Patent Publication Number: US-2022231441-A1

Title: Connector

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to a connector. 
     BACKGROUND 
     A connector described in Patent Document 1 includes a housing having a vertical wall, a first terminal to be press-fit into a first hole of the vertical wall and a second terminal to be press-fit into a second hole of the vertical wall. The first and second terminals respectively include a first leg portion and a second leg portion extending toward a member serving as a mounting destination (hereinafter, referred to as a circuit board). 
     PRIOR ART DOCUMENT 
     Patent Document 
     Patent Document 1: JP 2015-210899 A 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Problems to be Solved 
     If the connector is heated using a heating device such as a reflow furnace, the housing and the circuit board may be deformed to warp due to a heat load. Since there is a difference in thermal expansion coefficient between the housing and the circuit board, if the housing and the circuit board are deformed, the housing may be partially lifted up from the circuit board and the first and second leg portions may be separated from the circuit board. As a result, it becomes difficult to adjust such that the first and second leg portions are located on the same plane and it may not be possible to ensure connection reliability with the circuit board. 
     Accordingly, it is aimed to provide a connector capable of ensuring connection reliability with a circuit board. 
     Means to Solve the Problem 
     The present disclosure is directed to a connector with a housing and a terminal fitting to be disposed in the housing, wherein the terminal fitting includes a terminal connecting portion to be connected to a mating terminal fitting, a board connecting portion to be connected to a circuit board and a shaft portion located between the terminal connecting portion and the board connecting portion, the housing includes a supporting portion for rotatably supporting the terminal fitting by being engaged with the shaft portion, and the terminal fitting has a center of gravity on a side closer to the board connecting portion than the shaft portion. 
     Effect of the Invention 
     According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a connector capable of ensuring the connection reliability of a board connecting portion with a circuit board. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a side view in section showing a state where a housing is placed on a circuit board in a connector according to a first embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a top view in section showing a state where shaft portions are supported by supporting portions and stabilizers are accommodated in groove portions in the connector according to the first embodiment. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view partly in section viewed obliquely from an upper-rear side showing the state where the shaft portions are supported by the supporting portions and the stabilizers are accommodated in the groove portions in the connector according to the first embodiment. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view partly in section of a first supporting portion in the housing viewed obliquely from an upper-front side in the connector according to the first embodiment. 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view partly in section of a second supporting portion and the groove portion in the housing viewed obliquely from the upper-front side in the connector according to the first embodiment. 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a terminal fitting viewed obliquely from an upper-rear side on a right side in the connector according to the first embodiment. 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the terminal fitting viewed obliquely from an upper-rear side on a left side in the connector according to the first embodiment. 
         FIG. 8  is a plan view of the terminal fitting in the connector according to the first embodiment. 
         FIG. 9  is a side view in section showing a state where a housing is placed on a circuit board in a connector according to a second embodiment. 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view of a terminal fitting viewed obliquely from an upper-front side in the connector according to the second embodiment. 
         FIG. 11  is a perspective view of the terminal fitting viewed obliquely from an upper-rear side in the connector according to the second embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION TO EXECUTE THE INVENTION 
     [Description of Embodiments of Present Disclosure] 
     First, embodiments of the present disclosure are listed and described. 
     (1) The connector of the present disclosure includes a housing and a terminal fitting to be disposed in the housing, wherein the terminal fitting includes a terminal connecting portion to be connected to a mating terminal fitting, a board connecting portion to be connected to a circuit board and a shaft portion located between the terminal connecting portion and the board connecting portion, the housing includes a supporting portion for rotatably supporting the terminal fitting by being engaged with the shaft portion, and the terminal fitting has a center of gravity on a side closer to the board connecting portion than the shaft portion. Since the terminal fitting has the center of gravity on the side closer to the board connecting portion than the shaft portion, the board connecting portion constantly tries to rotate in a direction to contact the circuit board. Thus, even if the housing and the circuit board are deformed under a high heat environment of a reflow process or the like, a state of the board connecting portion in contact with the circuit board can be maintained and the connection reliability of the board connecting portion with the circuit board can be ensured. 
     (2) Preferably, the terminal fitting includes a base portion extending from the terminal connecting portion to the board connecting portion and a resilient portion provided side by side with the base portion, the resilient portion being deflectable and deformable toward the base portion, and the shaft portion is provided on the resilient portion. Since the shaft portion is provided on the deflectable and deformable resilient portion, the terminal fitting can be mounted while deflecting the resilient portion and a mounting operation can be easily performed in the process of the mounting the terminal fitting into the housing. 
     (3) The shaft portion may be provided on an end part of the resilient portion on the side of the terminal connecting portion. According to this configuration, the center of gravity of the terminal fitting can be located on the side closer to the board connecting portion than the shaft portion by the weight of the resilient portion. Therefore, it is not necessary to provide a dedicated structure for adjusting the center of gravity of the terminal fitting and the complication of the overall configuration can be avoided. 
     (4) The resilient portion may be deflected and deformed in a direction orthogonal to a rotating direction of the terminal fitting. According to this configuration, an influence of the deflection of the resilient portion on the rotation of the terminal fitting can be reduced and the state of the board connecting portion in contact with the circuit board can be satisfactorily maintained. 
     (5) The shaft portion may include a first shaft portion provided on the resilient portion and a second shaft portion provided to project on a surface of the base portion on a side opposite to a side facing the resilient portion. The first shaft portion is deeply engaged with and support by the corresponding supporting portion by being accompanied by the deflection of the resilient portion. On the other hand, since the resilient portion is deflectable and deformable, the first shaft portion may not be stably supported by the corresponding supporting portion. However, in the case of the above configuration, since the shaft portion includes the first and second shaft portions and the second shaft portion is provided to project on the surface of the base portion on the side opposite to the side facing the resilient portion, the second shaft portion is stably supported by the corresponding shaft portion and the shaft portions are satisfactorily supported by the supporting portions as a whole. 
     (6) The terminal fitting may include a strain relief portion for allowing relative displacements of the terminal connecting portion and the board connecting portion at a position different from the shaft portion between the terminal connecting portion and the board connecting portion. When the terminal fitting rotates, the terminal connecting portion may be displaced from a predetermined position where the terminal connecting portion is connected to the mating terminal fitting. This case can be dealt with by providing a guiding structure or the like for guiding the mating terminal fitting to the terminal connecting portion, but a stress received from the mating terminal fitting increases and a load is applied to the board connecting portion. In that respect, according to the above configuration, a stress applied to a part where the terminal connecting portion is connected to the mating terminal fitting is relaxed by the strain relief portion and, consequently, a load applied to the board connecting portion is also relaxed. As a result, the connection reliability of the entire terminal fitting can be ensured. 
     (7) The terminal connecting portion, the board connecting portion and the shaft portion may be integrally provided by bending a metal plate. According to this configuration, the terminal fitting can be easily manufactured by bending. 
     (8) The terminal connecting portion may be configured by folding the metal plate into two or more layers. According to this configuration, the strength of the terminal connecting portion can be increased to withstand connection to the mating terminal. 
     [Details of Embodiment of Present Disclosure] 
     Specific examples of a connector of the present disclosure are described with reference to the drawings. Note that the present disclosure is not limited to this illustration and is intended to be represented by claims and include all changes in the scope of claims and in the meaning and scope of equivalents. 
     FIRST EMBODIMENT 
     A connector according to a first embodiment includes a housing  60  and terminal fittings  10  disposed in the housing  60  as shown in  FIG. 1 . The housing  60  is made of synthetic resin and connected to a mating housing  80 . The terminal fitting  10  is made of conductive metal and electrically connected to a mating terminal fitting  90  provided in the mating housing  80 . The mating terminal fitting  90  is a female terminal fitting including a tubular box portion  91  and is connected to an end part of a wire  95 . 
     &lt;Housing  60 &gt; 
     The housing  60  is placed on the upper surface of a circuit board  100 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , the housing  60  includes a back wall  61  arranged along a vertical direction and a peripheral wall  62  in the form of a rectangular tube projecting forward (leftward of  FIG. 1 ) from the outer peripheral edge of the back wall  61 . The housing  60  has a fitting space  63  open forward inside. The mating housing  80  is fit and inserted into the fitting space  63 . 
     The back wall  61  includes a plurality of insertion holes  64 . The respective insertion holes  64  are provided in two upper and lower rows in a part of the back wall  61  having a large thickness in a front-rear direction. The terminal fittings  10  are inserted into the insertion holes  64  from behind. As shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the insertion hole  64  includes a main hole portion  65  penetrating through the back wall  61  in the front-rear direction and a sub-hole portion  66  open in the bottom surface of the main hole portion  65 . The sub-hole portion  66  extends in the front-rear direction, the front end thereof is located in an intermediate part in the front-rear direction of the main hole portion  65  and the rear end thereof is open in the rear surface of the back wall  61 . The sub-hole portion  66  has a region  67  inclined downward toward a rear side on a lower surface (bottom surface). The main hole portion  65  has a region  68  inclined upward toward the rear side at a position of an upper surface facing the inclined region  67  of the sub-hole portion  66 . 
     The back wall  61  includes first supporting portions  71  and second supporting portions  72  on both side surfaces of the main hole portions  65  of the insertion holes  64 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , the first supporting portion  71  is in the form of a projection projecting on the side surface on one side of the main hole portion  65 . The first supporting portion  71  has a slant  69  obliquely cut in a rear part of a tip side of a cylindrical part. 
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , the second supporting portion  72  is in the form of a recess open in the side surface on the other side of the main hole portion  65 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , the second supporting portion  72  is arranged at a position overlapping the first supporting portion  71  in the front-rear direction in a front part of the main hole portion  65 . The second supporting portion  72  has a flat side surface (bottom surface), extends in the front-rear direction while having a constant height, and is open in the front surface of the back wall  61 . The rear surface of the second supporting portion  72  is curved. 
     The main hole portion  65  includes an interfering portion  73  on the side surface on the other side. Out of both front and rear sides across the interfering portion  73  on the side surface on the other side of the main hole portion  65 , the aforementioned second supporting portion  72  is provided on the front side and a recess  74  is provided on the rear side. The recess  74  has a flat side surface (bottom surface), extends in the front-rear direction and is open in the rear surface of the back wall  61 . 
     Further, as shown in  FIG. 5 , the main hole portion  65  includes a groove portion  75  open in a side surface (bottom surface) of the recess  74  in the side surface on the other side. The groove portion  75  has a flat side surface (bottom surface), extends in the front-rear direction and is open in the rear surface of the back wall  61 . The front surface of the groove portion  75  is formed to be flat along a lateral direction in an intermediate part in the front-rear direction of the recess  74 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , the groove portion  75  is laterally recessed deeper than the second supporting portion  72  and the recess  74 . 
     &lt;Terminal Fittings  10 &gt; 
     The terminal fitting  10  is integrally formed, such as by bending after one conductive metal plate is stamped into a predetermined shape. As shown in  FIGS. 6 to 8 , the terminal fitting  10  includes a base portion  11  having plate surfaces arranged along the vertical direction and extending over an entire length, and a resilient portion  12  having plate surfaces arranged along the vertical direction and arranged to face a side surface on the one side of the base portion  11 . The resilient portion  12  is connected to the base portion  11  and arranged side by side with the base portion  11  in a plate thickness direction (lateral direction). 
     The base portion  11  includes an inserting portion  13  extending in the front-rear direction, an extending portion  14  extending downward from a rear end side of the inserting portion  13  and a board connecting portion  15  extending rearward from a lower end side of the extending portion  14 . The inserting portion  13  is formed by a plate material doubly folded into close contact in the plate thickness direction except on the rear end side, and includes a folded portion  16  along the front-rear direction on an upper end. 
     As shown in  FIG. 7 , the inserting portion  13  is formed with a gate-shaped cut open rearward in the plate material on the other side in an intermediate part in the front-rear direction, and a plate piece part in the cut is bent and raised to form a second shaft portion  17 . The second shaft portion  17  is configured as a rectangular plate piece part cantilevered rearward on a side surface on the other side of the inserting portion  13 . The second shaft portion  17  is formed such that a tip side (free end side) extends in the front-rear direction after being inclined outward toward the rear side in a plan view. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the second shaft portion  17  enters the second supporting portion  72  and is supported by the second supporting portion  72 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 7 , the inserting portion  13  is formed with a gate-shaped cut open upward in a part of the plate material on the other side behind the second shaft portion  17 , and a plate piece part in the cut is bent and raised to form a stabilizer  18 . The stabilizer  18  is a rectangular plate piece part projecting laterally on the side surface on the other side of the inserting portion  13 , and is entirely arranged along the front-rear direction. A lateral projection amount of the stabilizer  18  is larger than that of the second shaft portion  17 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , the stabilizer  18  enters the groove portion  75 . 
     A part of the base portion  11  forward of the second shaft portion  17  is configured as a terminal connecting portion  19 . The terminal connecting portion  19  is formed by parts of the plate material laterally held in close contact with each other, and side surfaces (plate surfaces) thereof are arranged along the vertical direction. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the terminal connecting portion  19  includes a guiding portion  21  tapered toward a tip on a front end edge. The terminal connecting portion  19  is inserted into the box portion  91  of the mating terminal fitting  90  while being guided by the guiding portion  21  when the connectors are connected. The side surfaces of the terminal connecting portion  19  serve as contact point parts for contacting connection parts provided in the box portion  91  of the mating terminal fitting  90 . 
     The extending portion  14  is formed by a plate material continuous with and extending from the plate material on the one side of the inserting portion  13 . The extending portion  14  includes a bend portion  22  obliquely bent toward the other side in an upper part. Out of both upper and lower sides across the bend portion  22  in the extending portion  14 , a part on the lower side is arranged while being displaced more toward the other side than a part on the upper side together with the board connecting portion  15 . 
     In the case of the terminal fitting  10  to be inserted into the insertion hole  64  in the upper row, the bend portion  22  is bent toward the other side as described above. On the other hand, although not shown, the bend portion  22  is bent toward the one side in the case of the terminal fitting  10  to be inserted into the insertion hole  64  in the lower row. 
     A lower end part of the extending portion  14  is inclined downward toward the rear side. As shown in  FIG. 1 , in the case of the terminal fitting  10  to be inserted into the insertion hole  64  in the lower row, the extending portion  14  has no part extending in the vertical direction and is entirely inclined downward toward the rear side. 
     The board connecting portion  15  is configured as a plate piece part bent and connected to the rear end of the lower end part of the extending portion  14  and long in the front-rear direction. The lower end of the board connecting portion  15  is a plate thickness surface along the front-rear direction and arranged along a surface of the circuit board  100 . As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the lower end of the board connecting portion  15  is connected to a conductive portion  101  formed on the surface of the circuit board  100  by reflow soldering. 
     As shown in  FIG. 6 , the resilient portion  12  includes a fixed end portion  23  folded upward from the lower end of the plate material on the other side of the inserting portion  13  and arranged in close contact with the side surface on the one side of the inserting portion  13 , and a resilient body portion  24  projecting forward from the fixed end portion  23 . The fixed end portion  23  has a lower part extending in the front-rear direction and an upper part projecting on a rear end side of the lower part. 
     The resilient body portion  24  includes a projecting portion  25  projecting forward from the upper part of the fixed end portion  23  while being separated from the inserting portion  13 , and a first shaft portion  26  connected to the front end of the projecting portion  25  and arranged along the front-rear direction. The first shaft portion  26  has a ring shape and is arranged in parallel to the inserting portion  13  while being spaced apart from the side surface on the one side of the inserting portion  13 . The first shaft portion  26  of the resilient body portion  24  is deflectable and deformable in the plate thickness direction (lateral direction) with a part where the projecting portion  25  is connected to the fixed end portion  23  as a start point. The first shaft portion  26  includes a circular bearing hole  27  penetrating in the plate thickness direction in a central part. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the first supporting portion  71  is inserted and fit into the bearing hole  27 , whereby the first shaft portion  26  is supported by the first supporting portion  71 . 
     The first and second shaft portions  26 ,  17  are arranged at positions overlapping in the front-rear direction on both left and right sides across an intermediate part in the front-rear direction of the inserting portion  13 . A part (fixed end portion  23  and projecting portion  25 ) of the resilient portion  12  except the first shaft portion  26  is located rearward of the first shaft portion  26  in a rear part of the inserting portion  13 . A center of gravity of the terminal fitting  10  is located on the side of the board connecting portion  15  behind and below the first and second shaft portions  26 ,  17 . 
     &lt;Overall Structure of Connector&gt; 
     The inserting portion  13  of the terminal fitting  10  is inserted into the corresponding insertion hole  64  of the housing  60  from behind. In the process of inserting the inserting portion  13  into the insertion hole  64 , the second shaft portion  17  enters the recess  74  to avoid interference with the back wall  61 . Further, the resilient portion  12  enters a space behind the first supporting portion  71  and the stabilizer  18  enters the groove portion  75 , whereby interference with the back wall  61  is similarly avoided. Further, a rear-lower part of the inserting portion  13  and a lower part of the fixed end portion  23  enter the sub-hole portion  66  to escape. 
     Immediately before the inserting portion  13  is properly inserted into the insertion hole  64 , the first shaft portion  26  interferes with the first supporting portion  71  and the resilient body portion  24  slides on the slant  69  of the first supporting portion  71  to be deflected and deformed. When the inserting portion  13  is properly inserted into the insertion hole  64 , the resilient body portion  24  resiliently returns and the first supporting portion  71  is fit into the bearing hole  27  of the first shaft portion  26  (see  FIGS. 2 and 3 ). Further, the second shaft portion  17  resiliently rides over the interfering portion  73  and enters the second supporting portion  72 . The stabilizer  18  comes into contact with the front surface of the groove portion  75  to stop an inserting operation (insertion) of the terminal fitting  10 . The terminal connecting portion  19  in the front part of the inserting portion  13  is arranged to project into the fitting space  63  of the housing  60 . 
     Out of the inserting portion  13  of the terminal fitting  10 , a predetermined range from the intermediate part in the front-rear direction including the first and second shaft portions  26 ,  17  to the extending portion  14  serves as an insertion portion  28  to be inserted into the insertion hole  64 . The rear end side of the fixed end portion  23  is arranged to be exposed behind the back wall  61  without being inserted into the insertion hole  64 . The insertion portion  28  is arranged with clearances formed in the vertical direction between the insertion portion  28  and the upper and lower surfaces of the insertion hole  64  (main hole portion  65  and sub-hole portion  66 ). These clearances gradually become larger toward the rear side in the respective inclined regions  67 ,  68  of the main hole portion  65  and the sub-hole portion  66  as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     The terminal fitting  10  is rotatable (pivotable) with respect to the back wall  61  of the housing  60  about a rotation center position where the first shaft portion  26  is engaged with the first supporting portion  71  and the second shaft portion  17  is engaged with the first supporting portion  71  in the range of the above clearances. In short, the rotation center position corresponds to the position of the first and second shaft portions  26 ,  17 . 
     Since the center of gravity position of the terminal fitting  10  is set behind the first and second shaft portions  26 ,  17 , the terminal fitting  10  is rotatable about the rotation center position in a direction in which the board connecting portion  15  contacts the circuit board  100 . Thus, if the connector is placed on the circuit board  100 , the board connecting portion  15  comes into contact with the surface of the circuit board  100  and constantly maintains a contact state with the circuit board  100 . 
     If the connector is carried into an unillustrated reflow furnace and solder applied to the surface of the circuit board  100  is heated and melted, the solder adheres to the board connecting portions  15 . Thereafter, the solder is cooled and solidified, whereby the board connecting portions  15  are electrically connected to the conductive portions  101  on the surface of the circuit board  100 . Even if the housing  60  and the circuit board  100  are deformed due to heat in the reflow furnace, the board connecting portions  15  are resiliently pressed against the surface of the circuit board  100  in a rotating direction of the terminal fittings  10  and maintain the state in contact with the surface of the circuit board  100 . 
     Note that if the terminal fitting  10  rotates about the rotation center position, the first supporting portion  71  slides in a circumferential direction in the bearing hole  27  of the first shaft portion  26  and the tip side of the second shaft portion  17  is displaced along a curved part of the rear surface of the second supporting portion  72 . At this time, a rear part of the inserting portion  13  largely swings, but does not interfere with the upper and lower surfaces of the insertion hole  64  since the respective inclined regions  67 ,  68  of the main hole portion  65  and the sub-hole portion  66  are positioned to face each other. Further, since the stabilizer  18  is displaced in the groove portion  75  during the rotation of the terminal fitting  10 , the stabilizer  18  does not interfere with the wall surface of the groove portion  75 . As a result, the smoothness of the rotation of the terminal fitting  10  is ensured. 
     As described above, according to the first embodiment, the center of gravity of the terminal fitting  10  is set behind the shaft portions  17 ,  26  and the rotating direction of the terminal fitting  10  is set to the direction in which the board connecting portion  15  contacts the circuit board  100 . Thus, with the terminal fitting  10  supported by the supporting portions  71 ,  72 , the board connecting portion  15  can maintain the state in contact with the surface of the circuit board  100 . As a result, the connection reliability of the board connecting portion  15  with the circuit board  100  can be ensured. 
     Further, the terminal fitting  10  includes the resilient portion  12  as well as the base portion  11 . In the process of mounting the terminal fitting  10  into the housing  60 , the resilient body portion  24  of the resilient portion  12  interferes with the first supporting portion  71  to be deflected and deformed toward the base portion  11 . When the mounting is completed, the resilient body portion  24  returns and the first supporting portion  71  is fit to the first shaft portion  26 . Here, the first shaft portion  26  is provided in the front part (part on the side of the terminal connecting portion  19 ) of the resilient portion  12 . Thus, the center of gravity of the terminal fitting  10  can be set in the rear part (side of the board connecting portion  15 ) by the weight of the resilient portion  12 . Therefore, it is not necessary to provide a dedicated structure for adjusting the center of gravity of the terminal fitting  10 . 
     Further, since the resilient body portion  24  is deflected and deformed in a direction orthogonal to the rotating direction of the terminal fitting  10 , the deflection of the resilient body portion  24  and the rotation of the terminal fitting  10  can be prevented from interfering with each other and the state of the board connecting portion  15  in contact with the circuit board  100  can be more satisfactorily maintained. 
     Further, the first shaft portion  26  is provided in the resilient portion  12  arranged on the side surface on the one side of the base portion  11 , the second shaft portion  17  is provided to project on the side surface on the other side of the base portion  11 , the first shaft portion  26  is deeply engaged with and supported by the first supporting portion  71 , and the second shaft portion  17  is stably supported by the first shaft portion  26 . Thus, the terminal fitting  10  is entirely satisfactorily supported in the housing  60 . 
     Further, the terminal fitting  10  including the terminal connecting portion  19 , the board connecting portion  15  and the shaft portions  17 ,  26  is integrally formed by bending one metal plate. Thus, the terminal fitting  10  can be easily manufactured. 
     SECOND EMBODIMENT 
       FIGS. 9 to 11  show a connector of a second embodiment. As shown in  FIG. 9 , the connector includes a housing  60 A and terminal fittings  10 A disposed in the housing  60 A, and differs from the first embodiment in the shape of the terminal fittings  10 A. Besides the terminal fittings  10 A, many parts are common to the first embodiment and the description of the common parts is not repeated. 
     The terminal fitting  10 A is integrally formed, such as by bending after one conductive metal plate is stamped into a predetermined shape. As shown in  FIGS. 10 and 11 , the terminal fitting  10 A includes a base portion  11 A having plate surfaces arranged along a lateral direction, a resilient portion  12 A rising from an edge part on one side of the base portion  11 A and having plate surfaces arranged along a vertical direction, and a facing portion  29  rising from a side edge on the other side of the base portion  11 A. 
     The base portion  11 A includes an inserting portion  13 A extending in a front-rear direction over the entire length of the terminal fitting  10 A as a whole, an extending portion  14 A extending downward from a rear end side of the inserting portion  13 A and a board connecting portion  15  extending rearward from a lower end side of the extending portion  14 A. 
     The inserting portion  13 A includes a terminal connecting portion  19 A along the front-rear direction in a front end part and an insertion portion  28 A along the front-rear direction in a rear part. Connection parts of a mating terminal fitting  90  provided in a mating housing  80 A contact the upper and lower plate surfaces of the terminal connecting portion  19 A, whereby the terminal connecting portion  19  is electrically connected to the mating terminal fitting  90 A. As shown in  FIG. 9 , the insertion portion  28 A is inserted into an insertion hole  64 A of the housing  60 A. The inserting portion  13 A includes a strain relief portion  31  between the terminal connecting portion  19 A and the insertion portion  28 A. The strain relief portion  31  is curved into an S shape in a side view from the rear end of the terminal connecting portion  19 A to the front end of the insertion portion  28 A. The terminal connecting portion  19 A and the insertion portion  28 A are allowed to be relatively displaced in the vertical direction via the strain relief portion  31 . 
     The extending portion  14 A includes a part bent and extending vertically downward from the rear end of the inserting portion  13 A and a part inclined downward toward a rear side on a lower end side. The front and rear surfaces of the extending portions  14 A are plate surfaces. 
     A board connecting portion  15  is configured as a plate piece part bent and connected to the lower end of the extending portion  14  and having plate surfaces facing upward and downward. The lower surface (plate surface) of the board connecting portion  15 A is arranged along a surface of a circuit board  100  and connected to a conductive portion formed on the surface of the circuit board  100  by reflow soldering. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 10 and 11 , the resilient portion  12 A includes a fixed end portion  23 A connected at a right angle to a side edge on the one side of the insertion portion  28 A, a projecting portion  25 A projecting forward from an upper part of a rear end side of the fixed end portion  23 A and a first shaft portion  26 A connected to the front end of the projecting portion  25 A and arranged along the front-rear direction. The projecting portion  25 A and the first shaft portion  26 A constitute a resilient body portion  24 A. The resilient body portion  24 A is deflectable and deformable in the lateral direction (plate thickness direction of the resilient body portion  24 A) with a rear end part where the projecting portion  25 A is connected to the fixed end portion  23 A as a start point. The first shaft portion  26 A includes a circular bearing hole  27 A penetrating in the lateral direction in a central part. The facing portion  29  is in the form of a rectangular plate long in the front-rear direction and includes a second shaft portion  17 A at a position overlapping the bearing hole  27 A in the front-rear direction. The first and second shaft portions  26 A,  17 A are engaged with and supported by supporting portions  71 A,  72 A provided in the housing  60 A to specify a rotation center position. Note that, as in the first embodiment, the supporting portions are composed of a first supporting portion  71 A corresponding to the first shaft portion  26 A and a second supporting portion  72 A corresponding to the second shaft portion  17 A, and provided in the housing  60 A. In  FIGS. 10 and 11 , the supporting portions  71 A,  72 A are shown in a simplified manner. 
     The first shaft portion  26 A is provided in a front end part of the resilient portion  12 A, and the second shaft portion  17 A is provided in a front end part of the facing portion  29 . From this, a center of gravity of the terminal fitting  10 A is set on the side of the board connecting portion  15 A behind the first and second shaft portions  26 A,  17 A. 
     Here, by inserting the insertion portion  28 A into the insertion hole  64 A and engaging the first and second shaft portions  26 A,  17 A with the supporting portions  71 A,  72 A, the terminal fitting  10 A becomes rotatable about the rotation center position. At this time, the strain relief portion  31  is arranged to project into a fitting space  63  of the housing  60 A together with the terminal connecting portion  19 A. 
     Even if the housing  60 A and the circuit board  100  are deformed under a high heat environment of a reflow process, a state of the board connecting portion  15 A in contact with the surface of the circuit board  100  can be maintained and the connection reliability of the board connecting portion  15 A with the circuit board  100  can be ensured since the terminal fitting  10 A is rotatable toward the circuit board  100  as in the first embodiment. 
     Further, in the case of the second embodiment, even if a stress is applied to a connected part of the terminal connecting portion  19 A and the mating terminal fitting  90 A, the strain relief portion  31  can be flexibly deformed to relax the stress. As a result, a load transmitted from the mating terminal fitting  90 A to the board connecting portion  15 A is also relaxed and the connection reliability of the board connecting portion  15 A with the circuit board  100  can be enhanced. 
     OTHER EMBODIMENTS OF PRESENT DISCLOSURE 
     The embodiments disclosed this time should be considered illustrative in all aspects, rather than restrictive. 
     Although the shaft portion is composed of the first shaft portion  26 ,  26 A and the second shaft portion  27 ,  27 A in the case of the first and second embodiments, the shaft portion may be composed of either one of the first and second shaft portions as another embodiment. In this case, a housing may include either one of first and second supporting portions. 
     Although the terminal fitting  10 ,  10 A is rotatable about the fixed rotation center position in the case of the first and second embodiments, a terminal fitting may be rotatable about a rotation center position, which is displaced in a predetermined range, as another embodiment. 
     Although the second shaft portion  17  is formed by bending and raising the plate piece part in the cut formed in the inserting portion  13  in the case of the first embodiment, a second shaft portion may be formed by striking an inserting portion outward. 
     Although the strain relief portion  31  is provided between the terminal connecting portion  19 A and the insertion portion  28 A in the inserting portion  13 A in the case of the second embodiment, a strain relief portion may be provided, for example, in a vertically intermediate part of an extending portion without being particularly limited to a position between a terminal connecting portion and a board connecting portion as another embodiment. 
     Although the plate thickness surface of the board connecting portion  15  is configured to contact the surface of the circuit board  100  in the case of the first embodiment, a plate surface of a board connecting portion may be configured to contact a surface of a circuit board as another embodiment, as in the second embodiment. A mating terminal fitting or housing may be provided with a guiding structure for guiding the terminal connecting portion to a position where the terminal connecting portion can be connected to the mating terminal fitting. 
     Although the terminal connecting portion is configured by folding the metal plate (plate material) into two layers in the case of the first embodiment, a terminal connecting portion may be configured by folding a metal plate into three or more layers as another embodiment. Further, clearances may be formed between adjacent plate surfaces of a multitude of folded layers of the metal plate. 
     
       
         
           
               
             
               
                   
               
               
                 List of Reference Numerals 
               
               
                   
               
             
            
               
                   
               
            
           
           
               
               
            
               
                 10, 10A 
                 terminal fitting 
               
               
                 11, 11A 
                 base portion 
               
               
                 12, 12A 
                 resilient portion 
               
               
                 13, 13A 
                 inserting portion 
               
               
                 14, 14A 
                 extending portion 
               
               
                 15, 15A 
                 board connecting portion 
               
               
                 16 
                 folded portion 
               
               
                 17, 17A 
                 second shaft portion (shaft portion) 
               
               
                 18 
                 stabilizer 
               
               
                 19, 19A 
                 terminal connecting portion 
               
               
                 21 
                 guiding portion 
               
               
                 22 
                 bent portion 
               
               
                 23, 23A 
                 fixed end portion 
               
               
                 24, 24A 
                 resilient body portion 
               
               
                 25, 25A 
                 projecting portion 
               
               
                 26, 26A 
                 first shaft portion (shaft portion) 
               
               
                 27, 27A 
                 bearing hole 
               
               
                 28, 28A 
                 insertion portion 
               
               
                 29 
                 facing portion 
               
               
                 31 
                 strain relief portion 
               
               
                 60 
                 housing 
               
               
                 61 
                 back wall 
               
               
                 62 
                 peripheral wall 
               
               
                 63 
                 fitting space 
               
               
                 64 
                 insertion hole 
               
               
                 65 
                 main hole portion 
               
               
                 66 
                 sub-hole portion 
               
               
                 67 
                 inclined region of sub-hole portion 
               
               
                 68 
                 inclined region of main hole portion 
               
               
                 69 
                 slant 
               
               
                 71, 71A 
                 first supporting portion (supporting portion) 
               
               
                 72, 72A 
                 second supporting portion (supporting portion) 
               
               
                 73 
                 interfering portion 
               
               
                 74 
                 recess 
               
               
                 75 
                 groove portion 
               
               
                 80, 80A 
                 mating housing 
               
               
                 90, 90A 
                 mating terminal fitting 
               
               
                 91 
                 box portion 
               
               
                 95 
                 wire 
               
               
                 100  
                 circuit board 
               
               
                 101  
                 conductive portion