Abstract:
A connector unit which is less liable to skew and easy to be manufactured. A PC-side connector comprises first and second PC-side contacts and a PC-side housing holding the contacts. A dock-side connector comprises first and second dock-side contacts and a dock-side housing holding the contacts. An intermediate portion connecting between contact and terminal portions of each first PC-side contact and an intermediate portion connecting between contact and terminal portions of each second PC-side contact have respective crank shapes. An intermediate portion connecting between contact and terminal portions of each first dock-side contact have approximately the same shape and length as the intermediate portion of each second PC-side contact. An intermediate portion connecting between a contact portion and a terminal portion of each second dock-side contact have approximately the same shape and length as the intermediate portion of each first PC-side contact.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    This invention relates to a connector unit, and more particularly to a connector unit which is compatible with high-speed transmission of electrical signals. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    Conventionally, there has been proposed a socket comprised of an insulator, upper signal terminals, lower signal terminals, earth terminals, and a metallic shell (see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2005-19075). 
         [0005]    The upper signal terminals and the lower signal terminals are held by the insulator. 
         [0006]    The insulator is covered by the metallic shell. 
         [0007]    Each of the upper signal terminals and the lower signal terminals includes a contact portion, a fixing portion, and a connection portion. The fixing portion is fixed to the insulator, the contact portion which continues to one end of the fixing portion extends forward, and the connection portion which continues to the other end of the fixing portion extends backward. The connection portion is connected to a printed-wiring board. 
         [0008]    The contact portion and the fixing portion of the upper signal terminal are located above (upward in a vertical direction of the insulator) with respect to the contact portion and the fixing portion of the lower signal terminal. 
         [0009]    This socket is connected to a plug. 
         [0010]    The plug is comprised of an insulator, upper signal terminals, lower signal terminals, earth terminals, and a metallic shell. 
         [0011]    The insulator is covered by the metallic shell, and each of the upper signal terminals and the lower signal terminals includes a contact portion, a fixing portion, and a connection portion. The fixing portion is fixed to the insulator, the contact portion which continues to one end of the fixing portion extends forward, and the connection portion which continues to the other end of the fixing portion extends backward. The connection portion is connected to a cable. 
         [0012]    When this plug is connected to the above-mentioned socket, each contact portion of the upper signal terminals, the lower signal terminals and the like of the plug is brought into contact with each contact portion of the upper signal terminals, the lower signal terminals and the like of the socket, respectively, whereby the cable and the printed-wiring board are electrically connected to each other. 
         [0013]    In the above-described conventional connector unit, the length of an intermediate portion which connects the connection portion and the fixing portion of each upper signal terminal is formed to be equal to that of an intermediate portion which connects the connection portion and the fixing portion of each lower signal terminal so as to make a passage length (length of a passage for an electrical signal) between the connection portion of the upper signal terminal of the plug and the connection portion of the upper signal terminal of the socket equal to a passage length (length of a passage for an electrical signal) between the connection portion of the lower signal terminal of the plug and the connection portion of the lower signal terminal of the socket when the plug is connected to the socket. 
         [0014]    However, the length in a front-rear direction of the upper signal terminal and the lower signal terminal (the front-rear direction of the insulator) have to be formed to be equal, and hence the connection portion of the lower signal terminal is partially bent. 
         [0015]    Therefore, the processing of the lower signal terminals is troublesome, which makes it difficult to produce the socket, and causes an increase in manufacturing costs. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0016]    The present invention has been made in view of these circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a connector unit which is less liable to skew, and is easy to be manufactured. 
         [0017]    To attain the above object, the present invention provides a connector unit comprising a connector including a plurality of contacts and a housing that holds the contacts, the plurality of contacts being formed by first contacts, and second contacts different from the first contacts, each of the first contacts and the second contacts including a contact portion, a terminal portion which is connected to one object to be connected, and an intermediate portion which connects between the contact portion and the terminal portion; and a mating connector including a plurality of mating contacts, and a mating housing that holds the plurality of mating contacts and is fitted in the housing, the plurality of mating contacts being formed by first mating contacts, and second mating contacts different from the first mating contact, each of the first mating contacts and the second mating contacts including a mating contact portion which is brought into contact with an associated one of the contact portions of the first and second contacts, a mating terminal portion which is connected to another object to be connected, and a mating intermediate portion which connects between the mating contact portion and the mating terminal portion, the mating intermediate portion of each first mating contact having a shape and length which are approximately the same as the shape and length of the intermediate portion of each second contact, the mating intermediate portion of the each second mating contact having a shape and length which are approximately the same as the shape and length of the intermediate portion of each first contact. 
         [0018]    With the arrangement of the connector unit according to the present invention, the intermediate portion of each first contact and the mating intermediate portion of each second mating contact are configured to have approximately the same shape and length, and the intermediate portion of each second contact and the mating intermediate portion of each first mating contact are configured to have approximately the same shape and length. Therefore, when the connector is connected to the mating connector, the passage length between the terminal portion of each first contact of the connector and the terminal portion of each first mating contact of the mating connector becomes equal to that between the terminal portion of each second contact of the connector and the terminal portion of each second mating contact of the mating connector. This makes the connector less liable to skew. Further, it is easy to manufacture the first and second contacts and the first and second mating contacts. 
         [0019]    Preferably the respective intermediate portions of each first contact, each second contact, each first mating contact, and each second mating contact are each formed to have a crank shape. 
         [0020]    Preferably, the connector includes a shell which covers the housing, and the mating connector includes a mating shell which covers the mating housing, and the shell includes shell-side contact portions which are brought into contact with the mating shell, and shell-side terminal portions which are connected to the other object to be connected. 
         [0021]    According to this invention, it is possible to provide a connector unit which is less liable to skew, and is easy to be manufactured. 
         [0022]    The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0023]      FIG. 1A  is a perspective view of a PC-side connector of a connector unit according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0024]      FIG. 1B  is a perspective view of a dock-side connector of the connector unit according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0025]      FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of the  FIG. 1A  PC-side connector and the  FIG. 1B  dock-side connector of the connector unit in a state in which the PC-side connector and the dock-side connector are fitted to each other; 
           [0026]      FIG. 3A  is a schematic view of PC-side ground contacts of the PC-side connector and dock-side ground contacts of the dock-side connector of the  FIG. 1  connector unit in a state in which the PC-side ground contacts and the dock-side ground contacts are brought into contact with each other; 
           [0027]      FIG. 3B  is a schematic view of first PC-side contacts of the PC-side connector and first dock-side contacts of the dock-side connector of the  FIG. 1  connector unit in a state in which the first PC-side contacts and the first dock-side contacts are brought into contact with each other; 
           [0028]      FIG. 3C  is a schematic view of second PC-side contacts of the PC-side connector and second dock-side contacts of the dock-side connector of the  FIG. 1  connector unit in a state in which the second PC-side contacts and the second dock-side contacts are brought into contact with each other; 
           [0029]      FIG. 4  is a bottom view of the PC-side connector of the  FIG. 1  connector unit; and 
           [0030]      FIG. 5  is a bottom view of the dock-side connector of the  FIG. 1  connector unit. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0031]    The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings showing preferred embodiments thereof. 
         [0032]    Referring to  FIGS. 1A ,  1 B and  2 , a connector unit according to this embodiment is comprised of a PC (personal computer)-side connector (connector)  10  and a dock-side connector (mating connector)  20 . 
         [0033]    The PC-side connector  10  is mounted on a printed board in a so-called notebook PC, not shown, and a front end of the PC-side connector  10  protrudes from a casing of the notebook PC. The PC-side connector  10  is comprised of PC-side contacts (contacts)  13 , PC-side ground contacts  14 , and a PC-side housing (housing)  15 . 
         [0034]    The dock-side connector  20  is mounted on a printed board in a docking station, not shown, which is placed on a desk, not shown, and a front end of the dock-side connector  20  protrudes from a casing of the docking station. When the notebook PC is used on the desk, the dock-side connector  20  is connected to the PC-side connector  10  provided in the notebook PC. The dock-side connector  20  is comprised of dock-side contacts (mating contacts)  23 , dock-side ground contacts  24 , and a dock-side housing (mating housing)  25 . 
         [0035]    Referring to  FIG. 3A , each of the PC-side ground contacts  14  includes a contact portion  14   a,  a terminal portion  14   b,  and an intermediate portion  14   c.  Each PC-side ground contact  14  is formed by blanking a metal plate. 
         [0036]    The contact portion  14   a  is at one end of each PC-side ground contact  14 , and is pin-shaped. 
         [0037]    The terminal portion  14   b  is at the other end of the PC-side ground contact  14 , and is pin-shaped. The terminal portion  14   b  is inserted in an associated one of through holes of the printed board of the notebook PC and is soldered thereto. 
         [0038]    The intermediate portion  14   c  is crank-shaped, and connects between the contact portion  14   a  and the terminal portion  14   b.    
         [0039]    Each of the dock-side ground contacts  24  is formed by blanking and bending a metal plate. Each dock-side ground contact  24  includes a contact portion  24   a,  a terminal portion  24   b,  and an intermediate portion  24   c.    
         [0040]    The contact portion  24   a  is at one end of each dock-side ground contact  24 , bent into a substantial S-shape, and is brought into contact with the associated contact portion  14   a  of each PC-side ground contact  14 . 
         [0041]    The terminal portion  24   b  is at the other end of each dock-side ground contact  24  and is pin-shaped. The terminal portion  24   b  is inserted in an associated one of through holes of the printed board of the dock station and is soldered thereto. 
         [0042]    The intermediate portion  24   c  connects between the contact portion  24   a  and the terminal portion  24   b.    
         [0043]    Referring to  FIGS. 3B and 3C , the PC-side contacts  13  include two kinds of contacts, such as first PC-side contacts (first contacts)  131 , and second PC-side contacts (second contacts)  132 . 
         [0044]    Each of the first PC-side contacts  131  is formed by blanking and bending a metal plate. Each first PC-side contact  131  includes a contact portion  131   a,  a terminal portion  131   b,  and an intermediate portion  131   c.    
         [0045]    The contact portion  131   a  is at one end of each first PC-side contact  131 , and is pin-shaped. 
         [0046]    The terminal portion  131   b  is at the other end of each first PC-side contact  131 , and is pin-shaped. The terminal portion  131   b  is inserted in an associated one of the through holes of the printed board of the notebook PC and is soldered thereto. 
         [0047]    The intermediate portion  131   c  is bent into a substantial crank shape, and connects between the contact portion  131   a  and the terminal portion  131   b.    
         [0048]    Each of the second PC-side contacts  132  is formed by blanking and bending a metal plate. Each second PC-side contact  132  includes a contact portion  132   a,  a terminal portion  132   b,  and an intermediate portion  132   c.    
         [0049]    The contact portion  132   a  is at one end of each second PC-side contact  132 , and is pin-shaped. 
         [0050]    The terminal portion  132   b  is at the other end of each second PC-side contact  132 , and is pin-shaped. The terminal portion  132   b  is inserted in an associated one of the through holes of the printed board of the notebook PC to be soldered. 
         [0051]    The intermediate portion  132   c  is bent into a substantial crank shape, and connects between the contact portion  132   a  and the terminal portion  132   b.  The length of the intermediate portion  131   c  of each first PC-side contact  131  is different from that of the intermediate portion  132   c  of each second PC-side contact  132 . 
         [0052]    As shown in  FIGS. 3B and 3C , similarly to the PC-side contacts  13 , the dock-side contacts  23  include two kinds of dock-side contacts, such as first dock-side contacts (first mating contact)  231  and second dock-side contacts (second mating contact)  232 . 
         [0053]    Each of the first dock-side contacts  231  is formed by blanking and bending a metal plate. Each first dock-side contact  231  includes a contact portion  231   a,  a terminal portion  231   b,  and an intermediate portion  231   c.    
         [0054]    The contact portion  231   a  is at one end of each first dock-side contact  231 , and is bent into a substantial S-shape. The contact portion  231   a  is brought into contact with the associated contact portion  131   a  of each first PC-side contact  131 . 
         [0055]    The terminal portion  231   b  is at the other end of each first dock-side contact  231 . The terminal portion  231   b  is inserted in an associated one of the through holes of the printed board of the dock station and is soldered thereto. 
         [0056]    The intermediate portion  231   c  is bent into a substantial crank shape, and connects the contact portion  231   a  and the terminal portion  231   b.    
         [0057]    Each of the second dock-side contacts  232  is formed by blanking and bending a metal plate. Each second dock-side contact  232  includes a contact portion  232   a,  a terminal portion  232   b,  and an intermediate portion  232   c.    
         [0058]    The contact portion  232   a  is at one end of each second dock-side contact  232 , and is bent into a substantial S-shape. The contact portion  232   a  is brought into contact with the associated contact portion  132   a  of each second PC-side contact  132 . 
         [0059]    The terminal portion  232   b  is at the other end of each second dock-side contact  232 . The terminal portion  232   b  is inserted in an associated one of the through holes of the printed board of the dock station to be soldered. 
         [0060]    The intermediate portion  232   c  is bent into a substantial crank shape, and connects between the contact portion  232   a  and the terminal portion  232   b.  The length of the intermediate portion  231   c  of each first dock-side contact  231  is different from that of the intermediate portion  232   c  of each second dock-side contact  232 . 
         [0061]    As shown in  FIG. 3B , the respective contact portions  131   a  and  231   a  of each first PC-side contact  131  and each first dock-side contact  231  according to the embodiment of the present invention extends in a range indicated by a symbol A, the intermediate portions  131   c  and  231   c  of the same extend in respective ranges indicated by each symbol B, and the terminal portions  131   b  and  231   b  of the same extend in respective ranges indicated by each symbol C. As shown in  FIG. 3C , the respective contact portions  132   a  and  232   a  of each second PC-side contact  132  and the second dock-side contact  232  according to the embodiment of the present invention extend in the range indicated by the symbol A, the intermediate portions  132   c  and  232   c  of the same extend in the ranges indicated by the symbol B, and the terminal portions  132   b  and  232   b  of the same extend in the ranges indicated by the symbol C. 
         [0062]    The shape and length of the intermediate portion  131   c  of each first PC-side contact  131  are approximately the same as those of the intermediate portion  232   c  of each second dock-side contact  232 . Further, the shape and length of the intermediate portion  132   c  of each second PC-side contact  132  are approximately the same as those of the intermediate portion  231   c  of each first dock-side contact  231 . Therefore, when the PC-side connector  10  and the dock-side connector  20  are fitted, the passage length from the terminal portion  131   b  of each first PC-side contact  131  to the terminal portion  231   b  of each first dock-side contact  231  and the passage length from the terminal portion  132   b  of each second PC-side contact  132  to the terminal portion  232   b  of each second dock-side contact  232 , as shown in  FIGS. 3B and 3C , becomes approximately equal to each other. It should be noted that the shape and length of the intermediate portion  131   c  of each first PC-side contact  131  may be configured to be different from those of the intermediate portion  232   c  of each second dock-side contact  232 . Further, the shape and length of the intermediate portion  132   c  of each second PC-side contact  132  may be configured to be different from those of the intermediate portion  231   c  of each first dock-side contact  231 . In these cases, the difference between the length of the intermediate portion  131   c  and that of the intermediate portion  132   c  is made equal to the difference between the length of the intermediate portion  231   c  and that of the intermediate portion  232   c.    
         [0063]    As shown in  FIGS. 1A ,  1 B, and  2 , the PC-side housing  15  of the PC-side connector  10  includes a housing body  151 , a first disposition portion  152 , and a second disposition portion  153 . 
         [0064]    The housing body  151  is substantially box-shaped, and includes a receiving space  1510 . 
         [0065]    The first disposition portion  152  is substantially plate-shaped, and is connected to a bottom  1511  (see  FIG. 2 ) of the housing body  151 . The longitudinal direction of the first disposition portion  152  is parallel to the longitudinal direction of the housing body  151 . The respective contact portions  14   a,    131   a,  and  132   a  of the PC-side ground contacts  14 , the first PC-side contacts  131 , and the second PC-side contacts  132  are arranged at equally-spaced intervals on one surface of the first disposition portion  152 . The contact portions  14   a,    131   a,  and  132   a  of the same types of the contacts  14 ,  131 , and  132  as the three contacts  14 ,  131 , and  132  which are arranged on one surface of the first disposition portion  152  are arranged at equally-spaced intervals on the other surface of the first disposition portion  152 . It should be noted that one PC-side ground contact  14 , one first PC-side contact  131 , and one second PC-side contact  132  form one set of contacts, and the contact portions  14   a,    131   a,  and  132   a  of a plurality of sets of contacts  14 ,  131 , and  132  are arranged on the opposite surfaces of the first disposition portion  152 . 
         [0066]    The PC-side contacts  13  and the PC-side ground contacts  14  are integrally formed on the PC-side housing  15  by a so-called mold-in method. It should be noted that the contacts  13  and  14  may be configured to be held by the PC-side housing  15  by press-fitting. 
         [0067]    A shell  17  is formed by blanking and bending a metal plate, and covers the housing body  151  of the PC-side housing  15 . The shell  17  includes shell-side contact portions  171  which are connected to a mating shell  27 , and shell-side terminal portions  172  which are connected to the through holes of the printed board by soldering. 
         [0068]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , the terminal portions  14   b  of the plurality of PC-side ground contacts  14  which are arranged on one surface of the first disposition portion  152 , and the terminal portions  14   b  of the plurality of PC-side ground contacts  14  which are arranged on the other surface of the first disposition portion  152  are held by a locator  18  disposed on the bottom surface of the PC-side housing  15 , and are arranged in two rows along the longitudinal direction of the housing  15 . 
         [0069]    The terminal portions  131   b  of the plurality of first PC-side contacts  131  which are arranged on one surface of the first disposition portion  152 , and the terminal portions  131   b  of the plurality of first PC-side contacts  131  which are arranged on the other surface of the first disposition portion  152  are held by the locator  18 , and are arranged in two rows along the longitudinal direction of the housing  15 . Each row of the terminal portions  131   b  is located on the outer side of the corresponding row of the terminal portions  14   b,  and is located on the inner side of the corresponding row of the terminal portions  132   b.  Each row of the terminal portions  132   b  is displaced from the corresponding row of the terminal portions  131   b  by approximately half the length of spacing between each row of the terminal portions  131   b  and the corresponding row of the terminal portions  14   b  in the direction of the width W 15  of the PC-side housing  15 . 
         [0070]    The terminal portions  132   b  of the plurality of second PC-side contacts  132  which are arranged on one surface of the first disposition portion  152  and the terminal portions  132   b  of the plurality of second PC-side contacts  132  which are arranged on the other surface of the first disposition portion  152  are held by the locator  18 , and are arranged in two rows along the longitudinal direction of the PC-side housing  15 . Each row of the terminal portions  132   b  is located on the outer side of the corresponding row of the terminal portions  131   b,  and is parallel to the row of the terminal portions  131   b.  The row of the terminal portions  132   b,  the row of the terminal portions  131   b,  and the row of the terminal portions  14   b  are displaced from one another in the longitudinal direction of the PC-side housing  15 . Therefore, the terminal portions  131   b,  the terminal portions  132   b,  and the terminal portions  14   b  form so-called staggered arrangement (zigzag arrangement). 
         [0071]    As shown in  FIGS. 1A ,  1 B, and  2 , the dock-side housing  25  of the dock-side connector  20  includes a base portion  251 , a housing body  252 , and a fitting portion  253 . 
         [0072]    The base portion  251  is substantially box-shaped (see  FIG. 2 ). 
         [0073]    The housing body  252  is continuous to an upper part of the base portion  251 , and is substantially box-shaped (see  FIG. 2 ). 
         [0074]    The fitting portion  253  is continuous to an upper part of the housing body  252 , and is inserted into the receiving space  1510  of the PC-side housing  15 . The fitting portion  253  includes a first receiving space  2531 , and a second receiving space  2532 . The first receiving space  2531  receives the first disposition portion  152  of the PC-side housing  15 . The second receiving space  2532  receives the second disposition portion  153  of the PC-side housing  15 . 
         [0075]    The first receiving space  2531  of the fitting portion  253  is formed with a plurality of contact accommodating grooves  2533  at equally-spaced intervals in two opposed inner surfaces thereof. The dock-side ground contacts  24 , the first dock-side contacts  231 , and the second dock-side contacts  232  are accommodated in the contact accommodating grooves  2533 . 
         [0076]    The dock-side contacts  23  and the dock-side ground contacts  24  are integrally formed on the dock-side housing  25  by the so-called mold-in method. It should be noted that the contacts  23  and  24  may be configured to be held by the dock-side housing  25  by press-fitting. 
         [0077]    The shell  27  is formed by blanking and bending a metal plate, and covers the dock-side housing  25 . The shell  27  includes mating shell contact portions  271  which are connected to the shell-side contact portions  171  of the shell  17 , and mating shell terminal portions  272  which are connected to the through holes of the printed board by soldering. 
         [0078]    Referring to  FIG. 5 , the terminal portions  24   b  of the plurality of dock-side ground contacts  24  which are arranged on one inner surface of the first receiving space  2531  of the fitting portion  253 , and the terminal portions  24   b  of the plurality of dock-side ground contacts  24  which are arranged on the other inner surface of the first receiving space  2531  are held by a locator  28  disposed on the bottom surface of the dock-side housing  25 , and are arranged in two rows along the longitudinal direction of the dock-side housing  25 . 
         [0079]    The terminal portions  231   b  of the plurality of first dock-side contacts  231  which are arranged on one inner surface of the first receiving space  2531  of the fitting portion  253 , and the terminal portions  231   b  of the plurality of first dock-side contacts  231  which are arranged on the other inner surface of the first receiving space  2531  are held by the locator  28 , and are arranged in two rows along the longitudinal direction of the dock-side housing  25 . Each row of the terminal portions  231   b  is located on the outer side of the corresponding row of the terminal portions  24   b,  and is parallel to the row of the terminal portions  24   b.  The row of the terminal portions  232   b  is displaced by approximately half the length of spacing between the row of the terminal portions  231   b  and the row of the terminal portions  24   b,  from the terminal portions  231   b  toward the terminal portions  24   b  in the direction W 25  of the width of the dock-side housing. 
         [0080]    The terminal portions  232   b  of the plurality of the second dock-side contacts  232  which are arranged on one inner surface of the first receiving space  2531  of the fitting portion  253 , and the terminal portions  232   b  of the plurality of the second dock-side contacts  232  which are arranged on the other inner surface of the first receiving space  2531  are held by the locator  28 , and are arranged in two rows along the longitudinal direction of the dock-side housing  25 . Each row of the terminal portions  232   b  is located on the inner side of the corresponding row of the terminal portions  231   b,  located on the outer side of the corresponding row of the terminal portions  24   b,  and is parallel to the row of the terminal portions  231   b.  The row of the terminal portions  232   b,  the row of the terminal portions  231   b,  and the row of the terminal portions  24   b  are displaced in the longitudinal direction of the dock-side housing. Therefore, the rows of the terminal portions  231   b,    232   b,  and  24   b  form so-called staggered arrangement (zigzag arrangement). 
         [0081]    As shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the distance LP 1  between the terminal portions  131   b  in the direction W 15  of the width of the PC-side housing  15  is approximately equal to the distance LD 2  between the terminal portions  232   b  in the direction W 25  of the width of the dock-side housing  25 . Further, the distance LP 2  between the terminal portions  132   b  in the direction W 15  of the width of the PC-side housing  15  is approximately equal to the distance LD 1  between the terminal portions  231   b  in the direction W 25  of the width of the dock-side housing  25 . 
         [0082]    As described above, when the PC-side connector  10  and the dock-side connector  20  are fitted, since the passage length from the terminal portion  131   b  of each first PC-side contact  131  to the terminal portion  231   b  of each first dock-side contact  231  becomes approximately equal to the passage length from the terminal portion  132   b  of each second PC-side contact  132  to the terminal portion  232   b  of each second dock-side contact  232 , it is possible to easily carry out impedance matching, and the connectors are less liable to skew. 
         [0083]    Further, since all of the intermediate portions  131   c  and  132   c  of the respective first and second PC-side contacts  131  and  132 , and the intermediate portions  231   c  and  232   c  of the respective first and second dock-side contacts  231  and  232  are crank-shaped, but not curved differently from the prior art, it is possible to easily form contacts, thereby making it possible to reduce the manufacturing costs of the connector. 
         [0084]    It should be noted that although in the above-described embodiment, the PC-side connector  10  and the dock-side connector  20  include the respective shells  17 , and  27 , the shells  17  and  27  may not be used. 
         [0085]    It is further understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing are the preferred embodiments of the present invention, and that various changes and modification may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.