Patent Publication Number: US-2023163496-A1

Title: Fixing member and board connector

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is based on and claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2021-190041, filed on Nov. 24, 2021, with the Japan Patent Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to a fixing member and a board connector. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2004-296369 discloses a connector fastener for fixing a connector to a circuit board. This connector fastener is manufactured by press-working a metal plate material. 
     A connector fixing member disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2005-285654 is in the form of a flat plate and includes a press-in stopper portion configured to contact an insulator, a fixing spring portion serving as a leg portion for fixing a connector to a mounting object, and a bent tab forming a branched portion extending in the same direction as the leg portion. After the fixing member is inserted into an accommodating portion of the insulator, a bent portion is formed by bending a free end of the branched portion and the accommodating portion is sandwiched by the bent portion and the press-in stopper portion. 
     A connector mounting bracket disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-open Publication No. H02-012169 includes a stopper portion wider than a mounting hole of an insulator, a press-fit portion to be fit into the mounting hole and a pair of resilient ridge pieces extending downward from the press-fit portion. The pair of resilient ridge pieces are bent into a V shape in mutually opposite directions along a plate thickness direction. 
     SUMMARY 
     The fixing member disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication Nos. 2004-296369 and 2005-285654, and Japanese Utility Model Laid-open Publication No. H02-012169 includes a spring part to be fixed to the circuit board. As a measure against deformation at the time of inserting the fixing member into the circuit board, it is desirable to set a large spring restoring force of the spring part. For example, it is considered to increase a spring length by causing the spring part to protrude in a width direction. However, in such a configuration, the fixing member is enlarged in the width direction and material cost increases. 
     Accordingly, the present disclosure provides a technique capable of reducing the material cost of a fixing member. 
     The present disclosure is directed to a fixing member with a housing mounting portion to be mounted into a housing and a board locking portion projecting from the housing mounting portion, the board locking portion being locked to a circuit board, the board locking portion including a resiliently deformable spring portion formed by bending a part protruding in a width direction intersecting a projecting direction from the housing mounting portion and a board contact portion disposed on a side closer to a tip than the spring portion in the projecting direction, the board contact portion contacting the circuit board, and the spring portion being arranged inwardly in the width direction of both end parts on outer sides in the width direction of the housing mounting portion in a developed state of the spring portion. 
     The present disclosure is directed to a board connector with the fixing member and the housing, the housing including a supporting portion for supporting the fixing member, the supporting portion having a thickness in a plate thickness direction of the housing mounting portion with the fixing member assembled, and the spring portion being disposed in a thickness range of the supporting portion in the plate thickness direction of the housing mounting portion. 
     According to the present disclosure, it is possible to reduce the material cost of a fixing member. 
     The foregoing summary is illustrative only and is not intended to be in any way limiting. In addition to the illustrative aspects, embodiments, and features described above, further aspects, embodiments, and features will become apparent by reference to the drawings and the following detailed description. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a perspective view showing a state where a board connector of one embodiment is fixed to a circuit board when viewed from front. 
         FIG.  2    is a perspective view showing the state where the board connector is fixed to the circuit board when viewed from behind. 
         FIG.  3    is a plan view showing the state where the board connector is fixed to the circuit board. 
         FIG.  4    is a right side view showing the state where the board connector is fixed to the circuit board. 
         FIG.  5    is a right side view showing a state where a fixing member is mounted in the circuit board. 
         FIG.  6    is an enlarged view enlargedly showing the fixing member of  FIG.  5    and the periphery of the fixing member. 
         FIG.  7    is a plan view enlargedly showing the fixing member and the periphery thereof in the state where the fixing member is mounted in the circuit board. 
         FIG.  8    is a perspective view of the fixing member of the embodiment. 
         FIG.  9    is a perspective view of the fixing member viewed from a side opposite to that of  FIG.  8   . 
         FIG.  10    is a front view of the fixing member. 
         FIG.  11    is a side view of the fixing member. 
         FIG.  12    is a front view showing a developed state of the fixing member. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof. The illustrative embodiments described in the detailed description, drawings, and claims are not meant to be limiting. Other embodiments may be utilized, and other changes may be made, without departing from the spirit or scope of the subject matter presented here. 
     [Description of Embodiments of Present Disclosure] 
     First, embodiments of the present disclosure are listed and described. 
     (1) The fixing member of the present disclosure is provided with a housing mounting portion to be mounted into a housing and a board locking portion projecting from the housing mounting portion, the board locking portion being locked to a circuit board, the board locking portion including a resiliently deformable spring portion formed by bending a part protruding in a width direction intersecting a projecting direction from the housing mounting portion and a board contact portion disposed on a side closer to a tip than the spring portion in the projecting direction, the board contact portion contacting the circuit board, and the spring portion being arranged inwardly in the width direction of both end parts on outer sides in the width direction of the housing mounting portion in a developed state of the spring portion. 
     According to the configuration of the present disclosure, since the spring portion is arranged inwardly in the width direction of the both end parts on the outer sides in the width direction of the housing mounting portion in the developed state of the spring portion, a size of the fixing member can be reduced. 
     Therefore, the material cost of the fixing member can be reduced. 
     (2) Preferably, the spring portion is shaped to extend from one end to another end and includes bent portions on both end parts in an extending direction. 
     According to this configuration, the spring portion is more easily deflected and deformed. 
     (3) Preferably, the bent portions are formed along a virtual line passing through the both end parts in the extending direction of the spring portion. 
     According to this configuration, the bent portions of the spring portion can be formed by one bending via the virtual line and a manufacturing process can be simplified. 
     (4) Preferably, the spring portion is shaped by being bent and raised from a planar flat plate portion including the housing mounting portion and the board locking portion. 
     According to this configuration, since the spring portion is formed by bending and raising a part protruding from a flat plate-like member (flat plate portion) in the fixing member, the manufacturing process can be simplified. 
     The board connector of the present disclosure is provided with the fixing member and the housing, the housing including a supporting portion for supporting the fixing member, the supporting portion having a thickness in a plate thickness direction of the housing mounting portion with the fixing member assembled, and the spring portion being disposed in a thickness range of the supporting portion in the plate thickness direction of the housing mounting portion. 
     According to the configuration of the present disclosure, since the spring portion does not project further outward than the supporting portion, a size of the connector can be reduced. 
     [Details of Embodiment of Present Disclosure] 
     A specific embodiment of a board connector of the present disclosure is described below with reference to  FIGS.  1  to  12   . Upper and lower sides shown in  FIGS.  1 ,  2 ,  4  to  6  and  8  to  12    are directly defined as upper and lower sides concerning a vertical direction. Left and right sides shown in  FIGS.  1  to  7    are respectively defined as front and rear sides concerning a front-rear direction. Sides behind and in front of the planes of  FIGS.  4  and  7    are respectively defined as left and right sides concerning a lateral direction. 
     (Configuration of Connector) 
     A board connector  10  (hereinafter, merely referred to as the connector  10 ) of this embodiment is installed on a plate surface (surface) of a circuit board  12  as shown in  FIGS.  1  to  4   . The connector  10  is provided with a housing  20 , a plurality of terminal fittings  31 ,  32  and a pair of fixing members  40 . The housing  20  is connectable to a mating housing (not shown). The fixing members  40  are respectively provided on both left and right sides of the housing  20 . The fixing members  40  are mounted on the circuit board  12  and fix the housing  20  to the circuit board  12 . 
     (Configuration of Housing) 
     The housing  20  is, for example, made of synthetic resin. As shown in FIGS.  1  to  4 , the housing  20  includes a receptacle  21  in the form of a rectangular tube open forward. As shown in  FIG.  2   , the receptacle  21  has a back wall  22  along the vertical direction. The back wall  22  is provided with a plurality of holes (not shown), which penetrate through the back wall  22  in the front-rear direction and into which the terminal fittings  31 ,  32  are press-fit. 
     As shown in  FIGS.  1  to  4   , protruding walls  23  protruding rearward from a rear end side of the receptacle  21  are provided on both left and right sides of the housing  20 . A supporting portion  50  for supporting fixing member  40  is provided in the outer surface (surface on a side opposite to the other protruding wall  23 ) of the protruding wall  23 . The supporting portion  50  has a thickness in a plate thickness direction (lateral direction) of a housing mounting portion  60  with the fixing member  40  assembled. The supporting portion  50  includes a pair of receiving portions  51  for supporting the fixing member  40  from both sides in the front-rear direction. The receiving portions  51  project from the outer surface of the protruding wall  23 . The pair of receiving portions  51  are separated in the front-rear direction. 
     As shown in  FIGS.  6  and  7   , a groove portion  52  is provided on an inner side (side of the other receiving portion  51 ) of the receiving portion  51 . The groove portion  52  is recessed outward (side opposite to the other receiving portion  51 ) in the front-rear direction. The groove portion  52  is open inward in the front-rear direction and upward. The groove portion  52  is provided with a stop contact surface  53 , with which the later-described housing mounting portion  60  (more specifically, an upper plate portion  61 ) of the fixing member  40  is stopped in contact. The stop contact surface  53  is constituted by a bottom surface along the front-rear direction. The groove portion  52  is provided with a receiving surface  54  for receiving a later-described pair of locking portions  63  of the fixing member  40 . The receiving surface  54  is constituted by a side surface along the vertical direction. 
     (Configuration of Terminal Fittings) 
     The terminal fittings  31 ,  32  are, for example, configured as male terminal fittings as shown in  FIG.  1   . The terminal fittings  31 ,  32  are made of electrically conductive metal and elongated like tabs. The terminal fittings  31  are thicker than the terminal fittings  32 . The terminal fitting  31 ,  32  is bent at a halfway position in an extending direction and composed of a front part extending in the front-rear direction and a rear part extending in the vertical direction. The front part of the terminal fitting  31 ,  32  is electrically connected to a mating terminal fitting (not shown) mounted in the mating housing (not shown) at the time of connection to the mating housing. A lower part of the terminal fitting  31 ,  32  is inserted into a through hole  13  (see  FIG.  2   ) provided in the circuit board  12  and electrically connected to an electrically conductive portion of the circuit board  12  by soldering. 
     (Configuration of Fixing Members) 
     The fixing members  40  are made of metal and, as shown in  FIGS.  8  to  11   , in the form of flat plates as a whole. As shown in  FIGS.  1  to  3   , the fixing members  40  are respectively mounted on both sides of the housing  20 . Both plate surfaces of the fixing member  40  are flush and continuous from the housing mounting portion  60  to board locking portions  70  and formed to be flat except at spring portions  71  to be described later. 
     As shown in  FIGS.  8  to  11   , the fixing member  40  includes the housing mounting portion  60 , a pair of the board locking portions  70  and a projecting piece  41 . The housing mounting portion  60  is a part to be mounted into the housing  20 . The board locking portions  70  project from the housing mounting portion  60 . The board locking portions  70  are resiliently deformable and locked to the circuit board  12 . The projecting piece  41  projects downward from a part of the housing mounting portion  60  between the pair of board locking portions  70 . 
     As shown in  FIG.  8   , the housing mounting portion  60  includes the upper plate portion  61 , a lower plate portion  62  and a plurality of the locking portions  63 . The upper plate portion  61  has a rectangular shape long in a plate width direction. The plate width direction is the front-rear direction in a state where the fixing member  40  is mounted in the housing. The lower plate portion  62  has a rectangular shape smaller in size than the upper plate portion  61  and long in the plate width direction. The lower plate portion  62  protrudes from a center of the lower end of the upper plate portion  61 . Two locking portions  63  are provided on each of both sides in the front-rear direction (plate width direction) of the upper plate portion  61 . As shown in  FIG.  6   , the locking portions  63  enter the corresponding receiving portions  51  and are received thereby. As shown in  FIG.  7   , the housing mounting portion  60  is arranged along the outer surface of the protruding wall  23 . 
     As shown in  FIG.  10   , the pair of board locking portions  70  respectively project downward from the housing mounting portion  60  (both sides in the plate width direction of the lower plate portion  62 ). The respective board locking portions  70  are shaped to be symmetrical with each other in the plate width direction. The pair of board locking portions  70  are arranged side by side in the plate width direction. As shown in  FIG.  4   , the board locking portions  70  are inserted into a hole  14  of the circuit board  12  and locked to the hole  14 . 
     As shown in  FIG.  8   , the board locking portion  70  includes a spring portion  71  and a board contact portion  72 . The spring portion  71  is resiliently deformable. The spring portion  71  is formed by bending a part (protruding portion  70 A) of the board locking portion  70  protruding in the plate width direction intersecting a projecting direction (vertical direction) from the housing mounting portion  60 . As shown in  FIG.  12   , the protruding portion  70 A projects outward in the plate width direction from the lower plate portion  62  in a developed state (flat plate portion  45 ) of the fixing member  40 . The protruding portion  70 A protrudes to have a detour shape in the plate width direction in the developed state of the fixing member  40  before being bent. The detour shape in the plate width direction is a shape to detour in the plate width direction by avoiding a space S (see  FIG.  12   ) below the housing mounting portion  60  without linearly projecting in the projecting direction (vertical direction) of the board locking portion  70 . The protruding portion  70 A has a U shape convex outward in the plate width direction (toward a side opposite to the other board locking portion  70 ). 
     As shown in  FIG.  12   , the protruding portions  70 A are arranged inwardly in the plate width direction of both end parts  60 A on outer sides in the plate width direction of the housing mounting portion  60  in the developed state before being bent. In this way, the board locking portions  70  are located within a formation range of the housing mounting portion  60  in the plate width direction. Thus, a size of the fixing member  40  in the developed state can be reduced and material cot can be reduced. 
     By using the protruding portion  70 A protruding to have the detour shape in the plate width direction in the spring portion  71 , a spring length can be increased. By forming the spring portion  71  by bending such a protruding portion  70 A, a spring restoring force of the spring portion  71  can be increased. As just described, the fixing member  40  can increase the spring restoring force while reducing the material cost as described above. 
     The spring portions  71  are formed by being bent and raised from the planar flat plate portion  45  (see  FIG.  12   ) including the housing mounting portion  60  and the board locking portions  70 . Thus, the fixing member  40  can be formed by bending the spring portions  71  from the flat plate-like member (flat plate portion  45 ), wherefore a manufacturing process is simplified. 
     The spring portion  71  is formed by being bent and raised in the plate thickness direction in the flat plate portion  45  (see  FIG.  12   ). The both spring portions  71  are bent and raised toward the same side in the plate thickness direction. Plate surfaces of the spring portion  71  are parallel to the plate thickness direction. As shown in  FIG.  11   , the spring portion  71  has a U shape convex in the plate thickness direction when viewed from the plate width direction (lateral direction). As shown in  FIG.  8   , the spring portion  71  is shaped to extend from one end (end part  71 D) to the other end (end part  71 E). 
     As shown in  FIG.  8   , the spring portion  71  includes a first constituent portion  71 A, a second constituent portion  71 B, a third constituent portion  71 C and bent portions  74 A,  74 B. The first constituent portion  71 A extends outward (side opposite to the lower plate portion  62 ) in the plate thickness direction from the lower plate portion  62  via the bent portion  74 A. The second constituent portion  71 B extends downward from an extending end part of the first constituent portion  71 A. The third constituent portion  71 C extends inward (toward the lower plate portion  62 ) in the plate thickness direction from the lower end of the second constituent portion  71 B via the bent portion  74 B. 
     The bent portions  74 A,  74 B are provided on both end parts  71 D,  71 E in an extending direction as shown in  FIG.  8   . The bent portions  74 A,  74 B are formed along a virtual line L (see  FIG.  12   ) passing through the both end parts  71 ,  71 E in the extending direction of the spring portion  71 . As shown in  FIG.  12   , the virtual line L passes through a boundary between the lower plate portion  62  and the protruding portion  70 A and a boundary between the protruding portion  70 A and the board contact portion  72 . The spring portion  71  is bent via the virtual line L. The virtual line L extends along the vertical direction (projecting direction of the board locking portion  70 ). One virtual line L is provided for one board locking portion  70 . In this way, one spring portion  71  can be formed by one bending via the virtual line L and the manufacturing process can be simplified. 
     The board contact portion  72  contacts the circuit board  12 . As shown in  FIG.  8   , the board contact portion  72  is disposed on a side closer to a tip in the projecting direction (vertical direction) of the board locking portion  70  than the spring portion  71 . The board contact portion  72  extends downward from an end part on an inner side (side of the lower plate portion  62 ) in the plate thickness direction of the third constituent portion  71 C. A hooking portion  72 A wider than an upper end part is provided on the lower end of the board contact portion  72 . The lower end of the hooking portion  72 A is inclined to approach the inner side in the plate width direction (toward the other hooking portion  72 A) toward bottom. As shown in  FIG.  4   , the hooking portion  72 A is hooked to the hole  14  of the circuit board  12  to prevent the disengagement of the fixing member  40  from the circuit board  12 . 
     As shown in  FIGS.  5  to  7   , the fixing member  40  is so mounted in the housing  20  as to be supported in the supporting portion  50 . The fixing member  40  is inserted into between the pair of receiving portions  51  from above. Both side parts in the plate width direction of the housing mounting portion  60  (more specifically, the upper plate portion  61 ) are respectively stopped in contact with the pair of stop contact surfaces  53 . The pair of locking portions  63  are locked to the receiving surfaces  54 . 
     As shown in  FIG.  7   , the housing mounting portion  60  is arranged in parallel to the vertical direction and front-rear direction along the outer surface (surface on a side opposite to the other protruding wall  23 ) of the protruding portion  23 . As shown in  FIG.  6   , the upper end of the fixing member  40  is at the same height as the upper ends of the respective receiving portions  51 . The lower plate portion  62 , the pair of board locking portions  70  and the projecting piece  41  are located between the pair of receiving portions  51  in the lateral direction. The front and rear spring portions  71  are respectively slightly separated from the front and rear receiving portions  51 . The pair of spring portions  71  do not project further downward than the protruding wall  23 . The pair of board locking portions  70  and the projecting piece  41  project further downward than the protruding wall  23 . 
     As shown in  FIG.  7   , the spring portions  71  are disposed in a thickness range of the supporting portion  50  in the plate thickness direction (lateral direction) of the housing mounting portion  60 . That is, the spring portions  71  do not project further outward in the lateral direction than the supporting portions  50 . In this way, an increase in the size of the connector  10  in the lateral direction can be prevented. 
     (Effects of Embodiment) 
     Since the spring portions  71  are arranged inwardly in the width direction of the both end parts  60 A on the outer sides in the width direction of the housing mounting portion  60  in the developed state in the fixing member  40  of the embodiment, the size of the fixing member  40  can be reduced. Therefore, the material cost of the fixing member  40  can be reduced. 
     Further, the spring portion  71  is formed to extend from the one end (end part  71 D) to the other end (end part  71 E) and includes the bent portions  74 A,  74 B on the both end parts  71 D,  71 E in the extending direction. In this way, the spring portion  71  is more easily deflected and deformed. 
     Further, the bent portions  74 A,  74 B are formed along the virtual line L passing through the end parts  71 D,  71 E in the extending direction of the spring portion  71 . In this way, the bent portions  74 A,  74 B of the spring portion  71  can be formed by one bending via the virtual line L, and the manufacturing process can be simplified. 
     Further, the spring portions  71  are bent and raised from the planar flat plate portion  45  including the housing mounting portion  60  and the board locking portions  70 . That is, since the fixing member  40  can be formed by bending the spring portions  71  from the flat plate-like member (flat plate portion  45 ), the manufacturing process is simplified. 
     Further, the spring portions  71  are disposed in the thickness range of the supporting portion  50  in the plate thickness direction of the housing mounting portion  60 . In this way, the spring portions  71  do not project further outward than the supporting portion  50 , wherefore the size of the connector  10  can be reduced. 
     [Other Embodiments] 
     In the above embodiment, the spring portion  71  may have an arcuate detour shape. 
     Although the spring portion  71  is bent on both ends (end parts  71 D,  71 E) in a length direction of the detouring protruding portion  70 A in the above embodiment, the spring portion  71  may be bent outside the both ends (end parts  71 D,  71 E) in the plate width direction. That is, the spring portion  71  may be bent at a halfway position in the length direction of the first constituent portion  71 A and a halfway position in the length direction of the second constituent portion  71 B. 
     Although the spring portion  71  is bent in the plate thickness direction of the housing mounting portion  60  in the above embodiment, the spring portion  71  may be bent to incline toward one side in the plate width direction. 
     From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure have been described herein for purposes of illustration, and that various modifications may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure. Accordingly, the various exemplary embodiments disclosed herein are not intended to be limiting, with the true scope and spirit being indicated by the following claims