Abstract:
In a connector including a connector element to be connected to a mating connector in a predetermined direction, a ring-shaped guide member is engaged with the connector element in the predetermined direction to receive the mating connector. The guide member has a spring portion which is formed on its inner surface and is adapted to be pressed by the mating connector in a radially outward direction. The spring portion serves to stabilize the mating connector.

Description:
[0001]     This application claims priority to prior Japanese patent application JP 2004-98649, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     This invention relates to a connector adapted to be mounted to an object such as a panel of a housing or casing.  
         [0003]     In a connector of the type, a receptacle connector is generally fixed to a panel by fastening and tightening a screw. Such technique is adopted in most of I/O connectors for computers. However, a space for a screw structure is required and a fixing operation is troublesome.  
         [0004]     In U.S. Pat. No. 6,513,206, it is proposed to fix a receptacle connector to a panel of an electronic apparatus by the use of a retainer clip.  
         [0005]     In the technique proposed in the above-mentioned United States Patent, a gap must be formed between the receptacle connector and the panel in order to insert the retainer clip. Therefore, it is difficult to bring the receptacle connector, the panel, and the retainer clip into tight contact with one another. Thus, presence of the gap may possibly results in generation of undesired radiation due to leakage of electromagnetic waves from the electronic apparatus. Further, a noise may possibly enter into the electronic apparatus to cause operation error of the electronic apparatus. Thus, there is a problem of EMI (electromagnetic interference).  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a connector which can easily be mounted to an object such as a panel and which is provided with EMI protection.  
         [0007]     Other objects of the present invention will become clear as the description proceeds.  
         [0008]     According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a connector which comprises a connector element to be connected to a mating connector in a predetermined direction and a ring-shaped guide member engaged with the connector element in the predetermined direction to receive the mating connector, the guide member having a spring portion which is formed on its inner surface and is adapted to be pressed by the mating connector in a radially outward direction, the spring portion serving to stabilize the mating connector. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]      FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of a connector according to a first embodiment of this invention together with a panel;  
         [0010]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the connector in  FIG. 1  when it is mounted to the panel;  
         [0011]      FIG. 3A  is an enlarged perspective view of a guide member in the connector illustrated in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0012]      FIG. 3B  is an exploded perspective view of the guide member in  FIG. 3A ;  
         [0013]      FIG. 3C  is a perspective view of the guide member in  FIG. 3A  with a part removed;  
         [0014]      FIG. 3D  is an enlarged view of a characteristic part of the guide member illustrated in  FIG. 3C ;  
         [0015]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a mating connector;  
         [0016]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view showing a state where the mating connector is connected;  
         [0017]      FIG. 6A  is a sectional perspective view of the state illustrated in  FIG. 5 ;  
         [0018]      FIG. 6B  is a sectional side view of the state illustrated in  FIG. 5 ;  
         [0019]      FIG. 7  is an exploded perspective view of a connector according to a second embodiment of this invention together with a panel;  
         [0020]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the connector in  FIG. 7  when it is mounted to the panel;  
         [0021]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view showing a state where a mating connector is connected;  
         [0022]      FIG. 10A  is a sectional perspective view of the state illustrated in  FIG. 9 ; and  
         [0023]      FIG. 10B  is a sectional side view of the state illustrated in  FIG. 9 . 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0024]     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , description will be made of a connector according to a first embodiment of this invention.  
         [0025]     The connector illustrated in the figures is adapted to be mounted to a panel  2  of an electronic apparatus and is herein called a first connector. The first connector comprises a connector element  1  having a plurality of conductive contacts (not shown) and a guide member  5  having a rectangular ring shape. The connector element  1  is mounted to an edge portion of a printed circuit board  10  to be placed on a rear side of the panel  2 . The guide member  5  is placed on a front side of the panel  2 .  
         [0026]     The connector element  1  has a connecting end portion  1   a  having a rectangular section defined by a conductive shell member  13 , and two fixing plates  11  disposed at opposite ends of the connecting end portion  1   a  in a transversal direction (i.e., a first direction A 1 ), respectively. Each of the fixing plates  11  is provided with a pair of engaging recesses  12  formed symmetrical in a vertical direction (i.e., a second direction A 2 ).  
         [0027]     The panel  2  has an opening  2   a  having a rectangular shape and slightly greater in size than the connecting end portion  1   a . The connecting end portion  1   a  of the connector element  1  is inserted into the opening  2   a  and protrudes on the front side of the panel  2 . The guide member  5  is coupled to an outside of the connecting end portion  1   a  and brought into contact with the panel  2 .  
         [0028]     The guide member  5  is provided with engaging claws  9  formed inside and symmetrical in the second direction A 2 . When the guide member  5  is coupled to the outside of the connecting end portion  1   a , the engaging claws  9  are engaged with the engaging recesses  12  in a back-and-forth direction (i.e., a third direction A 3 ), respectively. As a consequence, the panel  2  is clamped between a wall surface  1   b  of the connector element  1  and the guide member  5 . Thus, the first connector is mounted to the panel  2 . As a consequence, the guide member  5  is electrically connected to the connector element  1  and the panel  2 .  
         [0029]     Referring to  FIGS. 3A  to  3 D, the guide member  5  will be described in detail.  
         [0030]     The guide member  5  comprises a metal frame member (first member)  4  substantially entirely surrounding the connecting end portion  1   a  of the connector element  1 , and two metal clip members (second and third members)  3  coupled to the frame member  4 . The frame member  4  has a frame portion  41  of a generally rectangular ring shape, a pair of main plate portions  4   a  connected to opposite ends of the frame portion  41  in the second direction A 2  and extending in the third direction A 3 , and a pair of subsidiary plate portions  4   b  connected to opposite ends of the frame portion  41  in the first direction A 1  and extending in the third direction A 3 . The main plate portions  4   a  are faced to each other in the second direction A 2 . The subsidiary plate portions  4   b  are faced to each other in the first direction A 1 .  
         [0031]     The clip members  3  are attached to the main plate portions  4   a  of the frame member  4 , respectively. Each of the clip members  3  has a plate portion  3   a  faced to an outer surface of the main plate portion  4   a , a number of tongue-shaped spring pieces  3   a   1  extending from the plate portion  3   a , faced to an inner surface of the main plate portion  4   a , and having elasticity, and a pair of side surface portions  3   b  having a narrow width and perpendicularly bent from opposite ends of the plate portion  3   a  in the first direction A 1 , respectively. The tongue-shaped spring pieces  3   a   1  are arranged in parallel to one another in the first direction A 1 . Each of the clip members  3  is fitted to the frame member  4  by inserting the main plate portion  4   a  of the frame member  4  between the plate portion  3   a  and the tongue-shaped spring pieces  3   a   1 . As a consequence, the main plate portion  4   a  of the frame member  4  is clamped by the spring pieces  3   a   1  and the plate portion  3   a  of each clip member  3  in the second direction A 2 .  
         [0032]     Each of the main plate portions  4   a  of the frame member  4  is provided with a number of holes  4   a   1  arranged in a single line in the first direction A 1 . On the other hand, the plate portion  3   a  of each clip member  3  is provided with a number of protrusions  3   a   2  arranged in a single line and protruding towards the spring pieces  3   a   1 . When each clip member  3  is fitted to the frame member  4 , the protrusions  3   a   2  are engaged with the holes  4   a   1 , respectively. As a consequence, each clip member  3  is fixed to the frame member  4  to be electrically connected thereto.  
         [0033]     Referring to  FIGS. 4, 5 ,  6 A, and  6 B, description will be made of a second connector  6  as a mating connector and an operation of connecting the second connector  6 .  
         [0034]     The second connector  6  comprises a plurality of conductive contacts (not shown) arranged inside and a conductive shell member  6   a . A cable  6   b  is connected to the contacts of the second connector  6 .  
         [0035]     The second connector  6  is fitted and connected to the connecting end portion  1   a  of the connector element  1  through the guide member  5 . In this event, the spring pieces  3   a   1  of the clip members  3  are pressed by the second connector  6  to be elastically deformed and are brought into press contact with the shell member  6   a  of the second connector  6 . Thus, the second connector  6  is guided by the spring pieces  3   a   1  towards the connector element  1  so that reliable and stable connection is established.  
         [0036]     The second connector  6 , the clip members  3 , the frame member  4 , the panel  2 , and the connector element  1  are electrically connected to one another to serve as a ground of a circuit. The spring pieces  3   a   1  of the clip members  3  are arranged to surround an area around a connecting portion between the shell member  6   a  of the second connector  6  and the connector element  1  and, therefore, serve as a metal cage exhibiting a shielding function against electromagnetic radiation.  
         [0037]     Referring to FIGS.  7  to  9 ,  11 A, and  11 B, description will be made of a connector according to a second embodiment of this invention. Similar parts are designated by like reference numerals and description thereof will be omitted.  
         [0038]     The connector illustrated in the figures further comprises a frame-like structure member covering an entire circumference of the guide member  5 . The frame-like structure member  7  covers the guide member  5  so as to simultaneously surround the connecting portion between the connector element  1  and the second connector  6 . The frame-like structure member  7  made of metal exhibits a shielding function against electromagnetic radiation from both outside and inside of the area around the connecting portion between the connector element  1  and the second connector  6 . Further, the frame-like structure member  7  serves to mechanically protect the area around the connecting portion between the connector element  1  and the second connector  6 .  
         [0039]     When the second connector  6  is fitted to the connector element  1 , a chamfered portion  7   a  of the frame-like structure member  7  serves to guide the second connector  6 . Therefore, the second connector  6  is properly fitted to the connector element  1 .  
         [0040]     In the foregoing description, the two clip members  3  as separate components are used. Alternatively, the clip members  3  may be integrally formed.  
         [0041]     Further, the clip members  3  and the frame member  4  may be integrally formed into a single component.  
         [0042]     Each clip member  3  is provided with a number of spring pieces  3   a   1  but may have a single spring piece.  
         [0043]     In the foregoing description, each of the clip members  3 , the frame member  4 , and the frame-like structure member  7  is made of metal. Alternatively, each of the above-mentioned components may be formed by molding a conductive resin material. Further alternatively, each of the above-mentioned components may be formed by molding a resin material. In this case, a metal film is formed on the surface of each component by plating, vapor deposition, or the like. With this structure, the connector can be reduced in weight.  
         [0044]     While this invention has thus far been described in connection with the preferred embodiments thereof, it will be readily possible for those skilled in the art to put this invention into practice in various other manners without departing from the scope set forth in the appended claims.