Abstract:
A connector has a first member connectable to a first object and a second member connectable to a second object. The second member is arranged so as to restrict movement of the first member in a first horizontal direction. The connector also has a connection member configured to connect the first member and the second member to each other so that the first member is movable relative to the second member in a second horizontal direction perpendicular to the first horizontal direction.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    Applicant claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 of Japanese Patent Application No. JP2009-093204 filed on Apr. 7, 2009. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to a connector for a backlight in a liquid crystal panel, a monitor, or the like. 
         [0003]    For example, this type of connector is disclosed in JP-A 2008-34330, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. In the connector disclosed in JP-A 2008-34330, unexpected stress may be applied to a portion connected to a circuit board (e.g., a solder portion) due to thermal contraction or thermal expansion of a cold cathode fluorescent lamp (CCFL) or the like that is held by the connector. 
         [0004]    Meanwhile, in a case of a connector disclosed in JP-A 2007-95672, even if thermal contraction or thermal expansion of a CCFL or the like occurs, the flexibility of contacts absorbs such thermal contraction or thermal expansion. Therefore, there is no problem that stress is concentrated at a solder portion or the like. 
         [0005]    However, in the connector disclosed in JP-A 2007-95672, contacting areas of the contacts (portions supporting the CCFL or the like) have excessively high flexibility of movement. Therefore, the connector cannot be formed only by the contacts, and a housing is required separately from the contacts. Assuming that a housing is removed from the connector disclosed in JP-A 2007-95672, the strength of the connector is too weak. In other words, the number of parts is increased in order to maintain the strength with the structure disclosed in JP-A 2007-95672. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a connector capable of avoiding problems caused by thermal contraction or thermal expansion of a CCFL or the like with a technique different than that disclosed in JP-A 2007-95672. 
         [0007]    One aspect of the present invention provides a connector having a first member connectable to a first object and a second member connectable to a second object. The second member is arranged so as to restrict movement of the first member in a first horizontal direction. The connector also has a connection member configured to connect the first member and the second member to each other so that the first member is movable relative to the second member in a second horizontal direction perpendicular to the first horizontal direction. 
         [0008]    An appreciation of the objectives of the present invention and a more complete understanding of its structure may be had by studying the following description of the preferred embodiment and by referring to the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing a mounted state of a connector according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which only part of cold cathode fluorescent lamps and a circuit board is illustrated. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is an enlarged view of the connector shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the connector shown in  FIG. 2  as viewed from above a front side of the connector. 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the connector shown in  FIG. 2  as viewed from above a rear side of the connector. 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  is another perspective view of the connector shown in  FIG. 4  as viewed from above the rear side of the connector, in which a second member is omitted from the illustration. 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  is a sectional view of the connector shown in  FIG. 3  which is cut by the YZ-plane passing line VI-VI. 
           [0015]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view showing a variation of a regulation portion of a base according to the embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 8  is another perspective view showing a variation of the regulation portion of the base according to the embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 9  is another perspective view showing a variation of the regulation portion of the base according to the embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0018]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of the connector shown in  FIG. 2  as viewed from below the connector. 
           [0019]      FIG. 11  is an enlarged perspective view showing a variation of a meander portion according to the embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0020]      FIG. 12  is another enlarged perspective view showing a variation of the meander portion according to the embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
       [0021]    While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof are shown by way of example in the drawings and will herein be described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the drawings and detailed description thereto are not intended to limit the invention to the particular form disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims. 
       DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0022]    As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a connector  10  according to an embodiment of the present invention is used to connect a cold cathode fluorescent lamp  20  and a circuit board  30  to each other. In  FIG. 1 , the cold cathode fluorescent lamps  20  and the circuit board  30  are illustrated only with their connecting portions to the connector  10 . 
         [0023]    As shown in  FIGS. 2 to 4  and  FIG. 10 , the connector  10  according to the present embodiment has a first member (first section)  100 , a second member (second section)  200 , and a connection member (connection section)  300 . The first member  100  is connected to a cold cathode fluorescent lamp  20 , and the second member  200  is connected to the circuit board  30 . The connection member  300  connects the first member  100  and the second member  200  to each other. The first member  100 , the second member  200 , and the connection member  300  of the present embodiment are formed integrally by pressing or the like. 
         [0024]    The first member  100  includes a holder  110  for holding a terminal  22  of the cold cathode fluorescent lamp  20 , a support  120  for defining the bottom dead center of the cold cathode fluorescent lamp  20  (the lowermost position of the cold cathode fluorescent lamp  20  in the Z-direction), and a base  130  connecting the holder  110  and the support  120  to each other. 
         [0025]    The holder  110  is formed by a pair of spring portions  111   a  and  111   b , which partially contact each other in the X-direction. The spring portions  111   a  and  111   b  include tip potions  112   a  and  112   b , detachment prevention portions  113   a  and  113   b  produced by making an incision in part of the spring portions  111   a  and  111   b  and then bending the incised portion downward in the Z-direction, protrusions  115   a  and  115   b  projecting so as to separate from each other in the X-direction, and bent portions  116   a  and  116   b.    
         [0026]    Preloads are applied to the spring portions  111   a  and  111   b  so that the spring portions  111   a  and  111   b  push against each other in the X-direction under the normal conditions shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . In the present embodiment, the terminal  22  of the cold cathode fluorescent lamp  20  is passed between the detachment prevention portions  113   a  and  113   b  downward in the Z-direction and then held by the holder  110 . 
         [0027]    The tip portions  112   a  and  112   b  are bent so as to extend upward in the Z-direction and separate from each other in the X-direction. The tip portions  112   a  and  112   b  serve to guide the terminal  22  of the cold cathode fluorescent lamp  20 . 
         [0028]    The detachment prevention portions  113   a  and  113   b  extend downward in the Z-direction from contacts of the spring portions  111   a  and  111   b  and contact each other without any space. Thus, even if the terminal  22  of the cold cathode fluorescent lamp  20  held by the holder  110  moves upward in the Z-direction, it strikes lower ends of the detachment prevention portions  113   a  and  113   b . Therefore, the terminal  22  is prevented from being detached upward in the Z-direction from the holder  110 . 
         [0029]    The bent portions  116   a  and  116   b  are produced by bending the spring portions  111   a  and  111   b  so as to curve downward in the Z-direction and then bending the spring portions  111   a  and  111   b  so as to curve upward in the Z-direction. As a result, each of the bent portions  116   a  and  116   b  has an S-shaped cross-section on the XZ-plane as can be seen from  FIG. 5 . 
         [0030]    As shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , each of the protrusions  115   a  and  115   b  projects outward in the X-direction. This arrangement can reduce contact areas between the spring portions  111   a  and  111   b  and the terminal  22  of the cold cathode fluorescent lamp  20  as shown in  FIG. 2  and can thus prevent wear due to movement of the terminal  22 . 
         [0031]    As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the support  120  has a U-shaped edge  122  formed for supporting the terminal  22  of the cold cathode fluorescent lamp  20 . The U-shaped edge  122  defines the bottom dead center of the terminal  22 . 
         [0032]    The base  130  has a roughly rectangular shape as viewed downward in the Z-direction. The bent portions  116   a  and  116   b  of the holder  110  extend from side surfaces of the base  130  facing each other in the X-direction, which is hereinafter referred to as X-side surfaces. The support  120  extends upward from a front side surface of the base  130  in the Y-direction. As shown in  FIG. 5 , the base  130  has guide portions  132  formed respectively in the X-side surfaces. In the present embodiment, each of the guide portions  132  is formed by a slit extending in the Y-direction. 
         [0033]    Protrusions  134  are formed near opposite ends of each guide portion  132  in the Y-direction. Each of the protrusions  134  projects along the X-direction from the side surface. The first member  100  is connected to the connection member  300 , which will be described later, via a lower edge  140  of the base  130 . 
         [0034]    As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the second member  200  includes an outer frame  210  and fixing portions  220  extending from the outer frame  210 . The outer frame  210  is formed so as to surround three side surfaces of the base  130  of the first member  100  other than the front surface of the base  130  in the Y-direction. The fixing portions  220  extend from lower portions of the X-side surfaces of the base  130  so as to separate from each other in the X-direction. The fixing portions  220  are electrically connected to a circuit (not shown) of the circuit board  30  (see  FIG. 2 ). Furthermore, the outer frame  210  has a lower edge  240  with a recessed portion  240   a , which is recessed partially in the Z-direction. The second member  200  is connected to the connection member  300 , which will be described later, via the recessed portion  240   a . The lower edge  140  of the first member  100  is located at the same height in the Z-direction as the recessed portion  240   a  of the second member  200 . 
         [0035]    As shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the protrusions  134  formed on the base  130  of the first member  100  are provided in order to reduce clearances in the X-direction between the base  130  and the outer frame  210  of the second member  200 . Thus, the protrusions  134  abut the second member  200 . With this configuration, movement of the first member  100  is restricted relative to the second member  200  in the X-direction. 
         [0036]    In the present embodiment, the second member  200  has regulation portions  214  formed on both side surfaces in the X-direction. Each of the regulation portions  214  includes a portion extending upward and a portion extending toward the first member  100 . As can be seen from  FIG. 6 , each of the regulation portions  214  has an end  216  received within the corresponding guide portion  132 . In the present embodiment, the end  216  of each regulation portion  214  has a Y-direction width smaller than that of the corresponding guide portion  132 . With this configuration, the end  216  can move in the Y-direction within a range of the Y-direction width of the guide portion  132 . Meanwhile, the Z-direction thickness of the end  216  of each regulation portion  214  is slightly smaller than the Z-direction height of the corresponding guide portion  132 . Thus, the end  216  can hardly move in the Z-direction within the guide portion  132 . With this arrangement, the first member  100  can move within a certain range in the Y-direction relative to the second member  200  and can hardly move in the Z-direction. 
         [0037]    The guide portions  132  and the regulation portions  214  are not limited to the aforementioned structures. For example, as shown in  FIG. 7 , regulation portions  214   a  may be configured such that the regulation portions  214  shown  FIG. 4  are turned upside down. Specifically, each regulation portion  214   a  may be formed so as to have a portion extending downward and a portion extending toward the first member  100 . Furthermore, as shown in  FIG. 8 , part of upper edges of the outer frame  210  may be extended so as to form regulation portions  214   b . Alternatively, as shown in  FIG. 9 , each regulation portion  214   c  may be formed so as to have a portion extending frontward in the Y-direction and a portion extending toward the first member  100 . In any case of  FIGS. 7 to 9 , the first member  100  is arranged such that the first member  100  can move within a certain range in the Y-direction relative to the second member  200  and can hardly move in the Z-direction. The structures of the guide portions and the regulation portions are not limited to the aforementioned structures as long as they regulate movement of the first member  100  as described above. 
         [0038]    As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 10 , the connection member  300  includes first connection ends  310  connected to the first member  100 , second connection ends  320  connected to the second member  200 , and a meander portion  330  connecting the first connection ends  310  and the second connection ends  320  to each other. The meander portion  330  is formed so as to be expandable and contractible in the Y-direction. Thus, as shown in  FIG. 2 , the first member  100  is supported in a floating state via the connection member  300  by the second member  200  fixed to the circuit board  20 . Considering this structure of the connection member  300 , the aforementioned operations of the guide portions  132  and the regulation portions  214  (see  FIG. 6 ), and the role of the protrusions  134  ( FIG. 5 ), the first member  100  to which the cold cathode fluorescent lamp  20  is connected is movable within a certain range in the Y-direction (the direction in which the cold cathode fluorescent lamp  20  expands or contracts) relative to the second member  200  connected and fixed to the circuit board  30 . Meanwhile, movement of the first member  100  is restricted relative to the second member  200  in the X-direction and the Z-direction, so that the first member  100  can hardly move in the X-direction and the Z-direction. This arrangement can absorb thermal expansion and thermal contraction of the cold cathode fluorescent lamp  20  in the Y-direction. Therefore, the connector  10  according to the present embodiment does not suffer from any problem caused by thermal expansion and thermal contraction of the cold cathode fluorescent lamp  20 . 
         [0039]    In the present embodiment, the first connection ends  310  and the second connection ends  320  are connected to the lower edge  140  of the first member  100  and the lower edge  240  of the second member  200 , respectively, at two locations as shown in  FIG. 10 . With this configuration, the strength can be enhanced against stress applied to the first connection ends  310  and the second connection ends  320  during a pressing process. Moreover, the first member  100 , the second member  200 , and the connection member  300  can be stabilized without distortion by the connections at two locations. Furthermore, one meander portion  330  is provided to connect between the first connection ends  310  and the second connection ends  320 . This configuration increases the spring length of the meander portion  330 , thereby providing high spring characteristics. 
         [0040]    In order to enhance the strength and the spring characteristics of the connection member  300 , the connection member  300  of the present embodiment is arranged as described above. However, the connection member  300  may be configured to enhance only one of the strength and the spring characteristics of the connection member  300 . For example, as shown in  FIG. 11 , one first connection end  310   a  and one second connection end  320   a  may be connected to the lower edge  140  of the first member  100  and the lower edge  240  of the second member  200 , respectively. This configuration can increase the spring length of a meander portion  330   a . However, the first member  100  may twist relative to the second member  200  on the XZ-plane. Alternatively, as shown in  FIG. 12 , two meander portions  330   b  each including a first connection end  310   b  and a second connection end  320   b  may be used to form two springs. With this configuration, the first member  100  and the second member  200  are connected to the connection member  300  at two locations. Therefore, the stability can be enhanced as with the meander portion  330  shown in  FIG. 10 . However, since two springs are used, the spring length of each spring cannot be increased as compared to the meander portion  330  shown in  FIG. 10 . Accordingly, it is preferable to use the connection member  330  as shown in  FIG. 10  in order to achieve improvement of both of the stability and high spring characteristics. 
         [0041]    According to the present invention, two members are connected to each other in such a manner that the member connected to one connection target, such as a CCFL, is movable relative to the member connected and fixed to another connection target, such as a circuit board. Therefore, thermal contraction of the CCFL can be absorbed by relative movement between the two members. Accordingly, a connector according to the present invention does not suffer from any problem caused by thermal contraction. 
         [0042]    The present application is based on a Japanese patent application of JP2009-093204 filed before the Japan Patent Office on Apr. 7, 2009, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
         [0043]    While there has been described what is believed to be the preferred embodiment of the invention, those skilled in the art will recognize that other and further modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention, and it is intended to claim all such embodiments that fall within the true scope of the invention.