Patent Publication Number: US-7896705-B2

Title: Interface connector and plug

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. 2008-236835, filed on Sep. 16, 2008, including the specification, drawings and abstract, is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to an interface connector used as an interface in electronic equipment. More particularly, the present invention relates to an interface connector that has a receptacle which is mounted on a print wiring board and a plug which is connected with the receptacle, and a plug. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     Conventionally, electronic equipment such as mobile electronic equipment generally uses an interface connector that has a plug and a receptacle with an insertion slot which allows the plug to be inserted and removed, to connect with external equipment, such as a battery charger to supply power to electronic equipment. In the interface connector, a plug is inserted in the insertion slot of a receptacle to electrically connect contacts on the plug side with contacts on the receptacle side. 
     For example, Patent Literature 1 discloses a plug-type electrical connector (hereinafter “plug”) having a plug part that rises from the bottom wall of a housing, and a receptacle-type electrical connector (hereinafter “receptacle”) having an insertion slot in which the plug part is inserted. According to Patent Literature 1, in the plug part that rises from the bottom wall, a plurality of plug terminals are aligned in the longitudinal direction in both sidewall faces extending in the longitudinal direction orthogonal to the insertion direction to the receptacle. These plug terminals are provided to project from both sidewall faces, and elastically deform in directions to approach both side faces. Further, in the wall faces of the housing which partition the insertion slot in the receptacle, a plurality of receptacle terminals individually matching a plurality of plug terminals are aligned and disposed in the sidewall faces to face both side faces of the plug part inserted in the insertions slot. 
     When the plug part is inserted in the insertion slot in the receptacle, the plug terminals elastically deform to press against the receptacle terminals aligned in the insertion slot. In this way, the plug and receptacle form the interface connector by sufficiently inserting the plug part in the insertion slot, and welding the plug terminals to the receptacle terminals by pressure and fitting the plug terminals in the receptacle terminals. 
     Further, in the interface, the depth the plug part fits in the insertion slot is increased to secure the distance for the plug terminals to slide against the receptacle terminals when the plug part is inserted. This sliding makes the plug terminals and receptacle terminals clean portions where the plug and receptacle contact each other. 
     CITATION LIST 
     Patent Literature 
     PTL 1: Patent HEI11-354229 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     Technical Problem 
     By the way, as disclosed in Patent Literature 1, a fit of the plug part of the plug in the housing of the receptacle in which the plug part is inserted, holds the state where the plug terminals and receptacle terminals are connected, in a conventional interface connector. 
     In a state where the plug fits in the receptacle, when significant load is applied to the plug from a direction other than the direction of the insertion axis (the axis that is located in the center of the cross section of the portion to be fitted and that extends in the insertion direction), it is difficult to detach the plug from the receptacle. Therefore, when significant load is applied to the plug from a direction other than the insertion direction, load is applied to the plug part and a part of the receptacle that surrounds the plug part which form the fitting portion, and there is a possibility that the fitting portion is damaged. 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an interface connector and a plug that make parts to be fitted by insertion hold the state where the receptacle and the plug are fitted, and that removes the plug easily from the receptacle when load is applied to the plug from a direction other than the insertion direction. 
     Solution to Problem 
     To achieve the above object, the interface connector according to the first aspect of the present invention employs a configuration which includes: a plug with a plug inserting part in which a plurality of plug terminals are disposed to project from top and bottom faces of the plug inserting part; and a receptacle in which the plug inserting part is inserted and removed through a plug insertion slot and in which receptacle terminals are disposed in a pair of inner wall faces facing the top and bottom faces of the plug inserting part that is inserted through the plug insertion slot to electrically connect with the plug terminals, and in which: the plug terminals are provided to freely move in and out of the top and bottom faces of the plug inserting part by elastic deformation; and, when the plug inserting part is inserted in the receptacle, the plurality of plug terminals in the top and bottom faces press against the plurality of receptacle terminals in the pair of inner wall faces such that the plug inserting part is held or removed when load is applied from a direction other than an insertion direction. 
     To achieve the above object, the plug according to the second aspect of the present invention employs a configuration which includes: a plug inserting part which is inserted removably in a receptacle through a plug insertion slot; and plug terminals which, when the plug inserting part is inserted in the receptacle, electrically connect with a plurality of receptacle terminals provided in a pair of facing inner wall faces in the receptacle, and in which: the plurality of plug terminals are provided to project from top and bottom faces facing the pair of facing inner wall faces when the plug inserting part is inserted in the receptacle, and are provided to freely move in and out of the top and bottom faces by elastic deformation; and, when the plug inserting part is inserted in the receptacle, the plurality of plug terminals in the top and bottom faces press against the plurality of receptacle terminals in the pair of inner wall faces such that the plug inserting part is held or removed when load is applied from a direction other than an insertion direction. 
     ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECTS OF INVENTION 
     The present invention can realize an interface connector that makes parts to be fitted by insertion hold the state where the receptacle and the plug are fitted, and that removes the plug easily from the receptacle when load is applied to the plug from a direction other than the insertion direction. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows an interface connector according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a plug connector of the interface connector shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a bottom face view of the plug connector; 
         FIG. 4  is a right side view of the plug connector; 
         FIG. 5  is a front view of the plug connector; 
         FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view seen from the arrow in the X-X line in  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a top face view of a receptacle connector of the interface connector according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 8  is a front view of the receptacle connector; 
         FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional view seen from the arrow in the Y-Y line in  FIG. 8 ; 
         FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional view showing a modified example of main parts of the receptacle connector of the interface connector according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional view of main parts of the interface connector to illustrate the operation of the plug to which external force to pull upward the plug fitted in the receptacle is applied; and 
         FIG. 12  is a cross-sectional view of main parts of the interface connector to illustrate the operation of the plug to which external force to pull downward the plug fitted in the receptacle is applied. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
     Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be explained in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
       FIG. 1  shows interface connector  10  according to an embodiment of the present invention, and is a cross-sectional view showing the state where main parts of plug connector  100  and receptacle connector  200  constituting interface connector  10  are fitted. Meanwhile, hereinafter, with plug connector  100  of interface connector  10 , the front side refers to the direction in which plug connector  100  is inserted in receptacle connector  200 , and the back side refers to the direction in which plug connector  100  is removed from receptacle connector  200 . The top, bottom, left and right in this plug connector  100  correspond to the top, bottom, left and right seen from the insertion direction side. Further, with receptacle connector  200 , the front side refers to the insertion slot side in which plug connector  100 , the connecting target, is inserted, and the back side refers to the insertion direction side. The top, bottom, left and right in this receptacle connector  200  correspond to the top, bottom, left and right seen from the insertion slot side. 
     Interface connector  10  shown in  FIG. 1  has plug connector  100  (hereinafter “plug”) that has inserting projection part  114  provided as a plug part to project from plug body  112 , and receptacle connector  200  (hereinafter “receptacle”) that has receptacle housing  210  in which inserting projection part  114  of plug  100  is inserted from insertion slot  212 . 
       FIG. 1  shows the state where inserting projection part  114  of plug  100  is inserted from insertion slot  212  of receptacle  200  to fit in receptacle  200  and to electrically connect plug terminals  120  of plug  100  and receptacle terminals  220  of receptacle  200 . 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of plug connector (plug)  100  in interface connector  10  shown in  FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 3  is a bottom face view of plug connector (plug)  100  and  FIG. 4  is a right side view of plug connector (plug)  100 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 , plug  100  has plug housing  110  that has: plug body  112  of a wide, rectangular parallelepiped shape; and inserting projection part  114  provided on the front side to project from front face  112   a  of plug body  112 . 
     Plug housing  110  is made of an insulating material. Further, plug housing  110  has guiding projection parts  116  that are provided to project like inserting projection part  114  in positions to sandwich inserting projection part  114  in front face  112   a  of plug body  112 , and that has the same shape of the side face as inserting projection part  114  (see  FIG. 2  to  FIG. 4 ). 
     Plug housing  110  has a plurality of plug terminals  120  to be connected with a plurality of receptacle terminals  220  provided in receptacle  200 . 
       FIG. 5  is a front view of the plug connector, and  FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view seen from the arrow in the X-X line in  FIG. 5 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , plug terminals  120  are disposed along the insertion direction, and contact point parts  122  of plug terminals  120  contacting receptacle terminals  220  of receptacle  200  protrude from both side faces of inserting projection part  114  in a zig-zag pattern. 
     Here, as shown in  FIG. 6 , plug terminals  120  are attached by pressing plug terminals  120  from the back face side of plug body  112  to fit in the hollow part that communicates the interior of inserting projection part  114  with the interior of plug body  112  inside plug housing  110  in the backward and forward directions. 
     Plug terminals  120  are flexible, and are formed by the electrically conductive member which is elastically deformable. As shown in  FIG. 6 , contact point part  122  is formed at the tip of swing arm  124  (hereinafter “arm”) that extends in the insertion direction from the base part side of plug body  112 . Arm  124  extends from the front end of rising tip  126  that rises from the lower face of plug body  112  on the base part side. Fixed strip  128  which extends toward the insertion direction side in parallel to arm  124 , is provided in the base part of rising tip  126 , and is fixed to plug body  112  by pressing and fitting. 
     Here, plug terminal  120  has a flat shape, and is formed by processing a metal plate and forming contact point part  122 , arm  124 , rising tip  126  and fixed strip  128 . Further, lead part  129  that projects toward the back side of plug body  112 , is provided in the portion where rising tip  126  and fixed strip  128  are jointed. 
     A plurality of plug terminals  120  are individually aligned in the left and right directions of the thickness direction of plug housing  110 , that is, in the longitudinal direction (horizontal direction), and contact point parts  122  are horizontally aligned in a zig-zag pattern in inserting projection part  114 . 
     That is, a plurality of plug terminals  120  are attached by placing the top and bottom of fitting arms  124  upside down alternately and pressing and fitting arms  124  in the upper and lower face parts of plug body  112  (see  FIG. 5 ). 
     As shown in  FIG. 6 , arms  124  are arranged in plug body  112 . Arm part  124  is cantilevered and supported by fixed strip  128  and rising tip  126  such that the contact point part  122  side becomes a free end. In this way, arm  124  extends from the back side of plug body  112  toward the front end side of inserting projection part  114 , and is disposed movably in the direction in which arm  124  elastically deforms and moves away from fixed strip  128  and in the direction in which arm  124  approaches fixed strip  128 . 
     Contact point part  122  at the tip of this arm  124  forms a bank, and the apex of this bank projects such that the apex of this bank freely moves in and out of each opening part  114   a  formed in upper and lower faces  114   b  and  114   c  of inserting projection part  114 . That is, contact point part  122  of plug terminal  120  is attached to project in a state where contact point part  122  freely moves forward and backward to the outside (i.e. the upward and downward directions) from the inside of inserting projection part  114  through upper and lower faces (i.e. both side faces)  114   b  and  114   c  of inserting projection part  114 . 
     Contact point part  122  contacts receptacle terminal  220  of receptacle  200  when plug  100  is inserted in receptacle  200 . 
     Further, contact point part  122  can move to virtually the same face as the upper and lower faces (i.e. both side faces) of inserting projection part  114 , and can move to the inner side of projecting upper face  114   b  or lower face  114   c  by the deformation of arm  124 . 
     Upper and lower faces  114   b  and  114   c  of inserting projection part  114  provide curved faces that gradually approach toward the front end side. Here, assuming that a circle (shown by imaginary line A) places, in the center, lower rim part  140 , which is the part where plug  100  abuts on receptacle  200 , and passes upper rim part  212   a  inside insertion slot  212 , when seen from the side view as shown in  FIG. 1 , upper face  114   b  is formed inside the circumference of this circle and along this circumference of this circle. Lower rim part  140  provides an outer rim that extends parallel to upper and lower faces  114   b  and  114   c  in the front face of receptacle housing  210 , in which insertion slot  212  is formed in receptacle  200 . 
     By contrast with this, assuming that a circle (shown by imaginary line B) places, in the center, upper rim part  150 , which is part where plug  100  abuts on receptacle  200 , and passes lower rim part  212   a  inside insertion slot  212 , when seen from the side view as shown in  FIG. 1 , lower face  114   c  is formed inside the circumference of this circle and along this circumference of this circle. Upper rim part  150  provides an outer rim parallel to upper and lower faces  114   b  and  114   c  in the front face of receptacle housing  210 , in which insertion slot  212  is formed in receptacle  200 . 
     In this way, assuming that circles A and B place, in the centers, the outer rims (i.e. lower rim part  140  and upper rim part  150 ), which are provided apart from each other across the insertion axis, in the outer rim (i.e. lower rim part  140  and upper rim part  150 ) in the front face of receptacle housing  210  when inserting projection part  114  is inserted in plug insertion slot  212 , and pass facing opening rim parts  212   a  and  212   b  of insertion slot  212 , when seen from the side view, upper and lower faces (i.e. top and bottom faces)  114   b  and  114   c  of inserting projection part (plug inserting part)  114  provide the curved faces formed inside the circumferences of these circles A and B and along these circumferences. 
     Further, as shown in  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 5 , both side faces  114   d  and  114   e  of inserting projection part  114  provide the curved faces that gradually approach toward the front end side. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , right side face  114   d  is formed along the circumference of the circle that places, in the center, left side rim  112   b  in front face  112   a  of plug body  112  and that passes the right side rim part inside insertion slot  212  (see  FIG. 1 ). Further, left side face  114   e  is formed along the circumference of the circle that places, in the center, right side rim  112   c  in front face  112   a  of plug body  112  and that passes the left side rim part inside insertion slot  212  (see  FIG. 1 ). 
     Furthermore, the upper and lower faces and the left and right side faces of guiding projection parts  116 , provided apart from each other on the left and right sides of inserting projection part  114 , can be explained in the same way as inserting projection part  114  using the guiding insertion slot instead of insertion slot  212 , and provide the curved faces that curve in virtually the same way as the upper and lower faces and the left and right side faces of inserting projection part  114 . 
       FIG. 7  is a top face view of the receptacle connector in the interface connector according to an embodiment of the present invention,  FIG. 8  is a front view of the receptacle connector and  FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional view seen from the arrow in the Y-Y line in  FIG. 8 . 
     Receptacle  200  shown in  FIG. 7  has receptacle housing  210  of a wide, rectangular parallelepiped shape which is horizontally long, and receptacle terminals  220 . Receptacle housing  210  is formed in front face  211  (see  FIG. 8 ), and has: recipient part  212   c  and guiding recipient parts  214   a  that are open forward through insertion slot  212  that extends along the longitudinal direction (horizontal direction); and guiding insertion slots  214  that are provided across insertion slot  212 . 
     In receptacle housing  210 , recipient part  212   c  is formed to match inserting projection part  114 , and accommodates inserting projection part  114  (see  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 3 ,  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 6 ) inside when plug  100  is connected. Further, guiding recipient parts  214   a  are formed to match guiding projection parts  116 , and accommodate guiding projection parts  116  (see  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 3 ,  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 6 ) inside when plug  100  is connected. 
     Receptacle  200  shown in  FIG. 7  to  FIG. 9  has bottom face  202  (see  FIG. 8 ) as a face to be mounted on the print substrate, and plug  100  is connected in a direction virtually parallel to the direction in which the printing substrate, on which bottom face  202  is mounted, extends. 
     Front face  211  of receptacle housing  210  has virtually the same outer shape as the shape of the front face of plug  100 . When inserting projection part  114  and guiding projection parts  116  of plug  100  are inserted in insertion slot  212  and guiding insertion slots  214 , front face  211  abuts on the front face portion of plug body  112  located around inserting projection part  114  and guiding projection parts  116 . 
     Receptacle terminals  220  are provided in receptacle  200  to individually match plug terminals  120  provided in inserting projection part  114  of plug  100  to be inserted, and are horizontally disposed in a zig-zag pattern in upper and lower face parts  216  and  218  that partition insertion slot  214  seen from the front view (see  FIG. 8  and  FIG. 9 ). 
     Here, as shown in  FIG. 9 , receptacle terminal  220  locates contact point parts  222  of the tip side, in the inner wall faces of upper face part  216  and lower face part  218  of receptacle housing  210  to extend in the insertion direction, and projects rear end part  224  from back face part  219  to the outside. 
     Contact point parts  222  of receptacle terminal  220  have a thin, long, flat shape that extends from the insertion slot  212  side along the insertion direction, in the inner wall face of upper face part  216  and the inner wall face of lower face part  218  of receptacle housing  210 . Tip parts  220   a , the end parts of the insertion slot  212  side, in contact point parts  222  of receptacle terminal  220  are bent toward the sides of the faces in which contact point parts  222  are attached, and make the inner rim parts round like “r” (see  FIG. 9 ). In contact point parts  222  of receptacle terminal  220  of receptacle  200  of the present embodiment, the boundary portions between tip parts  220   a  which are made round like “r” and flat portions which are exposed along upper face part  216  and lower face part  218  in recipient part  212   c , correspond to upper rim part  212   a  and lower rim part  212   b  of insertion slot  212 . 
     By this means, when inserting projection part  114  of plug  100  is inserted in recipient part  122   c  through insertion slot  212 , plug terminals  120  slide against tip parts  220   a , which are the “r” portions of contact point parts  222  in individually matching receptacle terminals  220 , and are guided to the depths side and held in a state where plug terminals  120  press against the flat portions of contact point parts  222  by elastic deformation. 
     Although, with the present embodiment, lead parts  224  of receptacle terminals  220  disposed in upper and lower faces  216  and  218  of receptacle housing  210  are configured to extend in back face part  219  of receptacle housing  210  from the lower end side to the outside along the bottom face, the locations where lead parts  224  are arranged can be appropriately changed. 
     In case where, for example, the insertion direction of plug  100  is the direction orthogonal to the print substrate, the configuration of receptacle  200 A shown in  FIG. 10  may be employed. Meanwhile, compared to receptacle  200 , receptacle  200 A shown in  FIG. 10  employs the same configuration except for the direction from which lead parts  224  of receptacle terminals  220  are guided to the outside. 
     In this receptacle  200 A, lead parts  224  of receptacle terminals  220  are guided to the outside from the upper and lower side parts of back face  201  of receptacle housing  210 A that forms insertion slot  212  in the front face, in directions in which lead parts  224  vertically move away from each other. That is, in receptacle  200 A, receptacle terminal  220  provided in upper face part  216  guides lead part  224  upward in parallel to back face  201 , to the outside. Further, receptacle terminal  220  provided in lower face part  218  guides lead part  224  downward in parallel to back face  201 , to the outside. By this means, in receptacle  200 A, back face  201  is mounted on the print substrate, thereby connecting and mounting lead parts  224  on the wiring pattern on the print substrate. 
     Next, the operation of attaching and removing plug  100  to and from receptacle  200  will be explained. 
     Inserting projection part  114  and guiding projection part  116  of plug  100  are inserted inside receptacle  200  from insertion slot  212  and guiding insertion slot  214  of receptacle  200 . 
     When inserting projection part  114  is inserted in recipient part  212   c , a plurality of plug terminals  120  disposed in inserting projection part  114  elastically deform and slide against a plurality of receptacle terminals  220  arranged in the upper and lower face parts of the receptacle housing to be inserted inside recipient part  212   c.    
     Plug terminals  120  are arranged to project in the upward and downward directions from the upper and lower faces of inserting projection part  114 , and are placed inside the recipient part in a state where receptacle terminals  220  in the upper and lower face parts that partition the recipient part at the top and bottom, are pressed in the upward and downward directions. 
     By this means, inserting projection part  114  is held in a state where inserting projection part  114  fits in the receptacle housing by the restoring force of elastically deformed plug terminals  120  and the plug itself is held by the receptacle in a state where the front face of plug body  112  abuts on the front face of the housing of the receptacle. 
     Consequently, in interface connector  10 , plug  100  and receptacle  200  are held in an electrically connected state. 
     Further, guiding projection parts  116  provided on both sides of inserting projection part  114  in the front face of plug body  112  guide inserting projection part  114  such that inserting projection part  114  is adequately inserted from the insertion slot to the recipient part. 
     A case will be explained where external force from a direction other than the insertion direction is applied to plug  100  in interface connector  10  where plug  100  fits in receptacle  200  in this way. 
     A case will be explained as an example where receptacle  200  is equipped in a music/video viewing mobile terminal mounting a secondary battery, and plug  100  provided at the front end of the cable derived from a battery charger is fitted in this receptacle to electrically connect the battery charger and secondary battery. 
     In such a connected state, that is, in a state where plug  100  and receptacle  200  are fitted, when, for example, the cable connected with plug  100  is pulled, external force is applied to the portion of plug  100  fitting in receptacle  200  from a direction different from the insertion direction. 
     With a conventional configuration where the depth a plug is inserted in a receptacle is increased to make it difficult to remove the plug by external force applied to the fitted portion from a direction different from the insertion direction, when plug  100  connected through interface connector  10  is pulled, electronic equipment mounted on a desk and so on is also pulled through the receptacle and there is a possibility that electronic equipment falls from the desk and so on. 
     With the present embodiment, when external force is applied to plug  100  that fits in receptacle  200 , from a direction different from the insertion direction, plug  100  moves in the direction in which plug  100  rotates about the front end side from the position on the insertion axis. To be more specific, plug  100  rotates about a part in front face  112   a  of plug body  112  surrounding inserting projection part  114  that abuts on front face  211  of receptacle  200 , in the direction to cross the insertion axis. 
     Then, inserting projection part  114  also rotates about the base part side inside recipient part  212   c , and is released from the state where inserting projection part  114  fits in receptacle housing  210  inside recipient part  212   c  of receptacle housing  210 , and is removed from recipient part  212   c.    
       FIG. 11  and  FIG. 12  are cross-sectional views of main parts of the interface connector illustrating how the plug moves when external force to pull the plug upward is applied to the plug that fits in the receptacle, and how the plug moves when external force to pull the plug downward is applied to the plug that fits in the receptacle. 
     As shown in  FIG. 11 , plug body  112  of plug  100  that fits in receptacle  200  tries to move above the insertion axis pivotally on the front end side. Accompanying this, inserting projection part  114  rotates: about upper rim part  150  where plug  100  abuts on receptacle  200 ; inside this circumference of circle B that passes lower rim part  212   b  inside insertion slot  212 ; and along the circumference of circle B. Then, inside recipient part  212   c , the plug terminals (not shown) projecting from lower face  114   c  of inserting projection part  114  are pressed against receptacle terminals  220  disposed in lower face part  218  and elastically deformed, thereby changing their locations to the locations at virtually the same plane height as lower face  114   c  when seen from the side view. Then, lower face  114   c  of inserting projection part  114  moves along lower rim part  212   b , and inserting projection part  114  itself is removed from recipient part  212   c.    
     Further, as shown in  FIG. 12 , when plug body  112  of plug  100  that fits in receptacle  200  tries to move below the insertion axis pivotally on the front end side, inserting projection part  114  rotates: about lower rim part  140  where plug  100  abuts on receptacle  200 ; inside this circumference of circle A that passes upper rim part  212   a  inside insertion slot  212 ; and along the circumference of circle A. Then, inside recipient part  212   c , the plug terminals (not shown) projecting from upper face  114   b  of inserting projection part  114  are pressed against receptacle terminals  220  disposed in upper face part  216  and elastically deformed, thereby changing their locations to the locations at virtually the same plane height as upper face  114   b  when seen from the side view. Then, upper face  114   b  of inserting projection part  114  moves along lower rim part  212   b , and inserting projection part  114  itself is removed from recipient part  212   c.    
     As described above, interface connector  10  of the present embodiment has plug  100  that has inserting projection part  114  in which a plurality of plug terminals  120  are disposed in upper and lower faces  114   b  and  114   c . Further, interface connector  10  has receptacle  200  in which inserting projection part  114  is inserted and removed through plug insertion slot  212 . In receptacle  200 , when inserting projection part  114  is inserted through insertion slot  212 , upper and lower face parts  216  and  218  form a pair of inner wall faces facing upper and lower faces  114   b  and  114   c  of inserting projection part  114 , inside insertion slot  212 . Receptacle terminals  220  are disposed in upper and lower face parts  216  and  218  to electrically connect with plug terminals  120  of inserting projection part  114 . Meanwhile, a plurality of plug terminals  120  are provided in insertion projection part  114  to project freely moving in and out of upper and lower faces  114   b  and  114   c  of inserting projection part  114  by elastic deformation. When inserting projection part  114  is inserted in insertion slot  212 , a plurality of plug terminals  120  in upper and lower faces  114   b  and  114   c  press against a plurality of matching receptacle terminals  220  in a pair of inner wall faces, so that inserting projection part  114  is held removably in receptacle  200 . By contrast with this, when load is applied from a direction other than the insertion direction, inserting projection part  114  that is inserted in insertion slot  212  is removed from receptacle  200 . 
     That is, in interface connector  10 , when load is applied to plug  100  that fits in receptacle  200 , from a direction other than the insertion direction or when load is applied to plug  100  that fits in receptacle  200 , from a direction other than the insertion direction to remove plug  100 , plug terminals  120  do not interfere with upper rim part  212   a  which is the opening rim of recipient part  212   c  and insertion slot  212 , and releases the state where receptacle terminals  220  are pressed. Accompanying this, inserting projection part  114  is removed from the insertion slot, the state where plug  100  and receptacle  200  are fitted is released, and plug  100  is removed from receptacle  200  easily. 
     Further, although interface connector  10  of the present embodiment employs a configuration where plug  100  has guiding projection part  116  in the front face of plug body  112  and on both sides of inserting projection part  114 , and where receptacle  200  has a guiding insertion slot in which guiding projection parts  116  are inserted when plug  100  fits in receptacle  200 , a configuration without these guiding projection parts  116  and guiding insertion slot may be possible. 
     Further, when plug  100  is inserted in receptacle  200 , interface connector  10  secures the force of holding the state where plug  100  and receptacle  200  are fitted after plug terminals  120  slide against receptacle terminals  220 . 
     Furthermore, when plug  100  is removed from receptacle  200 , plug terminals  120  slide against receptacle terminals  220 . 
     In this way, upon insertion and removal of plug  100  with respect to receptacle  200 , terminals  120  and  220  of plug  100  and receptacle  200  slide against each other, thereby removing dust between these terminals (self-cleaning) and secure the stability of the state where terminals  120  and  220  are contacted. 
     An embodiment of the present invention have been explained above. Further, the above present invention can be variously modified without departing from the spirit of the present invention, and it naturally follows that the present invention covers such modifications. 
     INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY 
     The interface connector and plug according to the present invention provide advantages of making parts to be fitted by insertion hold a fitting state and removing a plug from a receptacle easily when load is applied from a direction other than the insertion axis direction, and therefore is useful as an interface connector. 
     REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 
     
         
           10  INTERFACE CONNECTOR 
           100  PLUG 
           110  PLUG HOUSING 
           112  PLUG BODY 
           114  INSERTING PROJECTION PART 
           114   b  UPPER FACE 
           114   c  LOWER FACE 
           116  GUIDING PROJECTION PART 
           120  PLUG TERMINAL 
           122  CONTACT POINT PART 
           124  ARM 
           140  LOWER RIM PART 
           150  UPPER RIM PART 
           200 ,  200 A RECEPTACLE 
           201  BACK FACE 
           210 ,  210 A RECEPTACLE HOUSING 
           211  FRONT FACE 
           212  INSERTION SLOT 
           212   a  UPPER RIM PART 
           212   b  LOWER RIM PART 
           214  GUIDING INSERTION SLOT 
           216  UPPER FACE PART 
           218  LOWER FACE PART 
           220  RECEPTACLE TERMINAL