Abstract:
In a floating connector including a fitting portion and a fixed portion, a supporting mechanism is connected to the fitting portion and the fixed portion to support the fitting portion to the fixed portion so that the fitting portion has a floating allowed in a fitting direction of a mating connector. A floating control mechanism is between the fitting portion and the fixed portion. When the mating connector is not fitted to the floating connector, the floating control mechanism locks or inhibits the floating of the fitting portion. However, the floating control mechanism enables the floating of the fitting portion in response to a fitting operation of the mating connector to the floating connector.

Description:
[0001]     This application claims priority to prior Japanese applications JP 2004-211859 and JP 2004-319357, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     This invention relates to a floating connector which can be used for connection with a SATA (Serial AT Attachment) connector of a hard disk drive or the like.  
         [0003]     Heretofore, for connection with a SATA connector of a hard disk drive (HDD) or the like, use is made of a floating connector having a fitting portion movable in directions (X axis direction and Y axis direction) perpendicular to a fitting direction and perpendicular to each other. A floating connector of the type is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication (JP-A) No. H10-321290. Similarly, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication (JP-A) No. 2002-93531 discloses a connector having a fitting portion displaceable in a width direction (X axis direction) and a height direction (Y axis direction).  
         [0004]     Such an existing floating connector has a structure in which the fitting portion is freely movable in the X axis and the Y axis direction even in an unfitted state where it is not fitted to a mating connector. Thus, the fitting portion is held movable only by a contact. Therefore, if the fitting portion is subjected to mechanical shock, the fitting portion is moved to cause an adverse influence such as deformation of the contact.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a floating connector in which a fitting portion to be fitted with a mating connector is fixed in an unfitted state and is floatable after the mating connector is fitted.  
         [0006]     It is another object of this invention to provide a floating connector of the type describe, in which a fitting portion is movable in X axis and Y axis directions intersecting with a fitting direction in response to a fitting operation with a mating connector.  
         [0007]     It is still another object of this invention to provide a floating connector of the type describe, in which a fitting portion is movable in X axis, Y axis, and Z axis directions.  
         [0008]     It is yet another object of this invention to provide a connector of the type described, which is capable of absorbing displacement or a positioning error after a mating connector is connected.  
         [0009]     Other objects of the present invention will become clear as the description proceeds.  
         [0010]     According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a floating connector which comprises a fitting portion, a fixed portion, a supporting mechanism connected to the fitting portion and the fixed portion to support the fitting portion to the fixed portion so that the fitting portion has a floating allowed in a first direction including a fitting direction of a mating connector, and a floating control mechanism between the fitting portion and the fixed portion for locking the floating when the mating connector is not fitted to the floating connector and for enabling the floating in response to a fitting operation of the mating connector to the floating connector. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING  
       [0011]      FIG. 1A  is a partial front view of a floating connector according to a first embodiment of this invention;  
         [0012]      FIG. 1B  is a sectional perspective view taken along a line IB-IB in  FIG. 1A ;  
         [0013]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the floating connector illustrated in  FIG. 1A ;  
         [0014]      FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view from a rear side of the floating connector illustrated in  FIG. 1A ;  
         [0015]      FIG. 4A  is a plan view showing a fitted state of the floating connector in  FIG. 1A  and a mating connector;  
         [0016]      FIG. 4B  is a front view showing the fitted state;  
         [0017]      FIG. 4C  is a side view showing the fitted state;  
         [0018]      FIG. 5A  is a sectional view taken along a line VA-VA in  FIG. 4B ;  
         [0019]      FIG. 5B  is a sectional view taken along a line VB-VB in  FIG. 4B ;  
         [0020]      FIG. 6A  is a plan view of a metal plate contained in the floating connector in  FIG. 1A ;  
         [0021]      FIG. 6B  is a perspective view of the metal plate illustrated in  FIG. 6A ;  
         [0022]      FIG. 6C  is a front view of the metal plate illustrated in  FIG. 6A ;  
         [0023]      FIG. 6D  is a side view of the metal plate illustrated in  FIG. 6A ;  
         [0024]      FIG. 7  is a plan view of a floating connector according to a second embodiment of this invention in the state where a ceiling plate is removed therefrom;  
         [0025]      FIG. 8  is a bottom view of the floating connector in  FIG. 7 ;  
         [0026]      FIG. 9  is an enlarged partial plan view of the floating connector in  FIG. 7 ;  
         [0027]      FIG. 10  is an enlarged partial perspective view of the floating connector in  FIG. 7  in the state where the ceiling plate is removed therefrom;  
         [0028]      FIG. 11  is an enlarged partial plan view, partly in section, of the floating connector in  FIG. 8  in the state where the ceiling plate is removed therefrom;  
         [0029]      FIG. 12  is a bottom perspective view of the floating connector in  FIG. 7 ;  
         [0030]      FIG. 13  is a sectional view of the floating connector in  FIG. 7 ;  
         [0031]      FIG. 14  is a perspective view of a fixed insulator contained in the floating connector in  FIG. 7 ;  
         [0032]      FIG. 15  is a perspective view of a fitting portion insulator contained in the floating connector in  FIG. 7 ;  
         [0033]      FIG. 16A  is a perspective view of a slide cam contained in the floating connector in  FIG. 7 ;  
         [0034]      FIG. 16B  is a side view of the slide cam in  FIG. 16A ; and  
         [0035]      FIG. 17  is a perspective view of a stopper contained in the floating connector in  FIG. 7 . 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0036]     Referring to  FIGS. 1A  to  6 D, description will be made of a floating connector (hereinafter will be referred to as a first floating connector) according to a first embodiment of this invention.  
         [0037]     The first floating connector is depicted by  101  and includes a fitting portion or a fitting portion insulator  20  having fitting portions  15  and  18  to be fitted to a mating connector  102  in a fitting direction  26 , a movable portion or a movable insulator  30 , and a fixed portion or a fixed insulator  40 . In the fixed insulator  40 , one end of a contact portion  10  is embedded. The fitting portion insulator  20  is provided with an L-shaped stopper  25  and a slide cam  22  disposed at its one end. The fitting direction  26  of the mating connector  102  and an opposite direction or a removing direction opposite to the fitting direction  26  may collectively be referred to as a first direction (Z axis direction)  28 .  
         [0038]     The fitting portion insulator  20  includes a fitting portion insulator body  11  comprising a box-like member having a ⊃-shaped section, and a pair of guides  12  formed on opposite sides thereof. On a front side of the fitting portion insulator body  11 , the fitting portions  15  and  18  are formed. The fitting portions  15  and  18  have ceiling plates provided with grooves  16  and  17 , respectively, for receiving end portions  4  of contacts  1  which will later be described in detail.  
         [0039]     In the illustrated example, the contact portion  10  is formed only on one side of the fixed insulator  40 . However, a similar contact portion may additionally be formed on the other side of the fixed insulator  40 .  
         [0040]     The movable insulator  30  has a box-like shape adapted to receive the fitting portion insulator  20  in its interior. The movable insulator  30  includes a movable insulator body  31  having a receiving portion  32  opened forward, and a pair of L-shaped floating engaging members  34  formed on opposite sides of the movable insulator body  31  at its rear end. The engaging members  34  protrude rearward, perpendicularly bend, and extend outward. Between the movable insulator body  31  and each of the engaging members  34 , an engaging groove  35  is formed to penetrate in a second direction  36  as a vertical direction (Y axis direction) and to open outward in a third direction  37  as a widthwise direction (X axis direction).  
         [0041]     The fixed insulator  40  has a substantial U shape and includes a fixed insulator body  41  extending in the third direction  37 , a pair of first floating guide members  42  formed on opposite side of the fixed insulator body  41  to extend in the third direction  37  and to extend and stand in the second direction  36 , and a pair of second floating guide members  43  of a flat shape formed outside the first floating guide members  42 , respectively, and extending in the second direction  36  and the first direction  28 . The fixed insulator body  41  has a step portion  45  formed by slightly cutting a rear part thereof and a step portion  44  depressed upward from its bottom surface.  
         [0042]     The contact portion  10  includes the contacts  1  arranged in parallel to one another, a flexible flat insulator  7  supporting a part of each contact  1 , and a metal plate  6  ( FIGS. 6A  to  6 D) covering a back surface of the insulator  7 . Thus, the insulator  7  is interposed and clamped between the contacts  1  and the metal plate  6 . A part of the insulator  7  is disposed at base portions  3  of the contacts  1 . The insulator  7  has a holding portion disposed at supporting portions  2  of the contacts  1 .  
         [0043]     As illustrated in  FIGS. 6A  to  6 D, the metal plate  6  comprises a metal thin plate. The metal plate  6  has protruding portions  6   a  attached to the fixed insulator body  41 .  
         [0044]     In case where the first floating connector  101  is used as a high-speed transmission connector for a SATA connector of a HDD or the like, impedance matching of the contacts  1  is achieved by attaching the metal plate  6 , which serves as a ground, to the contacts  11  arranged in parallel with the insulator  7  interposed therebetween. In  FIGS. 5A and 5B , the insulator  7  is not illustrated because the insulator  7  is substantially similar in shape to the metal plate  6 .  
         [0045]     As shown in FIGS.  1  to  3 , each of the contacts  1  has the arc-shaped supporting portion  2 , the base portion  3  extending therefrom, an end portion  4  where the contact  1  is folded back, and a folded portion  5  extending rearward.  
         [0046]     As best shown in  FIGS. 5A and 5B , a contacting portion  1   a  roundly protruding downward is formed between the end portion  4  and the folded portion  5  of the contact  1 . The base portion  3  near the end portion  4  of the contact  1  and the folded portion  5  of the contact  1  are held by the fitting portion insulator body  11  of the fitting portion insulator  20 . Herein, the contact  1  illustrated in  FIG. 5A  is a signal contact. The contact  1  illustrated in  FIG. 5B  is a ground contact and has an end  1   b  of the folded portion  5  contacted with the metal plate  6 .  
         [0047]     On the other hand, the arc-shaped supporting portion  2  is planted on one side of the fixed insulator body  41 . In detail, the supporting portion  2  extends through the fixed insulator body  41  of the fixed insulator  40  in the second direction  36  and bends towards the fitting direction  26  to forms a terminal portion  2   a  at a lower end of the connector. Each contact  1  of the contact portion  10  is fixed to the fitting portion insulator  20  and the fixed insulator  40 . The contacts  1  serve as a supporting mechanism.  
         [0048]     So as to allow the fitting portion insulator  20  to be easily movable, the thickness of the contact  1  is reduced. In addition, an unfixed part of the contact  1  is longer than a fixed part so that the contact  1  is given flexibility. Because the thickness is reduced to give the flexibility to the contact  1 , a contacting force with a mating contact  63  of a mating connector  102  of the HDD or the like (not shown) is decreased. Accordingly, in order to increase the contacting force, each contact  1  is folded back at the end portion  4 , namely, at its end near the fitting portions  15  and  18  of the connector and both of the base portion  3  and the folded portion  5  are fixed to the fitting portion insulator body  11 . Thus, by the use of the contact  1  having such a double structure, it is possible to increase a spring constant of the contact  1  so as to increase the contacting force.  
         [0049]     In order to establish connection between the mating contact  63  and ground, the folded portion  5  of the contact  1  is provided with the contacting portion  1   a  having elasticity as described above. In this manner, the metal plate  6  ( FIG. 5B ) disposed on a lower side of the contact  1  and serving as the ground is connected to the contacting portion  1   b  of the contact  1 .  
         [0050]     A stopper  25  serves to inhibit (lock) movement of the fitting portion insulator  20  with respect to the movable insulator  30  in the fitting direction  26 . The stopper  25  has a plate member  25   c  of an L shape, a rotation shaft  25   a  formed at an approximate center of the L shape and protruding upward, and a guide shaft  25   b  protruding downward from one end of the L shape. Thus, the guide shaft  25   b  is located at an eccentric position with respect to the rotation shaft  25   a . The rotation shaft  25   a  is inserted into an axial hole  13  of a guide member  12 . On the other hand, the guide shaft  25   b  is inserted into a cam groove  24  formed on one surface of the slide cam  22 .  
         [0051]     The slide cam  22  has a guide groove  23  penetrating along the one surface of the slide cam  22  in the first direction  28 , and the cam groove  24 . The cam groove  24  has a straight portion extending in the first direction  28  and a generally S-shaped portion extending outward from an end of the straight portion in a curved shape to reach the outside.  
         [0052]     As illustrated in  FIGS. 1A and 1B , a rib (rail)  19  formed inside the guide member  12  of the fitting portion insulator  20  is fitted to the guide groove  23  of the slide cam  22 . Further, the rotation shaft  25   a  on the one surface of the stopper  25  is fitted to the axial hole  13  of the guide member  12 . The guide shaft  25   b  formed at the one end on the other surface of the stopper  25  is fitted to the cam groove  24  of the slide cam  22 . A combination of the stopper  25  and the slide cam  22  serves as a floating control mechanism for performing a locking of the movement of the fitting portion insulator  20  and for releasing the locking.  
         [0053]     When the slide cam  22  is located on a side opposite to the fitting direction  26  of the mating connector  102 , a part or a whole of the stopper  25  enters into the movable insulator  30 .  
         [0054]     Referring to  FIG. 3  again, description will be made of assembling of the first floating connector  101 .  
         [0055]     At first, from the above of the fixed insulator  40 , the first floating guide members  42  are fitted to the engaging grooves  35  on the rear side of the movable insulator  30 . Next, the contact portion  10  is inserted into the receiving portion  32 .  
         [0056]     To the guide member  12  of the fitting portion insulator  20 , the slide cam  22  is fitted by the use of the rib  21  and the guide groove  23 . Then, the rotation shaft  25   a  of the stopper  25  is inserted into the axial hole  13  of the guide member  12 . The guide shaft  25   b  of the stopper  25  is inserted into the cam groove  24  of the slide cam  22 . In this state, a rear end of the fitting portion insulator  20  is received in the receiving portion  32  of the movable insulator  30 . At this time, the end portions  4  of the contacts  1  are press-fitted into the grooves  17  of the fitting portion  18 , respectively. As described above, the contacts  1  are fixed to the fixed insulator  40  and the fitting portion insulator  20  at their portions near its forward and rear ends. In this manner, the floating connector  101  is completed as illustrated in  FIGS. 1A and 1B .  
         [0057]     Next, description will be made of a fitting operation of the mating connector  102 .  
         [0058]     Before fitting of he mating connector  102 , for example, the SATA connector of the HDD, the stopper  25  is brought into contact with a bottom portion  33   a  of a groove  33  formed at a side portion of the movable insulator  30 . Therefore, the fitting portion insulator  20  of the floating connector  101  is unmovable with respect to the fixed insulator  40  in the fitting direction  26 .  
         [0059]     However, in the second direction  37  and the third direction  36  illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the fitting portion insulator  20  is movable, i.e., floatable. It is noted here that, when the mating connector  102  is not connected, the movable insulator  30  is fixed to the fitting portion insulator  20  and, therefore, the fitting portion insulator  20  is inhibited from movement in the first direction  28  even if mechanical shock is given.  
         [0060]     Next, in a fitted state illustrated in  FIG. 4A , one end  61   a  of the mating connector  102  pushes one end of the slide cam  22  in the fitting direction  26 . Then, the guide shaft  25   b  moves forward in the cam groove  24  with respect to the slide cam  22  to rotate the stopper  25  as depicted by an arrow  27  in  FIG. 1B . Consequently, one end portion of the stopper  25  is rotated and disengaged from the movable insulator  30 . Therefore, the fitting portion insulator  20  is floatable in the first direction  28 . After the mating connector  102  is fitted, it is still possible to absorb displacement or a positioning error of the mating connector  102  in the second direction  36  and the third direction  37 . Thus, when the mating connector  102  is fitted, the slide cam  22  is pressed by the mating connector  102  to rotate the stopper  25  so that the movable insulator  30  is unlocked. Accordingly, the movable insulator  30  is fixed in an unfitted state and, after fitting, the movable insulator  30  is allowed to move.  
         [0061]     In the first floating connector  101 , the fitting portion insulator  20  is fixed until fitting with the mating connector  102  is completed. After completion of fitting, the movable insulator  30  is unlocked to be floatable in the connector fitting direction. Thus, the movable insulator  30  is freely floatable in the first, the second, and the third directions  28 ,  36 , and  37 .  
         [0062]     In the first floating connector  101 , it is possible, even by the use of the same components, to accommodate different connector mounting heights merely by changing a bent shape of the contact.  
         [0063]     Referring to FIGS.  7  to  17 , description will be made of a floating connector according to a second embodiment of this invention (hereinafter will be referred to as a second floating connector). Similar parts are designated by like reference numerals.  
         [0064]     The second floating connector is depicted by  103 . The second floating connector  103  includes a fitting portion insulator  20 , a fixed insulator  40  for receiving the fitting portion insulator  20  inserted therein, a pair of slide cams  22  disposed on opposite sides of the fitting portion insulator  20  to be faced to and symmetrical with each other, a pair of stoppers  25  disposed on opposite sides of the fitting portion insulator  20  to be faced to and symmetrical with each other, and a contact portion (not shown). The contact portion is similar in structure to the contact portion  10  of the first floating connector  101  and, therefore, illustration thereof is omitted.  
         [0065]     The second floating connector  103  is different from the first floating connector  101  in that the movable insulator  30  is omitted, or that the movable insulator  30  and the fixed insulator  40  are integrally formed. At any rate, the fixed insulator is depicted by the same reference numeral  40 .  
         [0066]     As illustrated in  FIG. 14 , the fixed insulator  40  has a box-like shape having a bottom plate  47  and a pair of side plates  48 . The fixed insulator  40  has a pair of guide receiving portions  77  formed on opposite sides thereof on its front side, and a receiving portion  32  formed between the guide receiving portions  77  and narrowed in height. Each of the side plates  48  has a front end face to be brought into contact with the stoppers  25  which will later be described in detail.  
         [0067]     As best shown in  FIG. 15 , the fitting portion insulator  20  includes a fitting portion insulator body  11 , a pair of columnar insertion guides  14  disposed on opposite sides of the fitting portion insulator body  11  and having sharp ends protruding forward, a pair of generally L-shaped first guides  75  formed on the opposite sides rearward of the insertion guides  14 , a pair of second guides  76  having a generally L-shaped section and formed on the opposite sides rearward of the first guides  75 , and a pair of plate-like third guides  29 .  
         [0068]     Referring to  FIG. 10 , each of the stoppers  25  is inserted into a space defined by the first through the third guides  75 ,  76 , and  29 . Below the stopper  25 , the slide cam  22  is inserted. The second guide  76  has a cylindrical protrusion  73  protruding upward.  
         [0069]     As illustrated in  FIG. 17 , the stopper  25  has an L shape. The stopper  25  has a cylindrical rotation shaft  25   a  and a protrusion  25   d  on its one surface and a cylindrical guide shaft  25   b  formed on the other surface. As best shown in  FIG. 13 , the rotation shaft  25   a  on the one surface of the stopper  25  is inserted into an axial hole  13  formed on a ceiling plate of the second guide  76 . Between the protruding portion  25   d  of the stopper  25  and the protruding portion  73 , a coil spring  71  is formed to pull the stopper  25  towards the second guide  76 .  
         [0070]     As shown in  FIGS. 16A and 16B , the slide cam  22  comprises an elongated rectangular plate with its one corner cut away and has a trapezoidal portion  22   a  protruding upward and having a trapezoidal upper surface. The slide cam  22  has a long guide groove  23  extending in its longitudinal direction. Further, the slide cam  22  has a protruding portion  22   c  formed at the center of its lower surface and protruding downward, and a cylindrical protrusion  22   b  formed on the lower surface at an end opposite to the trapezoidal portion  22   a  and protruding downward. The guide shaft  25   b  of the stopper  25  is inserted into the long hole  23  of the slide cam  22 .  
         [0071]     As shown in FIGS.  11  to  13  and  15 , the third guide  29  comprises a plate member integral with the first and the second guides  75  and  76 . The third guide  29  has an L-shaped cam groove  24  for guiding formed at its center as a through hole, and a protruding portion  29   a  formed on a front side and protruding downward. The protruding portion  22   c  of the slide cam  25  is inserted into the L-shaped cam groove  24  of the third guide  29 . Between the cylindrical protruding portion  29   a  of the third guide  29  and the protruding portion  22   b  of the slide cam  22 , a spring  72  is formed to urge the slide cam  29  forward.  
         [0072]     Thus, by the two coil springs  71  and  72 , the fitting portion insulator  40  and the fixed insulator  20  having the stoppers and the slide cams are balanced and are always located at a predetermined position in the state where a mating connector (not shown) is not fitted.  
         [0073]     In order to assemble the second floating connector  103 , the slide cams  22  illustrated in  FIG. 16  and the stoppers  25  illustrated in  FIG. 17  are attached to the fitting portion insulator  20  illustrated in  FIG. 15 . Thereafter, the coil springs  71  and  72  are attached to the fitting portion insulator  20 . Then, the fitting portion insulator  20  is fitted to the fixed insulator  40  from the rear side. Thus, the second floating connector  103  illustrated in  FIG. 7  is completed.  
         [0074]     Next, description will be made of an operation of the second floating connector  103 .  
         [0075]     Herein, a fitting direction and a removing direction opposite thereto are collectively called a first direction (Z axis direction)  28 . A vertical direction is called a second direction (X axis direction)  36 . A widthwise direction is called a third direction (Y axis direction)  37 . In this event, in the second floating connector  103 , the fitting portion insulator  20  is always movable with respect to the fixed insulator  40  in the vertical direction, i.e., the second direction  36 .  
         [0076]     As illustrated in FIGS.  7  to  13 , in the state where each stopper  25  is brought into contact with each of side end faces  46  of the fixed insulator  40 , one shaft of the stopper  25  is inserted into the ceiling plate of the second guide  76  so that the fitting portion insulator  20  is not moved in the fitting direction  26 . Since the slide cams  22  are formed on the opposite sides, the fitting portion insulator  20  is also unmovable with respect to the fixed insulator  40  also in the third direction  37  as the widthwise direction. When the second floating connector  103  is fitted to the mating connector (not shown), an end portion of the mating connector is brought into contact with a forward end of each slide cam  22  so that the slide cam  22  is pushed rearward against a restoring force of the coil spring  72 . When the slide cam  22  is pushed rearward, the protruding portion  22   c  protruding downward from the slide cam  22  illustrated in  FIG. 11  is moved along the cam groove  24  in the first direction  28  to a cross point of the L shape of the cam groove  24 . In this state, the slide cam  22  is movable along the cam groove  24  in the third direction  37 . Therefore, the fitting portion insulator  20  is movable in the third direction  37  with respect to the fixed insulator  40 . When the fixed insulator  40  is pulled out in the above-mentioned state, the fitting portion insulator  20  and the mating connector are released from each other into the unfitted state again.  
         [0077]     If the stopper  25  is rotated counterclockwise and unlocked in the fitted state, the fixed insulator  40  and the fitting portion insulator  20  are movable in the first direction  28 . The fitting portion insulator  20  exerts a force to push the slide cam  22  inward when the stopper  25  is rotated. The stopper  25  positions the slide cam  22  in the second direction  36 . Thus, a position of the slide cam  22  at which the slide cam  22  is contacted with the fixed insulator  40  and a position at which the slide cam  22  is received inside are determined by a rotating position of the stopper  25 . This stopper position is determined by a spring force of the coil spring  71 .  
         [0078]     Upon fitting with the mating connector, the slide cam  22  is pushed by an insertion force greater than a fixing force of the coil spring  71 . Therefore, a space is formed between the fitting portion insulator  20  and the slide cam  22  so that the fitting portion insulator  20  is floatable in either of the first direction  28 , the second direction  36 , and the third direction  37 .  
         [0079]     As described above, in the second floating connector  103 , the slide cam  22  is urged in the removing direction of the mating connector and is held by the fitting portion insulator  20  to be movable in the first direction  28 . The stopper  25  is held by and fixed to the fixed insulator  40 . When the slide cam  22  protrudes in the removing direction of the mating connector, a part of the stopper  25  enters into the fitting portion insulator  20  and another part is exposed outside to be brought into contact with a side wall portion of the fixed insulator  40 .  
         [0080]     When the slide cam  22  is located on a side opposite to the fitting direction  26  of the mating connector  102 , a part of the stopper  25  enters into the movable insulator  30 . When unlocked, a whole of the stopper  25  enters into the fitting portion insulator  20 .  
         [0081]     In the second floating connector  103 , the cam groove  24  of the third guide  29  has an L shape but may be an R shape or an arc shape. In the latter case, the above-mentioned locking is performed in the first and the third directions  28  and  37  before fitting. Upon fitting, the slide cam  22  is pressed and moved towards the center in the second direction  36 . By the above-mentioned movement of the slide cam  22 , the stopper  25  is rotated. By the rotation of the stopper  25 , the locking is released so as to allow floating in the first direction  28  and the third direction  37 .  
         [0082]     Either of the first and the second floating connectors described above is suitable as a floating connector used in a small portion susceptible to vibration, such as a connector connected to a SATA connector of an HDD.  
         [0083]     While the present invention has thus far been described in connection with a few preferred embodiments thereof, it will readily be possible for those skilled in the art to put this invention into practice in various other manners. Although the description is made about the floating control mechanism provided at a light side of the floating connector, it is a matter of course that the floating control mechanism may be provided at both sides of the floating connector. Although a plurality of signal contacts are illustrated, a single signal contact may be used in the floating connector.