Connector

A connector capable of easily forming shield members which can be attached to a housing comprises a socket capable of fitting into the plug, plural socket terminals capable of electrically connecting the plug when the plug fits into the socket, a pair of tabular first socket side shield members covering the front face portion and the back face portion of the socket respectively, and a pair of the first attachment grooves respectively at both ends in the width direction of the front and the back face portions. The first attachment grooves can be inserted into and hold both ends in the width direction of the first socket side shield members. Therefore, it becomes possible to attach the first socket side shield members without having a lock piece, etc., at the first socket side shield members. The first socket side shield members can be formed easily.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is based on, and claims priority from, JP Application Number 2006-289978, filed Oct. 25, 2006, and PCT Application Number PCT/JP07/070,320, filed Oct. 18, 2007, the disclosures of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entireties.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(i) Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a connector mounted on a printed-circuit board or the like to be used for connecting a plurality of circuit boards electrically.

(ii) Description of the Related Art

Generally, as such type of connectors, a connector is known to comprise a housing formed so as to be capable of fitting into a connection object, a plurality of terminals formed so as to be capable of electrically connecting the connection object when the connection object fits into the housing, and a shield member provided so as to cover the outer surface of the housing and be capable of attaching to the housing (See Patent Document 1, for example).

However, with this connector, a lock piece which extends a direction perpendicular to an attaching direction is provided at the shield member, and the shield member is attached at the housing by inserting the lock piece into a lock portion which is provided at the housing. In this case, it becomes necessary to manufacture the shield member and the housing anew, respectively. Therefore, as a result, it is concerned that this increases the cost of manufacturing connectors.Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Publication No. 2005-251461

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

The present invention was made in view of the above problems and has an object to provide a connector capable of easily forming shield members which are capable of attaching to a housing.

Means for Solving the Problems

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention comprises a housing formed so as to be capable of fitting into a connection object, a plurality of terminals formed so as to be capable of electrically connecting the connection object when the connection object fits into the housing, a pair of tabular shield members provided so as to cover two surfaces of the outer surface of the housing respectively, the said two surfaces being along the arranged direction of terminals, and a pair of attachment grooves provided at the predetermined end of the said two surfaces respectively, the said attachment grooves formed so as to be capable of inserting and holding the end of the shield members.

By this, the end of tabular shield members provided so as to cover two surfaces of the outer surface of the housing respectively are held by the attachment grooves, therefore, it becomes possible to attach the shield member on the housing without providing the lock piece etc. at the shield member.

Advantages of the Invention

According to the present invention, it becomes possible to attach the shield member on the housing without providing the lock piece etc. at the shield member, therefore, the shield member can be formed easily. Therefore, it becomes possible to manufacture the connector at low cost.

DESCRIPTION OF THE SYMBOLS

1. . . socket,2. . . plug,11. . . a front face portion,12. . . a back face portion,13. . . the both side face portions in width direction,16a. . . a pair of the first attachment grooves,17a. . . a pair of the second attachment grooves,30. . . a plurality of socket terminals,40. . . a pair of the first socket side shield members,50. . . a pair of the second socket side shield members,51. . . a pair of contact pieces.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 to 10show an embodiment of the present invention.FIG. 1is a perspective view of a socket,FIG. 2is a plan view of the socket,FIG. 3is a side view of a socket terminal,FIG. 4is a perspective view of a shield terminal,FIG. 5is a side sectional view of the socket,FIG. 6is a perspective view of a plug,FIG. 7is a plan view of the plug,FIG. 8is a side sectional view of the plug,FIGS. 9 and 10are a side sectional view showing an operation when the socket and plug are fitted together.

This connector comprises a socket1as a housing arranged on a first circuit board100. The connector is used to connect the circuit boards100and200electrically each other by fitting the socket1into a plug2as a connection object arranged on a second circuit board200.

As is shown inFIGS. 1 and 2, the socket1comprises a socket side fixed housing10which is arranged on the first circuit board100side, a movable housing20which is provided so as to be movable in the width direction (X direction in the figure) and the back-and-forth direction (Y direction in the figure) with respect to the socket side fixed housing10, a plurality of socket terminals30, one end of which is held by the socket side fixed housing10and the other end of which is held by the movable housing20, the socket terminals30are formed so as to be elastic deformed in accordance with movement of the movable housing20with respect to the socket side fixed housing10, a pair of first socket side shield members40as shield members which are provided so as to cover two surfaces of the outer surface of the first housing respectively, the said two surfaces are along the arranged direction of socket terminals30, more specifically, the said two surfaces are along the width direction, a pair of second socket side shield members50as other shield members which are provided so as to cover the other two surfaces of the outer surfaces of the socket side fixed housing10respectively, the said other two surfaces are perpendicular to the arranged direction of the socket terminals30, in other word, the said other two surfaces are along the back-and-forth direction, and a pair of shield terminals60formed so as to be detachable from the first socket side shield members40respectively.

A socket side fixed housing10is made of a synthetic resin molding and is formed a rectangular tube shape of which the upper and bottom faces are open. More specifically, the socket side fixed housing10comprises a front face portion11and a back face portion12, which extend in the width direction respectively, and the both side face portions in width direction13which extend in the back-and-forth direction. On the bottom end side of the front face portion11and back face portion12, a plurality of terminal holes14which hold one side of each socket terminal30is provided at even intervals with each other. Also, on the both end sides in the arranged direction of the terminal holes14(X direction in the figure), a pair of shield terminal holes15are provided so as to hold shield terminals60respectively. On the both end sides of the front face portion11and the back face portion12in the width direction, a pair of the first attaching portions16to mount the first socket side shield members40are provided. On the top of the first attaching portions16, the first attachment groove16ais provided so as to be capable of holding the end in the width direction of the first socket side shield members40inserted from above. The first attachment groove16ais formed so as to extend in the width direction. On the bottom of the both side face portions in width direction13, a pair of the second attaching portions17to mount the second socked side shield members50are provided. The second attaching portions16are formed so as to protrude outside in the width direction of the socket side fixed housing10. On the top of the second attaching portions17, the second attachment groove17ais provided so as to be capable of holding the bottom end of the second socket side shield members50. The second attachment groove17ais formed so as to extend downward.

A movable housing20is made of the synthetic resin molding and is formed to a box shape of which the upper face is open. More specifically, the movable housing20comprises a front face portion21, a back face portion22, the both side face portions23in the width direction, and a bottom face portion24. A fitting portion25is provided at the center of the bottom face portion24, the fitting portion25is formed so as to be protruded upward. Also, on a side wall portion of the front face and the back face side of the fitting portion25, a plurality of terminal holes26which hold the other side of the socket terminals30are formed so as to penetrate through the bottom face portion24in the up-and-down direction (Z direction in the figure). Moreover, on the back-and-forth direction both end sides of the bottom face portion24, a pair of through-holes27is formed so as to be capable of inserting the other end side of the shield terminals60in the up-and-down direction, the through-holes27are provided so as to be placed at the both end sides in the arranged direction of the socket terminals30respectively.

The socket terminals30are made of a conductive metal plate capable of being elastic deformed and arranged in a line on the both sides in the back-and-forth direction of the socket1respectively. As is shown inFIG. 3, the socket terminal30is formed so that a connection portion31extends in the back-and-forth direction, the connection portion31is to be connected to the first circuit board100. Also, the socket terminals30comprises a first straight portion32which extends upward from the back end of the connection portion31, a bending portion33which is bent downward from the upper end of the first straight portion32, a second straight portion34which extends aslant downward from the bending portion33, a third straight portion35which extends backward from the bottom end of the second straight portion34, a forth straight portion36which extends upward from the back end of the third straight portion35, and a contact portion37which is bent forward from the forth straight portion36and extends upward. The socket terminals30is capable of being elastic deformed in the width direction and back-and-forth direction with respect to the bending portion33as a base point.

The first socket side shield members40is made of a conductive metal plate which extends in the width direction of the socket side fixed housing10and formed so as to be detachable from the outer surfaces of the front face portion11and the back face portion12respectively. More specifically, the width direction both end sides of the first socket side shield members40are inserted from above into the first attaching portions16of the socket side fixed housing10respectively so that the first socket side shield members40is attached to cover the outer surface in the width direction of the socket side fixed housing10. Also, the first socket side shield members40is formed so that the upper end side thereof covers the front face portion11or the back face portion12of the socket side fixed housing10and formed in approximately L-shape so as to extend to the front face portion21or the back face portion22of the movable housing20. In this case, the upper end side of the first socket side shield members40covers exposed parts of the socket terminals30between the housings10and20from above. Also, the first socket side shield members40can be manufactured easily by a press work of a metal plate, a dimension of which is the same with dimension of the socket side fixed housing10in the width direction. Therefore, it is unnecessary to manufacture dies of the first socket side shield members40in accordance with dimensions of the socket side fixed housing10.

The second socket side shield members50is made of the conductive metal plate which extends in the back-and-forth direction of the socket side fixed housing10and formed so as to cover the outer surfaces of the both side face portions13in the width direction respectively. Also, on the both end sides in the back-and-forth direction of the second socket side shield members50, a pair of contact pieces51is provided so as to respectively touch the first shield members which are provided on the front face portion11and the back face portion12. The contact pieces51are formed by bending the back-and-forth direction two end sides of the second socket side shield members50toward the width direction. Also, as for the second socket side shield members50, the dimension thereof does not change according to the number of terminals, therefore, it can be manufactured easily by using the same mold.

Shield terminals60are made of the conductive metal plate which is capable of being elastic deformed. As is shown inFIG. 4, a ground connect portion61capable of electrically connecting to a ground portion (not shown) is formed so as to extend in the back-and-forth direction, the ground portion is provided on the first circuit board100. Also, each shield terminals60is provided with a first straight portion62which extends upward from the back end of the ground connect portion61. On the both end sides in the width direction of the first straight portion62, second straight portions63are provided respectively which extend forward from the first straight portion62. Also, on the front end of the second straight portions63, first shield conductive portions64which touches the first socket side shield members40is provided integrally. Moreover, each shield terminal60is provided with a first bending portion65which is bent downward from the upper end of the first straight portion62, a third straight portion66which extends aslant downward from the first bending portion65, a second bending portion67which is bent upward from the bottom end of the third straight portion66, and a fourth straight portion68which extends aslant upward from the second bending portion67. The shield terminals60are capable of being elastic deformed in the width direction and the back-and-forth direction with respect to the first and second bending portions65and67as a base point. Also, on the upper end of the fourth straight portion68, a second shield conductive portion69which touches the later-described plug side shield member90is provided integrally.

When the socket terminals30are mounted on the socket side fixed housing10, the socket terminals30are pressed into the terminal holes14from below. At this time, as is shown inFIG. 5, one end side of the socket terminals30, in other word, the upper end side of the connect portion31is held by the terminal holes14. Also, when the movable housing20is pressed in from above with respect to the other end side of the socket terminals30, the fourth straight portion36and the contact portion37of the socket terminals30penetrate through the bottom face portion24of the movable housing20and held by terminal holes26.

Also, when the first socket side shield members40are mounted on the socket1, the both end sides in the width direction of the first socket side shield members40are inserted into the first attachment grooves16aof the front face portion11and the back face portion12from above. In addition, when the second socket side shield members50are mounted on the socket1, the contact pieces51of the second socket side shield members50are inserted into the first attachment grooves16afrom above. In this case, the contact pieces51contact with the first socket side shield members40which are mounted on the front face portion11and the back face portion12respectively. Also, the second socket side shield members50are held by inserting the bottom side of which into the second attachment groove17a.

Additionally, when the shield terminals60are mounted on the socket1, the shield terminals60are pressed into shield terminal holes15from below. At this time, the top end side of the ground connect portion61and the top end side of the second straight portions63are held by the shield terminal holes15and the first shield conductive portion64touches the first socket side shield members40. Also, the shield terminals60are held in a state that the fourth straight portion68and the second shield conductive portion69penetrate upward through through-holes27of the movable housing20. In this case, the outer surfaces in the width direction and back-and-forth direction of the socket side fixed housing10are covered by the shield members40,50, thus, it will be capable of reducing the effect of electromagnetic wave to the socket terminals30from the outside. Also, the first and the second shield conductive portions64,69of the shield terminals60are arranged on the both end sides in the arranged direction of the socket terminals30so as to completely prevent the shield contact portions64,69from obstructing springy deformation of the socket terminals30.

Next, a composition of the plug2is explained. As is shown inFIGS. 6 and 7, the plug2is provided with a plug side fixed housing70arranged at the second circuit board200side, a plurality of plug terminals80formed so as to be held by the plug side fixed housing70, and a pair of plug side shield members90formed so as to cover the outer surfaces in the width direction of the plug side fixed housing70respectively.

The plug side fixed housing70is made of the synthetic resin molding and is formed to a box shape of which the upper face is open. More specifically, the plug side fixed housing70comprises a front face portion71, a back face portion72, both side face portions73in the width direction, and a bottom face portion74. The plug side fixed housing70is provided so as to be movable with respect to the socket side fixed housing10of the socket1and formed so as to be capable of fitting into the movable housing20. Also, at the bottom end sides and the inner wall portions of the front face portion71and the back face portion72of the plug side fixed housing70, a plurality of the terminal holes75which hold the plug terminals80are provided at even intervals each other respectively. Moreover, on the upper end sides of the front face portion71and the back face portion72, attaching portions76are formed respectively so on which the plug side shield members90are mounted. The attaching portions76comprise a first attachment groove76aformed so as to be capable of inserting the center part of the upper side of the plug side shield member90from below and holding it, and a pair of the second attachment grooves76bformed so as to be capable of inserting the both sides in the width direction of top of the plug side shield member90from below and holding them. The first attachment groove76ais provided so as to be located under the second attachment grooves76b.

The plug terminals80are made of the conductive metal plate and arranged in a line on the both sides in back-and-forth direction of the plug2. As is shown inFIG. 8, the plug terminals80are formed so that a connect portion81extends in the back-and-forth direction, the connect portion81is to be connected to the second circuit board200. A contact portion82which extends upward is provided at one end side of the connect portion81.

Plug side shield members90are made of a conductive metal plate which extends in the width direction of the plug side fixed housing70, the upper end side thereof are pressed into the mounting grooves76of the plug side fixed housing70from the below so that the plug side shield members90are mounted on to cover the outer surfaces of the plug side fixed housing70in the width direction. Also, at the bottom end side of the width direction both end sides of the plug side shield members90, a ground connect portion91capable of electrically connecting to a ground portion (not shown) is formed so as to extend in the back-and-forth direction, the ground connect portion91is provided on the second circuit board200.

When the plug terminals80are mounted on the plug side fixed housing70, the plug terminals80are pressed into the terminal holes75. At this time, as is shown inFIG. 8, the connect portion81and contact portion82of the plug terminals80are held by the terminal holes75of the plug side fixed housing70. Also, when the plug side shield members90are mounted on the plug side fixed housing70, the upper side of the plug side shield members90are inserted into the attachment grooves76a,76bfrom below. In this case, the width direction of the plug side fixed housing70, in other word, the outer surfaces of the front face portion71and the back face portion72are covered by the plug side shield members90, thus, it becomes capable of reducing the effect of electromagnetic wave to the plug terminals80from the outside.

The connector which is composed as above is used to connect the pair of the circuit boards100,200electrically. As is shown inFIG. 9, when the plug2connected to the second circuit board200is arranged above the socket1connected to the first circuit board100, and if the plug2is moved downward so that the plug side fixed housing70fits into the fitting portion25of the movable housing of the socket1, the contact portion82of the plug terminals80touches the contact portion37of the socket terminals30respectively. In this case, as is shown inFIG. 10, the first shield conductive portion64of the shield terminals60touches the first socket side shield member40, and the second shield conductive members69touches the plug side shield members90. At this time, if either one of the socket side fixed housing10or the plug side fixed housing70moves in the width direction or back-and-forth direction with respect to the other, the socket terminals30and shield terminals60erastically deform by the said movement and a relative positional shift of the fixed housings10,70will be allowed.

Also, to change the number of the terminals30,80without changing intervals between the terminals30and80, it becomes necessary to make the dimensions larger in the width direction, more specifically, the terminal arranged direction of the housings10,20,70. In this case, by mounting the first shield members40and plug side shield members90according to dimensions thereof on the housings10,70respectively, it becomes capable of covering the shield members40,90of the terminals30,80respectively and reducing the effect of electromagnetic wave to the terminals30and80from the outside.

As such, according to the connector of the present embodiment, the connector comprises the socket1formed so as to be capable of fitting into the plug2, a plurality of socket terminals30formed so as to be capable of electrically connecting the plug2when the plug2fits into the socket1, the pair of tabular first socket side shield members40provided so as to cover the front face portion11and the back face portion12of the socket1respectively, and the pair of the first attachment grooves16aprovided at the both ends in the width direction of the front face portion11and the back face portion12respectively, the first attachment grooves16aformed so as to be capable of inserting and holding the both ends in the width direction of the first socket side shield members40. Therefore, it becomes possible to attach the first socket side shield members40on the socket1without providing the lock piece etc. at the first socket side shield members40. Thus, the first socket side shield members40can be formed easily, it becomes possible to manufacture the connector at low cost.

Also, the connector further comprises the pair of the second socket side shield members50provided so as to cover the both side face portions in width direction13of the socket1respectively, and a pair of the second attachment grooves17aprovided at the bottom of the both side face portions in width direction13respectively, the second attachment grooves17aformed so as to be capable of inserting and holding the bottom end of the second socket side shield members50. Thus, for example, in case the dimension of the socket1in the arranged direction of the socket terminals30varies from the number of terminals, it becomes possible to mount the first shield members40which are formed in accordance with the dimension of the socket1in the arranged direction on the front face portion11and the back face portion12respectively, and to mount the second shield members50, without alteration of the dimension of which, on the both side face portions in width direction13respectively. Therefore, even in case the dimension of the socket1in the arranged direction of the socket terminals30varies from the number of terminals, it becomes possible to form the shield members easily than the case that the outer surface of the socket1is covered by one shield member, so it becomes possible to manufacture the shield members at low cost.

Additionally, the first socket side shield members40and the second socket side shield members50are formed so as to contact with each other, thus, it becomes to ensure an electrical connection between the shield members40,50.

Moreover, the above embodiment is nothing but an example and the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, in the above embodiment, the shield members40,50are formed so as to be capable of inserting from above of the socket1, however, they can be formed so as to be capable of inserting from below of the socket1by providing the attachment grooves76a,76bof the plug2on the socket side fixed housing10.

Also, in the above embodiment, the contact pieces51are provided on the second socket side shield members, however, they can be provided on the first socket side shield members.