Electrical connector

An electrical connector allowing a housing and a contact portion to be displaced relative to a mounting circuit board, parallel to a board surface, without a reinforcing plate separate from a contact member. A basal portion of a contact member is present along an upper surface of a base portion of a housing. A mounting-side elastic portion of the contact member is present along a lower surface of the base portion of the housing. A folding-back portion of the contact member is located at a rear of the base portion of the housing to connect the basal portion to the mounting-side elastic portion. First and second connecting leg portions extend downward from the mounting-side elastic portion. Each tip side of the leg portions acts as a mounting portion for a circuit board at positions different from each other in a front-back direction.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an electrical connector usable for a battery pack connecting portion of a portable video device etc., for example, and floatable on a mounting board.

BACKGROUND ART

An electrical connector is made up of a housing and a contact member and is mounted on a circuit board to elastically support a contact portion coming into contact with, for example, a terminal of a battery, at a predetermined position. For this type of electrical connector, a technique is known that provides a floating function allowing the housing and the contact portion to be displaced relative to the mounting circuit board in parallel with a board surface (see Patent Document 1). According to the floating function, a position gap tolerance between a case and the board can be absorbed in an assembly process of an end product. For example, when the same electrical connector is diverted to a different model etc., if the mounting position of the electrical connector must be shifted on a board while the same position of the contact portion is maintained, the same electrical connector is usable given that an amount of shift is within a displaceable range from the floating function. The same applies to when the position of the contact portion must be shifted without changing the mounting position of the electrical connector on the board.

PRIOR ART DOCUMENT

Patent Document

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Problem to be Solved by the Invention

The electrical connector of Patent Document 1 is configured such that “the electrical connector includes a housing10made of a single member and a contact member20fixed to the housing10. The contact member20has a solder connecting portion21connected to a circuit board, an elastic portion22extending upward from the solder connecting portion21and folding back toward the housing10to extend downward, a fixing portion23that has one end231connected to a tip222of the elastic portion22extending downward and that extends in horizontal direction to be fixed to the vicinity of a bottom surface of the housing10, and a contact portion24extending upward from the other end232opposed to the one end231of the fixing portion23” (see [Abstract] of Patent Document 1), so as to realize the floating function with the elastic portion22. However, since one contact is soldered to the board at only one position on the rear side of the housing, a reinforcing plate (solder peg30) is substantially essential that is soldered to the board separately from the contact, increasing a parts count and assembly man-hours. Since the reinforcing plate must have elasticity for the floating function and has a complicated shape and a larger size as compared to a typical reinforcing plate and a displacement space must be ensured for the reinforcing plate, the electrical connector disadvantageously increases in size as a whole.

The present invention was conceived in view of the situations and it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an electrical connector allowing a housing and a contact portion to be displaced relative to a mounting board in parallel with a board surface without disposing a reinforcing plate separately from a contact member.

Means for Solving the Problem

An aspect of the present invention is an electrical connector. The electrical connector comprises:an insulating housing; anda conductive contact member, wherein,when a direction toward a mounting object board is downward, the contact member hasa basal portion fixed to the housing,a contact-side elastic portion rising from the basal portion and having a contact portion,first and second connecting leg portions, each tip side of which acts as mounting portion for the board at positions different from each other, anda mounting-side elastic portion disposed between the basal portion and the first and second connecting leg portions, andthe housing has a convex portion formed on a lower surface thereof, whereina cover portion facing the lower surface of the housing extends from the convex portion, anda portion of the first connecting leg portion is inserted in a gap between the lower surface of the housing and the cover portion.

The mounting-side elastic portion may be present on the lower surface side of the housing, and the contact member may have a folding-back portion located outside of the lower surface of the housing to connect one end of the mounting-side elastic portion and the basal portion.

Another aspect of the present invention is an electrical connector. The electrical connector comprises:an insulating housing; anda conductive contact member, wherein,when a direction toward a mounting object board is downward, the contact member hasa basal portion fixed to the housing,a contact-side elastic portion rising from the basal portion and having a contact portion,a mounting-side elastic portion present on the lower surface side of the housing,a folding-back portion located outside of the lower surface of the housing to connect one end of the mounting-side elastic portion and the basal portion, andfirst and second connecting leg portions both extending downward from the other end of the mounting-side elastic portion, wherein each tip side of the leg portions acts as mounting portion for the board at positions different from each other.

The mounting-side elastic portion may have structure displaceable in front-back direction and left-right direction without displacement in up-down direction.

The mounting-side elastic portion may have a first U-shaped portion extending in the front-back direction and a second U-shaped portion extending in the left-right direction.

One housing may be provided with a plurality of the contact members aligned and held in the left-right direction with a partition wall portion interposed therebetween, and the second U-shaped portion of each of the contact members may be shorter than the first U-shaped portion and be located on the rear side relative to a center position of the housing in the front-back direction.

One housing may be provided with a plurality of the contact members aligned and held in the left-right direction with a partition wall portion interposed therebetween, and the first and second connecting leg portions of each of the contact members may have the mounting portions for the board separated in the front-back direction.

A convex portion may be formed on the lower surface of a base portion of the housing, and the convex portion may come into contact with the first and second connecting leg portions to restrict an elastic deformation amount of the mounting-side elastic portion.

It is to be noted that any arbitrary combination of the above-described structural components as well as the expressions according to the present invention changed among a system and so forth are all effective as and encompassed by the present aspects.

Effect of the Invention

According to the present invention, since the contact member has first and second connecting leg portions acting as mounting portions for the mounting board at positions different from each other on the tip side, the electrical connector can be realized that allows the housing and the contact portion to be displaced relative to the mounting board in parallel with the board surface without disposing a reinforcing plate separately from the contact member.

EMBODIMENT FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The invention will now be described based on the following embodiments which do not intend to limit the scope of the present invention but exemplify the invention. All of the features and the combinations thereof described in the embodiments are not necessarily essential to the invention.

FIG. 1is a right-side cross-sectional view of an electrical connector1according to a first embodiment of the present invention in a mounted state on a circuit board9.FIGS. 2 to 4are perspective views of the electrical connector1.FIG. 5is a front view of the electrical connector1.FIG. 6is a bottom view of the electrical connector1.FIG. 7is a right-side cross-sectional view of the electrical connector1.FIGS. 8 and 9are exploded perspective views of the electrical connector1. These figures define three orthogonal directions, i.e., front-back, up-down, and left-right directions.

The electrical connector1includes a conductive contact member2and an insulating housing3. For example, the housing3is an integral resin molded product and the contact member2is an integral metal plate. As depicted inFIG. 1, the contact member2is surface-mounted by soldering to two solder connecting portions91,92on a circuit board9. An object to be connected, for example, a battery7is connected to the electrical connector1from the front side in this embodiment. As a result, an electrode (not depicted) of the battery7is electrically connected via the electrical connector1to a conductive pattern (not depicted) of the circuit board9.

Single structure of the contact member2and the housing3will first be described mainly with reference toFIGS. 8 and 9.

The housing3has a base portion31, side wall portions32,33, partition wall portions34,35, and a ceiling portion36and these portions form three hole portions38such that a portion of the contact member2is housed in each of the hole portions38. The side wall portions32,33rise from both left and right ends of the base portion31. The partition wall portions34,35rise from the base portion31between the side wall portions32,33. The ceiling portion36is located between upper ends of the side wall portions32,33across upper ends of the partition wall portions34,35. Convex portions311to314projected downward are formed on a lower surface of the base portion31. Respective cover portions315facing the lower surface of the base portion31extend from tip portions of the convex portions311to313. Front end portions of right side surfaces of the convex portions312to314are formed as stepped wall portions317(FIG. 9). The stepped wall portions317define a rightward maximum allowable displacement distance d11(FIG. 5) of the housing3as described later.

The contact member2has a basal portion21, a contact-side elastic portion22, a mounting-side elastic portion23, a folding-back portion24, and first and second connecting leg portions25,26. The basal portion21has a planar shape extending in a horizontal plane (in a plane at the same position in the up-down direction). Structure of the contact member2upper than the basal portion21is known and therefore will briefly be described. The contact-side elastic portion22has a shape that extends backward and upward from a folding portion221at the front end of the basal portion21, that is folded back at a folding portion222on the rear side to extend forward and upward, and that is further folded backward at a folding portion223on the front side. A contact portion224convexed toward the front side and facing forward is formed on the folding portion223by press working, for example. If an electrode of the object to be connected is pressed against the contact portion224from the front side, the contact portion224is retracted due to elastic deformation of the contact-side elastic portion22.

In the contact member2, the mounting-side elastic portion23extends on the lower side of the basal portion21in parallel with the basal portion21. One end of the mounting-side elastic portion23and the rear end of the basal portion21are connected by the folding-back portion24(folding portion). The first and second connecting leg portions25,26both extend downward from the other end of the mounting-side elastic portion23. Each tip side of the leg portions25,26acts as mounting portion for the circuit board9(FIG. 1) at positions different from each other, which are positions separated in the front-back direction in this embodiment.

The mounting-side elastic portion23includes a first U-shaped portion231extending in the front-back direction and a second U-shaped portion232extending in the left-right direction. One end of the second U-shaped portion232is connected to the folding-back portion24while one end of the first U-shaped portion231is connected to the other end of the second U-shaped portion232, and the first and second connecting leg portions25,26separately extend in the respective front-back directions from the other end of the first U-shaped portion231. A length of the first U-shaped portion231in the front-back direction is longer than a length of the second U-shaped portion232in the left-right direction.

The first connecting leg portion25is a leg portion extending forward from the other end of the first U-shaped portion231and has a stored portion251, a first bent-up portion252, and a first surface mounting portion253. The stored portion251extends from the other end of the first U-shaped portion231and extends forward on the side (right side) of the first U-shaped portion231. The first surface mounting portion253is a tip portion of the first connecting leg portion25and is surface-mounted on the circuit board9(FIG. 1) by soldering, for example. The first surface mounting portion253has an area capable of ensuring solder joint strength sufficient for surface mounting. The first bent-up portion252is portion connected to the front end side of the stored portion251by bending up a right end of the first surface mounting portion253.

The second connecting leg portion26is a leg portion extending backward from the other end of the first U-shaped portion231and has a second bent-up portion262and a second surface mounting portion263. The second surface mounting portion263is a tip portion of the second connecting leg portion26and is surface-mounted on the circuit board9(FIG. 1) by soldering, for example. The second surface mounting portion263has an area capable of ensuring solder joint strength sufficient for surface mounting. The second bent-up portion262is portion connected to the other end of the first U-shaped portion231by bending up the front end of the second surface mounting portion263.

Combined structure of the contact member2and the housing3will then be described mainly with reference toFIGS. 2 to 7.

The contact member2is assembled to the housing3from the rear side such that the base portion31of the housing3is interposed between the basal portion21and the mounting-side elastic portion23while the basal portion21and the contact-side elastic portion22are put through the hole portion38of the housing3. Since fixing claws211(FIGS. 8, 9) formed on the side edges (both edges) of the basal portion21enter the hole portion38to scrape the inner walls of the hole portions38and the fixing claws211bite into the inner walls of the hole portions38, the basal portion21is fixed to the housing3after assembling. A plurality (three in this embodiment) of the contact members2of the same shape is assembled to the single housing3.

The basal portion21of the contact member2is present along the upper surface of the base portion31of the housing3. The mounting-side elastic portion23of the contact member2is present along the lower surface of the base portion31of the housing3. The folding-back portion24of the contact member2is located at the rear of the base portion31of the housing3to connect the basal portion21and the mounting-side elastic portion23. The stored portion251of the first connecting leg portion25and a portion on the right side of the first U-shaped portion231of the contact member2are located (inserted) in a gap (terminal storage slit) between the lower surface of the base portion31and the cover portion315of the housing3.

The distance d11(FIG. 5) between a side edge (left edge) of the first surface mounting portion253of the contact member2and the facing convex portion on the left side (the stepped wall portion317of the convex portion312to314of the housing3) is the rightward maximum allowable displacement distance of the housing3relative to the first surface mounting portion253(i.e., the mounting circuit board). In particular, if the housing3moves rightward by the distance d11relative to the first surface mounting portion253, the side edge (left edge) of the first surface mounting portion253comes into contact with the stepped wall portion317of the convex portions312to314of the housing3to restrict the rightward displacement of the housing3equal to or smaller than the distance d11.

A distance d12(FIG. 5) between a side edge (right edge) of the stored portion251of the contact member2and the facing convex portion on the right side (the convex portion311to313of the housing3, i.e., a bottom surface319of the terminal storage slit) is the leftward maximum allowable displacement distance of the housing3relative to the first surface mounting portion253(i.e., the mounting circuit board). In particular, if the housing3moves leftward by the distance d12relative to the first surface mounting portion253, the side edge (right edge) of the stored portion251comes into contact with the convex portion311to313of the housing3, i.e., the bottom surface319of the terminal storage slit, to restrict the leftward displacement of the housing3equal to or smaller than the distance d12.

A distance d21between a front surface of the second bent-up portion262of the contact member2(a front surface of a portion extending forward and obliquely upward from the second surface mounting portion263) and a rear end surface of the cover portion315of the housing3is the backward maximum allowable displacement distance of the housing3relative to the second surface mounting portion263(i.e., the mounting circuit board). In particular, if the housing3moves backward by the distance d21relative to the second surface mounting portion263, the front surface of the second bent-up portion262comes into contact with the rear end surface of the cover portion315to restrict the backward displacement of the housing3equal to or smaller than the distance d21.

The forward displacement of the housing3relative to the mounting circuit board is not restricted by contact with the contact member2. However, when the second U-shaped portion232is compressed by a maximum compression distance d22(FIG. 6) due to the forward displacement of the housing3, elastic resistance of the elastic portion22subsequently increases to substantially restrict further forward displacement of the housing3.

Operation of the floating function in the electrical connector1will hereinafter be described.

FIGS. 10 to 13are bottom views of the electrical connector1when forward, backward, leftward, and rightward forces are applied to the housing3, andFIGS. 10, 11, 12, and 13depict the cases of application of rightward force, leftward force backward force, and forward force, respectively. InFIGS. 10 to 13, it is assumed that the first and second surface mounting portions253,263are fixed to a circuit board not depicted and are immobile relative to the circuit board.

As depicted inFIG. 10, if rightward force is applied to the housing3, the first U-shaped portion231is compressed (closed) and, therefore, the housing3can be displaced rightward relative to the first and second surface mounting portions253,263(i.e., the mounting circuit board). As depicted inFIG. 11, if leftward force is applied to the housing3, the first U-shaped portion231is expanded (opened) and, therefore, the housing3can be displaced leftward relative to the first and second surface mounting portions253,263. As depicted inFIG. 12, if backward force is applied to the housing3, the second U-shaped portion232is expanded (opened) and, therefore, the housing3can be displaced backward relative to the first and second surface mounting portions253,263. In this case, since the second U-shaped portion232is shorter than the first U-shaped portion231, if only the expansion and compression of the second U-shaped portion232are used, stronger resistance is generated against the forward and backward displacement of the housing3(the displacement becomes more difficult) as compared to the leftward and rightward displacement. However, since the housing3can be displaced backward not only by opening of the second U-shaped portion232but also by swinging (leftward tilting) of the first U-shaped portion231longer than the second U-shaped portion232, the resistance at the time of the backward displacement is reduced. As depicted inFIG. 13, if forward force is applied to the housing3, the second U-shaped portion232is compressed (closed) and, therefore, the housing3can be displaced forward relative to the first and second surface mounting portions253,263. Since the housing3can be displaced forward not only by closing of the second U-shaped portion232but also by swinging (rightward tilting) of the first U-shaped portion231longer than the second U-shaped portion232, the resistance at the time of the forward displacement is reduced. By combining displacements in two directions, diagonal and rotational displacements can be accommodated.

According to the embodiment, the following effects are produced.

(1) Since the contact member2has the first and second connecting leg portions25,26both extending downward from the other end of the mounting-side elastic portion23and each tip side of the leg portions25,26acts as mounting portion for the circuit board at positions separated in the front-back direction, it is not necessary to separately dispose a reinforcing plate along with the contact member2unlike the case of soldering the contact member to the board at only one position on the rear side of the housing as in the conventional case. This eliminates increases in parts count and assembly man-hours due to the disposition of the reinforcing plate. To ensure the floating function while the reinforcing plate is used, the reinforcing plate must have elasticity, resulting in a complicated shape and a larger size as compared to a typical reinforcing plate, and a displacement space must be ensured for the reinforcing plate; on the other hand, since this embodiment requires no reinforcing plate, the size and cost of the electrical connector are reduced as a whole as compared to the conventional case using the reinforcing plate.

(2) Since the stored portion251of the first connecting leg portion25of the contact member2is always housed in a gap (the terminal storage slit) between the lower surface of the base portion31and the cover portion315of the housing3, when force is applied to the housing3in a direction of detachment from the board, the cover portion315is hooked to the stored portion251of the first connecting leg portion25of the contact member2and, therefore, the housing3can be prevented from being separated from the contact member2and being detached from the board without using another component. Although the reinforcing plate conventionally plays a role in this detachment prevention, this embodiment can prevent the detachment of the housing3without using the reinforcing plate.

(3) The contact member2and the housing3have an excessive displacement preventing function by its own in terms of the forward, backward, leftward, and rightward directions and can prevent excessive deformation or breakage of the contact member2(particularly, the mounting-side elastic portion23) due to excessive displacement without using another component. Although the reinforcing plate conventionally plays a role in this excessive displacement prevention, this embodiment can prevent the excessive displacement without using the reinforcing plate.

(4) Since the mounting-side elastic portion23of the contact member2is disposed on the lower surface side of the base portion31of the housing3, the mounting-side elastic portion23can be made up of the first U-shaped portion231extending in the front-back direction and the second U-shaped portion232extending in the left-right direction. The first and second U-shaped portions231,232are elastically deformable without torsion and can easily be displaced in the front-back and left-right directions without displacement in the up-down direction unlike a conventional configuration displaced in the left-right direction through torsional deformation of an elastic portion. Since the second U-shaped portion232extending in the left-right direction is made shorter than the first U-shaped portion231extending in the front-back direction, the swinging of the first U-shaped portion231having a longer length can be used for complementing the displacement in the front-back direction, which is associated with larger resistance because of a shorter length when only the elastic deformation of the second U-shaped portion232is used, while reducing an arrangement interval of the contact members2aligning in the left-right direction, and the resistance can be decreased at the time of the displacement in the front-back direction.

FIG. 14is a right-side cross-sectional view of an electrical connector1A according to a second embodiment of the present invention.FIGS. 15 and 16are perspective views of the electrical connector1A. The electrical connector1A is the same as the first embodiment except that a contact portion226of the contact member2faces upward. Specifically, the contact-side elastic portion22has a shape extending backward and upward from the folding portion221at the front end of the basal portion21and folded back downward at a folding portion225on the rear side. A contact portion226convexed toward the upper side and facing upward is formed on the folding portion225by press working, for example. If an electrode of the object to be connected is pressed against the contact portion226from the upper side, the contact portion226is retracted due to elastic deformation of the contact-side elastic portion22. The housing3has a groove portion39allowing the contact portion226to project in the ceiling portion36. This embodiment can produce the same effects as the first embodiment.

Described above is an explanation based on the embodiment. The description of the embodiments is illustrative in nature and various variations in constituting elements and processes involved are possible. Those skilled in the art would readily appreciate that such variations are also within the scope of the present invention.

The mounting method of the electrical connector is not limited to surface mounting and may be through-hole mounting.

The number of the contact members2attached to the single housing3is not limited to three and may appropriately be designed depending on required specifications etc.

EXPLANATIONS OF LETTERS OR NUMERALS