Abstract:
A connector is capable of fitting a plurality of mating connectors having various widths. The connector includes a housing including a plurality of fitting openings for receiving the mating connectors and a middle portion disposed between the fitting openings. The middle portion includes a sloped surface facing one of the fitting portions. The connector further includes an abutting portion disposed on the middle portion and protruding into the one of the fitting portions for abutting against one of the mating connectors when the one of the mating connectors is inserted into the one of the fitting portions.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AND RELATED ART STATEMENT 
     The present invention relates to a connector. More specifically, the present invention relates to a connector capable of fitting a plurality of mating connectors having different widths. 
     In an electrical device such as a personal computer, a mobile phone, a digital camera, a music player, and the likes, it has been increasingly required to transmit a signal at a high speed. In order to connect such an electrical device, a plug connector compatible with the conventional USB (Universal Serial Bus) standard has been modified to develop a plug connector compatible with a higher standard. 
     In the plug connector compatible with the higher standard, a high speed shell fitting portion is arranged for high speed transmission, in addition to an ordinary shell fitting portion for fitting a plug connector compatible with a lower standard as well. To this end, a receptacle connector capable of fitting a plurality of mating connectors having different widths has been developed. 
     Patent Reference has disclosed such a receptacle connector. The receptacle connector includes a first fitting portion for fitting both a plug connector with a narrow width and a plug connector with a wide width. Further, the receptacle connector includes a second fitting portion only for fitting a plug connector with a wide width. According to Patent Reference, the first fitting portion and the second fitting portion are completely divided with a dividing plate. Patent Reference has also disclosed a configuration, in which the first fitting portion and the second fitting portion are not completely divided, and instead a fitting space is narrowed at a middle portion of the connector in a width direction for fitting the plug connector, thereby forming a plurality of fitting portions arranged in series in the width direction.
     Patent Reference: Japanese Patent Publication No. 2003-17165   

     In the conventional electrical connector, in which the first fitting portion and the second fitting portion are not completely divided and the fitting space is narrowed, the plug connector engages with the middle portion in a small area when the plug connector is fitted to the conventional electrical connector, as opposed to the configuration in which the first fitting portion and the second fitting portion are completely divided. In particular, when the plug connector with a narrow width is fitted into the first fitting portion, the plug connector tends to be easily twisted, or the plug connector tends to wobble after the plug connector is fitted into the conventional electrical connector. 
     In view of the problems described above, an object of the present invention is to provide a connector capable of fitting a plurality of mating connectors (plug connectors) having different widths. In particular, when a plug connector with a narrow width is fitted into a fitting portion capable of fitting both a plug connector with a narrow width and a plug connector with a wide width, it is possible to securely fit the plug connector with a narrow width. 
     Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the invention. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In order to attain the objects described above, according to the present invention, a connector is capable of fitting a plurality of mating connectors having various widths. The connector includes a fitting opening for fitting the mating connectors, and the fitting opening is narrowed at a middle portion thereof in a width direction thereof, thereby forming a plurality of fitting openings arranged in series in the width direction. The middle portion on a side of one of the fitting openings is provided with a sloped surface. Further, an abutting portion for abutting against the mating connector is disposed on the middle portion on the side of the one of the fitting openings with a size reduced in the width direction. 
     According to the present invention, the middle portion may include an upright surface facing another of the fitting portions arranged adjacent to the one of the fitting portions. 
     According to the present invention, the abutting portion may include a surface extending in a direction that the one of the mating connectors is inserted into the one of the fitting portions. 
     According to the present invention, the sloped surface may be formed of a metal plate, and the abutting portion is formed of a cut portion formed in the metal plate. Further, the abutting portion may be formed on a side surface of the metal plate. 
     According to the present invention, the metal plate may be joined along a joint line situated in the one of the fitting openings and extending in a direction that the one of the mating connectors is inserted into the one of the fitting portions, which may be less likely to be twisted. 
     In the present invention, it is possible to provide the connector capable of securely fitting the mating connectors having various widths. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing a connector according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a plan view showing the connector according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a partially sectional view showing the connector taken along a line  3 - 3  in  FIG. 2  according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view showing a plug connector with a narrow width capable of fitting to the connector according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view showing another plug connector with a wide width capable of fitting to the connector according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view showing the plug connector shown in  FIG. 4  and fitted to the connector according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  is a plan view showing the plug connector shown in  FIG. 4  and fitted to the connector according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 8  is another plan view showing the plug connector shown in  FIG. 4  and fitted to the connector according to the embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 9  is a sectional view showing the connector taken along a line  9 - 9  in  FIG. 7  according to the embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view showing a modified example of the connector according to the embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Hereunder, embodiments of the present invention will be explained with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing a connector  10  according to the embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 2  is a plan view showing the connector  10 .  FIG. 3  is a sectional view showing the connector  10  taken along a line  3 - 3  in  FIG. 2  according to the embodiment of the present invention. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the connector  10  includes an insulating housing  12  formed by molding a resin; a metal shell  24  surrounding an outside of the insulating housing  12  like a tube; and a plurality of terminals  30  and  40  integrally formed with the insulating housing  12 . 
     The connector  10  has a plurality of consecutive fitting portions arranged next to each other in order to connect a plurality of mating connectors with different widths. In the embodiment, the connector  10  has two fitting portions  28  and  29 . The fitting portions  28  and  29  may include a guiding portion  42  at an opening  23  thereof for easily guiding the mating connectors. 
     The insulating housing  12  includes a base end portion  15  forming a rear portion of the connector  10  and holding portions  16  and  17 . The holding portions  16  and  17  extend from the base end portion  15  toward the opening  23  having a space against an inner surface of a top panel  33  of the metal shell  24 . The two holding portions  16  and  17  correspond to the two fitting portions  28  and  29 , respectively. 
     The terminals  30  and  40  are aligned in the base end portion  15  and the holding portions  16  and  17  in a connecting direction of the mating connectors with a narrow pitch, respectively. The terminals  30  and  40  include front end portions  45  and  47 , respectively. Portions near the front end portions  45  and  47  of the terminals  30  and  40  are partially exposed at a lower side of the holding portions  16  and  17 . The terminals  30  and  40  can contact with terminals of the mating connectors through the exposed portions thereof. 
     The terminal  30  and  40  also include rear end portions  39  and  49 , respectively. Portions near the rear end portions  39  and  49  of the terminals  30  and  40  are partially exposed at the base end portion  15  of the insulating housing  12  in order to solder a corresponding portion of a base board thereto together with a soldering portion  25  of the metal shell  24 . The holding portions  16  and  17  may include terminal aligning portions  13  and  14  having a groove extending in the connecting direction of the mating connectors for situating the terminals  30  and  40 , respectively. 
     The metal shell  24  may be formed of a metal plate. For example, the metal shell  24  is formed from the metal plate punched into a given shape then bent into a tube-like shape. The metal shell  24  can be fixed to the insulating housing  12  after inserting the insulating housing  12  from a rear end, that is, an opposite side of a side where the opening  23  is located thereof. It is possible to fix the metal shell  24  to the insulating housing  12  with engaging tongue pieces  44  and  46  or a rear supporting plate  48  (shown in  FIG. 6 , described later) by riveting, press fitting or bending. 
       FIGS. 4 and 5  are perspective views showing examples of the mating connectors capable of connecting to the connector  10  according to the embodiment of the present invention. In  FIG. 4 , a mating connector  60  is capable of connecting to only the fitting portion  28 , while a mating connector  60 ′ shown in  FIG. 5  is capable of connecting to both of the fitting portions  28  and  29 . 
     Each of the mating connectors  60  and  60 ′ includes an insulating housing  70  formed by molding a resin; a metal shell  61  surrounding an outside of the insulating housing  70 ; a resin  64  fixing the insulating housing  70  and a shell fitting portion  62  of the metal shell  61  in a state of being exposed partially; an engaging protrusion  65  capable of an elastic deformation located at the shell fitting portion  62 ; and a terminal  67  aligned in a terminal aligning portion  73  of the insulating housing  70 . The insulating housing  70  and the metal shell  61  can form a fitting hole  71  for receiving the holding portions  16  and  17  of the connector  10  when the connector  10  is connected thereto. 
     The mating connector  60 ′ shown in  FIG. 5  includes a high-speed shell fitting portion  63  capable of high-speed transmission, in addition to the shell fitting portion  62 , which the mating connector  60  in  FIG. 4  includes as well. In other words, a width of the mating connector  60 ′ in  FIG. 5  is relatively wider while the width of the mating connector  60  in  FIG. 4  is relatively narrower. The high-speed shell fitting portion  63  shown in  FIG. 5  is used for high-speed transmission while the shell fitting portion  62  is used for ordinary-speed transmission. In addition to the functional difference described above, the high-speed shell fitting portion  63  has a cross-sectional surface of an approximate rectangular shape while the shell fitting portion  62  has a cross-sectional surface of an approximate upside-down trapezoidal shape. 
       FIGS. 6 to 9  show the connector  10  shown in  FIGS. 1 to 3 , in a state of connecting to the mating connector  60  having the narrower width shown in  FIG. 4 .  FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the connector  10  when the connector  10  is connected to the mating connector  60  as described above;  FIG. 7  is a plan view thereof;  FIG. 8  is a plan view omitting the top panel  33  for the purpose of showing a state of an inside of the connector  10 ; and  FIG. 9  is a sectional view taken along a line  9 - 9  in  FIG. 7 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 6 to 9 , a tip portion of the shell fitting portion  62  is inserted into the fitting portion  28  through the opening  23  of the connector  10  when the connector  10  is connected to the mating connector  60 . In addition, when the connector  10  is connected to the mating connector  60 ′, the tip portion of the shell fitting portion  62  is inserted into the fitting portion  28  through the opening  23  of the connector  10  while a tip portion of the high-speed shell fitting portion  63  is inserted into the fitting portion  29  through the opening  23  of the connector  10  (not shown). Accordingly, the connector  10  is capable of connecting both of the mating connectors  60  and  60 ′ having the different widths from each other since the connector  10  includes a plurality (two in the embodiment) of consecutive fitting portions  28  and  29 . 
     When the tip portion of the shell fitting portion  62  is inserted, an engaging protrusion  65  provided in the shell fitting portion  62  engages with an engaging hole  52  provided at the top panel  33  of the connector  10 . The connector  10  can engage with the mating connector  60  or  60 ′ by the engagement of the engaging protrusion  65  and the engaging hole  52 . Further, when the connector  10  is connected to the mating connector  60  or  60 ′, the holding portions  16  and  17  are inserted into the fitting hole  71  of the mating connector  60  or  60 ′. As a result, the terminal  67  of the mating connector  60  or  60 ′ can contact the corresponding terminals  30  or  30  and  40  of the connector  10 , respectively. 
     A fitting opening  41  is opened for fitting the mating connector  60  or  60 ′ and the fitting portions  28  and  29  are formed by narrowing the fitting opening  41  along a fitting direction (a direction of an arrow B) at a middle portion  31  in a width direction (a direction of an arrow A) thereof. The fitting portions  28  and  29  are formed by only narrowing the fitting opening  41 , not by dividing the fitting opening  41  separated completely. Accordingly, the fitting portions  28  and  29  can be formed as consecutive fitting portions lying next to each other in the width direction (a direction of the arrow A). 
     In the embodiment, for example, the fitting portions  28  and  29  are formed of the metal shell  24  bent in forms corresponding to the cross-sectional surface of an approximate upside-down trapezoidal shape of the shell fitting portion  62  and the cross-sectional surface of an approximate rectangular shape of the high-speed shell fitting portion  63 . More specifically, the fitting portions  28  and  29  are formed with a middle portion  31 A located on a side of the fitting portion  28  as a sloped surface  37  and a middle portion  31 B located on a side of the fitting portion  29  as an upright surface  38 . 
     When the fitting portions  28  and  29  are formed as described above, as compare to a case that the fitting portions  28  and  29  are divided completely, the middle portion  31  can have a smaller interfering surface interfering with the mating connector  60  or  60 ′ as the mating connector  60  or  60 ′ is connected. Consequently, the mating connector  60  may be twisted when the mating connector  60  with the narrower width is inserted or may be deformed after the mating connector  60  is connected. Particularly, when the middle portion has a slope, as the sloped surface  37  of the middle portion  31 A, it is necessary to strengthen the middle portion when the mating connector  60  is twisted, particularly in a right direction (a direction of an arrow C). 
     In order to meet the necessity described above, in the embodiment, the connector  10  includes an abutting portion  35  capable of abutting against the mating connector  60  on the middle portion  31 A on the side of the fitting portion  28  thereof. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the abutting portion  35  is formed by narrowing the fitting portion  28  in the width direction of the fitting opening  41  (a direction of the arrow A), to a width shown as C in  FIG. 1 . When the mating connector  60  is connected to the connector  10 , that is, when the mating connector  60  having the narrower width is inserted to the fitting portion  28 , the abutting portion  35  abuts against the mating connector  60  as the mating connector  60  is twisted, thereby regulating a movement of the mating connector  60  toward the fitting portion  29 . Accordingly, with the abutting portion  35  described above, it is possible to connect the mating connector  60  more securely. 
     More specifically, the abutting portion  35  can be formed of a portion of the middle portion  31 A on the side of the fitting portion  28 . In other words, the abutting portion  35  can be formed of the sloped surface  37  of the metal shell  24  cut and bent upward so as to be parallel with the width direction (a direction of the arrow A). In this case, it is preferable that the abutting portion  35  is made as a plane along the fitting direction (a direction of the arrow B) so that the abutting portion  35  can abut against the mating connector  60  or  60 ′ more certainly. 
     Further, it is possible to increase rigidity of the abutting portion  35  by forming the abutting portion  35  with a thickness portion of the metal plate of the metal shell  24 . Moreover, it is preferable that the abutting portion  35  is chamfered at corners thereof, at least the corners located a connecting side so that the mating connector  60  or  60 ′ can abut against the abutting portion more smoothly. A curved surface  34  is formed by chamfering the abutting portion  35  at the corners thereof. In addition, it is preferred that a surface of the abutting portion  35  is arranged so as to face a side surface  61 A (shown in  FIG. 9 ) of the mating connector  60  extending in an upright direction. 
     On the other hand, the middle portion  31 B located on a side of the fitting portion  29  is formed as the upright surface  38  corresponding to the cross-sectional surface of the high-speed shell fitting portion  63  having the approximate rectangular shape. Therefore, the problems described above hardly occur. It is obvious that the middle portion  31 B located on a side of the fitting portion  29  may have an abutting portion similar to the abutting portion  35  though the problems hardly occur. 
     With reference to  FIG. 10 , one of variations of the present invention will be explained. When the fitting portions  28  and  29  are formed of the metal plate bent into the tube-like shape, joints  50  and  50 ′ having a complimentary shape are formed as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 10 , respectively. It is preferable that the joint  50  or  50 ′ extends along the connecting direction (a direction of an arrow B) of the mating connector  60  ( 60 ′) in order to reduce a force applied as the mating connector  60  ( 60 ′) is connected. 
     It is also preferable that the joint is provided in a side of the fitting portion  29  as shown in  FIG. 10 . When the joint is provided in a side of the fitting portion  29 , the connector  10  is less likely to be deformed as compared to a case that the joint is provided in a side of the fitting portion  28 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , when the joint  50  is provided in a side of the fitting portion  28 , the connector  10  is more likely to be deformed by the mating connector  60  connected only to the fitting portion  28 . 
     The connector in the present invention is not limited to an electrical connector though being explained as an electrical connector in the embodiment described above. The present invention can be applied to not only an electrical connector but also every kind of connector such as an optical connector and so on. Therefore, the present invention relates to every kind of connector, not limited to an electrical connector. 
     The disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. 2008-127455, filed on May 14, 2008 is incorporated in the application by reference. 
     While the invention has been explained with reference to the specific embodiments of the invention, the explanation is illustrative and the invention is limited only by the appended claims.