Contact member

A contact member for which downsizing beyond conventional products is feasible is provided. The contact member includes a base portion, a contact portion, and a spring portion. The spring portion includes a first extension portion, a second extension portion, a third extension portion, and a fourth extension portion. The first extension portion is bent from a rear end of the base portion and extends upward. The second extension portion is bent from an upper end of the first extension portion and extends forward, and its upper surface is made to be a sucked surface that is capable of being attracted to a suction nozzle of an automatic mounting machine. The third extension portion is bent from a front end of the second extension portion and extends forward obliquely downward. The fourth extension portion is bent from a front end of the third extension portion, extends upward obliquely rearward, and is provided with the contact portion on a distal end side in its extension direction.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is based on and claims the benefit of priority of the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2019-084045, filed on Apr. 25, 2019, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present disclosure relates to a contact member.

2. Description of the Related Art

Japanese Patent No. 5124789 (JP-5124789) discloses a surface mount contact (equivalent to a contact member in the present disclosure). The surface mount contact described in JP-5124789 is a member that is mounted on a ground pattern of a printed circuit board and makes it conductive between the printed circuit board and a conductive member such as a chassis or the like.

As the devices become more multi-functional and downsized, the densification of board mount components has been advanced at an accelerated pace. For this reason, downsizing has also been desired for an individual board mount component. The surface mount contact shown above is no exception either and further downsizing has been desired.

One aspect of the present disclosure is to provide a contact member for which downsizing beyond conventional products is feasible.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A contact member in one aspect of the present disclosure is made up of sheet metal, and is structured to electrically connect a first member and a second member when surface-mounted on the first member and sandwiched between the first member and the second member. The contact member includes a base portion, a contact portion, and a spring portion. The base portion has a joining surface that is soldered to the first member when the contact member is used. The contact portion comes into contact with the second member when the contact member is used. The spring portion extends from one end of the base portion, is provided with the contact portion on a distal end side in an extension direction thereof, and makes the contact portion pressure-contact with the second member by elastically deforming when the contact portion comes into contact with the second member. By defining, in a three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system, an x-axis positive direction is a right side, an x-axis negative direction is a left side, a y-axis positive direction is a rear side, a y-axis negative direction is a front side, a z-axis positive direction is an upper side, and a z-axis negative direction is a lower side, and in a state where the joining surface is directed toward the lower side and the one end of the base portion is directed toward the rear side, the spring portion includes a first extension portion, a second extension portion, a third extension portion, and a fourth extension portion. The first extension portion is bent from a rear end of the base portion and extends toward the upper side. The second extension portion is bent from an upper end of the first extension portion and extends toward the front side, and an upper surface thereof is made to be a sucked surface that is capable of being attracted to a suction nozzle of an automatic mounting machine. The third extension portion is bent from a front end of the second extension portion and extends obliquely downward toward the front side. The fourth extension portion is bent from a front end of the third extension portion, extends obliquely rearward toward the upper side, and is provided with the contact portion on a distal end side in an extension direction thereof.

However, the extension direction of the first extension portion is not limited to the upper side in a strict sense and may be an extension direction slightly inclined with respect to the z-axis direction. The extension direction of the second extension portion is not limited to the front side in a strict sense and may be an extension direction slightly inclined with respect to the y-axis direction.

According to the contact member thus structured, the spring portion is of a structure provided with the first extension portion, the second extension portion, the third extension portion, and the fourth extension portion as in the foregoing. As a result, the structure that is present between the base portion having the joining surface and the second extension portion constituting the sucked surface can be made in a structure for which the dimension in the y-axis direction is smaller than a “first folding portion” referred to in JP-5124789 shown above, and the dimension of the connection member in the y-axis direction can be reduced by that amount. In addition, the extension direction of the third extension portion is arranged so as to bend from the front end of the second extension portion and extend obliquely downward toward the front side. As a result, the dimension of the third extension portion in the y-axis direction can be made smaller than in the case where, as in the technique described in JP-5124789, a portion having the sucked surface and a portion further extending from the relevant portion extend along the same direction, and the dimension of the connection member in the y-axis direction can be reduced by that amount. Owing to these structures, if it is the contact member shown above, it is possible to achieve downsizing of the contact member beyond the technique described in JP-5124789.

In addition, the contact member of the present disclosure may further include the following structures.

(A) For example, the contact member may include a first hook portion, a second hook portion, a first sidewall portion, and a second sidewall portion. The first hook portion projects toward the left side from the third extension portion. The second hook portion projects toward the right side from the third extension portion. The first sidewall portion is bent from the left end of the base portion and extends toward the upper side. The second sidewall portion is bent from the right end of the base portion and extends toward the upper side. The contact member may be structured, when the third extension portion is displaced as external force acts on the spring portion, such that displacement of the third extension portion is restrained by establishment of at least one of states out of a state where the first hook portion comes into contact with the first sidewall portion and a state where the second hook portion comes into contact with the second sidewall portion.

According to the contact member thus structured, even when external force acts on the spring portion, because the first hook portion, the first sidewall portion, the second hook portion, and the second sidewall portion are provided, the displacement of the third extension portion is restrained. As a result, it is possible to restrain unexpected deformation from arising in the spring portion. In addition, because the first hook portion and the second hook portion are provided on the third extension portion structured as in the foregoing, it is possible to arrange the first hook portion and the second hook portion at positions, in the z-axis direction, on the lower side relative to the second extension portion on which the sucked surface is provided. As a result, it is possible to arrange the upper ends of the first sidewall portion and the second sidewall portion further on the lower side relative to the technique described in JP-5124789 for which hook portions are arranged at the same height as a portion on which the sucked surface is provided. Thus, it is possible to reduce the possibility that, when the suction nozzle of the automatic mounting machine attracts the sucked surface, the tip of the suction nozzle catches on the upper ends of the first sidewall portion and the second sidewall portion relative to the case where the upper ends of the first sidewall portion and the second sidewall portion are arranged further on the upper side.

(B) For example, the contact member may be structured, when the third extension portion is displaced obliquely rearward toward the upper side as external force acts on the spring portion, such that displacement of the third extension portion obliquely rearward toward the upper side is restrained by establishment of at least one of states out of a state where the first hook portion comes into contact with the first sidewall portion and a state where the second hook portion comes into contact with the second sidewall portion.

According to the contact member thus structured, the first hook portion and the second hook portion come into contact with the first sidewall portion and the second sidewall portion on the respective end face sides of the sheet that constitutes them. As a result, the first hook portion and the second hook portion are not likely to be bent relative to the case where the first hook portion and the second hook portion come into contact with the first sidewall portion and the second sidewall portion on one sheet surface side of either the front or rear of the sheet. Thus, by the amount that the first hook portion and the second hook portion are not likely to be bent, it is possible to make the sheet thickness thinner and that contributes to downsizing of the contact member.

(C) For example, the contact portion may be bent from an upper end of the fourth extension portion toward the rear side and extend toward the lower side, and be structured to come into contact with the second member at an outer circumferential surface of a bent portion thereof.

According to the contact member thus structured, the contact portion comes into contact with the second member at the outer circumferential surface of the portion where the sheet has been bent. Thus, even if the contact portion is slightly displaced in a direction accompanying a slight rotation when the spring portion is deformed, it is possible to maintain a state where the contact portion is in contact with the second member at the bent outer circumferential surface, and it is possible to stably maintain the state of electrical connection between the contact portion and the second member.

(D) For example, the contact portion may be provided at a position on the front side relative to the second extension portion in the y-axis direction.

According to the contact member thus structured, the contact portion and the second extension portion are arranged at positions not overlapping in the y-axis direction (that is, front-and-rear direction) when viewed from above. As a result, unlike the case where the contact portion and the second extension portion are arranged at overlapping positions in the y-axis direction, it is possible to effectively use the entire upper surface of the second extension portion as the sucked surface. Thus, because the size of the second extension portion can be minimized for ensuring the sucked surface of a predetermined dimension, relative to the case where the contact portion and the second extension portion are arranged at overlapping positions in the y-axis direction, it is possible to downsize the second extension portion, and consequently, it is possible to downsize the entire contact member.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The contact members shown above will be described with exemplary embodiments.

(1) First Embodiment

As shown inFIG. 1A,FIG. 1B,FIG. 2A,FIG. 2B,FIG. 2C,FIG. 2D,FIG. 2E, andFIG. 2F, a contact member1is provided with a base portion11, a contact portion12, a spring portion13, a first hook portion151, a second hook portion152, a first sidewall portion171, and a second sidewall portion172. The contact member1is made up of sheet metal (in the case of the first embodiment, a beryllium copper sheet of 0.1 mm thickness). The contact member1, as shown inFIG. 3A, is surface-mounted on a first member91and, as shown inFIG. 3B, when sandwiched between the first member91and a second member92, the contact member1electrically connects the first member91and the second member92. An example of the first member91includes an electronic circuit board, for example. An example of the second member92includes a metal panel or the like that constitutes a housing of a device, for example.

The base portion11has a joining surface21. This joining surface21is soldered to the first member91(seeFIG. 3AandFIG. 3B) when the contact member1is used. The contact portion12comes into contact with the second member92(seeFIG. 3B) when the contact member1is used. The spring portion13extends from one end of the base portion11and is provided with the contact portion12on the distal end side in its extension direction. When the contact portion12comes into contact with the second member92, the spring portion13elastically deforms, so that the spring portion13makes the contact portion12pressure-contact with the second member92.

In the following description, as shown inFIG. 1AandFIG. 1B, it is defined that, in a three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system, an x-axis positive direction is a right side, an x-axis negative direction is a left side, a y-axis positive direction is a rear side, a y-axis negative direction is a front side, a z-axis positive direction is an upper side, and a z-axis negative direction is a lower side. In addition, in the foregoing three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system, by assuming a state where the foregoing joining surface21is directed toward the lower side and the one end of the base portion11is directed toward the rear side, the relative position, the shape, or the like of each portion that the contact member1is provided with will be described. However, it is discretionary to determine the direction to which each portion that the contact member1is provided with is oriented when the contact member1is used. For example, it may be used in a state where the foregoing joining surface21is oriented in a direction other than the lower side.

The spring portion13includes a first extension portion131, a second extension portion132, a third extension portion133, and a fourth extension portion134. The first extension portion131is bent from the rear end of the base portion11and extends toward the upper side. However, the extension direction of the first extension portion131is not limited to the upper side in a strict sense, and may be an extension direction slightly inclined (for example, within a range of approximately +/−5 degrees) with respect to the z-axis direction. That is, if the extension direction of the first extension portion131and the joining surface21are roughly perpendicular, they may be not necessary to be perpendicular in a strict sense.

The second extension portion132is bent from the upper end of the first extension portion131and extends toward the front side. However, the extension direction of the second extension portion132is not limited to the front side in a strict sense, and may be an extension direction slightly inclined (for example, within a range of approximately +/−5 degrees) with respect to the y-axis direction. That is, if the extension direction of the second extension portion132and the joining surface21are roughly parallel, they may be not necessary to be in parallel in a strict sense. The upper surface of the second extension portion132is made to be a sucked surface23that is capable of being attracted to a suction nozzle of an automatic mounting machine.

The third extension portion133is bent from the front end of the second extension portion132and extends obliquely downward toward the front side. In the first embodiment, the extension direction of the third extension portion133is a direction that forms an inclination of approximately 42 degrees between the joining surface21and the third extension portion133. The fourth extension portion134is bent from the front end of the third extension portion133and extends obliquely rearward toward the upper side. In the first embodiment, the extension direction of the fourth extension portion134is a direction that forms an inclination of approximately 74 degrees between the joining surface21and the fourth extension portion134. The fourth extension portion134is provided with the contact portion12on the distal end side in its extension direction.

The contact portion12is bent from the upper end of the fourth extension portion134toward the rear side and extends toward the lower side. The contact portion12is, as shown inFIG. 3B, structured to come into contact with the second member92at the outer circumferential surface of the bent portion. The contact portion12is provided at a position on the front side relative to the second extension portion132in the y-axis direction.

The first hook portion151projects toward the left side from the third extension portion133. The second hook portion152projects toward the right side from the third extension portion133. The first sidewall portion171is bent from the left end of the base portion11and extends toward the upper side. The second sidewall portion172is bent from the right end of the base portion11and extends toward the upper side. In the first embodiment, the first sidewall portion171is provided with a first opening251. The second sidewall portion172is provided with a second opening252. The first hook portion151is arranged at a position to get into the inside of the first opening251. The second hook portion152is arranged at a position to get into the inside of the first opening251.

When the third extension portion133is displaced as external force acts on the spring portion13, the first hook portion151comes into contact with the first sidewall portion171in the inside of the first opening251. The second hook portion152comes into contact with the second sidewall portion172in the inside of the second opening252. As a result, the displacement of the third extension portion133is restrained and the spring portion13can be restrained from deforming by being displaced excessively. In particular, in the first embodiment, as shown inFIG. 4AandFIG. 4B, for example, due to external force F1that acts on the spring portion13or the like, when the third extension portion133is displaced obliquely rearward toward the upper side, the first hook portion151comes into contact with the first sidewall portion171on the end face side of the sheet. In addition, the second hook portion152comes into contact with the second sidewall portion172on the end face side of the sheet. As a result, the third extension portion133is restrained from displacing obliquely rearward toward the upper side and the spring portion13can be restrained from deforming in a direction in which the contact portion12lifts toward the upper side.

In addition, in the first embodiment, as shown inFIG. 5AandFIG. 5B, for example, due to external force F2that acts on the spring portion13and the like, when the fourth extension portion134is displaced in a direction inclined toward the right side in front view, the first hook portion151comes into contact with the first sidewall portion171at an end portion located obliquely rearward toward the upper side. As a result, the fourth extension portion134can be restrained from further inclining and the spring portion13can be restrained from deforming.

According to the contact member1thus structured, the spring portion13is of a structure provided with the first extension portion131, the second extension portion132, the third extension portion133, and the fourth extension portion134as in the foregoing. As a result, the structure that is present between the base portion11having the joining surface21and the second extension portion132constituting the sucked surface23can be made in a structure for which the dimension in the y-axis direction is smaller than a “first folding portion” referred to in JP-5124789 shown above, and the dimension of the connection member in the y-axis direction can be reduced by that amount. In addition, the extension direction of the third extension portion133is arranged so as to bend from the front end of the second extension portion132and extend obliquely downward toward the front side. As a result, the dimension of the third extension portion133in the y-axis direction can be made smaller than in the case where, as in the technique described in JP-5124789, a portion having the sucked surface23and a portion further extending from the relevant portion extend along the same direction, and the dimension of the connection member in the y-axis direction can be reduced by that amount. Owing to these structures, if it is the contact member1shown above, it is possible to achieve downsizing of the contact member1beyond the technique described in JP-5124789.

In the first embodiment, the spring portion13is of a structure provided with the first extension portion131, the second extension portion132, the third extension portion133, and the fourth extension portion134as in the foregoing. As a result, as shown inFIG. 3AandFIG. 3B, in the spring portion13, the bending increases and decreases at two places of the first extension portion131and the second extension portion132, and the first hook portion151and the second hook portion152move substantially perpendicular with respect to the component mounting surface of the first member91. Thus, relative to the case where a structure that is equivalent to the first hook portion151and the second hook portion152moves in the front-and-rear direction also considerably, it is possible to reduce the dimension in the front-and-rear direction of the contact member1.

In the first embodiment, even when external force acts on the spring portion13, because the first hook portion151, the first sidewall portion171, the second hook portion152, and the second sidewall portion172are provided, the displacement of the third extension portion133is restrained. As a result, it is possible to restrain unexpected deformation from arising in the spring portion13. In addition, because the first hook portion151and the second hook portion152are provided on the third extension portion133structured as in the foregoing, it is possible to arrange the first hook portion151and the second hook portion152at positions, in the z-axis direction, further on the lower side relative to the second extension portion132on which the sucked surface23is provided. As a result, it is possible to arrange the upper ends of the first sidewall portion171and the second sidewall portion172further on the lower side relative to the technique described in JP-5124789 for which hook portions are arranged at the same height as a portion on which the sucked surface23is provided. Thus, it is possible to reduce the possibility that, when the suction nozzle of the automatic mounting machine attracts the sucked surface23, the tip of the suction nozzle catches on the upper ends of the first sidewall portion171and the second sidewall portion172than in the case where the upper ends of the first sidewall portion171and the second sidewall portion172are arranged further on the upper side.

In the first embodiment, as shown inFIG. 4AandFIG. 4B, when the third extension portion133is displaced obliquely rearward toward the upper side as external force acts on the spring portion13, the first hook portion151and the second hook portion152come into contact with the first sidewall portion171and the second sidewall portion172on the respective end face sides of the sheet that constitutes them. As a result, the first hook portion151and the second hook portion152are not likely to be bent relative to the case where the first hook portion151and the second hook portion152come into contact with the first sidewall portion171and the second sidewall portion172on one sheet surface side of either the front or rear of the sheet. Thus, by the amount that the first hook portion151and the second hook portion152are not likely to be bent, it is possible to make the sheet thickness thinner and that contributes to downsizing of the contact member1.

In addition, in the first embodiment, as shown inFIG. 5AandFIG. 5B, when the fourth extension portion134is inclined as external force acts on the spring portion13, the first hook portion151comes into contact with the first sidewall portion171at an end portion located obliquely rearward toward the upper side. As a result, the first hook portion151and the second hook portion152are not likely to be bent relative to the case where the first hook portion151and the second hook portion152come into contact with the first sidewall portion171and the second sidewall portion172on one sheet surface side of either the front or rear of the sheet. Thus, by the amount that the first hook portion151and the second hook portion152are not likely to be bent, it is possible to make the sheet thickness thinner and that contributes to downsizing of the contact member1.

In the first embodiment, the contact portion12comes into contact with the second member92at the outer circumferential surface of the portion where the sheet has been bent. Thus, even if the contact portion12is slightly displaced in a direction accompanying a slight rotation when the spring portion13is deformed, it is possible to maintain a state where the contact portion12is in contact with the second member92at the bent outer circumferential surface, and it is possible to stably maintain the state of electrical connection between the contact portion12and the second member92.

In addition, in the first embodiment, the contact portion12and the second extension portion132are arranged at positions not overlapping in the y-axis direction (front-and-rear direction) when viewed from above. As a result, unlike the case where the contact portion12and the second extension portion132are arranged at overlapping positions in the y-axis direction, it is possible to effectively use the entire upper surface of the second extension portion132as the sucked surface23. Thus, because the size of the second extension portion132can be minimized for ensuring the sucked surface23of a predetermined dimension, relative to the case where the contact portion12and the second extension portion132are arranged at overlapping positions in the y-axis direction, it is possible to downsize the second extension portion132, and consequently, it is possible to downsize the entire contact member1.

(2) Second Embodiment

Next, a second embodiment will be described. Because the second embodiment is only a partial change of the structure illustrated in the first embodiment, it will be described in detail with a focus on the differences from the first embodiment. As for the portions the same as those of the first embodiment, the common reference signs will be given, and their detailed description will be omitted.

As shown inFIG. 6A,FIG. 6B,FIG. 7A,FIG. 7B,FIG. 7C,FIG. 7D,FIG. 7E, andFIG. 7F, a contact member31is provided with the base portion11, the contact portion12, the spring portion13, the first hook portion151, the second hook portion152, a first sidewall portion371, and a second sidewall portion372. In the second embodiment, the shapes of the first sidewall portion371and the second sidewall portion372are different from those of the first sidewall portion171and the second sidewall portion172illustrated in the first embodiment. Specifically, in the first embodiment, the first sidewall portion171has been provided with the first opening251, the second sidewall portion172has been provided with the second opening252, and the shapes of the first sidewall portion171and the second sidewall portion172have been structured in a reversed U-shape. Meanwhile, in the second embodiment, the shapes of the first sidewall portion371and the second sidewall portion372are structured in a reversed L-shape.

In other words, in the first embodiment, the first sidewall portion171and the second sidewall portion172have had portions that restrain the first hook portion151and the second hook portion152from being excessively displaced toward the upper side, portions that restrain the first hook portion151and the second hook portion152from being excessively displaced toward the rear side, and portions that restrain the first hook portion151and the second hook portion152from being excessively displaced toward the front side. Meanwhile, in the second embodiment, although the first sidewall portion371and the second sidewall portion372have portions that restrain the first hook portion151and the second hook portion152from being excessively displaced toward the upper side and the portions that restrain the first hook portion151and the second hook portion152from being excessively displaced toward the rear side, the portions that restrain the first hook portion151and the second hook portion152from being excessively displaced toward the front side are omitted.

Thus, it is preferable that the contact member1of the first embodiment be used in the case where a function to restrain the first hook portion151and the second hook portion152from being excessively displaced toward the front side is needed, but when such a function is not needed, the contact member31of the second embodiment may be used. If it is the contact member31of the second embodiment, it becomes more lightweight than the contact member1of the first embodiment, thereby enabling it to contribute to achieving weight saving of the device. In the points other than the foregoing differences, the contact member31of the second embodiment has operation and effect exactly the same as those of the contact member1of the first embodiment.

(3) Other Embodiments

As in the foregoing, the contact member has been described with the illustrative embodiments, but the foregoing embodiments have merely been illustrated as one aspect of the present disclosure. That is, the present disclosure is not intended to be limited to the illustrative embodiments shown above, and can be implemented in various forms without departing from the technical idea of the present disclosure.

For example, in the embodiments shown above, two specific shapes of the first sidewall portion and the second sidewall portion have been illustrated. However, the first sidewall portion and the second sidewall portion for which the shapes of details further differ may be provided, and the shapes of the first sidewall portion and the second sidewall portion are not limited to the two examples shown above.

In the embodiments shown above, a beryllium copper sheet of 0.1 mm thickness has been illustrated, as an example of the sheet metal. However, the metal may be other than beryllium copper and the thickness of the sheet may be other than 0.1 mm.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST