the release action unit 14d is locked. The lock arm members 13f and 13f are arranged so as to be separated from the arm connecting portion 13g of the member 13, that is, the claw-shaped contact portion 14d1 is not elastically displaced without pressing the arm connecting portion 13g. Then, in the state where the release operation unit 14b is in the “standby position” in this way, the terminal portion of the flat plate signal transmission medium PB is inserted into the medium insertion passage 11b of the housing member 11 as shown in FIGS. 18 to 20. Then, the flat plate signal transmission medium PB is locked by the locking portion 13a of the locking member 13.

Further, from the locked state of the flat plate signal transmission medium PB described above, as shown in FIGS. 12 to 17, the release operation unit 14b is rotated to the “action position” so as to be close to the insertion opening 11a. Then, the claw-shaped contact portion 14d1 of the release action portion 14d comes into contact with the arm connecting portion 13g of the lock member 13 and is in a pressing state, as shown in FIG. As a result, the lock arm members 13f and 13f are elastically displaced toward the front direction (left side in FIG. 15), and are in an engaged state with the positioning portion PB2 of the flat plate signal transmission medium PB until then. The locking portion 13a is separated from the positioning portion PB2 of the flat plate signal transmission medium PB and is in a released state, so that the flat plate signal transmission medium PB can be removed.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 11, a bearing body forming a bearing recess 11c in the central region in the "connector width direction" at the upper end edge portion of the front wall portion (left wall portion in FIG. 5) of the housing member 11. Although 11d is provided, a pair of first engaging portions 11e and 11e are provided on both sides of the bearing body 11d in the "connector longitudinal direction". The pair of first engaging portions 11e and 11e are arranged at portions near both ends of the housing member 11 in the "connector longitudinal direction", and each of the first engaging portions 11e is a front wall portion of the housing member 11. It is composed of a convex member protruding in a square columnar shape from (the right wall portion in FIG. 6) toward "front (right side in FIG. 6)".

The protruding directions of the first engaging portions 11e and 11e are in the tangential direction of the rotation locus of the unlocking operation portion 14b of the unlocking member 14 described above, with respect to the first engaging portions 11e and 11e. A pair of second engaging portions 14e, 14e provided on the unlocking member 14 so as to project in the tangential direction of the rotation locus can be engaged. These second engaging portions 14e and 14e are formed from holes that penetrate the main body portion 14a of the unlocking member 14 described above in the "connector width direction".

The holes constituting the second engaging portions 14e and 14e have an inner wall surface having a prismatic shape that is one size larger than the first engaging portions 11e and 11e of the housing member 11 described above. 1 At a position facing the engaging portions 11e and 11e in the "connector width direction", the front surface has a substantially rectangular opening, and the rotation locus of the unlocking member 14 is provided from the substantially rectangular opening. It is formed in a state of being recessed in the tangential direction of.

Then, as shown in FIG. 16, when the unlocking member 14 is rotated to the action position, the first engaging portions 11e and 11e provided on the housing member 11 are attached to the unlocking member 14. It is in a state of being inserted inside the provided second engaging portions 14e and 14e, and the upper end surfaces of the first engaging portions 11e and 11e and the upper end surfaces of the second engaging portions 14e and 14e are "up and down". The movement of the unlocking member 14 described above is restricted in the upward direction in which the flat plate-shaped signal transmission medium PB is removed by being in an engaged state facing a state close to the "direction".

In the present embodiment having the above-described configuration, as shown in FIGS. 18 to 20, the flat plate-shaped signal transmission medium PB inserted inside through the insertion opening 11a of the housing member 11 is placed above the housing member 11. In order to remove the housing, the state of being locked by the lock member 13 is first released. Therefore, for example, by pressing the fingertip of the operator against the release operation unit 14b of the lock release member 14, the release operation unit 14b is rotated to the "action position" as shown in FIG. 21. As a result, the unlocking operation portion 14b of the unlocking member 14 is moved to a state close to the main surface of the flat plate-shaped signal transmission medium PB inserted in the insertion opening 11a. The fingertips of the operator pressed against the release operation unit 14b of the lock release member 14 are in contact with the main surface of the flat plate signal transmission medium PB at the same time.

That is, by operating the unlocking member 14 with a fingertip, the operator can grasp the flat plate signal transmission medium PB while releasing the locked state of the locking member 13, and as a result, only one hand is used. The flat plate signal transmission medium PB can be removed by the operation of.

On the other hand, when the flat plate-shaped signal transmission medium PB inserted inside the housing member 11 as described above is removed, the unlocking member 14 rotated to the "acting position" is together with the flat plate-shaped signal transmission medium PB. Although it may be gripped by an operator and separated from the housing as it is, in the present embodiment, the first engaging portion 11c provided on the housing member 11 is engaged with the second engaging portion provided on the unlocking member 14. Since the joint portion 14e is in the engaged state, the movement of the unlocking member 14 is restricted by the engagement between the first engaging portion 11c and the second engaging portion 14e, and the lock is locked. Separation of the release member 14 from the housing member 11 is prevented.

In particular, in the present embodiment, as described above, the second engaging portion 14e that regulates the movement of the unlocking member 14 in the removal direction (upward direction) is a member other than the rotation support shaft (shaft member) 14c. Since it is provided on the main body portion 14a of the unlocking member 14, the structure is such that the shaft member is provided with a member for restricting the movement of the unlocking member 14 to increase the diameter or size of the shaft member. In comparison, the diameter of the shaft member is reduced or the size is reduced, and the entire electric connector 1 is also reduced in size.

Although the invention made by the present inventor has been specifically described above based on the embodiment, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment and can be variously modified without departing from the gist thereof. Needless to say.

For example, the second engaging portion 14e in the above-described embodiment is formed from a hole portion that penetrates the main body portion 14a of the unlocking member 14, but may also be formed by a recess or a groove portion that does not penetrate the main body portion 14a. It is possible.

Further, by reversing the uneven relationship between the first engaging portion 11e and the second engaging portion 14e in the above-described embodiment, the first engaging portion 11e is moved toward the tangential direction of the rotation locus of the releasing operation portion 14b. In addition to being composed of a concave member that is recessed, the second engaging portion 14e can also be composed of a convex member that protrudes in the tangential direction of the rotation locus of the release operation portion 14b.

Further, the first engaging portion 11e provided on the housing member 11 is not limited to the configuration in which the first engaging portion 11e is arranged near both ends of the housing member 11 as in the above-described embodiment, and is closer to the center of the housing member 11. It is also possible to place it in the part of.

Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the present invention is applied to an electric connector having a structure in which a flat plate signal transmission medium PB is inserted / removed in a direction substantially perpendicular to a circuit wiring board to which the electric connector 1 is attached. However, the present invention can be similarly applied to an electric connector having a structure in which the connector is inserted / removed in a direction substantially horizontal to the circuit wiring board.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, a pair of lock members 13 are provided on the housing member 11, but the structure is not limited to this, and one lock member 13 is provided on the housing member 11. However, three or more may be provided.

Further, the electric connector according to the present invention is not limited to the one that connects the flat plate signal transmission medium as in the above-described embodiment, and there are various types that electrically connect the substrate to the substrate or the cable to the substrate. The present invention can be similarly applied to various electric connectors.

As described above, the present invention can be widely applied to a wide variety of electrical connectors used in electronic devices.

1 Electrical connector 11 Housing member 11a Insertion opening 11b Medium insertion passage 11c Bearing recess 11d Bearing body 11e First engaging part 12 Contact member (conductive terminal)
12a Elastic beam part 12b Board connection leg part 12c Protruding contact part 13 Lock member 13a Locking part 13b Base frame plate 13c Fixing piece 13d Stopper piece 13e Board connection leg part 13f Lock arm member 13g Arm connecting part 13h Contact-like member for shielding 14 Unlocking member 14a Main body part 14b Unlocking operation part 14c Rotating support shaft 14c1 Outer peripheral sliding surface 14c2 Stopper surface 14d Unlocking action part 14d1 Claw-shaped contact part 14e Second engaging part PB Flat plate signal transmission medium PB1 Signal conductive path PB2 positioning part

Claims (5)

A part of the lock member is engaged with the terminal portion of the flat plate signal transmission medium inserted inside the housing member, so that the flat plate signal transmission medium is held by the lock member. hand,
The lock in the engaged state is obtained by rotating the unlocking operation portion of the unlocking member that rotates around the shaft member from a standby position separated from the housing member to an action position approaching the housing member. In an electric connector in which the member is moved to the released state and the flat plate-shaped signal transmission medium is removed from the housing member.
While the housing member is provided with the first engaging portion, the main body portion of the unlocking member having the unlocking operation portion has a second engaging portion capable of engaging with the first engaging portion. It was provided and
When the unlocking member is rotated to the action position, the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion are engaged with each other, so that the flat plate-shaped signal transmission medium is removed. An electrical connector characterized by restricted movement. The first engaging portion is composed of a convex member that protrudes in the tangential direction of the rotation locus of the releasing operation portion, and also
The electric connector according to claim 1, wherein the second engaging portion includes a concave member that is recessed in the tangential direction of the rotation locus of the releasing operation portion. The first engaging portion is made of a concave member that is recessed in the tangential direction of the rotation locus of the releasing operation portion, and is also formed.
The electric connector according to claim 1, wherein the second engaging portion comprises a convex member that protrudes in a tangential direction of the rotation locus of the releasing operation portion. The electric connector according to claim 1, wherein the first engaging portion is arranged at a portion near both ends of the housing member in the extending direction of the shaft member. The electric connector according to claim 1, wherein the first engaging portion is arranged at a portion closer to the center of the housing member in the extending direction of the shaft member.

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