Patent Publication Number: US-6666727-B2

Title: Connector composed of connector socket and mated connector

Description:
BACK GROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to a connector, and in particular relates to a connector composed of a connector socket and a mated connector plug to be connected to the connector socket for transmitting and receiving electric signals and supplying electrical power and the like. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Connectors are widely used in automobiles or the like for establishing electrical connections between wire harnesses and between a wire harness and an electric device, and the like. 
     Normally, each connector is composed from a connector socket and a connector plug which is connected to the connector socket. 
     One example of the conventional connector socket includes a socket body  11  which is made of resin, and a front end face of the socket body has such a shape as shown in FIG. 4. A plurality of terminals (not shown in the drawings) are provided in the socket body so that these terminals make contact with contact pins provided in the connector plug when the connector plug is connected to the connector socket. 
     The socket body  11  includes upper and lower terminal holding portions  16   a,    16   b  in which the plurality of terminals (contacts) are arranged in a row in the width direction of the connector socket. Further, there is provided a spacing  21  between both the upper and lower terminal holding portions  16   a,    16   b.    
     The socket body  11  used in such a conventional connector is formed by, for example, injection molding using a thermoplastic resin such as polybutylene terephthalate (PBT). However, since the socket body  11  has a structure in that the spacing  21  is provided between the upper and lower terminal holding portions  16   a,    16   b  as shown in FIG. 4 ( a ), there is a case that after such injection molding the central portions of both the terminal holding portions  16   a,    16   b  are warped inward toward the spacing  21  as shown in FIG. 4 ( b ), that is, in the direction shown by the arrows in FIG. 4 ( b ). Such deformation is liable to be caused due to extension of the resin material or residual stress in the material at the time of the injection molding while the connector socket  11  is still being softened by heat. 
     If the socket body  11  is warped inwardly as described above, there is a case that poor electrical connection will occur between the terminals provided in the connector socket and the connector plug. Further, there is also a case that it becomes difficult for the contact pins provided in the connector plug to be inserted into the terminals of the socket body  11  properly. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of such problems described above, it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a connector having a connector socket in which warpage of terminal holding portions by heat or the like is difficult to occur with a simple structure. 
     In order to achieve the object mentioned above, the present invention is directed to a connector which includes a connector socket and a mated connector plug to be connected to the connector socket. The connector socket comprises a socket body which includes first and second terminal holding portions each having a plurality of terminals which are arranged in a row along the width direction of the socket body, the first and second terminal holding portions being arranged so as to face with each other through a predetermined spacing in upper and lower relationship; and means for preventing both the terminal holding portions from being deformed so that they approach to each other. 
     In the connector of the present invention described above, it is preferred that the deformation preventing means is provided so as to maintain the spacing between the first and second terminal holding portions. 
     Preferably, the deformation preventing means is arranged substantially at the center of the width direction of the socket body. 
     More preferably, the deformation preventing means is a rib which is integrally formed with the first and second terminal holding portions so as to connect these portions together. 
     Further, in the present invention, it is preferred that each of the terminals has a tip portion and a base portion, and each of the first and second terminal holding portions has a front side in which the tip portion of each terminal is positioned and a rear side in which the base portion of each terminal is positioned, wherein the rib is formed so as to connect the front sides of the first and second terminal holding portions. 
     Preferably, the rib is formed so as to connect the first and second terminal holding portions from the front sides thereof to the rear sides thereof. 
     Further, in the present invention, it is preferred that the socket body is formed of an insulating material. 
     Furthermore, in the present invention, it is also preferred that the mated connector plug includes a plate member which is inserted into the spacing between the first and second terminal holding portions when the connector plug is connected to the connector socket. 
     In this case, it is preferred that the plate member of the connector plug is configured so as not to interfere with the deformation preventing means when the connector plug is connected to the connector socket. 
     According to the connector of the present invention described above, since the deformation preventing means for preventing the first and second terminal holding portions from being deformed inwardly is provided, even when the connector becomes in a softened state by heat after injection molding, the connector is prevented from being deformed so that the fisrt and second terminal holding portions thereof approach to each other. 
     These and other objects, structures and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiment when it is considered taken in conjunction with the appended drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view which shows the overall structure of a connector of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a front view of a connector socket according to the connector of the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the connector socket taken along the A-A′ line in FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 4 ( a ) is a schematic view which shows a connector socket of a conventional connector before deformation. 
     FIG. 4 ( b ) is a schematic view which shows the connector socket of the conventional connector shown in FIG.  4 ( a ) after deformation. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Hereinbelow, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view which shows the overall structure of a connector of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a front view which shows a connector socket according to the connector of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of the connector socket taken along the A-A′ line in FIG.  2 . 
     A connector  1  of the present invention is composed from a connector socket  10  and a connector plug  30  which is to be connected to the connector socket  10 . 
     As shown in FIG. 1, the connector socket  10  includes a socket body  11  made of a thermoplastic resin such as polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) or the like, and a plurality of electrical terminals  20  (see FIG. 3) provided in the socket body  11  to make contact with contact pins  40  provided in the connector plug  30  described later. 
     As shown in FIG. 2, the socket body  11  is formed to have a substantial angular tube shape which includes a top surface portion  12 , a bottom surface portion  13 , a left surface portion  14 , and a right surface portion  15 . Further, the socket body  11  includes upper and lower (first and second) terminal holding portions  16   a,    16   b  each having the plurality of terminals  20  which are arranged in a row along the width direction of the socket body  11 . The upper and lower terminal holding portions  16   a,    16   b  are arranged so as to face with each other through a predetermined spacing  21 . 
     As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, both the upper and lower terminal holding portions  16   a,    16   b  has a plurality of terminal accommodating compartments  17  which are arranged in a row in the width direction of the socket body. These compartments are seen to have a substantial comb teeth shape when viewed from the front side of the connector socket. The terminals  20  are held in the respective terminal accommodating compartments  17  of the terminal holding portions  16   a,    16   b . Such a structure makes it possible for the socket body  11  to hold the terminals  20  more reliably while preventing a short circuit between the adjacent terminals  20  effectively. 
     Further, each of the terminals  20  is formed from a metal plate to have a connection section of a substantial angular tube shape. As shown in FIG. 3, the connection section of each terminal  20  includes protruding contact portions  22  which protrude toward the inside of the connection section (i.e., toward the side in front of the drawing). The protruding contact portions  22  make contact with the contact pins  40  provided in the connector plug  30  (described later) to establish electrical connection therebetween. Further, the terminals  20  are arranged in the terminal accommodating compartments  17  in a row at a predetermined interval in the width direction of the socket body  11 . 
     Further, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, each of the terminal accommodating compartments  17  of the terminal holding portions  16   a,    16   b  has an insertion opening  18  at the front side thereof (at the front end surface of the socket body  11 ) into which the contact pins  40  provided in the connector plug  30  (described later) are inserted. Further, each terminal accommodating compartment  17  extends in the front and rear direction of the connector socket  10 . 
     Furthermore, the upper and lower terminal holding portions  16   a,    16   b  are positioned in the top and bottom direction of the socket body  11  in FIG. 2 with the spacing  21  being formed therebetween. 
     In the spacing  21 , a rib  19  is provided substantially in the central portion of the width direction of both the terminal holding portions  16   a,    16   b . Further, the rib  19  is integrally formed with the terminal holding portions  16   a,    16   b  to integrally connect the comb teeth portions of the terminal holding portions  16   a,    16   b . Furthermore, the rib  19  is continuously formed to run from the front sides to the rear sides of the terminal holding portions  16   a,    16   b.    
     By providing such a rib  19 , the socket body  11  is prevented from being deformed so that both the terminal holding portions  16   a,    16   b  approach to each other when the socket body  11  is softened by heat. 
     Namely, when the socket body  11  is formed by injection molding, the socket body  11  becomes in a softened state due to heat of itself during the interval from soon after it is taken out of a die until it is completely cooled. At this time, there is a case where the terminal holding portions  16   a,    16   b  of the socket body  11  are deformed so that they approach to each other due to the residual stress inside the material at the time of injection molding, expansion of the resin material, or the like. 
     However, when the socket body  11  is softened by heat in this way, that is, when the socket body  11  becomes in a semi-molten state where it is not completely hardened, the rib  19  prevents both the terminal holding portions  16   a,    16   b  from being warped inwardly by maintaining the spacing  21  between the terminal holding portions  16   a,    16   b . As a result, it is possible to reduce the yielding rate of poor quality products in manufacturing. 
     In the present embodiment, the rib  19  is continuously formed to run from the front sides to the rear sides of the terminal holding portions  16   a,    16   b , however, the present invention is not limited to the embodiment, and it is also possible to prevent the terminal holding portions  16   a,    16   b  from being deformed toward the inside if the rib  19  is provided at least near the front sides of the terminal holding portions  16   a,    16   b.    
     Further, in the present embodiment, the number of the rib  19  is only one, but the present invention is not limited to the embodiment, and it is also possible to provide a plurality of ribs  19 . 
     Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the upper and lower terminal holding portions  16   a,    16   b  are provided in the height direction of the socket body  11 , but the present invention is not limited to the embodiment, and it is also possible to provide three or more terminal holding portions  16 . 
     As shown in FIG. 1, the connector plug  30  includes a plug body  31  formed of a resin, and a plurality of contact pins  40  mounted in the plug body  31 . 
     The plug body  31  is formed to have a substantial box shape which includes a top surface portion  32 , a bottom surface portion  33 , a left surface portion  34 , a right surface portion  35 , and a rear surface portion  36 . Further, the plug body  31  has in its interior portion a receiving space  37  for receiving the socket body  11  of the connector socket. 
     The rear surface portion  36  is provided with the contact pins  40  so that their base ends are protruded from the rear surface portion  36 . Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the tip ends of the contact pins  40  are arranged inside the receiving space  37  in upper and lower rows so that these contact pins make contact with the terminals  20  of the connector socket  10  when the connector plug  30  is connected to the connector socket  10 . 
     Further, a plate  38  which is integrally formed with the rear surface portion  36  is provided between the two rows of the contact pins  40  inside the receiving space  37 , that is, in substantially the central portion of the height direction of the receiving space  37 . When the connector socket  10  is fitted into the receiving space  37  of the plug body  31 , the plate  38  is inserted into the spacing  21  between the terminal holding portions  16   a,    16   b . The plate  38  has a function of preventing a short circuit between the terminals  20 . 
     Furthermore, the plate  38  includes a slit  39 , which extends in the longitudinal direction, at substantially the central portion of the width direction thereof as shown in FIG.  1 . 
     When the connector socket  10  is fitted into the receiving space  37  of the connector plug  30 , the slit  39  allows the rib  19  to pass therethrough, and the rib  19  is positioned in the inside thereof. 
     By providing such a slit  39 , it becomes possible to connect the connector socket  10  to the connector plug  30  in a smooth and stable manner. 
     Further, it is also possible that the connector  1  is provided with a plurality of the ribs  19  and the slits  39 . However, in the case where the number of the ribs  19  and the slits  39  is increased, the plate  38  decreases in strength and in a function of preventing a short circuit between the terminals  20  due to the increase in the number of slits  39 . For this reason, it is preferred that the connector  1  is provided with the necessary and sufficient number of the ribs  19  and the slits  39 . In particular, there is no need that all the comb teeth shaped portions of the terminal holding portions  16   a,    16   b  are provided with the ribs  19 , and it is preferred that only some of the comb teeth shaped portions are provided with the ribs  19 . 
     As has been described, the connector of the present invention includes deformation preventing means for preventing the upper and lower terminal holding portions from being deformed so that they approach to each other. For this reason, even when the connector becomes in a softened state by heat of itself after injection molding, the connector socket is prevented from being deformed so that the terminal holding portions thereof approach to each other. 
     Therefore, when the connector plug is inserted into the connector socket, the contact pins provided in the connector plug can be inserted into the insertion openings of the connector socket in a smooth and stable manner, so that the connector plug and the connector socket are reliably engaged with each other. Further, it is possible to reduce the yielding rate of poor quality products in manufacturing. 
     Finally, the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, and it goes without saying that various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention which is determined by the following claims.