Abstract:
A connector comprises: contacts disposed in a row so as to be mutually parallel; a metal case that comprises one surface which is parallel to the direction of disposition of the contacts and two surfaces which are perpendicular with respect to the direction of disposition of the contacts and sandwich the ends of the disposition of the contacts, and that arranged while kept from contact with the contacts; and a synthetic-resin insulator that is formed so as to encase the contacts and the metal case and that exposes part of the contacts and part of the metal case as external contact points.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a connector. 
       BACKGROUND ART 
       [0002]    In order to connect devices such as a smart phone, a tablet PC, an audio player and the like to a USB (Universal Serial Bus) of a personal computer, there is required a connection cable establishing a connection between the smart phone, tablet PC or audio player side and the USB on the personal computer side. A connector disclosed in PTL 1 is an example of a connector on the smart phone, tablet PC or audio player side. 
         [0003]    The connector disclosed in PTL 1 uses a U-shaped or cap-shaped metal frame, which allows for discharge with a contact of a drain wire of a board-side connector on the smart phone, tablet PC or audio player as well as grounding with a lock fitting. 
       CITATION LIST 
     Patent Literature 
       [0000]    
       
         {PTL 1}: JP 2013-532351 A 
       
     
       SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     Technical Problem 
       [0005]    The connector disclosed in PTL 1 uses a special metal frame that is U-shaped or cap-shaped. This results in the need to manufacture an expensive mold and an increase in production costs. 
         [0006]    The present invention has been made against such background, where an object of the present invention is to provide, at low cost, a connector that can be used while inserted into a board-side connector into which the patented connector disclosed in PTL 1 is inserted. 
       Solution to Problem 
       [0007]    The present invention is a connector including: a plurality of contacts arranged in a line to be parallel with one another; a metal case arranged while kept from contact with the plurality of contacts, and including one surface parallel to a direction in which the plurality of contacts is arranged and two surfaces perpendicular to the direction in which the contacts are arranged also sandwiching both ends of the arrangement of the contacts; and an insulator which is made of synthetic resin, formed so as to contain the plurality of contacts and the metal case, wherein a part of the contacts and a part of the metal case are exposed from the insulator to the outside. 
         [0008]    Moreover, according to the connector of the present invention, it is preferred in addition to the aforementioned configuration that the insulator be formed into the shape of a plate including substantially rectangular upper surface and lower surface, and a side surface between the upper surface and the lower surface, and that a part of the contact be exposed on either one of the upper surface and the lower surface while a part of an external contact of the metal case be exposed on the side surface between longer sides of the rectangle. It is also preferred to include an external contact for a contact of a drain wire. It is preferred that the external contacts are arranged so as to sandwich both ends of the arrangement of the contacts on either one of the upper surface and the lower surface. 
         [0009]    Furthermore, according to the connector of the present invention, it is preferred that a surface of the insulator on a side having the exposed portion of the contact include a plurality of grooves having a predetermined depth and arranged in a line to be parallel with one another in addition to any of the aforementioned configurations. It is preferred that the each groove is formed in spacing between the contacts adjacent to each other. 
       Advantageous Effects of Invention 
       [0010]    According to the present invention, there can be provided at low cost the connector that can be used while inserted into the board-side connector into which the connector disclosed in PTL 1 is inserted. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is a diagram illustrating a manufacturing process of a connector  1  of the present invention, namely a state in which a metal case  11  is to be attached to an insulator  12   a  including a contact. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a diagram illustrating an insulator  12   b  that covers the insulator  12   a  and the metal case  11  in  FIG. 1  after completing the manufacturing process in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0013]      FIG. 3   FIG. 3  is a diagram illustrating a state in which the whole the manufacturing process is completed, namely a state in which the insulator  12   b  in  FIG. 2  covers the insulator  12   a  and the metal case  11  after completing the manufacturing process in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0014]      FIG. 4A  is a diagram illustrating a cross section taken in a direction orthogonal to a contact exposed surface of the connector  1  when the connector  1  in  FIG. 3  and a board-side connector  20  into which the connector  1  is inserted are to be connected together. 
           [0015]      FIG. 4B  is a diagram illustrating the front of an insertion port  22  of the board-side connector  20 . 
           [0016]      FIG. 5A  is a diagram illustrating a terminal configuration of the board-side connector  20  in  FIG. 4A . 
           [0017]      FIG. 5B  is a diagram illustrating the connector  1  as viewed from a direction indicated with A in the  FIG. 4A , and the board-side connector  20  from which a bottom surface of the insertion port  22  is omitted, in other words, the cross section being taken in a connection direction (direction indicated with B in the  FIG. 4A ) of the board-side connector  20 . 
           [0018]      FIG. 6  is a pair of diagrams used to explain a method of manufacturing a connector  1 A according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0019]      FIG. 7  is a pair of diagrams used to explain the method of manufacturing the connector  1 A according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
       [0020]    A connector  1  of the present invention includes, as illustrated in  FIG. 1 , a plurality of contacts  10   a ,  10   b ,  10   c ,  10   d ,  10   e , and  10   f  arranged in a line to be parallel with one another and a metal case  11  arranged while kept from contact with the contacts  10   a  to  10   f . The metal case  11  including one surface  11   a  parallel with a direction in which the contacts  10   a  to  10   f  are arranged and two surfaces  11   b  and  11   c  perpendicular to the direction in which the contacts  10   a  to  10   f  are arranged also sandwiching both ends of the arrangement of the contacts  10   a  to  10   f . Moreover, as illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the connector  1  includes insulators  12   a  and  12   b  which are made of synthetic resin and formed so as to contain the contacts  10   a  to  10   f  and the metal case  11 . A part of the contacts  10   a  to  10   f  and a part of the metal case  11  are exposed from insulators  12   a  and  12   b  as external contacts. 
         [0021]    As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the insulator  12   b  is formed into the shape of a plate including substantially rectangular upper surface  12 U and lower surface  12 D, and side surfaces  12 S 1 ,  12 S 2 , and  12 S 3  between the upper surface  12 U and the lower surface  12 D. 
         [0022]    A part of the insulator  12   a  and a part of the metal case  11  is exposed from the insulator  12   b  illustrated in  FIG. 2 . Specifically, the part of the contacts  10   a  to  10   f  are exposed on the upper surface  12 U as illustrated in  FIG. 3  through holes  16   a ,  16   b ,  16   c ,  16   d ,  16   e , and  16   f  illustrated in  FIG. 2 . Moreover, apart of the surface  11   b  of the metal case  11  is exposed through a hole  16   i  illustrated in  FIG. 2 . Note that a part of the surface  11   c  is also exposed through a hole (not shown) formed on the side surface opposite to the side of the hole  16   i . Furthermore, a part of a surface  11   d  and a part of a surface  11   e  of the metal case  11  is exposed through holes  16   g  and  16   h  in  FIG. 2 , respectively. Note that while the insulator  12   b  in  FIGS. 2 and 3  includes a protrusion  14 , the protrusion  14  may be omitted as it is used to apply force when placing the insulator  12   b  in a process in which the insulator  12   b  is placed as illustrated in  FIG. 3  on the insulator  12   a  and the metal case  11  that are in a state illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0023]    Furthermore, as illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , each of grooves  15   a ,  15   b ,  15   c ,  15   d ,  15   e ,  15   f ,  15   g ,  15   h , and  15   i  having a predetermined depth is formed at a position corresponding to spacing between the adjacent contacts  10   a  to  10   f  on the surface of the insulator  12   b  corresponding to the side including the exposed portions of the contacts  10   a  to  10   f.    
         [0024]    Next, a method of connecting the connector  1  to a board-side connector  20  will be described with reference to  FIGS. 4 and 5 .  FIG. 4A  is a diagram illustrating a cross section taken in a direction orthogonal to a contact exposed surface of the connector  1  when the connector  1  in  FIG. 3  and the board-side connector  20  into which the connector  1  is inserted are to be connected together.  FIG. 4B  is a diagram illustrating the front of an insertion port of the board-side connector  20 .  FIG. 5A  is a diagram illustrating a terminal configuration of the board-side connector  20  in  FIG. 4A .  FIG. 5B  is a diagram illustrating the connector  1  as viewed from a direction indicated with A in  FIG. 4A , and the board-side connector  20  from which a bottom surface of the insertion port  22  is omitted, in other words, the cross section being taken in a connection direction (direction indicated with B in  FIG. 4A ) of the board-side connector  20 . 
         [0025]    As illustrated in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the board-side connector  20  includes a connector reception part  21 , holding structures  22   a  and  22   b , contacts of a drain wire  24   a  and  24   b  and other contacts  23   a ,  23   b ,  23   c ,  23   d ,  23   e ,  23   f ,  23   g , and  23   h . Note that the contact exposed surface of the connector  1  corresponds to the A direction side in  FIG. 4 , while the contacts of the drain wire  24   a  and  24   b  and the other contacts  23   a ,  23   b ,  23   c ,  23   d ,  23   e ,  23   f ,  23   g , and  23   h  are formed on a bottom surface of the connector reception part  21  of the board-side connector  20 . 
         [0026]    When the connector  1  is inserted into the insertion port  22  of the connector reception part  21  of the board-side connector  20 , notch portions  13   a  and  13   b  formed in the insulator  12   b  are fitted to the holding structures  22   a  and  22   b . A certain amount of force is thus required to remove the connector  1  from the connector reception part  21  of the board-side connector  20 . Moreover, the holding structures  22   a  and  22   b , which also serve as ground contacts, of the board-side connector  20  are electrically connected to the surfaces  11   b  and  11   c  of the metal case  11  of the connector  1 . Furthermore, when the connector  1  is inserted into the insertion port  22  of the connector reception part  21  of the board-side connector  20 , the contacts of the drain wire  24   a  and  24   b  are electrically connected to a part (an area exposed on the insulator  12   b ) of each of the surfaces  11   d  and  11   e  of the metal case  11 . 
         [0027]    According to the connector  1 , as described above, a metal frame requiring die molding as in PTL 1 is not used so that the connector  1  can be manufactured at low cost. Moreover, the exposure of a metal portion is kept at the minimum required so that corrosion, damage and dirt on the metal portion (that is, the portion serving as the contact and external contact) can be reduced. Furthermore, the grooves  15   a  to  15   i  having the predetermined depth are formed at the positions corresponding to the spacings between the adjacent contacts  10   a  to  10   f , so that the grooves  15   a  to  15   i  can catch fine dirt and liquid entering while the connector  1  is inserted into the board-side connector  20  to be able to prevent the fine dirt and liquid from reaching the contacts  10   a  to  10   f . Furthermore, the surfaces  11   b  and  11   c  can also act as a mechanism of protection for the metal case  11  and the insulator  12   a . Furthermore, the surfaces  11   d  and  11   e  of the metal case  11  exposed on the surface of the upper surface  12 U are configured to function as external contacts for the contact of the drain wire of the board-side connector  20 . 
       ANOTHER EMBODIMENT 
       [0028]    The aforementioned embodiment can be modified in various ways without departing from the gist thereof. While there has been described to realize the state illustrated in  FIG. 3  by placing the insulator  12   b  illustrated in  FIG. 2  on the insulator  12   a  and the metal case  11  illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the state illustrated in  FIG. 3  may be molded integrally, for example. In this case, the protrusion  14  can be omitted as it is used to apply force when placing the insulator  12   b  in the process in which the insulator  12   b  is placed as illustrated in  FIG. 3  on the insulator  12   a  and the metal case  11  that are in the state illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0029]      FIGS. 6 and 7  are diagrams used to explain the progress in a manufacturing process of a connector  1 A according to another embodiment of the present invention. The connector  1 A illustrated in a lower diagram in  FIG. 7  is an example of a case where the connector is manufactured by integral molding. For example, an insulator  31  is formed by a special mold integrally with a lead  30  (leads  30   a ,  30   b ,  30   c ,  30   d ,  30   e , and  30   f ) illustrated in an upper diagram in  FIG. 6 . Then, as illustrated in an upper diagram in  FIG. 7 , a metal case  32  is attached to a bottom surface of the insulator  31  that is manufactured by integral molding with the lead  30 . Furthermore, as illustrated in a lower diagram in  FIG. 7 , an insulator  33  is formed by a special mold integrally with the insulator  31  to which the metal case  32  is attached, and fixed by a protrusion  34 . Note that grooves  33   d ,  33   e ,  33   f ,  33   g ,  33   h ,  33   i ,  33   j ,  33   k , and  331  are formed on the surface of the insulator  33 . Moreover, the insulator  33  is molded such that a part of the aforementioned lead  30  (leads  30   a ,  30   b ,  30   c ,  30   d ,  30   e , and  30   f ) is exposed on the surface of the insulator  33  as well as that a part of the metal case  32  ( 33   a ,  33   b ,  33   c  and an area corresponding to an opposite side of  33   b , the area not being shown in the figure) is exposed on the surface of the insulator  33 . The connector  1 A manufactured by adopting such manufacturing method can achieve the effect similar to that achieved by the aforementioned connector  1 . 
         [0030]    Note that the number and arrangement of the contacts illustrated in  FIGS. 1 to 7  above are one example and thus can be modified in various ways. Likewise, the number and arrangement of the grooves  15   a  to  15   i  and the grooves  33   d  to  331  illustrated in  FIGS. 2, 3, 6, 7 , and the like are one example and thus can be modified in various ways including a form not including a groove. 
         [0031]    Moreover, the shape of the metal case  11  and the metal case  32  can be also modified in various ways as long as a part of the metal portion is exposed to function as the external contact for the contact of the drain wire of the board-side connector  20 . 
       REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 
       [0000]    
       
           1 ,  1 A connector 
           10   a  to  10   f  contact 
           30   a  to  30   f  lead 
           11 ,  32  metal case 
           12   a ,  12   b ,  31 ,  33  insulator 
           15   a  to  15   i ,  33   d  to  331  groove