Connector

A connector is disclosed. The connector comprises a circuit board having a plurality of contact pads arranged in a two-dimensional fashion on a first face facing a mating connector side, the plurality of contact pads configured to make contact with a plurality of contacts of a mating connector, and a housing having a locating portion in contact with the first face of the circuit board, the locating portion locating the first face with respect to a direction of mating with the mating connector.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of the filing date under 35 U.S.C. §119(a)-(d) of Japanese Patent Application No. 2015-091238, filed Apr. 28, 2015.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an electrical connector, and more particularly, to an electrical connector provided with a circuit board having a plurality of contact pads.

BACKGROUND

As is known in the art, some electronic apparatuses used in high-performance applications, such as medical devices, are required to transmit and receive signals of considerably numerous channels. In such apparatuses, multichannel connectors suitable for transmitting and receiving multichannel signals are used.

JP 2001-351747A discloses an example of such a multichannel connector. The connector disclosed in JP 2001-351747A is provided with a circuit board having a plurality of contact pads formed on a first face thereof and arranged in a two-dimensional fashion. This circuit board is fixed to a housing surface from a mating connector side, having the first face facing the mating connector.

In the case of the connector disclosed in JP 2001-351747A, the positioning of the circuit board within the housing is dictated by a second face opposite to the first face, which contacts the housing. Variations in thickness or warping of the circuit board may cause the position of the contact pads formed on the first face to fluctuate relative to the mating connector. The variations of this position also cause a contact pressure with the mating connector to fluctuate, resulting in an unstable contact and corresponding connection. Moreover, a connector having this structure is unadaptable to a circuit board having a different board thickness.

SUMMARY

An object of the invention, among others, is to provide improved positional precision of a first face of a connector having contact pads formed thereon. The disclosed connector comprises a circuit board having a plurality of contact pads arranged in a two-dimensional fashion on a first face facing a mating connector side, the plurality of contact pads configured to make contact with a plurality of contacts of a mating connector, and a housing having a locating portion in contact with the first face of the circuit board, the locating portion locating the first face with respect to a direction of mating with the mating connector.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT(S)

The invention is explained in greater detail below with reference to embodiments of an electrical connector. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete and still fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.

The electrical connector according to the invention, as shown generally inFIGS. 1 and 2, includes a first connector10and a second connector20. The major components of the invention will now be described in greater detail.

The first connector10, as shown inFIG. 3, is provided with a circuit board13and a retainer14in addition to a frame11and a cap12. The first connector10has a shape where the large cap12has been attached on to the frame11. A cable (not shown) composed of a plurality of electric wires is connected within the cap12.

The frame11may be made of metal, and is provided with a plurality of lock grooves111and shield contact portions112on an outside face thereof. As shown inFIG. 1, the lock groove111is an L-shaped groove having a first portion111aopened toward an end portion extending in a mating direction and a second portion111bextending laterally on a depth side of the first portion111a. The frame11also has a plurality of locating pins114provided on a stand portion113. The locating pins114are provided such that one thereof is allocated to each of the left and right stand portions113, in this exemplary embodiment, two total locating pins114are positioned within the frame11. These two locating pins114are provided near the same side in the widthwise direction, as shown inFIG. 3. The frame11also has a large opening115on a lower face side.

The cap12, as shown inFIG. 3, is formed in a dome shape bulging upward.

The circuit board13has a plurality of contact pads133arranged in the circuit board13in a two-dimensional fashion on a lower face132, as shown inFIG. 4B, facing in the opposite direction to an upper face131shown inFIG. 3. The term “two-dimensional fashion” in this specification includes such a case that rows or columns adjacent to each other are staggered to each other in addition to a case where the contact pads133are arranged in a matrix shape. The lower face132of the circuit board13is the mating face of the first connector10to the second connector20.

Further, the circuit board13has tongue portions134projecting at left and right sides, and locating holes135and136provided in the tongue portions134. The tongue portions134correspond to and are positioned on the stand portions113of the frame11. The circuit board13is placed in such a state that the tongue portions134have been placed on the stand portions113of the frame11and the locating pins114of the frame11have been pushed into the locating holes135of the circuit board13. Thereby, the circuit board13is positioned within the frame

Two locating holes135and136are provided in each of the left and right tongue portions134. On one hand, the number of locating pins114provided on these stand portions113is one per each of the respective left and right stand portions113. The locating pins114provided on these stand portions113are inserted into respective one left and right locating holes135of the two locating holes135and the two locating holes136in the two left and right tongue portions134, respectively, so that locating of the circuit board13to the frame11is performed. The contact pads133on the lower face132, shown inFIG. 4B, make contact with the stand portions113of the frame11, and the lower face132is thereby positioned with respect to the frame11. Therefore, even if variations of thicknesses in the circuit board13or the like are present, the contact pads133on the circuit board13are always located to the frame11correctly.

The retainer14is a frame-shaped member having a through-hole at a central portion thereof. The retainer14makes contact with the upper face131of the circuit board13supported by the frame11and fixes the circuit board13to the stand portions113of the frame11when the retainer14is pushed on to the stand portions113. Thereby, the circuit board13is fixed in a state where it has been securely pushed on to the stand portions113of the frame11.

Fixing of respective parts constituting the first connector10may be performed by four short screws15and four long screws16. The short screws15are screwed to the frame11from the side of the retainer14, as shown inFIG. 3. Thereby, the retainer14, the circuit board13and the frame11are fixed in an integrated fashion. Further, the long screws16are pushed from the opposite side of the frame11, as shown inFIG. 3, to fix the cap12to the frame11.

In the assembled first connector10, shown inFIG. 1, the upper face131of the circuit board13is opened to the side of the cap12through the central portion of the retainer14. The circuit board13is sandwiched between the frame11and the retainer14. The lower face132of the circuit board13formed with the contact pads133is located by the frame11with a high precision. Due to the shape of the cap12, a wide space is formed between the cap12and the upper face131of the circuit board13.

In the aforementioned embodiment, a configuration obtained by combining the frame11and the retainer14is referred to as an example of the housing, and the stand portion113of the frame11is referred to as an example of the locating portion. Further, the retainer14corresponds to one example of the fixing portion of the housing.

The second connector20, as shown inFIG. 1, has a wall201and a mating portion202. The second connector20, as shown inFIG. 5, also has contact blocks21, a base housing22, a slider23, a lift plate24, an upper housing25, a lock plate26, and a shell27.

A plurality of contact blocks21is provided. The exemplary embodiment ofFIG. 5shows twelve contact blocks. A plurality of contacts211insert-molded is arranged in each contact block21.

The base housing22is formed in a rectangular shape, and is surrounded by a wall and is recessed at a central portion thereof. The base housing22may be made of metal. Long holes221are formed on a recess-shaped bottom face along with bottom holes224positioned on the bottom face outside of the long holes221. Each contact block21is press-fitted into each long hole221from a back face side of the base housing22, and the contacts211are arranged inside the base housing22through the long hole221. The base housing22also has shield member arrangement portions222disposed along the wall of the base housing22and top hole223.

The slider23has a projecting portion233projecting in its longitudinal direction, and the projecting portion233is formed with a cam hole234. Further, an upper face231(a face on the side of the lift plate24) of the slider23constitutes a convex cam face having a plurality of projecting portions235.

The slider23and the lift plate24are arranged in the recessed portion of the base housing22from above the base housing22, and the upper housing25is further placed on the lift plate24. The slider23and the lift plate24are formed with a plurality of holes232and242for allowing penetration of a plurality of contacts211. A plurality of holes252for allowing penetration of the contacts211are also formed in the upper housing25. Uppermost portions of the contacts211enter the holes252on the mating face251of the upper housing25. However, in a state where a force is not applied to the contacts211, the uppermost portions of the contacts211enter the holes252of the upper housing25and do not protrude above the upper housing25.

The lift plate24overlaps with the slider23. A lower face (a face on the side of the slider23) of the lift plate24constitutes a cam reception face having a recessed shape with a plurality of recessed portions244corresponding to projection portions235on the upper face231of the slider23, as shown inFIG. 9.

The lock plate26is arranged further above the upper housing25. The lock plate26has a frame shape surrounding a large opening261, and it is provided with a projecting portion262in its longitudinal direction. A cam hole263is formed in the projecting portion262at a position at which the first cam361of the cam member36enters. Further, a plurality of lock projections264, as shown inFIGS. 1 and 5, projecting inside the opening261are formed in the lock plate26.

The shell27is arranged so as to enter the opening261of the lock plate26. The lock projections264of the lock plate26enter the L-shaped lock grooves271provided in the shell27. Each lock groove271has a first portion271aextending in the mating direction (facing a depth of the recess) and a second portion271bextending laterally so as to be wholly formed in an L shape. However, the second portion271bis formed on an upper end side of the first portion271ato be opened upward (on the side of the first connector10). The shell27also has a shell hole272as shown inFIG. 5.

Further, as shown inFIG. 5, the second connector20has a plurality of shield members31, a ball plunger32, two post pins33, a lock block34, a lock block spring35, a cam member36, a lever37, and a plurality of screws38.

The shield members31are arranged on the base housing22so as to take an attitude along the shield member arrangement portions222provided on the side of an inner wall of the wall surrounding the base housing22.

The ball plunger32is plugged into the hole223of the base housing22. The ball plunger32makes contact with a back face of the projecting portion262of the lock plate26after assembled. As described above, the lock plate26is slid according to rotation of the cam member36. Recesses (not shown) are formed in the back face of the projecting portion262of the lock plate26at two positions at which the ball plunger32contacts, the two points constituting a starting point and an end point of the sliding of the lock plate26. The ball plunger32slightly locks the lock plate26at the two positions of the starting point and the end point of the sliding of the lock plate26and provides a clicking feeling to a user rotationally operating the lever37described later.

The two post pins33are plugged into the bottom holes224. In addition, the post pins33penetrate two holes272provided in the shell27, and they are put in a protruded state from the mating portion202of the second connector20, as shown inFIG. 1.

The lock block34and the lock block spring35are arranged on the base housing22. The lock block34is pushed by the lock block spring35so that a distal end portion341of the lock block34, shown inFIG. 6, is put in a protruded state into the recess-shaped mating portion202of the second connector20. In this state, rotation of the cam member36is blocked.

The cam member36has the first cam361and a second cam362. The first cam361is located in the cam hole263of the lock plate26and it slides the lock plate26according to rotation of the cam member36. Further, the second cam362is located in the cam hole234of the slider23and it slides the slider23according to rotation of the cam member36. When the lift plate24is at a lowered position, the projection portions235on the upper face231of the slider23enter recess portions244in the lower face243of the lift plate24. When the cam member36is rotated, the slider23is slid laterally according to an action of the second cam362. Thereby, the projection portions235on the upper face231of the slider23make contact with projection portions on the lower face243of the lift plate24to lift up the lift plate24. The lift plate24lifts up the plurality of contacts211simultaneously.

The lever37is screwed to the cam member36. The lever37is rotationally operated by a user. When the lever37is rotated, the cam member36is also rotated integrally with the lever37.

A plurality of screws38fix the shell27to the base plate22. Thereby, respective parts arranged so as to be sandwiched between the shell27and the base plate22are fixed.

In the second connector20, a configuration obtained by combining the base housing22and the shell27in the aforementioned exemplary embodiment is referred to as the housing. Further, the slider23corresponds to an example of the slide plate. The lift plate24corresponds to an example of the moving plate.

A mating operation of the first connector10and the second connector20will now be described in greater detail.

The recess-shaped mating portion of the second connector20is surrounded by the wall201on a side facing the first connector10. The second connector20is fixed and connected to an apparatus. As shown inFIG. 2, the first connector10is mated with the second connector20such that a front end thereof facing the side of the second connector20is fitted into a recess-shaped mating portion202of the second connector20.

The plurality of connection pads133arranged on a mating face of the first connector10face the side of the second connector20in a two-dimensional fashion. When the first connector10is mated with the second connector20, the mating face of the first connector10faces a mating face251of the second connector20in a state approximately contacting with the mating face251of the second connector20. The mating face251of the second connector20is a bottom face of the recess-shaped mating portion202whose periphery is surrounded by the wall201.

When the first connector10is mated with the second connector20, the two post pins33are put in a state where they have been plugged into locating holes136, as shown inFIG. 3, provided in the first connector10. Both of these two post pins33are provided near the same side of the mating face251in the widthwise direction, therefore, the first connector10cannot be mated with the second connector20in the wrong direction in the longitudinal direction, so that mating is made possible only in the direction shown inFIG. 1andFIG. 2.

The contacts211are arranged in the plurality of holes252of the mating face251on the same face as the mating face251or at a height slightly recessed from the mating face251. The first connector10is mated with the second connector20so as to be put in a state shown inFIG. 2. As shown inFIG. 2, when the first connector10is mated with the second connector20, the lock groove111of the first connector10and the lock groove271of the second connector20face each other so that an L-shaped passage is formed. The mating face of the circuit board13constituting the first connector10, which is the lower face formed with the contact pads133, overlaps with the mating face251which is the upper face of the upper housing25.

The lever37is then rotationally operated. When the lever37is rotationally operated, the lock projection264moves laterally in a passage portion formed by the second portions111band271bextending laterally in the L-shaped passage. The lock projection264first starts moving laterally according to an action of the first cam361when the cam member36is rotated. Thereby, the first connector10is locked to the second connector20in an immovable fashion by the lock projection264.

Next, the contact rises from the hole252of the mating face251of the second connector20. The contacts211are moved to project from a plurality of holes252formed in the mating face251of the second connector20to make contact with the contact pads133of the first connector10. However, the contacts elastically deform when they make contact with the contact pads. Therefore, the contacts hardly project from the holes252and are put in a state where they make contact with the contact pads133with a predetermined contact pressure. The contact which has risen is pushed on to the contact pad133formed on the mating face of the first connector10at a position facing the mating face251of the second connector20.

The shield member31is provided in the second connector20in a contacting state with the base housing22. When the first connector10is mated with the second connector20, the shield members31provided in the second connector20make contact with shield contact portions112of the frame11of the first connector10. Thereby, the first connector10and the second connector20are shielded integrally.

In a state before the lever37is rotationally operated, which is shown inFIGS. 7(A) and 7(B), the lock projections264are located at a position shown inFIG. 7(B)within the lock grooves271and111. When the lock projections264are located at this position, the first connector10is not locked and it is put in a state detachable from the second connector20.

As shown inFIG. 8(B), the lock block34is slid to the right side inFIG. 8(B)according the distal end portion341pushed by the first connector10to be put in a shrunk state of the lock block spring35. In this state, an abutting wall face342of the lock block34is spaced from a to-be-abutted wall face363of the cam member36. That is, the cam member36is in an unlocked state, so that the cam member36can be rotated by operating the lever37rotationally.

When the first connector10is detached from the second connector20, the lock block34is pushed by the lock block spring35. The distal end portion341of the lock block34is put in a projecting state into the recess-shaped mating portion202, as shown inFIG. 6. In this state, the abutting wall face342of the lock block34is caused to abut on the to-be-abutted wall face to be projected363of the cam member36. Thereby, the cam member34is put in a locked state, and even if the lever37is forced to be rotated, the rotation is blocked by the lock block34.

The contact block21is press-fitted into a long hole221of the base housing22from below the base housing22. The contact221constituting the contact block21is protruded upward. The contact211penetrates the hole232of the slider23and the hole242of the lift plate24and an upper end portion thereof extends up to inside of the hole252of the upper housing25. The circuit board13of the first connector10is located just above the upper housing25. The contact pads133are formed on a lower face of the circuit board13facing the upper housing25.

In the state shown inFIG. 9, namely, in a state before the lever37is rotationally operated, shown inFIG. 7(FIGS. 7(A) and 7(B)), the projecting portions235of the slider23enter the recessed portions244of the lift plate24. In this state, a pushing-up force from the lift plate24does not act on the contact211.

As shown inFIG. 10(A), the lever37is put in a state where it has been rotated halfway. In this state, as shown inFIG. 10(B), the lock projections264are put in halfway positions of the second portions271band111bwithin the lock grooves271and111extending laterally. When the lock projections264move up to the position, the first connector10is already put in a locked state. That is, the first connector10cannot be detached from the second connector20, and it is put in a fixed state in a mating state.

As described above, the cam projections264are provided on the lock plate26. The first cam361of the cam member36has entered the cam hole263of the lock plate26. When the lever37is rotated, the cam member36is rotated integrally with the lever37, so that the first cam361pushes a wall face of the cam hole263and the lock plate26is slid. That is, in the state where the lever37has been rotated halfway, shown inFIG. 10, the first cam361already acts on the lock plate26, which means that the lock plate26is moving.

As shown inFIG. 11(B), the cam member36is put in an unlocked state from locking performed by the lock block34likeFIG. 8(B). However, the cam member36has been rotated from the state shown inFIG. 8(B). According to this rotation, the first cam361acts on the lock plate26to slide the lock plate26, thereby locking the first connector10. According to the rotation, the second cam362has been also rotated. However, in this stage, the slider23is not pushed by the second cam362yet, so that it does not start sliding.

In a state where the lever37has been rotated up to an attitude shown inFIGS. 10(A) and 10(B), the slider23does not start sliding. Therefore, the lift plate24has not been lifted up yet, so that the contact211remains in a state before being deformed.

As shown in thisFIGS. 13(A) and 13(B), when the lever37is rotated up to the final attitude, the cam member36is also further rotated from the state shown inFIGS. 10(A) and 10(B). The first cam361of the cam member36which has entered the cam hole263of the lock plate26further pushes the lock plate26so that the lock projection264is moved laterally up to a final position shown inFIG. 13. Thereby, the first connector10is locked to the second connector20further securely.

When the lever37is rotated up to the final attitude, the cam member36is also rotated up to its final attitude. According to the rotation of the cam member36, as shown inFIG. 14(B), the second cam362which has entered the cam hole234of the slider23pushes the slider23to slide the slider23.

When the lever37is rotated up to the final attitude shown inFIGS. 13(A) and 13(B), the slider23also slides in addition to the lock plate26which is previously starting sliding. As a result, the projecting portions235on the cam face formed on the upper face231of the slider23overlap with the lower face243of the lift plate23so that lift plate23is lifted up. As a result, a plurality of contacts211arranged are simultaneously lifted up by the upper face241of the lift plate24. The upper end portions of the contacts211have entered the holes252provided in the upper housing25and face the circuit board13of the first connector10just above the upper housing25. The contact pads133are formed on the lower face of the circuit board13facing the upper housing25. Therefore, the contacts211which have been lifted up by the lift plate24make contact with the contact pads133on the lower face of the circuit board13securely with a predetermined contact pressure. Here, a plurality of contacts211is simultaneously lifted up by one lift plate24.

Advantageously, variations of the contact pressures or the contact timings can be suppressed as compared with such a configuration that individual contacts211are individually lifted up by the cam faces of the members corresponding to the slider23. The contacts211of the second connector20can thus be caused to make contact with the contact pads133on the circuit board13of the first connector10with a contact pressure which has been adjusted with high precision.