Connector with a biasing elastic member

A connector is adapted to be attached to a case of an electronic device unit. The connector includes a connector assembly adapted to be accommodated in the case through an opening provided in the case, an escutcheon adapted to be attached to the case to close the opening, and an elastic member arranged at a position to be interposed between the connector assembly and the escutcheon when the escutcheon is attached to the case in a state in which the connector assembly is accommodated in the case. The connector assembly includes a terminal, a housing holding the terminal, and a circuit board connected to the terminal. The elastic member is configured to bias the connector assembly toward the case such that the circuit board is pressed against the case to position the connector assembly with respect to the case.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2014-045267 filed on Mar. 7, 2014, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to a connector to be attached to a case of an electronic device unit such as a camera module.

RELATED ART

Related art connectors are adapted to be attached to a connector attachment hole formed in a housing of an electronic device to electrically connect a contact portion of a circuit board accommodated in the housing to a contact portion of an external apparatus to be attached to the electronic device. In some of the connectors, a rubber member is provided to be tightly attached to the connector attachment hole (see, e.g., JP2011-258422A)

Sometimes, an engagement structure is provided in the housing to hold the circuit board. However, with the circuit board being held inside the housing by the engagement structure, the circuit board is, strictly speaking, not fixed to the housing due to a dimensional tolerance, and the circuit board may be displaced from a desired attachment position. For example, in a case in which the electronic device is a camera module, if the circuit board is displaced from a desired attachment position in the housing of the camera module, a position of an imaging device on the circuit board may be displaced with respect to a lens unit, in which case quality of an image obtained through the camera module may be lowered.

SUMMARY

Illustrative aspects of the present invention provide a connector that can reliably hold a circuit board in position.

According to an illustrative aspect of the present invention, a connector adapted to be attached to a case of an electronic device unit is provided. The connector includes a connector assembly adapted to be accommodated in the case through an opening provided in the case, an escutcheon adapted to be attached to the case to close the opening, and an elastic member arranged at a position to be interposed between the connector assembly and the escutcheon when the escutcheon is attached to the case in a state in which the connector assembly is accommodated in the case. The connector assembly includes a terminal, a housing holding the terminal, and a circuit board connected to the terminal. The elastic member is configured to bias the connector assembly toward the case such that the circuit board is pressed against the case to position the connector assembly with respect to the case.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the following exemplary embodiments do not limit the scope of the claimed invention.

FIG. 1is a perspective view of a camera module, including a connector according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, and a counterpart connector.FIG. 2is a perspective view of the camera module as viewed from the front side.

As shown inFIGS. 1 and 2, the connector11is adapted to be attached to a camera module12(an example of an electronic device unit). The camera module12is opened on a side opposite to a camera lens43, and the connector11is attached to this opening. The connector11is configured such that one side is attached to the camera module12and the other side can be fitted to a counterpart connector1. The counterpart connector1has an electric wire2extending from a control device (not shown) or the like. When the connector11is fitted to the counterpart connector1, a connector assembly61, which will be described later, is electrically coupled to the electric wire2. When the connector is attached to the camera module12, a circuit board73of the connector assembly61is optically coupled to a lens unit22. With this configuration, signals are transmitted and received between the control device and the camera module12through the electric wire2.

FIG. 3is a sectional view of the camera module12,FIG. 4is a perspective view showing a section of the camera module12,FIG. 5is an exploded perspective view of the camera module12, andFIG. 6is an exploded perspective view showing a section of the camera module12.

As shown inFIGS. 3 to 6, the camera module12has a case21, the lens unit22, and a stationary cylinder23.

The case21is molded from a synthetic resin, and is formed in a box shape having one end side being opened. The case21is formed with a hole33at a bottom32on a side opposite to the opening portion31. The lens unit22and the stationary cylinder23are installed in the case21from the side of the opening portion31of the case21. The case21has engagement protrusions34formed at four corners of the inner edge on the side of the opening portion31.

The lens unit22has a flat portion41and an optical mechanism portion42extending from a central part of a surface of the flat portion41. The camera lens43having a circular shape in a front view is provided at a distal end of the optical mechanism portion42.

The stationary cylinder23has a cylinder body51to be fitted into the case21. The cylinder body51is formed to have a rectangular cylindrical shape. The cylinder body51is made of, for example, an electrically conductive material, and serves to block electromagnetic waves which otherwise propagate into the case21. Positioning protrusions52are provided to inwardly protrude at four corners of a rear end portion of the cylinder body51.

The lens unit22and the stationary cylinder23are attached into the case21in the following manner. First, the stationary cylinder23is attached to the lens unit22by fitting the stationary cylinder23on the lens unit22from the side of the flat portion41. Then, the stationary cylinder23attached to the lens unit22is fitted in the case21from the rear portion of the case21, whereby the lens unit22and the stationary cylinder23are attached in the case21. When the lens unit22is installed in the case21in this way, the camera lens43is located at a position to be exposed through the hole33of the case21. In this state, the rear side of the flat portion41of the lens unit22is supported by the positioning protrusions52of the stationary cylinder23. The case21and the stationary cylinder23are designed such that the inner diameter of the case21is substantially equal to the outer diameter of the stationary cylinder23, so that when the stationary cylinder23is fixed with respect to the case21, the lens unit22is arranged in a desired position by the positioning protrusions52and the hole33.

FIG. 7is a perspective view of the connector11with its escutcheon being made transparent,FIG. 8is an exploded perspective view of the connector assembly61of the connector11, andFIG. 9is an exploded perspective view showing a section of the connector assembly61.

The connector11is adapted to be attached to the case21of the camera module12. As shown inFIG. 7, the connector11has the connector assembly61, the escutcheon62, and an elastic member63.

As shown inFIGS. 3 to 9, the connector assembly61has a terminal71, a housing72, and the circuit board73.

The connector assembly61is accommodated in the case21through the opening portion31of the case2of the camera module12.

The terminal71has an inner conductor74, an outer conductor75, and an insulator76. The inner conductor74and the outer conductor75are formed by an electrically conductive metal, and the insulator76is formed by an insulative resin material. The insulator76is disposed around the inner conductor74, and the outer conductor75having a cylindrical shape is disposed around the insulator76. With this configuration, the inner conductor74and the outer conductor75are integrated with each other such that they are electrically insulated from each other by the insulator76. Inner conductor terminals74aat an end portion of the inner conductor74is provide to protrude from one end of the insulator76. The outer conductor75has an outer conductor terminal75aextending at its one end.

The housing72has a connecting portion77formed into a cylindrical shape, and a flange portion78having a disk-like shape and provided on one end of the connecting portion77. The terminal71is inserted into and fixed to the housing72from the side of the flange portion78. An engagement portion79adapted to be engaged with the counterpart connector1is formed on the connecting portion77of the housing72. The housing72is locked by the engagement portion79in a state in which the outer surface of the connecting portion77is fitted in a housing of the counterpart connector1, and the housing of the counterpart connector1abuts the flange portion78. At this time, a terminal of the counterpart connector1is inserted into the connecting portion77of the housing72.

The circuit board73has a first board81and a second board82. The first board81and the second board82are connected to each other by a rigid coupling member83with a space provided therebetween. The inner conductor terminals74aof the inner conductor74and the outer conductor terminal75aof the outer conductor75are inserted into through holes81a, and are soldered to the first board81, whereby the terminal71is fixed to the first board81of the circuit board73. An imaging device84such as a charge coupled device (CCD) image sensor is mounted on a central part of the second board82on a side opposite to the first board81. The coupling member83includes a conductor for a signal line, and a conductor for a ground line. Signal lines and ground lines of the first board81and the second board82are electrically coupled to each other via the conductors of the coupling member83.

The escutcheon62is molded from a synthetic resin, and is adapted to be attached to the case21to close the opening portion31of the case21. The escutcheon62has a front plate portion91, and a peripheral wall92extending from the peripheral edge of the front plate portion91toward the case21. The front plate portion91is formed, at its central part, with an insertion hole93through which the connecting portion77of the connector assembly61is inserted. An annular groove94surrounding the insertion hole93is formed on a surface of the front plate portion91on the side of the case21.

The elastic member63is formed by an elastic material such as rubber. The elastic member63is configured as an O-ring having a ring shape that is larger than the insertion hole93of the escutcheon62and smaller than the flange portion78of the housing72. The elastic member63has a circular sectional shape. The elastic member63is placed in the groove94formed on the front plate portion91of the escutcheon62. The depth of the groove94is smaller than the diameter of the cross section of the elastic member63. Therefore, the elastic member63placed in the groove94is attached to the escutcheon62such that the elastic member protrudes from the groove94. The elastic member63is arranged at a position to be interposed between the flange portion78of the housing72of the connector assembly61and the front plate portion91of the escutcheon62when the escutcheon62is attached to the case21in a state in which the connector assembly61is accommodated in the case21.

In the connector11, the O-ring elastic member63is tightly attached to the flange portion78of the housing72of the connector assembly61and to the front plate portion91of the escutcheon62. To allow the connecting portion77on which the engagement portion79is formed to be inserted through the insertion hole93, the insertion hole93has a shape that allows the engagement portion79to pass therethrough. When the connector assembly61is attached to the escutcheon62, a portion of the insertion hole93through which the engagement portion79passes remains unclosed, but the elastic member63prevents water and dust from entering the case21from a space between the insertion hole93of the escutcheon62and the connecting portion77of the connector assembly61.

The structures of the connector11and the camera module12have been described in detail. When attaching the connector11to the camera module12, the connector assembly61is accommodated in the case21through the opening portion31of the case21of the camera module12. Then, the connecting portion77of the connector assembly61is passed through the insertion hole93of the escutcheon62, and the escutcheon62is attached to the case21so as to close the opening portion31of the case21. The elastic member63is provided in the groove94of the front plate portion91of the escutcheon62in advance. When attaching the escutcheon62to the case21, the connector assembly61is moved to vertically and horizontally adjust the position of the second board82with respect to the case21as viewed in the imaging direction of lens unit22. In this way, the optical axis is adjusted so that the imaging device84and the camera lens43of the lens unit22are opposed to each other in the correct position.

When the escutcheon62is attached to the case21in a state in which the connector assembly61is accommodated in the case21, the elastic member63is sandwiched between the flange portion78of the housing72of the connector assembly61and the front plate portion91of the escutcheon62and is elastically deformed. Then, the connector assembly61is biased toward the case21by the elastic force of the elastic member63. This presses the circuit board73against the case21so that the circuit board73is positioned with respect to the case21. Specifically, the second board82is pressed against the positioning protrusions52of the stationary cylinder23, and the first board81is pressed against the engagement protrusions34of the case21. In this way, the circuit board73is positioned and maintained in position inside the case21.

As described above, according to the connector11of the exemplary embodiment, the connector assembly61is biased toward the case21by the elastic member63arranged between the connector assembly61and the escutcheon62, thereby enabling the circuit board73to be held with respect to the case21without a play. Therefore, the circuit board73is positioned and is maintained in position inside the case21. Consequently, it is possible to hold the circuit board73in a desired posture and position with respect to the case21. As a result, the imaging device84is positioned and maintained in position on the optical axis of the camera lens43, whereby a favorable performance of the camera module12can be maintained.

According to the connector11of the exemplary embodiment, moreover, the connector11is configured as a combination of two components, namely, the connector assembly61and the escutcheon62. The shape of the connector11is changed in accordance with the shapes of the camera module12to which the connector11is to be attached and the counterpart connector1to which the connector11is to be fitted. According to the structure in which the connector11is configured as a combination of two components as described above, by preparing a plurality of kinds of connector assemblies61and escutcheons62having different shapes, connectors11that are suitable for camera modules12and counterpart connectors1having various shapes can be provided by combining the two components.

Further, because the elastic member63is tightly attached to the flange portion78of the housing72of the connector assembly61and to the escutcheon62, water and dust are prevented from entering the case21through a space between the insertion hole93of the escutcheon62and the connecting portion77of the connector assembly61. Therefore, waterproofing and dustproofing properties can be ensured, and excellent performance can be maintained.

While the exemplary embodiment has been described with an example in which the connector11is attached to the camera module12dthe electronic device unit to which the connector11is to be attached is not limited to a camera module. The connector may be adapted to be attached to an electronic device unit having a case in which a circuit board is accommodated, such as an ECU unit or a sensor unit.

While the exemplary embodiment has been described with the ring shaped elastic member63as an example, the shape of the elastic member63is not limited to a ring shape. In so for as the elastic member is configured to bias the connector assembly61toward the case21, the circuit board73can be positioned and maintained in position inside the case21. Moreover, the elastic member63may be formed by a material other than a rubber material. In so far as the elastic member63is formed by an elastic material (for example, a metal leaf spring or other types of spring), it is possible to position the circuit board73and to maintain the circuit board73in position inside the case21. With the elastic member63being made of a rubber material or the like, when the elastic member63is deformed and tightly attached to the flange portion78of the housing72of the connector assembly61and to the escutcheon62, it is possible to prevent water and dust from entering the case21through a space between the insertion hole93of the escutcheon62and the connecting portion77of the connector assembly61.

While the present invention has been described with reference to certain exemplary embodiments thereof, the scope of the present invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments described above, and it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

According to the exemplary embodiments described above, a connector (11) is adapted to be attached to a case (21) of an electronic device unit (e.g., the camera module12). The connector includes a connector assembly (61) adapted to be accommodated in the case through an opening (e.g., the opening portion31) provided in the case, an escutcheon (62) adapted to be attached to the case to close the opening, and an elastic member (63) arranged at a position to be interposed between the connector assembly and the escutcheon when the escutcheon is attached to the case in a state in which the connector assembly is accommodated in the case. The connector assembly includes a terminal (71), a housing (72) holding the terminal, and a circuit board (73) connected to the terminal. The elastic member is configured to bias the connector assembly toward the case such that the circuit board is pressed against the case to position the connector assembly with respect to the case.

The housing may include a connecting portion (71) adapted to be connected to a counterpart connector (1), and a flange portion (78) formed on an end portion of the connecting portion. The escutcheon may have an insertion hole (93) in which the connecting portion is inserted. The elastic member may have a ring shape that is larger than the insertion hole and smaller than the flange portion, and may be held between the flange portion and the escutcheon.

The electronic device unit may be a camera module having the lens, and the imaging device (84) to be disposed on an optical axis of the lens may be mounted on the circuit board.