Contact and connector with contacts

A connector is provided to press-fit terminals in terminal-press-fitting holes of a housing, and electric contact parts of contacts are aligned in respective terminal-alignment grooves in the housing. A pair of concave pressed parts and a pair of curved convex parts are formed on opposite surfaces of the press-fit fixing part, respectively. The pair of concave pressed parts and the pair of curved convex parts are provided on opposite lateral ends of the press-fit fixing part with a predetermined gap to each remain a non-deformed part between the pair of concave pressed parts and between the pair of curved convex parts to be flat so that a first area of the second surface on which the non-deformed part is remained is flush with a second area continuous to the first area in the longitudinal direction of the press-fit fixing part.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of PCT application No. PCT/JP2012/051008, which was filed on Jan. 11, 2012 based on Japanese Patent Application (No. 2011-003165) filed on Jan. 11, 2011, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a contact and a connector with contacts in which contacts are press-fitted in terminal-press-fitting holes of a housing from a rear side, respectively, and electric contact parts (parts to be slid on and contact with terminals of a mating connector) provided at a leading end side of the contacts are inserted and aligned in terminal-alignment grooves on a surface of a thin-plate insulator that is projected integrally with a front portion of the housing.

2. Description of the Related Art

As an example of this type of the connector, an HDMI connector described in JP2008-270179A is known, for example.

FIG. 5shows an external appearance of a connector that is similar to the connector described in JP2008-270179A. A connector1includes a housing2that is integrally molded with an insulating resin, and contacts10that are aligned in two stages of an upper stage and a lower stage.

Each contact10is press-fitted from a rear side in a terminal-press-fitting hole3that is formed in the housing2. Each electric contact part15provided at a leading end side of the contact10is inserted and aligned in a terminal-alignment groove5on upper and lower surfaces (a surface) of a thin-plate insulator4that is projected integrally with a front portion of the housing2. Each of the terminal-press-fitting holes3and the terminal-alignment grooves5are communicated with each other as a straight way. The terminal-press-fitting hole3is formed in a rectangle in cross-section and the terminal-alignment groove5is formed in a rectangular groove in cross-section.

FIG. 6is a perspective view showing an entire configuration of contacts10that are used in the connector in the related art.FIG. 7is an enlarged perspective view of a part surrounded by a two-dot chain line inFIG. 6.FIG. 8is an enlarged perspective view reversely showing a part indicated inFIG. 7. Each of the contacts10is formed in a plate shape having a rectangle in cross-section, and the contacts10are aligned at a constant pitch in a lateral direction on the upper stage and the lower stage. The contacts10aligned on the upper stage and those aligned on the lower stage are oppositely oriented except for rear foot parts16for connecting to a circuit board at a most rear side.

Each contact10is formed in a rectangular shape in cross-section in a slightly smaller size than a cross-sectional size of the terminal-press-fitting hole3. The contact10includes an electric contact part15which is inserted and aligned in the terminal-alignment groove5of the insulator4of the housing2at a leading end side, a press-fit fixing part11which is press-fitted from a rear side and fixed in the terminal-press-fitting hole3at a rear side of the electric contact part15, and the rear foot part16at a most rear side.

A lateral width D1of a normal-width part of the press-fit fixing part11is smaller than a lateral width dimension of the cross-section of the terminal-press-fitting hole3. At a latter part (rear side) of the press-fit fixing part11in the longitudinal direction, a wide-width part12having a width D2which is larger than the lateral width dimension of the cross-section of the terminal-press-fitting hole3is provided. Inclined walls13are provided at right and left surfaces of a transitional part between the normal-width part having the width D1and the wide-width part12having the width D2to facilitate the press-fitting of the wide-width part12into the terminal-press-fitting hole3.

When the contacts10are attached to the housing2, it is assumed, in each of the contacts10, that an outer side surface which contacts an inner bottom surface5bof the terminal-alignment groove5is a lower surface10b, an outer side surface which is opposite to the lower surface10bis an upper surface10a, and right and left outer side surfaces are right and left side surfaces10c, and it is assumed that an inner wall of the terminal-press-fitting hole3that faces the upper surface10aof the contact is an upper wall3a, and an inner wall of the terminal-press-fitting hole3, opposite to the upper wall3a, which faces the lower surface10bof the contact10is an lower wall3b. In this case, the upper wall3aand the lower wall3bof the terminal-press-fitting hole3exist in a vertical direction orthogonal to the lateral direction in which the contacts10are aligned.

Here, although only the relation between the contacts10on the upper stage and the terminal-press-fitting holes3on the upper stage is described, the relation between the contacts10and the terminal-press-fitting holes3on the lower stage is that only the up/down orientation is reversed with respect to the case of the upper stage, and the designation names of the upper surface10a, the lower surface10b, the upper wall3aand the lower wall3bare the same as those in the upper stage.

FIG. 9Ais a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the contacts10are attached to the housing2in the related art, andFIG. 9Bis an enlarged view of a main part of the state indicated inFIG. 9A.

On the upper surface10aof the press-fit fixing part11of the contact10, arch-shaped curved convex parts20which press-contacts the upper wall3aof the terminal-press-fitting hole3are provided at two locations separate away from each other in the longitudinal direction (front-back direction) of the contact10by forming concave pressed parts21on the lower surface10bof the contact10. Each of the curved convex part20is formed along an entire range in width direction of the contact10. Where a height from the lower wall3bto the upper wall3aof the terminal-press-fitting hole3is H3, a height H1from the lower surface10bto the upper surface10aof the contact10is set so as to satisfy the relation of H1<H3. Further, a height H2from the lower surface10bto a top of the curved convex part20of the contact10is set so as to satisfy the relation of H2>H3.

Accordingly, when the press-fit fixing part11of the contact10is press-fitted in the terminal-press-fitting hole3from a rear side, the top of the curved convex part20of the contact10press-contacts the upper wall3aof the terminal-press-fitting hole3. The lower surface10bof the contact10can be, therefore, closely contact with the lower wall3bof the terminal-press-fitting hole3and the inner bottom surface5bof the terminal-alignment groove5until the lower surface10bof the contact10reaches a leading end15aof the electric contact part15from the press-fit fixing part11. In this way, it is possible to prevent the attached contact10from being rattling in the vertical direction.

Further, when the press-fit fixing part11of the contact10is press-fitted in the terminal-press-fitting hole3, the wide-width part12of the press-fit fixing part11is press-contacted with the lateral side walls of the terminal-press-fitting hole3. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the contact10from being rattling in the lateral direction, i.e., in the alignment direction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

When the contact10is press-fitted in the terminal-press-fitting hole3of the housing in practical use, it is found that the following phenomenon may be caused. That is, when the curved convex part20of the contact10is press-contacted with the upper wall3aof the terminal-press-fitting hole3by press-fitting, the curved convex part20is slightly deformed by a reaction force from the upper wall3aof the terminal-press-fitting hole3. Due to the force in the deformation, the phenomenon may be caused in which a front edge part21aof the concaved pressed part21serves as a fulcrum, and as shown inFIG. 10, the electric contact part15at the leading end side of the contact10is raised from the inner bottom surface5bof the terminal-alignment groove5.

When the raising occurs, if the connector1is to be engaged with a mating connector50without any countermeasure, the leading end15aof the electric contact part15of the contact may collide with a leading end of a terminal52of the mating connector50(see a part indicated by a two-dot chain line inFIG. 10), and therefore the terminal52may be bent, the engagement of the connectors may be failed.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstance, and an object of the present invention is to provide a contact and a connector with contacts for preventing a raising of a leading end of a press-fitted contact and enabling an engagement of the connector with a mating connector surely.

In order to solve the above object, a connector according to aspects of the invention is indicated as the following configurations (1) to (3).

(1) A contact to be inserted in a housing, the contact including:

an electric contact part to be electrically connected to a terminal of a mating connector when the contact is inserted in the housing;

a press-fit fixing part that is continuously extended from the electric contact part in a longitudinal direction;

a pair of concave pressed parts formed on a first surface of the press-fit fixing part; and

a pair of curved convex parts formed on a second surface opposite to the first surface of the press-fit fixing part corresponding to the pair of concave pressed parts, wherein

the pair of concave pressed parts and the pair of curved convex parts are provided on opposite lateral ends of the press-fit fixing part with a predetermined gap to each remain a non-deformed part between the pair of concave pressed parts and between the pair of curved convex parts to be flat so that a first area of the second surface on which the non-deformed part is remained is flush with a second area continuous to the first area in the longitudinal direction of the press-fit fixing part.

(2) The contact according to claim1, wherein

a second pair of concave pressed parts and a second pair of curved convex parts are provided so that the second pair of concave pressed parts and the pair of concave pressed parts, and the pair of curved convex parts and the second pair of curved convex parts are provided separately away from each other in the longitudinal direction of the press-fit fixing part.

a housing that includes, at a front side, a thin-plate insulator on which a plurality of terminal-alignment grooves are extended in a longitudinal direction of the housing, and includes, at a rear side, a terminal-press-fitting hole formed in a rectangular cross-section that is communicated with the respective terminal-alignment grooves as a straight way; and

a plurality of contacts as defined in the configuration (1) or (2), each of the contacts being in a slightly smaller size than a cross-sectional size of the terminal-press-fitting hole, wherein

when the contacts are attached to the housing, where an outer side surface of the contact which contacts a bottom surface of the terminal-alignment groove is a lower surface, an outer side surface which is opposite to the lower surface is an upper surface, an inner wall of the terminal-press-fitting hole that faces the upper surface of the contact is an upper wall, and an inner wall of the terminal-press-fitting hole, opposite to the upper wall, which faces the lower surface of the contact is an lower wall,

the upper wall and the lower wall of the terminal-press-fitting hole exist in a vertical direction orthogonal to a lateral direction in which the contacts are aligned, and

the pair of concave pressed parts is formed on the upper surface of each of the contacts, and the pair of curved convex parts is formed on the lower surface of each of the contacts.

According to the contact or the connector provided with contacts as configured in any one of (1) to (3), since the non-deformed part is remained between the pair of curved convex parts provided on opposite lateral ends on the upper surface of the contact, and the lower surface of the non-deformed part is caused to be flush with the lower surface of the contact which is continuous to the lower surface in the longitudinal direction, the lower surface of the non-deformed part can be closely contact with the lower wall of the terminal-press-fitting hole continuously as well as the lower surface of the contact which is continuous to the lower surface in the longitudinal direction. Accordingly, the lower surface of the non-deformed part can hold on the upper wall of the terminal-press-fitting hole. In summary, due to the existence of the non-deformed part, it is possible to regulate the up/down movement of the curved convex part, thereby preventing the electric contact part at a leading end side ahead of the curved convex part from being raised from the inner bottom surface of the terminal-alignment groove. As a result, the connector can avoid to be collided with the terminal of the mating connector, and the engagement of the connector with the mating connector can be ensured.

According to the aspects of the invention, it becomes possible to prevent a raising of the leading end of the press-fitted contact, and engage the connector with the mating connector surely.

The aspects of the present invention have been simply explained. The present invention should be clarified further in detail by reading the description of an embodiment as explained below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

An embodiment of the invention is described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1is a perspective view showing an entire configuration of contacts that are used in a connector according to the embodiment of the invention.FIG. 2is an enlarged perspective view of a main part inFIG. 1.FIG. 3is an enlarged perspective view reversely showing a part indicated inFIG. 2.FIG. 4Ais a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the contacts are attached to a housing according to the embodiment of the invention.FIG. 4Bis an enlarged view of a main part of the state indicated inFIG. 4A.FIG. 5is referred to for an external configuration of the connector.

As shown inFIG. 5, a connector101includes a housing2that is integrally molded with an insulating resin, and contacts110that are aligned in two stages of an upper stage and a lower stage.

Each contact110is press-fitted from a rear side in a terminal-press-fitting hole3that is formed in the housing2. Each electric contact part115provided at a leading end side of the contact110is inserted and aligned in a terminal-alignment groove5on upper and lower surfaces (a surface) of a thin-plate insulator4that is projected integrally with a front portion of the housing2. Each of the terminal-press-fitting holes3and the terminal-alignment grooves5are communicated with each other as a straight way. The terminal-press-fitting hole3is formed in a rectangle in cross-section and the terminal-alignment groove5is formed in a rectangular groove in cross-section.

As shown inFIGS. 1 to 3, each of the contacts110is formed in a plate shape having a rectangle in cross-section, and the contacts110are aligned at a constant pitch in a lateral direction on the upper stage and the lower stage. The contacts110aligned on the upper stage and those aligned on the lower stage are oppositely oriented except for rear foot parts116for connecting to a circuit board at a most rear side.

Each contact110is formed in a rectangular shape in cross-section in a slightly smaller size than a cross-sectional size of the terminal-press-fitting hole3. The contact110includes an electric contact part115which is inserted and aligned in the terminal-alignment groove5of the insulator4of the housing2at a leading end side, a press-fit fixing part111which is press-fitted from a rear side and fixed in the terminal-press-fitting hole3at a rear side of the electric contact part15, and the rear foot part16at a most rear side.

A lateral width D1of a normal-width part of the press-fit fixing part111is smaller than a lateral width dimension of the cross-section of the terminal-press-fitting hole3. At a latter part (rear side) of the press-fit fixing part111in the longitudinal direction, a wide-width part112having a width D2which is larger than the lateral width dimension of the cross-section of the terminal-press-fitting hole3is provided. Inclined walls113are provided at right and left surfaces of a transitional part between the normal-width part having the width D1and the wide-width part112having the width D2to facilitate the press-fitting of the wide-width part112into the terminal-press-fitting hole3.

As shown inFIG. 4A and 4B, when the contacts110are attached to the housing2, it is assumed, in each of the contacts110, that an outer side surface which contacts an inner bottom surface5bof the terminal-alignment groove5is a lower surface110b, an outer side surface which is opposite to the lower surface110bis an upper surface110a, and right and left outer side surfaces are right and left side surfaces110c, and it is assumed that an inner wall of the terminal-press-fitting hole3that faces the upper surface110aof the contact is an upper wall3a, and an inner wall of the terminal-press-fitting hole3, opposite to the upper wall3a, which faces the lower surface110bof the contact110is an lower wall3b. In this case, the upper wall3aand the lower wall3bof the terminal-press-fitting hole3exist in a vertical direction orthogonal to the lateral direction in which the contacts110are aligned.

Here, although only the relation between the contacts110on the upper stage and the terminal-press-fitting holes3on the upper stage is described, the relation between the contacts110and the terminal-press-fitting holes3on the lower stage is that only the up/down orientation is reversed with respect to the case of the upper stage, and the designation names of the upper surface110a, the lower surface110b, the upper wall3aand the lower wall3bare the same as those in the upper stage.

On the upper surface110aof the press-fit fixing part111of the contact110, arch-shaped curved convex parts120which press-contacts the upper wall3aof the terminal-press-fitting hole3are provided at two locations separate away from each other in the longitudinal direction (front-back direction) of the contact110by forming concave pressed parts121on the lower surface110bof the contact110. In this embodiment, each of the curved convex part120is formed on the upper surface on opposite lateral ends of the contact110with a predetermined gap (that is, a pair (right and left) of curved convex parts120is formed), a non-deformed part125is remained to be flat between the pair of curved convex parts120,120provided on opposite lateral ends. An upper surface125aand a lower surface125bof the remained non-deformed part125are flush with the upper surface110aand the lower surface110bof the contact110which are continuous to the upper surface125aand the lower surface125bin the longitudinal direction, respectively.

In this case, where a height from the lower wall3bto the upper wall3aof the terminal-press-fitting hole3is H3, a height H1from the lower surface110bto the upper surface110aof the contact110is set so as to satisfy the relation of H1<113. Further, a height H2from the lower surface110bto a top of the curved convex part120of the contact110is set so as to satisfy the relation of H2>H3.

Accordingly, when the press-fit fixing part111of the contact110is press-fitted in the terminal-press-fitting hole3from a rear side, the top of the curved convex part120of the contact110press-contacts the upper wall3aof the terminal-press-fitting hole3. The lower surface110bof the contact110can be, therefore, closely contact with the lower wall3bof the terminal-press-fitting hole3and the inner bottom surface5bof the terminal-alignment groove5until the lower surface110bof the contact110reaches a leading end115aof the electric contact part115from the press-fit fixing part111. In this way, it is possible to prevent the attached contact110from being rattling in the vertical direction.

Especially, since the non-deformed part125is remained between the pair of curved convex parts120,120provided on opposite lateral ends on the upper surface of the contact110, and the lower surface125bof the non-deformed part125is caused to be flush with the lower surface110bof the contact110which is continuous to the lower surface125bin the longitudinal direction, the lower surface125bof the non-deformed part125can be closely contact with the lower wall3bof the terminal-press-fitting hole3continuously as well as the lower surface110bof the contact110which is continuous to the lower surface125bin the longitudinal direction. Accordingly, the lower surface125bof the non-deformed part125can hold on the upper wall3aof the terminal-press-fitting hole3.

In summary, due to the existence of the non-deformed part125, it is possible to regulate the up/down movement of the curved convex part120, thereby preventing the electric contact part115at a leading end side ahead of the curved convex part120from being raised from the inner bottom surface5bof the terminal-alignment groove5. As a result, the connector can avoid to be collided with the terminal of the mating connector, and the engagement of the connector with the mating connector can be ensured. Further, since the tops of the four curved convex parts120which are separate away from one another press-contact the upper wall3aof the terminal-press-fitting hole3, it is possible to press the contact110on the lower wall3bof the terminal-press-fitting hole3stably.

Further, when the press-fit fixing part111of the contact110is press-fitted in the terminal-press-fitting hole3, the wide-width part112of the press-fit fixing part111is press-contacted with the lateral side walls of the terminal-press-fitting hole3. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the contact110from being rattling in the lateral direction, i.e., in the alignment direction.

The invention is not limited to the aforesaid embodiment and may be suitably modified and improved. The material, shape, size, number, disposed position etc. of each of the constituent elements of the aforesaid embodiment are not limited thereto and may be arbitrary so long as the invention is attained.