Patent Publication Number: US-11025022-B2

Title: Adapter for changing connector pitch and method for manufacturing same

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application is a national phase entry under 35 U.S.C. § 371 of International Application No. PCT/KR2019/001016 filed Jan. 24, 2019, published in Korean, which claims priority from Korean Patent Application No. 10-2018-0011173 filed Jan. 30, 2018, all of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to an adapter for changing a pitch of a connector, and a method of manufacturing the same, in which a first pin part and a second pin part, which are electrically connected, are formed at both end portions of a housing forming an exterior appearance of an adapter, so that it is possible to remove a wire harness and the like, which occupies a large volume in existing adapters, and so that it is possible to miniaturize a product by forming an integrated adapter by using fewer components, and to innovatively reduce production costs compared to existing adapter products. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     A printed circuit board is a board, in which metal wires are thinly printed, and is provided so that various elements, such as a semiconductor, a condenser, a resistor, may be inserted into the printed circuit board. The printed circuit board serves to connect the elements and the like through the wires, and helps the disposition of the wires and the elements to be efficiently designed, thereby decreasing a size of the printed circuit board, and ultimately decreasing a size of an electronic device included in the printed circuit board. 
     A connector on the printed circuit board is a connection element, which is capable of connecting the printed circuit board with another device and the like. The connector on the printed circuit board is connected with another device in a development stage of the printed circuit board and serves to transfer an electric signal to the printed circuit board so that necessary software and the like may be uploaded or downloaded to the printed circuit board. A size of the connector on the printed circuit board also occupies a large portion of the entire size of the printed circuit board. When a size of the connector is decreased, it is helpful to miniaturize the printed circuit board. 
     However, when a smaller connector than an existing connector is used on the printed circuit board in order to miniaturize the printed circuit board, an adapter is used for connecting an access mechanism having the same pitch as that of the existing connector. The devices having connectors with different pitches may be electrically connected by using the adapter. 
     However, existing adapters are very expensive and include unnecessary components, such as a harness, so that there is a problem in that a volume of the adapter is increased and the like. 
     DISCLOSURE 
     Technical Problem 
     The present invention is conceived to solve the foregoing problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an adapter for changing a pitch of a connector, in which a first pin part and a second pin part, which are electrically connected, are formed at both end portions of a housing forming an exterior appearance of an adapter, so that it is possible to remove a wire harness and the like, which occupies a large volume in existing adapters, and so that it is possible to miniaturize a product by forming an integrated adapter by using fewer components, and to innovatively reduce production costs compared to existing adapter products. 
     Technical Solution 
     In this respect, in order to solve the foregoing problem, the present inventors developed an adapter for changing a pitch of a connector, and a method of manufacturing the same, in which a first pin part and a second pin part, which are electrically connected, are formed at both end portions of a housing forming an exterior appearance of an adapter, so that it is possible to remove a wire harness and the like, which occupies a large volume in existing adapters, and so that it is possible to miniaturize a product by forming an integrated adapter by using fewer components, and to innovatively reduce production costs compared to existing adapter products. 
     An exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides an adapter for changing a pitch of a connector, the adapter including: a housing; a first pin part formed on one side of the housing; a second pin part formed on an opposing side of the housing; and an electrical connection configured to electrically connect the first and second pin parts. 
     In the exemplary embodiment, the first pin part may include a plurality of first pins, each of which corresponds to a first pitch, and the second pin part may include a plurality of second pins, each of which corresponds to a second pitch, and the electrical connection may be configured to electrically connect each of the first pins to a corresponding one of the second pins, respectively. 
     In the exemplary embodiment, the housing may be integrally formed so that a region, in which the first pin part is located, does not become separated from the first and second pin parts. 
     In the exemplary embodiment, the housing may be formed with a recess, which is provided so as to avoid interfering with a protruding portion protruding at one side of a connector connected with either the first pin part or the second pin part. 
     In the exemplary embodiment, the first pitch may be smaller than the second pitch. 
     In the exemplary embodiment, the second pitch may be between 1 mm to 2.54 mm. 
     In the exemplary embodiment, the first pitch may be 1.27 mm, and the second pitch may be 2.54 mm. 
     In the exemplary embodiment, the number of first pins may be equal to the number of second pins. 
     Another exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a method of manufacturing an adapter for changing a pitch of a connector, the method including: forming a housing; forming a first pin part on one side of the housing; forming a second pin part on an opposing side of the housing; and forming an electrical connection, which electrically connects the first and second pin parts. 
     In the exemplary embodiment, the forming of the first pin part on the one side of the housing may include forming a plurality of first pins in the first pin part, the plurality of first pins having a first pitch and the forming of the second pin part on the opposing side of the housing may include forming a plurality of second pins in the second pin part, the plurality of second pins having a second pitch, the electrical connection electrically connecting each of the first pins to a corresponding one of the second pins, respectively. 
     In the exemplary embodiment, in the forming of the housing, the housing may be integrally formed so that the first pin part and the second pin part do not become separated. 
     In the exemplary embodiment, the forming of the housing may include forming a recess at one side of the housing so as to avoid interfering a protruding portion protruding from one side of a connector connected with either the first pin part or the second pin part. 
     In the exemplary embodiment, the first pitch may be smaller than the second pitch. 
     In the exemplary embodiment, the second pitch may be between 1 mm to 2.54 mm. 
     In the exemplary embodiment, the first pitch may be 1.27 mm, and the second pitch may be 2.54 mm. 
     In the exemplary embodiment, the number of first pins may be equal to the number of second pins. 
     Advantageous Effects 
     According to an aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide an adapter for changing a pitch of a connector, and a method of manufacturing the same, in which a first pin part and a second pin part, which are electrically connected, are formed at both end portions of a housing forming an exterior appearance of an adapter, so that it is possible to remove a wire harness and the like, which occupies a large volume in existing adapters, and so that it is possible to miniaturize a product by forming an integrated adapter by using fewer components, and to innovatively reduce production costs compared to existing adapter products. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a diagram schematically illustrating a configuration of an adapter for changing a pitch of a connector according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a flowchart illustrating a method of manufacturing an adapter for changing a pitch of a connector in a series of sequence according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Hereinafter, an exemplary embodiment is presented for helping to understand the present invention. However, the exemplary embodiment below is simply provided for the easier understanding of the present invention, and the contents of the present invention are not limited by the exemplary embodiment. 
       FIG. 1  is a diagram schematically illustrating a configuration of an adapter  100  for changing a pitch of a connector according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , the adapter  100  for changing a pitch of a connector according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention may generally include a housing  110 , a first pin part  120 , a second pin part  130 , and a connection part  140 . Further, the exemplary embodiment may additionally include a recess  150 . 
     First, the adapter  100  for changing a pitch of a connector may serve to electrically connect connectors of two devices having different pitches. Accordingly, an electric signal may be transmitted between the two devices. Herein, the electric connection may mean the case where the connected elements or devices are allowed to transmit an electric signal. Further, the transmission of the electric signal may mean the case where necessary software and the like may be downloaded or uploaded to a device or a printed circuit board. Further, the transmission of the electric signal may mean the case where it is possible to determine a defect of an element and the like mounted on a printed circuit board, whether the element and the like are properly mounted on the printed circuit, whether a pattern is accurately printed on the printed circuit board, and the like. The printed circuit board may be a printed circuit board applied to a field of a battery management system of a vehicle. 
     The adapter  100  for changing a pitch of a connector may be integrally formed with the housing  110 , the first pin part  120 , the second pint part  130 , and the connection part  140 , which is to be described below. Further, the adapter  100  for changing a pitch of a connector may additionally include the recess  150 . The integrated form may mean the form of a single mass. 
     The housing  110  may serve to make a general form of the adapter  100  for changing a pitch of a connector. Further, the housing  110  may serve to provide a space for an insertion or an accommodation of a connector according to a pitch of each of the first pin part  120  and the second pin part  130 , which will be described below. Further, the housing  110  may serve to protect pins of the first pin part  120  and the second pin part  130 . The protection of the pins may mean the physical protection of the pins from being bent or damaged due to external reasons. The housing  110  may be integrally formed, in which a region, in which the first pin part  120  is located, does not become separated from the first pin part  120  and the second pin part  130 . Further, the recess  150 , which is provided so as to avoid interfering with a protruding portion protruding from one side of the connector connected with the first pin part  120  or the second pin part  130  and will be described below, may be formed at one side of the housing  110 . 
     The first pin part  120  may be electrically connected with a connector, which may be inserted into or accommodated in the first pin part  120 , and serve to transmit an electric signal to the second pin part  130  via the connection part  140 , which will be described below. Through the connection, the first pin part  120  may transmit the electric signal to another device connected to the second pin part  130 . Further, the first pin part  120  may be formed at one side of the housing  110 . This may mean that when the first pin part  120  is located on one side surface, the second pin part  130 , which will be described later, is located on a surface adjacent to the first pin part  120  or a facing surface facing the first pin part  120 . A pin direction of the first pin part and a pin direction of the second pin part may be formed to head in the same straight direction. Further, the first pin part  120  may include first pins  120   a  having a first pitch. Through the pins of the adapter, an electric signal may be transmitted between two devices including connectors having different standards. Herein, a pitch may mean a distance of an interval when things having the same shape are repeatedly arranged at the same interval. For example, the pitch may mean a distance between adjacent sawteeth of a saw-toothed wheel or a distance between adjacent screw threads in a screw. Further, the pitch may mean a distance between adjacent holes of the connector, a distance between adjacent pins of the adapter, and the like. 
     The second pin part  130  may be electrically connected with a connector, which may be inserted into or accommodated in the second pin part  130 , and serve to transmit an electric signal to the first pin part  120  via the connection part  140 , which will be described below. Through the connection, the second pin part  130  may transmit an electric signal to another device connected with the first pin part  120 . The second pin part  130  may include one or more second pins corresponding to a second pitch. Further, the second pin part  130  may be formed at the other side of the housing  110 . Further, the second pin part  130  may include one or more second pins  130   a  corresponding to the second pitch. The first pitch of the first pin part  120  for connecting two connectors having different pitches may be smaller than the second pitch of the second pin part  130 . For example, the second pitch of the second pin  130   a  according to the minimum pitch of the connector may correspond to a pitch of 1 mm to 2.54 mm. According to the exemplary embodiment, the first pitch may correspond to a pitch of 1.27 mm, and the second pitch may correspond to a pitch of 2.54 mm. The first and second pitches may be changed according to the minimum pitch of the connectors connected to the first and second pitches. The number of first pins  120   a  may be the same as the number of second pins  130   a.    
     The connection part  140  may serve to electrically connect the first pin part  120  and the second pin part  130 . Accordingly, an electric signal may be transmitted between a device including the connector with the first pitch connected with the first pin part and a device including the connector with the second pitch connected with the second pin part. In the connection part  140 , the pins of the first pins  120   a  and the second pins  130   a  may be electrically connected to one another, respectively. The corresponding connection may mean that, for example, when it is assumed that in an adapter including 14 pins, in which seven pins each are serially arranged in two lines, a number of the pin located at the leftmost and top side of one side in a direction of looking down the pin from an upper side is number 1 and a number of the pin located at the rightmost and top side is number 7, a number of the pin located at the leftmost and top side of the other side of the adapter which is horizontally rotated by 180° is number 7 and a number of the pin located at the rightmost and top side is number 1, so that the pins having the same number at the one side and the other side are connected with each other. 
     The recess  150  may serve to help the adapter and the connector to be easily coupled when the connector and the adapter are combined. For example, the recess  150 , which is provided so as to avoid interfering with a protruding portion protruding from one side of the connector connected with the first pin part  120  or the second pin part  130 , may be formed at one side of the housing  100 . 
     Next, a process of designing an adapter for changing a pitch of a connector will be described with reference to  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 2  is a flowchart illustrating a method of manufacturing an adapter for changing a pitch of a connector in a series of steps according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , first, a housing is formed (S 101 ). The housing may make a general form of the adapter and serve to provide a space for an insertion or an accommodation of a connector according to a pitch of each of a first pin part and a second pin part. Further, in the forming of the housing, the housing may be integrally formed so that the first pin part and the second pin part are not and do not become separated, and a recess may be formed at one side of the housing so as to avoid interfering with a protruding portion protruding from one side of the connector connected with either the first pin part or the second pin part. 
     Next, the first pin part is formed at one side of the housing (S 102 ), and the second pin part is formed at the other side of the housing (S 103 ). The first pin part may include one or more first pins corresponding to a first pitch. Then, the second pin part may include one or more second pins corresponding to a second pitch. Herein, the first pitch may be smaller than the second pitch. For example, the second pitch of the second pin  130   a  may be between 1 mm to 2.54 mm. According to the exemplary embodiment, the first pitch may be 1.27 mm, and the second pitch may be 2.54 mm. The first and second pitches may be changed according to the minimum pitch of the connectors connected to the first and second pitches. Further, the number of first pins may be the same as the number of second pins. 
     After the operations S 101  to S 103 , a connection part, which electrically connects the first pin part and the second pin part, is formed (S 104 ). Accordingly, an electric signal may be transmitted between a device including the connector with the first pitch connected with the first pin part and a device including the connector with the second pitch connected with the second pin part. 
     In the forgoing, the present invention has been described with reference to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, but those skilled in the art may appreciate that the present invention may be variously corrected and changed within the range without departing from the spirit and the area of the present invention described in the appending claims.