Patent Publication Number: US-7717719-B2

Title: Connector

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a connector. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Conventionally, as a connector which electrically connects printed wiring boards to each other, there is a known connector including a header mounted on a first printed wiring board and a socket mounted on a second printed wiring board which is opposed to the first printed wiring board. 
     As a connector of this kind, there is one having a socket  2  as shown in  FIGS. 1A and 1B  (for example, see Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2006-59589). 
     The socket  2  includes a socket body  5  which is made of insulation material and provided with a connection recess  20 . A header is inserted into and pulled out from the connection recess  20  in a predetermined insertion/withdrawal direction ID (vertical direction in  FIG. 1B ). The socket  2  also includes a plurality of socket contacts  6  held by the socket body  5  such that the socket contacts  6  come into contact with and brought into conduction with header contacts  4  which are conductive members on the side of the header when the header is inserted into the connection recess  20 . The socket contacts  6  come into contact with the header contacts inside the connection recess  20 . Each socket contact  6  includes a terminal  61  electrically soldered to the second printed wiring board. The socket  2  is provided with a plurality of pairs of socket contacts  6  having the terminals  61  projecting (vertical direction in  FIG. 1A , “terminal direction TD”, hereinafter) from the socket body  5  in opposite directions from each other in a direction (lateral direction in  FIG. 1A , hereinafter, “pitch direction PD”) intersecting with the insertion/withdrawal direction ID and the terminal direction TD. 
     Pitch direction shields  81  are held at both ends of the pitch direction PD of the socket body  5 , and terminal direction shields  82  are held at both ends of the socket body  5  in the terminal direction TD. 
     The pitch direction shields  81  and the terminal direction shields  82  are made of metal plates and electrically grounded. The pitch direction shields  81  and the terminal direction shields  82  constitute an annular shell surrounding the connection recess  20  as viewed from the insertion/withdrawal direction ID, and the pitch direction shields  81  and the terminal direction shields  82  prevent electromagnetic noise from being mixed into electrical signals sent through the socket contact  6 . If the shell is made up of the pitch direction shields  81  and the terminal direction shields  82  as described above, there is a merit that it is only necessary to change the terminal direction shield  82  in a connector having different number of pairs of the socket contacts  6 , the pitch direction shields  81  can commonly be used, and as compared with a case that the shell is made up of only one part, it is easy to produce the connector. 
     More specifically, the terminal direction shield  82  includes a body portion  82   a  whose thickness direction is oriented in the terminal direction TD, and a terminal  82   c  projecting outward in the terminal direction TD from a lower end of the body portion  82   a . The terminal direction shield  82  is soldered to a conductive pattern (“ground pattern”, hereinafter) which is provided on the second printed wiring board and electrically grounded. With this arrangement, the terminal direction shield  82  is electrically grounded. 
     Each pitch direction shield  81  includes a body portion  81   a  whose thickness direction is oriented in the pitch direction PD, and an arms  81   f  projecting inward in the pitch direction PD from both ends of the body portion  81   a  in the terminal direction. The arms  81   f  come into elastic contact with the body portions  82   a  of the terminal direction shield  82 , and the pitch direction shield  81  is electrically grounded through the terminal direction shield  82 . 
     However, since the pitch direction shield  81  is grounded through the terminal direction shield  82 , the reliability of connection between the pitch direction shield  81  and the ground is poor. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a connector capable of enhancing the reliability of connection between the ground and a shield constituting a shell. 
     The present invention provides a connector comprising a header mounted on a first printed wiring board, and a socket mounted on a second printed wiring board opposed to the first printed wiring board, wherein the header includes a header body made of an insulation material, and a plurality of header contacts which are each held by the header body and electrically connected to the first printed wiring board, the socket includes a socket body which is made of an insulation material and which is provided with a connection recess into and from which the header is inserted and pulled out, a plurality of socket contacts which are each held by the socket body and electrically connected to the second printed wiring board such that the socket contacts are brought into contact and conduction with the corresponding header contacts inside the connection recess when the header is inserted into the connection recess, and a shell which is made of a conductive material and which is held by the socket body such as to surround a periphery of the connection recess as viewed from an insertion/withdrawal direction of the header, each of the socket contacts includes terminals which project from the socket body as viewed from the insertion/withdrawal direction and which are soldered to the second printed wiring board, the socket is provided with a plurality of pairs of socket contacts in which terminal directions as terminal projecting directions from the socket body are opposite from each other are arranged in a pitch direction which is a direction intersecting with the insertion/withdrawal direction and the terminal direction, the shell includes pitch direction shields which are provided on both ends of the socket body in the pitch direction, and terminal direction shields which are provided on both ends of the socket body in the terminal direction, and the pitch direction shields and the terminal direction shields have corresponding terminals which are soldered to ground patterns provided on the second printed wiring board. 
     According to the present invention, the socket body can be a synthetic resin molded article in which the pitch direction shield is insert molded. 
     According to the present invention, it can be configured that at least one press-fit rib projects from each of both side surfaces of the socket body in the terminal direction, and the terminal direction shields are formed with press-fit notches to which the press-fit ribs are press fitted, and the terminal direction shield is held by the socket body by press fitting the press-fit ribs into the press-fit notches. 
     According to the present invention, it can be configured that both ends of the header in a direction corresponding to the terminal direction are formed with ground contacts which are made of conductive material, are held by the header body and which are electrically connected a ground pattern of the first printed wiring board, the terminal direction shield includes contact portions which are made of elastically deformable material, and which come into elastic contact with the ground contact of the header inserted into the connection recess from a direction intersecting with the insertion/withdrawal direction. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1A  is a plan view showing relevant parts of a socket of a conventional connector; 
         FIG. 1B  is a front view showing the relevant parts of the socket of the conventional connector; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view showing a socket according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a sectional view in a cross section intersecting, at right angles, with a pitch direction showing a state where a header and a socket are connected to each other, and a sectional view in a cross section including a header contact and a socket contact; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view showing the header; 
         FIG. 5A  is a plan view of the header; 
         FIG. 5B  is a front view of the header; 
         FIG. 5C  is a right side view of the header; 
         FIG. 6A  is a perspective view showing the header contact; 
         FIG. 6B  is a perspective view showing the header contact as viewed from a different direction from that shown in  FIG. 6A ; 
         FIG. 7A  is a front view showing the header contact; 
         FIG. 7B  is a plan view showing the header contact; 
         FIG. 7C  is a right side view showing the header contact; 
         FIG. 7D  is a bottom view showing the header contact; 
         FIG. 7E  is a left side view showing the header contact; 
         FIG. 8A  is a plan view showing the socket; 
         FIG. 8B  is a front view showing the socket; 
         FIG. 8C  is a right side view showing the socket; 
         FIG. 8D  is a sectional view of a cross section intersecting, at right angles, with the pitch direction showing the socket, and of a cross section including a contact portion of a terminal direction shield; 
         FIG. 9A  is a perspective view showing a socket contact; 
         FIG. 9B  is a perspective view showing the socket contact as viewed from a direction different from that shown in  FIG. 9A ; 
         FIG. 10A  is a front view of the socket contact; 
         FIG. 10B  is a plan view of the socket contact; 
         FIG. 10C  is a right side view of the socket contact; 
         FIG. 10D  is a bottom view of the socket contact; 
         FIG. 10E  is a left side view of the socket contact; 
         FIG. 11A  is a perspective view showing a pitch direction shield; 
         FIG. 11B  is a perspective view showing the pitch direction shield as viewed from a direction different from that shown in  FIG. 11A ; 
         FIG. 12A  is a front view showing the pitch direction shield; 
         FIG. 12B  is a plan view showing the pitch direction shield; 
         FIG. 12C  is a right side view showing the pitch direction shield; 
         FIG. 12D  is a bottom view showing the pitch direction shield; 
         FIG. 13  is a plan view showing relevant parts of the socket; 
         FIG. 14A  is a perspective view showing a terminal direction shield; 
         FIG. 14B  is a perspective view showing the terminal direction shield as viewed from a direction different from that of  FIG. 14A ; 
         FIG. 15A  is a front view of the terminal direction shield; 
         FIG. 15B  is a plan view of the terminal direction shield; 
         FIG. 15C  is a right side view of the terminal direction shield; 
         FIG. 15D  is a bottom view of the terminal direction shield; 
         FIG. 16  is a sectional view showing a state where the header and the socket are connected to each other, and is a sectional view of a cross section intersecting with the pitch direction at right angles, and of a cross section including a contact portion between a ground contact and the terminal direction shield. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be explained below with reference to  FIGS. 2 to 16 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , a connector according to an embodiment of the invention includes a header  1  mounted on a first printed wiring board (not shown) and a socket  2  mounted on a second printed wiring board (not shown). The socket  2  includes a connection recess  20  into and from which the header  1  is inserted and pulled out. If the header  1  is inserted into the connection recess  20  in such a manner that the first printed wiring board and the second printed wiring board are opposed to each other, the first printed wiring board and the second printed wiring board are electrically connected to each other through the header  1  and the socket  2 . 
     For convenience sake, the vertical direction and the lateral direction are defined based on  FIG. 3 . That is, a direction in which the header  1  is inserted into the connection recess  20  is called “downward”, and a direction in which the header  1  is pulled out from the connection recess  20  is called “upward”. The vertical direction in the following description is the insertion/withdrawal direction ID. A direction intersecting with a paper sheet of  FIG. 3  at right angles is called “longitudinal direction”. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5A  to  5 C, the header  1  includes a header body  3  made of insulation material such as synthetic resin, and header contacts  4 . Two or more header contacts  4  are arranged in the longitudinal direction at left and right ends of the header body  3 . The header body  3  is provided with an inner recess  11  which is long in the longitudinal direction. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 6A ,  6 B and  7 A to  7 E, each header contact  4  includes a first contact portion  41  which is exposed from left and right outer side surfaces, and a second contact portion  42  which is formed into U-shape nipping left and right edges of the inner recess  11  together with the first contact portion  41 , and which is exposed inward of the inner recess  11 . The header contact  4  also includes a terminal  43  which extends outward in the lateral direction from an upper end of the second contact portion  42 , which passes through a bottom surface of the inner recess  11 , and which projects laterally along an upper end surface of the header body  3  and is mounted on the header contact  4 . Each header contact  4  is held by the header body  3  by insert molding. The terminal  43  of the header contact  4  is soldered to a conductive pattern provided on the first printed wiring board, and the header contact  4  is electrically connected to the first printed wiring board. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 8A  to  8 D, the socket  2  includes a socket body  5  which is made of insulation material such as synthetic resin and which is provided with a connection recess  20 , and a plurality of socket contacts  6  held by the socket body  5  such that the socket contacts  6  are in conduction with the header contacts  4  inside the connection recess  20  in one-to-one correspondence with the header contacts  4  when the header  1  is inserted into the connection recess  20 . In the present embodiment, total 20 header contacts  4  and socket contacts  6  are provided such that ten sets thereof are laterally arranged in two rows with their widthwise directions oriented in the longitudinal direction. That is, the longitudinal direction corresponds to the pitch direction PD. 
     Each of the header contact  4  and the socket contact  6  is made of long, thin and bent metal plate having elasticity and conductivity. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 9A ,  9 B and  10 A to  10 E, the socket contact  6  includes a terminal  61  which is mounted such as to project outward in the lateral direction than the socket body  5  such that its thickness direction is oriented in the vertical direction, a held portion  62  which is extending upward from one of left and right ends of the terminal  61  located inward and which is held by the socket body  5 , a first connecting portion  63  which is extended from an upper end of the held portion  62  into one of lateral directions away from the terminal  61 , a first contact portion  64  which is extended downward from a tip end of the first connecting portion  63  and which comes into contact with the first contact portion  41  of the header contact  4 , a second connecting portion  65  which is extended from a lower end of the first contact portion  64  into one of lateral directions away from the held portion  62 , and a second contact portion  66  which is extended upward from a tip end of the second connecting portion  65  and which comes into elastic contact with the second contact portion  42  of the header contact  4  such as to nip the header contact  4  between the first contact portion  64  and the second contact portion  66 . That is, the lateral direction corresponds to the terminal direction TD. 
     The first contact portion  64  is provided at its upper end with a curved engaged convex portion  64   a  which projects into one of lateral directions away from the held portion  62  than other portion of the first contact portion  64 . In a state where the header  1  is in complete contact with the socket  2 , the first contact portion  64  is in contact with the header contact  4  only in the engaged convex portion  64   a.    
     The second connecting portion  65  is inclined upward as separating from the first contact portion  64 . With this configuration, the second connecting portion  65  can elastically deform such that an end of the second connecting portion  65  on the side of the second contact portion  66  is displaced downward with respect to an end of the second connecting portion  65  on the side of the first contact portion  64 . 
     A tip end of the second contact portion  66  is bent into a J-shape toward the second connecting portion  65 . A convex curved surface of the second contact portion  66  formed by this bending comes into elastic contact with the header contact  4 . 
     In the socket body  5 , ten first contact accommodation grooves  51  are arranged in each of left and right ends of the connection recess  20 . In each of the first contact accommodation grooves  51 , the held portion  62  and the first connecting portion  63  of the socket contact  6  are accommodated one each. The engaged convex portion  64   a  elastically projects from the first contact accommodation groove  51 . 
     A longitudinally long inner convex portion  21  inserted into the inner recess  11  of the header  1  projects from a central portion of a bottom surface of the connection recess  20 , and 20 second contact accommodation grooves  52  are formed in the longitudinal direction in left and right surfaces of the inner convex portion  21 . An inner end in the lateral direction of each of the socket contacts  6  is accommodated in each the second contact accommodation groove  52 . An upper end of the second contact portion  66  elastically projects from the second contact accommodation groove  52 . 
     Contact insertion holes  53  are vertically formed such as to penetrate the bottom surface of the connection recess  20  of the socket body  5  at locations corresponding to contacts. Each contact insertion hole  53  is in communication with the first contact accommodation groove  51  and the second contact accommodation groove  52 . The socket contact  6  is mounted on the socket body  5  through from the held portion  62  to the second contact portion  66  from a portion below the socket body  5  through the contact insertion hole  53 . 
     Press-fit convex portions  62   a  and  64   b  project respectively from the held portion  62  and the first contact portion  64  of the socket contact  6  to both sides of the longitudinal direction which is the widthwise direction in the central portion in the vertical direction. 
     The press-fit convex portions  62   a  and  64   b  are press-fitted into inner surfaces which are opposed in the longitudinal direction of the first contact accommodation groove  51  and with this configuration, the socket contacts  6  are held by the socket body  5 . Longitudinal both surfaces of upper and lower ends of the press-fit convex portions  62   a  and  64   b  are inclined such that the projecting sizes toward the vertical direction are reduced, the inclined surfaces are guided by an inner surface of the first contact accommodation groove  51 , and the socket contacts  6  can easily be introduced toward predetermined positions. 
     An engaging convex portion  41   a  projects outward in the longitudinal direction from the first contact portion  41  of the header contact  4 . When the header  1  is inserted into the connection recess  20 , the engaged convex portion  64   a  of the socket contact  6  rides over the engaging convex portion  41   a . With this configuration, when the engaging convex portion  41   a  rides over the engaged convex portion  64   a , an operator can sense a click feeling, and in a state where the header  1  and the socket  2  are connected to each other, a holding force is generated between the header  1  and the socket  2  by locating the engaged convex portion  64   a  below the engaging convex portion  41   a . An inclined surface whose projecting size is increased upward is provided on a lower end of the engaging convex portion  41   a . When the header  1  is inserted into the connection recess  20 , the engaged convex portion  64   a  slides on the inclined surface, a force required for inserting the header  1  is reduced, and it becomes easy to connect the header  1  and the socket  2  with each other. 
     A surface of the second contact portion  42  oriented inward of the inner recess  11  is provided with a vertically long clearance hole  42   a . The clearance hole  42   a  has V-shaped cross section which intersects with the vertical direction. A central portion of an outer surface of the second contact portion  66  of the socket contact  6  is a curved surface which is projected outward than both ends of the second contact portion  66  in the widthwise direction (longitudinal direction). With this configuration, in a state where the header  1  and the socket  2  are connected to each other, in both front and rear sides of the clearance hole  42   a , the second contact portion  66  of the socket contact  6  comes into elastic contact with an opening edge of the clearance hole  42   a . When a foreign matter is adhered to the second contact portion  42  or  66  of the socket contact  6  or the header contact  4  before the header  1  and the socket  2  are connected to each other, the foreign matter is pushed by the second contact portion  66  of the socket contact  6  when the header  1  is inserted into the connection recess  20 , the foreign matter is dropped into the clearance hole  42   a  and the foreign matter is not nipped between the header contact  4  and the socket contact  6 . That is, the reliability of connection is enhanced by the clearance hole  42   a.    
     In both front and rear ends of the header body  3 , on both left and right sides, a ground contact  7  which is electrically connected to a ground pattern (not shown) that is a conductive pattern provided on the first printed wiring board and electrically connected is held. More specifically, the ground contact  7  includes a contact portion  71  which is exposed on left and right outer surfaces of the header body  3 , a held portion  72  which is formed into U-shape together with the contact portion  71  and which is embedded in the header body  3 , and a terminal  73  which is extended outward in the lateral direction from an upper end of the held portion  42 , which projects laterally along an upper end surface of the header body  3  and which is soldered to the ground pattern. The ground contact  7  is held by the header body  3  by insert molding like the header contact  4 . In the present embodiment, the terminal  73  of the ground contact  7  is shorter than the terminal  43  of the header contact  4 , and other portion of the terminal  73  has the same shape as that of the header contact  4 . That is, the contact portion  71  of the ground contact  7  is provided with an engaging convex portion  71   a  that is the same as the engaging convex portion  41   a  of the first contact portion  41 , and the held portion  72  of the ground contact  7  is provided with a recess  72   a  that is the same as the clearance hole  42   a  of the second contact portion  42  of the header contact  4 . Since the held portion  72  of the ground contact  7  is embedded in the header body  3  and is not exposed unlike the second contact portion  42  of the header contact  4 , the recess  72   a  does not have an effect for enhancing the connection reliability like the clearance hole  42   a , but has an effect for strengthening the holding force of the header body  3  with respect to the ground contact  7  because synthetic resin constituting the header body  3  flows into the recess  72   a . Since the ground contact  7  and the header contact  4  have substantially the same shapes, the ground contact  7  and the header contact  4  can have common steps except a step for forming the terminals  43  and  73  at the time of production and thus, the producing cost can be reduced as compared with a case that the ground contact  7  and the header contact  4  have quite different shapes. 
     The socket  2  according to the present embodiment is provided with the pitch direction shield  81  and the terminal direction shields  82  constituting an annular shell surrounding the connection recess  20  as viewed from the vertical direction. The pitch direction shields  31  and the terminal direction shields  82  are provided two each, the pitch direction shield  81  is formed on both front and rear ends of the socket body  5  one each by insert molding, and the terminal direction shield  82  is held on both left and right sides of the socket body  5  one each. The pitch direction shield  81  and the terminal direction shield  82  are formed by stamping and bending metal plates. 
     More specifically, as shown in  FIGS. 11A ,  11 B,  12 A to  12 E and  13 , the pitch direction shield  81  includes a body portion  81   a  having a thickness direction oriented in the longitudinal direction and an outward surface in the longitudinal direction is exposed from the socket body  5 , first held portions  81   b  which project outward from left and right ends of an upper end of the body portion  81   a  and which are bent inward in the longitudinal direction and embedded in the socket body  5 , connecting portions  81   c  which project from left and right ends of the body portion  81   a  and bent inward in the longitudinal direction, and which have lower surfaces exposed outside of the socket body  5 , second held portions  81   d  which project upward from tip ends of the connecting portions  81   c  and embedded in the socket body  5 , and terminals  81   e  which outwardly projected in the lateral direction from central portions of the connecting portions  81   c  in the longitudinal direction. The terminals  81   e  of the pitch direction shields  81  project outward in the lateral direction than the socket body  5  as viewed from the vertical direction. Since each pitch direction shield  81  is insert molded in the socket body  5 , the mechanical strength of the end of the socket body  5  in its longitudinal direction (pitch direction PD) is enhanced as compared with a case that the pitch direction shield  81  is not insert molded in the socket body  5 . Therefore, the thickness of the end can be reduced and can be made small in size while maintaining the mechanical strength. Further, as compared with a case that the pitch direction shield  81  is held by the socket body  5  by press-fit, it is possible to reduce the variation in position of the terminal  81   e  of the pitch direction shield  81 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 14A ,  14 B and  16 A to  16 E, each terminal direction shield  82  includes the body portion  82   a  held by the socket body  5  such that the thickness direction is oriented in the lateral direction. A lower end of the body portion  82   a  of the terminal direction shield  82  is provided with three press-fit notches  82   b  which are opened downward, leftward and rightward. The press-fit notches  82   b  are arranged in the longitudinal direction. Three press-fit convex portions  54  project outward from locations of the left and right surfaces of the socket body  5  corresponding to the press-fit notches  82   b , the press-fit convex portions  54  are press-fitted to the press-fit notches  82   b , and the terminal direction shields  82  are held by the socket body  5 . With this configuration, as compared with a case that the terminal direction shield  82  has a structure in which the socket body  5  is nipped from inside and outside of the accommodation recess  20 , the shape of the terminal direction shield  82  can be simplified. 
     Each press-fit convex portion  54  includes a press-fit portion  54   a  press-fitted into the press-fit notch  82   b , and flanges  54   b  projecting from front and rear sides from the tip end of the press-fit portion  54   a , and a cross section intersecting with the vertical direction at right angles has a T-shape. Holding convex portions  55  project outward in the lateral direction from left and right sides of front and rear ends of the socket body  5 . The holding convex portions  55  project more than other portions of the socket body  5 . An upwardly opened holding recess  55   a  is provided in an inward surface of the holding convex portion  55  in the longitudinal direction. One of front and rear ends of the terminal direction shield  82  is accommodated in the holding recess  55   a . The terminal direction shield  82  is provided with a flange  54   b  of the press-fit convex portion  54  located outside in the lateral direction. Both ends in the longitudinal direction of the terminal direction shield  82  are accommodated in the holding recess  55   a , and this suppresses displacement of the terminal direction shield  82  in a direction of the longitudinal direction away from the connection recess  20 . 
     The terminal direction shield  82  is provided at its front and rear ends with terminals  82   c . Portions of the terminals  82   c  extending downward from the body portion  82   a  are bent outward in the lateral direction, and the terminals  82   c  project outward in the lateral direction than the socket body  5  as viewed from the vertical direction. The terminal direction shield  82  is also provided at its front and rear ends with contact portions  82   d . Portions of the contact portions  82   d  extending upward from the body portion  82   a  are bent inward in the lateral direction, and the contact portions  82   d  elastically project inward of the connection recess  20 . Notches  82   e  are provided on front and rear sides of the contact portion  82   d  in an upper end of the body portion  82   a  of the terminal direction shield  82 . A vertical size of the notch  82   e  is smaller than other portion thereof. The notch  82   e  may not extend to front and rear ends as shown in  FIG. 14 , or may extend to the front and rear ends as shown in  FIGS. 15A to 15D  (left and right in  FIG. 15A ). Laterally opened insertion grooves  56  are provided in left and right sides of the connection recess  20  in front and rear ends of an upper surface of the socket body  5 . Since the contact portions  82   d  of the terminal direction shields  82  are introduced into the connection recesses  20  through the insertion grooves  56 , the contact portions  82   d  do not project more than the upper surface of the socket body  5 . 
     If the header  1  is inserted into the connection recess  20  of the socket  2 , as shown in  FIG. 16 , the contact portion  82  of the terminal direction shield  82  is brought into contact and conduction with the contact portion  71  of the ground contact  7 . A tip end of each of the contact portions  82  of the terminal direction shield  82  is bent toward the body portion  82   a , and the contact portion  82  is brought into contact and conduction with the contact portion  71  of the ground contact  7  in the convex surface formed by bending. The ground pattern of the first printed wiring board and the ground pattern of the second printed wiring board are electrically connected with each other through the ground contact  7  and the terminal direction shield  82 . Since the contact portion  82  is located on the upper side of the engaging convex portion  71   a  of the ground contact  7 , a coupling force between the header  1  and the socket  2  is generated. With this configuration, as compared with a case that hardware for generating the coupling force is separately provided, the number of parts and the size can be reduced. 
     The terminals  81   e  and  82   c  of the pitch direction shield  81  and the terminal direction shield  82  are soldered to the ground pattern which is a conductive pattern electrically provided on the second printed wiring board and connected to the ground. A distance between mutually close terminal  81   e  of the pitch direction shield  81  and the terminal  82   c  of the terminal direction shield  82  is smaller than a distance between the terminals  61  of the adjacent socket contacts  6 , and it is easy to collectively solder the mutually adjacent terminals  81   e  and  82   c  to the common ground pattern. 
     In the present embodiment, both the pitch direction shield and the terminal direction shield have the terminals which are soldered to the ground pattern. Therefore, as compared with a case that the terminal is connected to the pitch direction shield and the ground through the terminal direction shield like the conventional technique, the connection reliability between the pitch direction shield and the ground can be enhanced. 
     In the present embodiment, in the socket body, the pitch direction shield is an insert molded synthetic article. Thus, as compared with a case that the pitch direction shield is not insert molded in the socket body, the mechanical strength of the end of the socket body in the pitch direction is enhanced and thus, the thickness of the end can be reduced and made small in size while maintaining the mechanical strength. Further, as compared with a case that the pitch direction shield is held by the socket body by press fit, it is possible to reduce the variation in position of the terminal of the pitch direction shield. 
     In the present embodiment, at least one press-fit rib project from each of both side surfaces of the socket body in the terminal direction, each terminal direction shield is formed with the press-fit notch into which the press-fit rib is press-fitted, the press-fit rib is press-fitted into the press-fit notch, and the terminal direction shield is held by the socket body. Hence, the structure that should be provided in the terminal direction shield for holding the terminal direction shield on the socket body can be limited only to the press-fit notch having relatively simple shape. 
     In the present embodiment, both ends of the header in a direction corresponding to the terminal direction are provided with the ground contact which is made of conductive material, which is held by the header body, and which is electrically connected to the ground pattern of the first printed wiring board. Each the terminal direction shield has the contact portion which is made of elastically deformable material, and which comes into elastic contact with the ground contact of the header inserted into the connection recess from a direction intersecting with the insertion/withdrawal direction. Hence, by elastically bringing the contact portion of the terminal direction shield into elastic contact with the ground contact of the header, the ground pattern of the first printed wiring board and the ground pattern of the second printed wiring board can be electrically connected to each other through the ground contact and the terminal direction shield. Since the elastically connecting direction is a direction intersecting with the insertion/withdrawal direction, a coupling force between the header and the socket can be generated. 
     The present invention can be carried out as a connector such as a connector between wiring boards. 
     CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from a Japanese Patent Application No. 2007-226880, filed on Aug. 31, 2007; the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.