Abstract:
There are provided a connector and a connector module which may commonly use mutually different interface schemes, and an electronic apparatus having the same. The connector includes a body having a fixed volume; and at least one coupling hole formed inwardly in a side of the body, and electrically coupled with a pin from the outside, wherein the coupling hole includes a first coupling unit having a predetermined first depth and electrically coupled with the pin from the outside, and a second coupling unit having a second depth deeper than the first depth and electrically coupled with another pin from the outside.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the priority of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2011-0085769 filed on Aug. 26, 2011, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a connector and a connector module, in which different interface schemes may be used in common, and an electronic apparatus having the same. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     In general, a connector includes a connector housing and a coupling hole, and is widely used in an electric circuit in a washing machine, a refrigerator, an automobile, and the like. When the connector is used in this electrical and electronic equipment, it is inserted into a final product after a plurality of components are individually assembled, thereby greatly simplifying maintenance as well as equipment manufacturing. 
     In this instance, the connector is coupled with a mating connector to be electrically connected thereto. More specifically, by the coupling of the two connectors, the coupling hole provided in the connector housing and a mating coupling hole provided in a mating connector housing come into contact to be electrically connected. That is, the connector is electrically connected or disconnected with the mating connector by the attachment or detachment of the connector to and from the mating connector. 
     As types of electrical and electronic equipment are diversified, the connector may be electrically connected with various types of interfaces. In this instance, when the connector is provided for each interface, miniaturization is difficult, due to the increased volume of the electrical and electronic equipment, and manufacturing costs are increased. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An aspect of the present invention provides a connector and a connector module, in which two coupling units having different depths are formed in a single coupling hole to be commonly used for pins having different interface schemes, and an electronic apparatus having the same. 
     According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a connector, including: a body having a fixed volume; and at least one coupling hole formed inwardly in a side of the body, and electrically coupled with a pin from the outside. Here, the coupling hole includes a first coupling unit having a predetermined first depth and electrically coupled with the pin from the outside, and a second coupling unit having a second depth deeper than the first depth and electrically coupled with another pin from the outside. 
     The first coupling unit and the second coupling unit of the coupling hole may have a step formed therebetween. 
     The first coupling unit may have a lateral length and a longitudinal length of a cross section thereof larger than those of a cross section of the second coupling unit. 
     The coupling hole may include a plurality of coupling holes formed in the side of the body. 
     According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a connector module, including: a first connector including a first body having a fixed volume, and at least one coupling hole formed inwardly in a side of the first body and electrically coupled with a pin from the outside, the coupling hole including a first coupling unit having a predetermined first depth and electrically coupled with the pin from the outside, and a second coupling unit having a second depth deeper than the first depth and electrically coupled with another pin from the outside; and a second connector including a second body having a fixed volume, and a pin formed on a side of the second body and inserted into the coupling hole. 
     The second connector may include a plurality of pins. 
     The second connector may include a first pin unit having a first pin electrically coupled with the first coupling unit, or a second pin unit having a second pin electrically coupled with the second coupling unit. 
     According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic apparatus, including: a connector module including a first connector including a first body having a fixed volume, and at least one coupling hole formed inwardly in a side of the first body and electrically coupled with a pin from the outside, the coupling hole including a first coupling unit having a predetermined first depth and electrically coupled with the pin from the outside, and a second coupling unit having a second depth deeper than the first depth and electrically coupled with another pin from the outside, and a second connector including a second body having a fixed volume, and a pin formed on a side of the second body and inserted into the coupling hole; a housing supporting the first connector and having an electronic circuit electrically connected with the coupling hole; and an operation circuit supported by the housing, and connected to the electronic circuit to execute a predetermined operation. 
     The electronic apparatus may include: a Local Interconnect Network (LIN) interface unit electrically connected with the first coupling unit to perform data communication in an LIN interface scheme; a control unit performing data communication with the LIN interface unit to control memory storage; and a memory electrically connected with the control unit and the second coupling unit to perform data communication in a Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI) scheme. 
     The operation circuit may be a lens module imaging an object. 
     The electronic circuit may further include a connection unit electrically connecting the first coupling unit with the LIN interface unit, and electrically connecting the second coupling unit with the memory. 
     The housing may further include a first circuit board and a second circuit board, the connection unit may be formed in the first circuit board, and the LIN interface unit, the control unit and the memory may be formed in the second circuit board. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above and other aspects, features and other advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIGS. 1A and 1B  are configuration diagrams of a connector according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIGS. 2A and 2B  are configuration diagrams of a connector module according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIGS. 3A and 3B  are configuration diagrams of a connector module according to another embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIGS. 4A and 4B  are configuration diagrams of an electronic apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIGS. 5A and 5B  are configuration diagrams of an electronic apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a configuration diagram of an electronic circuit applied to an electronic apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIGS. 7A and 7B  are configuration diagrams of a connector according to embodiments of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
       FIGS. 1A and 1B  are configuration diagrams of a connector according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 1A  is a perspective view of a connector  100  according to an embodiment of the present invention, and  FIG. 1B  is a plane view of the connector  100  according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1A , the connector  100  according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a body  110  having a fixed volume, and a coupling hole  120  formed inwardly in a side of the body  110 . A terminal unit  130  electrically connected with the coupling hole  120  maybe formed in the other side of the body  110 . 
     A plurality of coupling holes  120  may be provided in the side of the body  110 , and a first coupling unit  121  and a second coupling unit  122  may be formed inside each of the plurality of coupling holes  120 . 
     Each of the first coupling unit  121  and the second coupling unit  122  may be coupled with a pin inserted from the outside, to be electrically connected therewith, and a different pin may be coupled with the first coupling unit  121  or the second coupling unit  122 . 
     Referring to reference numeral “A” of  FIG. 1A , indicating an inner cross-section part of the connector  100 , the first coupling unit  121  and the second coupling unit  122  which are formed in the coupling hole  120  may be formed in the same position and may have different depths. Accordingly, a bottom surface of the first coupling unit  121  may have a first depth h 1 , and a bottom surface of the second coupling unit  122  may have a second depth h 2 , deeper than the first depth h 1 . In addition, so that the first coupling unit  121  and the second coupling unit  122  are electrically connected with different pins, the second coupling unit  122  may be formed in an inner direction of the body  110  from the bottom surface of the first coupling unit  121 . Also, a step  123  may be formed between the first coupling unit  121  and the second coupling unit  122 . An inner surface of each of the first coupling unit  121  and the second coupling unit  122  may be formed of a conductor so as to be electrically connected with the pin inserted from the outside, and may be connected with corresponding terminal units  131  and  132 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 1B , in order to form the step between the first coupling unit  121  and the second coupling unit  122 , a longitudinal length (a) and a lateral length (c) of a cross section of the first coupling unit  121  may be larger than a longitudinal length (b) and a lateral length (d) of a cross section of the second coupling unit  122 . Accordingly, even in the case that the first coupling unit  121  and the second coupling unit  122  may be formed in the same position, when the pin inserted from the outside is connected with the first coupling unit  121 , the pin may not contact the second coupling unit  122 ; whereas when the pin inserted from the outside is connected with the second coupling unit  122 , the pin may not contact the first coupling unit  121 . 
       FIGS. 2A and 2B  are configuration diagrams of a connector module according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIG. 2A , a connector module according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a first connector  100  and a second connector  200 . 
     The first connector  100  may be the same as the connector  100  shown in  FIGS. 1A and 1B , and thus, detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted. 
     The second connector  200  may be electrically coupled with the first connector  100 . To enable this, the second connector  200  may include a body  210  having a fixed volume, and a first pin unit  220  provided in the body  210  and electrically coupled with the first coupling unit  121  of the first connector  100 . A plurality of first pins of the first pin unit  220  may correspond to the number of the coupling holes  120 , and each of the plurality of first pins may be electrically coupled with the first coupling unit  121  as shown in  FIG. 2B . Referring to reference numeral “B”, when electrically coupled with the first coupling unit  121 , the first pin does not contact the second coupling unit  122 . 
       FIGS. 3A and 3B  are configuration diagrams of a connector module according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
     The first connector  100  may be the same as the connector  100  shown in  FIGS. 1A and 1B , and thus, detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted. 
     A second connector  300  may be electrically coupled with the first connector  100 . To enable this, the second connector  300  may include a body  310  having a fixed volume, and a second pin unit  320  provided in the body  310  and electrically coupled with the second coupling unit  122  of the first connector  100 . A plurality of second pins of the second pin unit  320  may correspond to the number of the coupling holes  120 , and each of the plurality of second pins may be electrically coupled with the second coupling unit  122  as shown in  FIG. 3B . Referring to reference numeral “C”, when electrically coupled with the second coupling unit  122 , the second pin does not contact the first coupling unit  121 . In this case, a thickness of the second pin may be less than that of the first pin shown in  FIGS. 3A and 3B . 
       FIGS. 4A and 4B  are configuration diagrams of an electronic apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and  FIGS. 5A and 5B  are configuration diagrams of an electronic apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 4A and 4B  and  FIGS. 5A and 5B , an electronic apparatus  1000  according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a first connector  100 , a second connector  200  or  300 , a housing  400 , and an operation circuit  500 . 
     The first connector may be the same as the connector  100  shown in  FIGS. 1A and 1B , the second connector may be the same as the second connector  200  shown in  FIGS. 2A and 2B  or the second connector  300  shown in  FIGS. 3A and 3B , and thus, detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted. 
     The housing  400  may support the first connector  100 , and include an electronic circuit formed therein. As shown in  FIG. 6 , the electronic circuit may include a Local Interconnect Network (LIN) interface unit  410 , a control unit  420 , and a memory  430 , and may further include a connection unit  440 . The LIN interface unit  410  may be used in an interface scheme, mainly for displaying an image, and the control unit  420  may perform data communication with the outside through the LIN interface unit  410 . The memory  430  may store data, and perform data communication with the control unit  420  in a Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI) scheme in response to a request of the control unit  420 . 
     For example, an imaging apparatus may display an image, or upgrade or test an assembled product; however, it uses different interface schemes for these purposes. That is, the LIN interface scheme may be used to display the image, and the SPI scheme maybe used to upgrade or test product software. In this instance, a connector may be used for an electrical connection with the outside, and a terminal array is different for each interface scheme, such that a connector may be used for each of the interface schemes. Here, this may cause an increase in manufacturing costs and in a volume of a product. In the connector according to the embodiment of the present embodiment, a pin array may be commonly used for the interface schemes. 
       FIGS. 7A and 7B  are configuration diagrams of a connector according to embodiments of the present invention. 
     For example, as shown in  FIGS. 7A and 7B , when the connector according to the embodiment of the present invention is applied to the LIN interface scheme, a first coupling unit having six coupling holes may be respectively used as a power line (POWER, POWER_GND), an image line (NTSC(+), NTSC(−)), an LIN communication terminal (LIN), and an EMI shielding (Drain) terminal, and when the connector according to the embodiment of the present invention is commonly used for the SPI scheme, a second coupling unit having six coupling holes may be respectively used as a power line (POWER, POWER_GND), and first to fourth SPI lines (SPI(Line- 1 ), SPI(Line- 2 ), SPI(Line- 3 ), and SPI(Line- 4 )). 
     Here, referring to  FIGS. 4A and 4B  and  FIGS. 5A and 5B , the second connector may be coupled with the first coupling unit or the second coupling unit of the first connector  100  (reference numerals D and E) via the LIN interface scheme or the SPI scheme according to the interface scheme of the second connector  200  and  300 . To enable this, the electronic circuit may further include the connection unit  440 , and the connection unit  440  may connect a signal from the first coupling unit to the LIN interface unit  410 , and connect a signal from the second coupling unit to the memory  430 . In this case, the housing  400  may include a first printed circuit board (pcb 1 ) and a second printed circuit board (pcb 2 ). Here, the connection unit  440  may be formed in the first printed circuit board (pcb 1 ), and the LIN interface unit  410 , the control unit  420 , and the memory  430  may be formed in the second printed circuit board (pcb 2 ). 
     When the electronic apparatus  1000  is an electronic module used in vehicles and the like, particularly, an imaging apparatus, the operation circuit  500  may be a lens module, and a captured image may be stored in the memory  430  to be displayed to the outside through the LIN interface scheme. Also, software stored in the memory  430  may be directly connected to the outside through the SPI scheme to be subjected to upgrade or test at a high speed. 
     As set forth above, according to embodiments of the present invention, two coupling units having different depths may be formed in a single coupling hole to be commonly used for pins in different interface schemes without an increase in the number of the holes, thereby suppressing increases in manufacture costs and the volume of a product. 
     While the present invention has been shown and described in connection with the embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.