Patent Description:
In recent years, attention has been drawn to so-called smart clothes that can obtain user's biological data such as the heart rate and the body temperature only by being worn by the user. Such a smart cloth has an electrode disposed at a measurement site, and when a wearable device serving as a measurement device is electrically connected to the electrode, biological data can be transmitted to the wearable device.

The electrode and the wearable device can be interconnected by, for instance, use of a connector connected to a conductor drawn from the electrode.

As a connector of this type, for example, <CIT> discloses a connector shown in <FIG>. This connector includes a housing <NUM> and a base member <NUM> that are separately disposed on opposite sides of a flexible substrate <NUM> to sandwich the flexible substrate <NUM>. A tubular portion 4A of a contact <NUM> is passed through a contact through-hole 2A of the housing <NUM>, and a flange 4B of the contact <NUM> is sandwiched between the housing <NUM> and a conductor 1A exposed on a front surface of the flexible substrate <NUM>.

In this state, by pushing the base member <NUM> toward the housing <NUM>, as shown in <FIG>, a projection 3A of the base member <NUM> is inserted into a projection accommodating portion 4C of the contact <NUM> with the flexible substrate <NUM> being sandwiched therebetween, and an inner surface of the projection accommodating portion 4C makes contact with the conductor 1A with a predetermined contact force, whereby the contact <NUM> is electrically connected to the conductor 1A.

In addition, as shown in <FIG>, the housing <NUM> and the base member <NUM> are fixed to each other by press-fitting a housing fixing post 3B, which is formed to project on the base member <NUM>, into a post accommodating portion 2B of the housing <NUM>.

When a wearable device is fitted with the connector disclosed in <CIT><CIT>, the wearable device can be connected to an electrode formed of a conductor.

However, when the conductor 1A is exposed on the rear surface of the flexible substrate <NUM>, the connector of <CIT> is useless for electrically connecting the flexible conductor 1A to the contact <NUM>, disadvantageously.

<CIT> relates to a device with an arrangement for making contact between a flexible piece of material provided with at least one electrically conductive functional structure and a control unit operating the functional structure, wherein at least one contact element is associated with the functional structure of the flexible piece of material and at least one contact element corresponding to the contact element of the flexible piece of material is associated with the control unit.

The present invention has been made to solve the foregoing problem and aims at providing a connector that enables to make an electrical connection of a contact to a conductor of a connection object regardless of whether the conductor is exposed on the front surface or the rear surface of the connection object.

A connector according to the present invention is defined by claim <NUM>.

<FIG> shows a connector <NUM> according to Embodiment <NUM>. The connector <NUM> is used as, for example, a garment-side connector for fitting a wearable device, and has a housing <NUM> made of an insulating material. In the housing <NUM>, four plug contacts <NUM> are retained, and a reinforcement sheet <NUM> and a sheet type conductive member <NUM> are retained by the housing <NUM> while being superposed on each other. The sheet type conductive member <NUM> constitutes a connection object that is connected to the contact <NUM>.

The four plug contacts <NUM> are disposed to project perpendicularly to the sheet type conductive member <NUM> in two lines parallel to each other.

For convenience, the reinforcement sheet <NUM> and the sheet type conductive member <NUM> are defined as extending along an XY plane, the direction in which the four plug contacts <NUM> are aligned is referred to as "Y direction," and the direction in which the four plug contacts <NUM> project is referred to as "+Z direction. " The Z direction is a fitting direction in which the connector <NUM> is fitted to a counter connector.

<FIG> shows an exploded perspective view of the connector <NUM>. The connector <NUM> includes a top insulator <NUM> and a bottom insulator <NUM>, and these top and bottom insulators <NUM> and <NUM> constitute the housing <NUM>.

The four plug contacts <NUM> are retained by the top insulator <NUM>, the reinforcement sheet <NUM> is disposed a rear surface on the -Z direction side of the top insulator <NUM>, and the sheet type conductive member <NUM> is disposed on the -Z direction side of the reinforcement sheet <NUM>. Further, four inner contacts <NUM> are disposed on the -Z direction side of the sheet type conductive member <NUM>, and the bottom insulator <NUM> is disposed on the -Z direction side of the inner contacts <NUM>. The four inner contacts <NUM> separately correspond to the four plug contacts <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, the top insulator <NUM> includes a recessed portion 16A opening in the +Z direction, and four contact through-holes 16B formed within the recessed portion 16A. The recessed portion 16A constitutes a counter connector accommodating portion in which part of a counter connector (not shown) is to be accommodated, and the four contact through-holes 16B separately correspond to the four plug contacts <NUM>. In addition, on a surface facing in the -Z direction of the top insulator <NUM>, a plurality of bosses 16C are formed to project in the -Z direction.

The four plug contacts <NUM> are each made of a conductive material such as metal, and are to be connected to corresponding contacts of a counter connector (not shown) when part of the counter connector is accommodated in the recessed portion 16A of the top insulator <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, the plug contact <NUM> has a tubular portion 13A of cylindrical shape extending along a fitting axis C in the Z direction, and a flange 13B extending from a -Z directional end portion of the tubular portion 13A along an XY plane.

As shown in <FIG>, the tubular portion 13A is provided in its interior with a recessed portion 13C opening in the -Z direction, and the recessed portion 13C is provided in its inside with a receiving portion 13D formed of a dent annularly extending in an XY plane along an inner surface of the recessed portion 13C.

It should be noted that the fitting axis C is an axis passing the center of the tubular portion 13A and extending in the fitting direction between the connector <NUM> and a counter connector.

While the tubular portion 13A has a cylindrical shape, the cross-sectional shape thereof is not limited to a circular shape, and the tubular portion 13A may have various cross-sectional shapes such as an elliptical shape and a polygonal shape as long as the tubular portion 13A is provided in its interior with the recessed portion 13C.

All the four plug contacts <NUM> may be each used as a terminal for transmitting an electric signal.

As shown in <FIG>, the bottom insulator <NUM> includes a flat plate portion 17A, and the flat plate portion 17A is provided with four circular recessed portions 17B opening in the +Z direction. The four recessed portions 17B separately correspond to the four plug contacts <NUM>. The four recessed portions 17B are separately provided with four projections 17C projecting from center parts of the recessed portions 17B in the +Z direction.

In addition, the flat plate portion 17A is provided with a plurality of through-holes 17D separately corresponding to the plurality of bosses 16C of the top insulator <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, the projection 17C formed in the recessed portion 17B of the bottom insulator <NUM> has a quadrangular prism shape extending in the Z direction along the fitting axis C of the plug contact <NUM> disposed to correspond to the recessed portion 17B, and a retaining groove 17E crossing the projection 17C in the Y direction is formed at a +Z directional end portion of the projection 17C.

As shown in <FIG>, the inner contact <NUM> is formed of a single bent metal sheet having conductivity, and has a retaining portion 18A, a spring portion 18B connected to a -Z directional end portion of the retaining portion 18A, and a connecting portion 18C connected to a -Z directional end portion of the spring portion 18B. The retaining portion 18A and the spring portion 18B are inserted into the recessed portion 13C of the corresponding plug contact <NUM> when the connector <NUM> is assembled.

The retaining portion 18A has, in a YZ plane, a pair of hook portions 18D separately disposed on opposite sides of the fitting axis C of the corresponding plug contact <NUM>. The pair of hook portions 18D have hook shapes projecting separately in the +Y direction and the -Y direction and facing in the -Z direction, and are disposed to be elastically displaceable in the Y direction orthogonal to a sheet thickness direction of a part of the metal sheet forming the hook portions 18D. It should be noted that in the state where no external force is applied to the pair of hook portions 18D, a distance between a +Y directional end portion and a -Y directional end portion of the pair of hook portions 18D is set to be slightly larger than the diameter of the recessed portion 13C of the plug contact <NUM>.

The spring portion 18B is formed by a pair of band-like portions 18E extending in parallel to each other with a distance therebetween in the Y direction, extends in the Z direction along the fitting axis C while being bent in the X direction, and joins the connecting portion 18C to the retaining portion 18A in an elastically displaceable manner in the Z direction.

The connecting portion 18C has a substantially circular flat plate shape, and a rectangular cutout 18F for receiving the projection 17C of the bottom insulator <NUM> is formed at a center part of the connecting portion 18C.

In addition, the inner contact <NUM> has a beam portion <NUM> extending in the Y direction between the retaining portion 18A and the spring portion 18B. The beam portion <NUM> is disposed on the same position in an XY plane as the cutout 18F of the connecting portion 18C and joins -Z directional end portions of the pair of hook portions 18D to each other.

The inner contact <NUM> configured as above can be easily produced by, for example, cutting out a metal sheet into a predetermined shape and then bending the cut metal sheet.

The sheet type conductive member <NUM> has a multilayer structure in which a plurality of wiring layers each formed from a conductor and a plurality of insulating layers are laminated.

As shown in <FIG>, four contact arrangement regions 15A for separately arranging the four plug contacts <NUM> are defined on a front surface, facing in the +Z direction, of the sheet type conductive member <NUM>. At a center part of each of the contact arrangement regions 15A, a circular opening portion 15B is formed to penetrate the sheet type conductive member <NUM> in the Z direction, and around the opening portion 15B, a wiring layer 15C is exposed toward the +Z direction so as to surround the opening portion 15B. In the region excluding the four contact arrangement regions 15A, the insulating layer 15D is exposed.

Since the opening portions 15B penetrate the sheet type conductive member <NUM> in the Z direction, as shown in <FIG>, the opening portions 15B can be seen also on a rear surface, facing in the -Z direction, of the sheet type conductive member <NUM> at positions corresponding to the four contact arrangement regions 15A.

On the rear surface facing in the -Z direction of the sheet type conductive member <NUM>, around each of the opening portions 15B formed at the positions corresponding to the four contact arrangement regions 15A, a wiring layer 15E is exposed toward the -Z direction so as to surround the opening portion 15B, and in the region excluding the opening portions 15B, an insulating layer 15F is exposed.

In addition, as shown in <FIG>, a plurality of through-holes <NUM> separately corresponding to the plurality of bosses 16C of the top insulator <NUM> are formed at a peripheral portion of the sheet type conductive member <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, the reinforcement sheet <NUM> is provided to reinforce a mounting object such as a garment (not shown) on which the connector <NUM> is to be mounted, is made of an insulating material, and has an opening portion 14A formed in the center thereof. Further, a plurality of cutouts 14B separately corresponding to the plurality of bosses 16C of the top insulator <NUM> are formed along the periphery of the opening portion 14A of the reinforcement sheet <NUM>.

The four contact through-holes 16B of the top insulator <NUM>, the four plug contacts <NUM>, the four contact arrangement regions 15A of the sheet type conductive member <NUM>, the four inner contacts <NUM>, and the four recessed portions 17B of the bottom insulator <NUM> are arranged so as to align with each other in the Z direction.

In addition, the bosses 16C of the top insulator <NUM>, the cutouts 14B of the reinforcement sheet <NUM>, the through-holes <NUM> of the sheet type conductive member <NUM>, and the through-holes 17D of the bottom insulator <NUM> are arranged so as to align with each other in the Z direction.

When the connector <NUM> is assembled, first, as shown in <FIG>, the inner contact <NUM> is temporarily retained by the projection 17C of the corresponding recessed portion 17B of the bottom insulator <NUM>. At this time, the inner contact <NUM> is pushed down from the +Z direction toward the -Z direction while the projection 17C is inserted into the cutout 18F of the connecting portion 18C of the inner contact <NUM>, and the beam portion <NUM> is inserted into the retaining groove 17E of the projection 17C, whereby the inner contact <NUM> can be temporarily retained.

Likewise, each of the inner contacts <NUM> is temporarily retained by the projection 17C of the corresponding one of the four recessed portions 17B of the bottom insulator <NUM>.

Next, the bosses 16C of the top insulator <NUM> are separately inserted into the cutouts 14B of the reinforcement sheet <NUM>. At this time, the four contact through-holes 16B of the top insulator <NUM> are situated within the opening portion 14A of the reinforcement sheet <NUM>.

Further, the tubular portion 13A of each of the plug contacts <NUM> is inserted from the -Z direction into the corresponding one of the four contact through-holes 16B of the top insulator <NUM>, and the bottom insulator <NUM> is pressed against the top insulator <NUM> in the +Z direction with the sheet type conductive member <NUM> being sandwiched therebetween.

At this time, the retaining portion 18A and the spring portion 18B of the inner contact <NUM> temporarily retained by the projection 17C of the bottom insulator <NUM> are inserted into the recessed portion 13C of the corresponding plug contact <NUM> through the opening portion 15B of the sheet type conductive member <NUM>, the flange 13B of the plug contact <NUM> is situated on the corresponding contact arrangement region 15A of the sheet type conductive member <NUM>, and the sheet type conductive member <NUM> is sandwiched between a front surface on the +Z direction side of the connecting portion 18C of the inner contact <NUM> and a rear surface on the -Z direction side of the flange 13B of the plug contact <NUM>.

In addition, by pressing the bottom insulator <NUM> against the top insulator <NUM>, the bosses 16C of the top insulator <NUM> sequentially penetrate the cutouts 14B of the reinforcement sheet <NUM>, the through-holes <NUM> of the sheet type conductive member <NUM>, and the through-holes 17D of the bottom insulator <NUM>. Thereafter, as shown in <FIG>, the top insulator <NUM> and the bottom insulator <NUM> are fixed to each other through heat deformation of a tip of each of the plurality of bosses 16C projecting on the -Z direction side of the bottom insulator <NUM>. Thus, the assembling operation of the connector <NUM> is completed.

As shown in <FIG>, when the beam portion <NUM> of the inner contact <NUM> is pushed up in the +Z direction by the projection 17C of the bottom insulator <NUM>, the pair of hook portions 18D constituting the retaining portion 18A of the inner contact <NUM> move in the +Z direction within the recessed portion 13C of the plug contact <NUM> while being elastically displaced in the Y direction, and are received by the receiving portion 13D formed inside the recessed portion 13C. Consequently, the retaining portion 18A of the inner contact <NUM> is retained in the recessed portion 13C of the plug contact <NUM>, and the pair of hook portions 18D are pressed against the inner surface of the recessed portion 13C of the plug contact <NUM>, whereby the inner contact <NUM> is electrically connected to the plug contact <NUM>.

It should be noted that instead of pushing up the beam portion <NUM> of the inner contact <NUM> by the projection 17C of the bottom insulator <NUM>, the beam portion <NUM> of the inner contact <NUM> may be pushed up in the +Z direction using a jig (not shown). In this case, the bottom insulator <NUM> may have no projection 17C.

At this time, an elastic force acting in the +Z direction is applied to the connecting portion 18C by the spring portion 18B of the inner contact <NUM>, which spring portion 18B joins the retaining portion 18A and the connecting portion 18C together. Since the sheet type conductive member <NUM> is sandwiched between the flange 13B of the plug contact <NUM> and the connecting portion 18C of the inner contact <NUM>, a front surface on the +Z direction side of the sheet type conductive member <NUM> is pressed against the rear surface of the flange 13B of the plug contact <NUM>, while a rear surface on the -Z direction side of the sheet type conductive member <NUM> is pressed against the front surface of the connecting portion 18C of the inner contact <NUM>.

Here, as shown in <FIG>, in the contact arrangement regions 15A on the front surface of the sheet type conductive member <NUM>, the wiring layer 15C is exposed around each of the opening portions 15B, and on the rear surface of the sheet type conductive member <NUM>, the wiring layer 15E is exposed around each of the opening portions 15B disposed at the positions corresponding to the contact arrangement regions 15A.

Therefore, the wiring layer 15C on the front surface of the sheet type conductive member <NUM> makes contact with the rear surface of the flange 13B of the plug contact <NUM> with predetermined contact pressure, while the wiring layer 15E on the rear surface of the sheet type conductive member <NUM> makes contact with the front surface of the connecting portion 18C of the inner contact <NUM> with predetermined contact pressure.

Therefore, the wiring layer 15C exposed on the front surface of the sheet type conductive member <NUM> is electrically connected to the plug contact <NUM> directly, while the wiring layer 15E exposed on the rear surface of the sheet type conductive member <NUM> is electrically connected to the plug contact <NUM> via the inner contact <NUM>. That is, both the wiring layers 15C and 15E are connected to the plug contact <NUM>.

Thus, with the connector <NUM>, by using the inner contact <NUM>, both the wiring layer 15C and the wiring layer 15E formed of the conductors disposed on the front surface side and the rear surface side of the sheet type conductive member <NUM> can be electrically connected to the single plug contact <NUM>.

Therefore, when the connector <NUM> is connected to a sheet type conductive member having a conductor exposed only on its front surface side, the plug contact <NUM> can be electrically connected to the conductor on the front surface side of the sheet type conductive member. On the other hand, when the connector <NUM> is connected to a sheet type conductive member having a conductor exposed only on its rear surface side, the plug contact <NUM> can be electrically connected to the conductor on the rear surface side of the sheet type conductive member.

Further, when the connector <NUM> is connected to a sheet type conductive member having conductors separately exposed on its front surface side and rear surface side like the sheet type conductive member <NUM> in Embodiment <NUM> above, the plug contact <NUM> can be electrically connected to both the conductors on the front surface side and the rear surface side of the sheet type conductive member. For example, with a connection object being a sheet type conductive member having a multilayer structure, in which conductors constituting shield layers are separately exposed on the front surface side and the rear surface side thereof, and a conductor constituting a signal wiring layer is disposed between these shield layers such that the conductor is insulated from both the shield layers, a shield effect with respect to the signal wiring layer is exhibited when the plug contact <NUM> connected to the shield layers on the front surface side and the rear surface side is connected to a ground potential, and it is possible to carry out highly accurate signal transmission with reduced influence of external disturbances caused by, for example, electromagnetic waves.

It should be noted that the flange 13B of each of the plug contacts <NUM> is sandwiched between the top insulator <NUM> and the bottom insulator <NUM> so that the plug contacts <NUM> are fixed to the top insulator <NUM> and the bottom insulator <NUM>.

<FIG> shows an inner contact <NUM> used in a connector according to a modification of Embodiment <NUM>.

As with the inner contact <NUM> in Embodiment <NUM>, the inner contact <NUM> is formed of a single bent metal sheet having conductivity and includes a retaining portion 19A, a spring portion 19B connected to a -Z directional end portion of the retaining portion 19A, and a connecting portion 19C connected to a -Z directional end portion of the spring portion 19B.

The retaining portion 19A has a pair of hook portions 19D projecting separately in the +X direction and -X direction. These hook portions 19D are formed by curving the metal sheet forming the inner contact <NUM> in the X direction that is a sheet thickness direction of the metal sheet, and are disposed to be elastically displaceable in the sheet thickness direction of a part of the metal sheet forming the hook portions 19D.

As with the inner contact <NUM> in Embodiment <NUM>, the spring portion 19B joins the connecting portion 19C to the retaining portion 19A in an elastically displaceable manner in the Z direction, and the connecting portion 19C has a substantially circular flat plate shape.

Even when the inner contact <NUM> shown in <FIG> is used in place of the inner contact <NUM> in the connector <NUM> of Embodiment <NUM>, both the wiring layer 15C and the wiring layer 15E respectively disposed on the front surface side and the rear surface side of the sheet type conductive member <NUM> can be also electrically connected to the plug contact <NUM>.

Since the pair of hook portions 19D are disposed to be elastically displaceable in the sheet thickness direction of the part of the metal sheet forming the hook portions 19D, the inner contact <NUM> is configured to be elastically displaced more easily than the pair of hook portions 18D of the inner contact <NUM> in Embodiment <NUM>, and the connector <NUM> can be assembled with small assembling force.

<FIG> shows a connector <NUM> according to Embodiment <NUM>. As with the connector <NUM> of Embodiment <NUM>, the connector <NUM> includes a housing <NUM> made of an insulating material, and in the housing <NUM>, the four plug contacts <NUM> are retained, and the reinforcement sheet <NUM> and the sheet type conductive member <NUM> are retained by the housing <NUM> while being superposed on each other.

The plug contacts <NUM>, the reinforcement sheet <NUM>, and the sheet type conductive member <NUM> are the same as those used in Embodiment <NUM>.

<FIG> shows an exploded perspective view of the connector <NUM>. The connector <NUM> includes the top insulator <NUM> used in Embodiment <NUM>, and a bottom insulator <NUM>, and these top and bottom insulators <NUM> and <NUM> constitute the housing <NUM>.

Four inner contacts <NUM> are disposed on the -Z direction side of the sheet type conductive member <NUM>, and the bottom insulator <NUM> is disposed on the -Z direction side of the inner contacts <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, the bottom insulator <NUM> includes a flat plate portion 27A, and the flat plate portion 27A is provided with four circular recessed portions 27B opening in the +Z direction. The four recessed portions 27B are separately provided with four projections 27C projecting in the +Z direction from center parts of the recessed portions 27B.

In addition, the flat plate portion 27A is provided with a plurality of through-holes 27D separately corresponding to the plurality of bosses 16C of the top insulator <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, the projection 27C formed in the recessed portion 27B of the bottom insulator <NUM> has a large diameter portion <NUM> disposed on the -Z direction side, and a small diameter portion 27E joined to the large diameter portion <NUM> on the +Z direction side of the large diameter portion <NUM>. The large diameter portion <NUM> and the small diameter portion 27E both have a columnar shape with the center thereof coinciding with the fitting axis C of the plug contact <NUM> disposed to correspond to the recessed portion 27B, and the small diameter portion 27E has a diameter smaller than that of the large diameter portion <NUM>.

In addition, a retaining groove 27F extending across the small diameter portion 27E in the X direction is formed at an upper surface, facing in the +Z direction, of the small diameter portion 27E. The retaining groove 27F is configured to temporarily retain the inner contact <NUM> and extends not only in the upper surface of the small diameter portion 27E but also in side parts of the small diameter portion 27E and the large diameter portion <NUM>. A first cam surface <NUM> extending along a YZ plane is formed, by a bottom portion of the retaining grooves 27F, at each of opposite side portions in the X direction of the large diameter portion <NUM>, and a second cam surface <NUM> extending along a YZ plane and situated closer to the fitting axis C than the first cam surface <NUM> is formed at each of opposite side portions in the X direction of the small diameter portion 27E. Further, a step portion 27J inclined to face the +Z direction is formed at a boundary portion between the first cam surface <NUM> and the second cam surface <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, the inner contact <NUM> is formed of a single bent metal sheet of band shape and having conductivity and includes a retaining portion 28A having a pair of hook portions 28D, a pair of spring portions 28B separately connected to the pair of hook portions 28D, and a pair of connecting portions 28C separately connected to the pair of spring portions 28B.

The retaining portion 28A extends from a joint portion 28E situated on the fitting axis C while being bent at opposite sides in the X direction, and the pair of hook portions 28D are formed at opposite ends in the X direction of the retaining portion 28A. The pair of hook portions 28D are separately disposed on opposite sides across the fitting axis C of the corresponding plug contact <NUM> and are formed by cutting parts of the metal sheet forming the inner contact <NUM> and lifting the parts.

The pair of spring portions 28B are separately disposed on the opposite sides across the fitting axis C such that the spring portions 28B face each other in the X direction, and each of the pair of spring portions 28B has an extending portion 28F extending in the -Z direction from the corresponding hook portion 28D, and an arm portion <NUM> being bent at a -Z directional end portion of the extending portion 28F and extending in the X direction to be separated away from the fitting axis C. A pair of bent portions <NUM> projecting toward the fitting axis C to approach each other are separately formed at intermediate parts in the Z direction of the extending portions 28F of the pair of spring portions 28B.

The pair of connecting portions 28C are separately disposed at tips of the arm portions <NUM> of the pair of spring portions 28B.

The four contact through-holes 16B of the top insulator <NUM>, the four plug contacts <NUM>, the four contact arrangement regions 15A of the sheet type conductive member <NUM>, the four inner contacts <NUM>, and the four recessed portions 27B of the bottom insulator <NUM> are arranged so as to align with each other in the Z direction.

In addition, the bosses 16C of the top insulator <NUM>, the cutouts 14B of the reinforcement sheet <NUM>, the through-holes <NUM> of the sheet type conductive member <NUM>, and the through-holes 27D of the bottom insulator <NUM> are arranged so as to align with each other in the Z direction.

When the connector <NUM> is assembled, first, as shown in <FIG>, the inner contact <NUM> is temporarily retained by the projection 27C of the corresponding recessed portion 27B of the bottom insulator <NUM>. Specifically, the joint portion 28E is inserted into the retaining groove 27F of the projection 27C, and the inner contact <NUM> is temporarily retained with respect to the projection 27C such that the bent portions <NUM> of the pair of spring portions 28B make contact with the second cam surfaces <NUM> and the step portions 27J of the projection 27C.

Similarly, the inner contacts <NUM> are temporarily retained separately by the projections 27C of the four recessed portions 27B of the bottom insulator <NUM>.

Next, the bosses 16C of the top insulator <NUM> are separately inserted into the cutouts 14B of the reinforcement sheet <NUM>, the tubular portion 13A of each of the plug contacts <NUM> is inserted from the -Z direction into the corresponding one of the four contact through-holes 16B of the top insulator <NUM>, and the bottom insulator <NUM> is pressed toward the top insulator <NUM> in the +Z direction with the sheet type conductive member <NUM> being sandwiched therebetween.

At this time, as shown in <FIG>, the retaining portion 28A of the inner contact <NUM> temporarily retained by the projection 27C of the bottom insulator <NUM> is inserted into the recessed portion 13C of the corresponding plug contact <NUM> through the opening portion 15B of the sheet type conductive member <NUM>, and the pair of hook portions 28D disposed at the retaining portion 28A move in the +Z direction within the recessed portion 13C of the plug contact <NUM> while being elastically displaced in the Y direction and is received by the receiving portion 13D formed inside the recessed portion 13C. Consequently, the retaining portion 28A of the inner contact <NUM> is retained in the recessed portion 13C of the plug contact <NUM>, and the pair of hook portions 28D are pressed against the inner surface of the recessed portion 13C of the plug contact <NUM>, whereby the inner contact <NUM> is electrically connected to the plug contact <NUM>.

In addition, the flange 13B of the plug contact <NUM> is situated on the corresponding contact arrangement region 15A of the sheet type conductive member <NUM>, and the sheet type conductive member <NUM> is sandwiched between front surfaces on the +Z direction side of the pair of connecting portions 28C of the inner contact <NUM> and a rear surface on the -Z direction side of the flange 13B of the plug contact <NUM>.

However, as shown in <FIG>, a front surface on the +Z direction side of the flat plate portion 27A of the bottom insulator <NUM> does not make contact with the rear surface on the -Z direction side of the sheet type conductive member <NUM>, and a gap is still formed between these surfaces.

In this state, the bottom insulator <NUM> is further pressed toward the top insulator <NUM> in the +Z direction until the flat plate portion 27A of the bottom insulator <NUM> makes contact with the sheet type conductive member <NUM>. Consequently, the bosses 16C of the top insulator <NUM> sequentially penetrate the cutouts 14B of the reinforcement sheet <NUM>, the through-holes <NUM> of the sheet type conductive member <NUM>, and the through-holes 27D of the bottom insulator <NUM>. Thereafter, the top insulator <NUM> and the bottom insulator <NUM> are fixed to each other through heat deformation of a tip of each of the plurality of bosses 16C projecting on the -Z direction side of the bottom insulator <NUM>. Thus, the assembling operation of the connector <NUM> is completed.

By pressing the bottom insulator <NUM> toward the top insulator <NUM> until the flat plate portion 27A of the bottom insulator <NUM> makes contact with the sheet type conductive member <NUM>, as shown in <FIG>, the projection 27C of the bottom insulator <NUM> moves in the +Z direction relatively to the inner contact <NUM>, and the bent portions <NUM> of the pair of spring portions 28B of the inner contact <NUM> go over the step portions 27J of the projection 27C and make contact with the first cam surfaces <NUM>.

Since the first cam surfaces <NUM> are disposed to be separated farther from the fitting axis C than the second cam surfaces <NUM> are, the pair of spring portions 28B of the inner contact <NUM> are elastically displaced in the X direction such that the gap therebetween is widened, whereby a pressing force acting in the +Z direction is applied to the connecting portions 28C separately disposed at the tips of the spring portions 28B.

Since the sheet type conductive member <NUM> is sandwiched between the flange 13B of the plug contact <NUM> and the connecting portions 28C of the inner contact <NUM>, the front surface on the +Z direction side of the sheet type conductive member <NUM> is pressed against the rear surface of the flange 13B of the plug contact <NUM>, while the rear surface on the -Z direction side of the sheet type conductive member <NUM> is pressed against the front surfaces of the connecting portions 28C of the inner contact <NUM>. Thus, the wiring layer 15C on the front surface of the sheet type conductive member <NUM> makes contact with the rear surface of the flange 13B of the plug contact <NUM> with predetermined contact pressure, while the wiring layer 15E on the rear surface of the sheet type conductive member <NUM> makes contact with the front surfaces of the connecting portions 28C of the inner contact <NUM> with predetermined contact pressure.

Thus, also with the connector <NUM> of Embodiment <NUM>, both the wiring layer 15C and the wiring layer 15E formed of the conductor disposed on the front surface side and the conductor disposed on the rear surface side of the sheet type conductive member <NUM> can be electrically connected to the single plug contact <NUM>.

In Embodiment <NUM> above, after the inner contact <NUM> is temporarily retained by the projection 27C of the bottom insulator <NUM>, the bottom insulator <NUM> is pressed toward the top insulator <NUM> with the sheet type conductive member <NUM> being sandwiched therebetween, but the invention is not limited thereto. The connector <NUM> can also be assembled by, for example, first inserting the inner contact <NUM> into the recessed portion 13C of the plug contact <NUM> with the sheet type conductive member <NUM> being sandwiched therebetween, and then pressing the bottom insulator <NUM> toward the top insulator <NUM>.

In this case, the projection 27C of the bottom insulator <NUM> may have only the first cam surfaces <NUM> and no second cam surfaces <NUM> and step portions 27J. However, when the projection <NUM> having not only the first cam surfaces <NUM> but also the second cam surfaces <NUM> and the step portions 27J is used as in Embodiment <NUM>, the first cam surfaces <NUM> are easily inserted between the pair of bent portions <NUM> of the inner contact <NUM>, and the connector <NUM> can be easily assembled.

As shown in <FIG>, the bottom insulator <NUM> includes a flat plate portion 37A, and the flat plate portion 37A is provided with four circular recessed portions 37B opening in the +Z direction. The four recessed portions 37B are separately provided with four projections 37C projecting in the +Z direction from center parts of the recessed portions 37B.

In addition, the flat plate portion 37A is provided with a plurality of through-holes 37D separately corresponding to the plurality of bosses 16C of the top insulator <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, the projection 37C formed in the recessed portion 37B of the bottom insulator <NUM> is configured to temporarily retain the inner contact <NUM> and includes a columnar portion 37E extending in the Z direction, and a plurality of temporarily retaining pieces 37F formed to project on an outer periphery of the columnar portion 37E.

As shown in <FIG>, the inner contact <NUM> is made of a conductive material such as metal and includes a retaining portion 38A, a plurality of spring portions 38B connected to a -Z directional end portion of the retaining portion 38A, and a plurality of connecting portions 38C connected to tips of the spring portions 38B.

The retaining portion 38A includes an elastically deformable insertion portion 38D of tubular shape through which the fitting axis C of the corresponding plug contact <NUM> passes. The insertion portion 38D is configured to be inserted into the recessed portion 13C of the plug contact <NUM> and has a cylindrical portion 38E of cylindrical shape extending along the fitting axis C in the Z direction, and a reduced diameter portion 38F connected to a +Z directional end portion of the cylindrical portion 38E and extending to be tapered toward the +Z direction along the fitting axis C. A -Z directional end portion of the reduced diameter portion 38F connected to the cylindrical portion 38E is provided with a hook portion <NUM> overhanging in a radial direction along an XY plane farther away from the cylindrical portion 38E.

While the cylindrical portion 38E of the insertion portion 38D has a cylindrical shape, the shape thereof is not limited thereto, and tubular shapes having various cross-sectional shapes such as an elliptical shape and a polygonal shape may be adopted.

In addition, the insertion portion 38D is provided with a single slit <NUM> extending in the Z direction to extend over the cylindrical portion 38E and the reduced diameter portion 38F and penetrating the conductive material, forming the inner contact <NUM>, in the thickness direction of the conductive material.

It should be noted that the diameter of the hook portion <NUM> is set to be slightly larger than an inside diameter of the recessed portion 13C of the plug contact <NUM>. Therefore, when the insertion portion 38D of the inner contact <NUM> is inserted into the recessed portion 13C of the plug contact <NUM>, the hook portion <NUM> comes into contact with the inner surface of the recessed portion 13C, and the insertion portion 38D is elastically deformed in an XY plane such that the width of the slit <NUM> decreases.

The plurality of spring portions 38B extend from a -Z directional end portion of the cylindrical portion 38E while being curved in the same rotation direction along an outer periphery of the cylindrical portion 38E, with the fitting axis C being the center of the rotation. Each spring portion 38B is formed of a plate spring that extends along an XY plane and is elastically deformable in the Z direction, and the connecting portion 38C is disposed at a tip of the spring portion 38B. Because the spring portion 38B elastically deforms, the connecting portion 38C is configured to be elastically deformable in the Z direction.

The four contact through-holes 16B of the top insulator <NUM>, the four plug contacts <NUM>, the four contact arrangement regions 15A of the sheet type conductive member <NUM>, the four inner contacts <NUM>, and the four recessed portions 37B of the bottom insulator <NUM> are arranged so as to align with each other in the Z direction.

In addition, the bosses 16C of the top insulator <NUM>, the cutouts 14B of the reinforcement sheet <NUM>, the through-holes <NUM> of the sheet type conductive member <NUM>, and the through-holes 37D of the bottom insulator <NUM> are arranged so as to align with each other in the Z direction.

When the connector <NUM> is assembled, first, as shown in <FIG>, the inner contact <NUM> is temporarily retained by the projection 37C of the corresponding recessed portion 37B of the bottom insulator <NUM>. Specifically, the inner contact <NUM> can be temporarily retained by the projection 37C by putting the cylindrical portion 38E of the inner contact <NUM> over the projection 37C. At this time, the plurality of spring portions 38B of the inner contact <NUM> are accommodated in the recessed portion 37B of the bottom insulator <NUM>.

Similarly, the inner contacts <NUM> are temporarily retained separately by the projections 37C of the four recessed portions 37B of the bottom insulator <NUM>.

Next, the bosses 16C of the top insulator <NUM> are separately inserted into the cutouts 14B of the reinforcement sheet <NUM>, the tubular portion 13A of each of the plug contacts <NUM> is inserted from the -Z direction into the corresponding one of the four contact through-holes 16B of the top insulator <NUM>, and as shown in <FIG>, the bottom insulator <NUM> is pressed toward the top insulator <NUM> in the +Z direction with the sheet type conductive member <NUM> being sandwiched therebetween.

At this time, as shown in <FIG>, the insertion portion 38D of the inner contact <NUM> temporarily retained by the projection 37C of the bottom insulator <NUM> is inserted into the recessed portion 13C of the corresponding plug contact <NUM> through the opening portion 15B of the sheet type conductive member <NUM>. Since the diameter of the hook portion <NUM> disposed in the insertion portion 38D is set to be slightly larger than the inner diameter of the recessed portion 13C of the plug contact <NUM>, the hook portion <NUM> comes into contact with the inner surface of the recessed portion 13C, whereby the insertion portion 38D moves in the +Z direction within the recessed portion 13C while being elastically deformed such that the width of the slit <NUM> shown in <FIG> decreases.

When the insertion portion 38D is further inserted into the recessed portion 13C in this manner, as shown in <FIG>, the receiving portion 13D formed inside the recessed portion 13C receives the hook portion <NUM>. Consequently, the insertion portion 38D of the inner contact <NUM> is retained in the recessed portion 13C of the plug contact <NUM>, and the hook portion <NUM> of the insertion portion 38D is pressed against the inner surface of the recessed portion 13C of the plug contact <NUM>, whereby the inner contact <NUM> is electrically connected to the plug contact <NUM>.

In addition, by pressing the bottom insulator <NUM> against the top insulator <NUM>, the bosses 16C of the top insulator <NUM> sequentially penetrate the cutouts 14B of the reinforcement sheet <NUM>, the through-holes <NUM> of the sheet type conductive member <NUM>, and the through-holes 37D of the bottom insulator <NUM>. Thereafter, the top insulator <NUM> and the bottom insulator <NUM> are fixed to each other through heat deformation of a tip of each of the plurality of bosses 16C projecting on the -Z direction side of the bottom insulator <NUM>. Thus, the assembling operation of the connector <NUM> is completed.

When the bottom insulator <NUM> is pressed toward the top insulator <NUM> until the receiving portion 13D of the recessed portion 13C receives the hook portion <NUM> of the insertion portion 38D, as shown in <FIG>, the sheet type conductive member <NUM> is sandwiched between front surfaces on the +Z direction side of the connecting portions 38C separately disposed at tips of the spring portions 38B of the inner contact <NUM> and the rear surface on the -Z direction side of the flange 13B of the plug contact <NUM>.

Therefore, the spring portions 38B of the inner contact <NUM> elastically deform in the Z direction, and a pressing force acting in the +Z direction is applied to the connecting portions 38C separately disposed at the tips of the spring portions 38B. Consequently, the front surface on the +Z direction side of the sheet type conductive member <NUM> is pressed against the rear surface of the flange 13B of the plug contact <NUM>, while the rear surface on the -Z direction side of the sheet type conductive member <NUM> is pressed against the front surfaces of the connecting portions 38C of the inner contact <NUM>. As a result, the wiring layer 15C on the front surface of the sheet type conductive member <NUM> makes contact with the rear surface of the flange 13B of the plug contact <NUM> with predetermined contact pressure, while the wiring layer 15E on the rear surface of the sheet type conductive member <NUM> makes contact with the front surfaces of the connecting portions 38C of the inner contact <NUM> with predetermined contact pressure.

Thus, also with the connector <NUM> of Embodiment <NUM>, both the wiring layer 15C and the wiring layer 15E respectively formed of the conductor disposed on the front surface side and the conductor disposed on the rear surface side of the sheet type conductive member <NUM> can be electrically connected to the single plug contact <NUM>.

While each of the connecting portions 18C, 19C of the inner contacts <NUM>, <NUM> in Embodiment <NUM> has a flat plate shape as shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, a spring portion similar to the spring portions 38B of the inner contact <NUM> in Embodiment <NUM> shown in <FIG> may be added to these connecting portions 18C and 19C.

While the plug contact <NUM> arranged in the contact arrangement region 15A of the sheet type conductive member <NUM> is connected to both the wiring layer 15C and the wiring layer 15E respectively exposed on the front surface side and the rear surface side of the sheet type conductive member <NUM> in Embodiments <NUM> to <NUM> above, only the wiring layer 15E exposed on the rear surface side of the sheet type conductive member <NUM> may be connected to the plug contact <NUM> arranged in the contact arrangement region 15A, for instance.

While the sheet type conductive member <NUM> used in Embodiments <NUM> to <NUM> above has a multilayer structure, the invention is not limited thereto, and it suffices if the sheet type conductive member has a conductor exposed on at least one surface thereof.

In addition, while the two layers of the conductors, i.e., the wiring layer 15C and the wiring layer 15E of the sheet type conductive member <NUM>, are connected to the single plug contact <NUM> in Embodiments <NUM> to <NUM> above, the invention is not limited thereto, and three or more layers of conductors may be connected to the single plug contact <NUM>.

In addition, while the connector <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> according to Embodiments <NUM> to <NUM> above has the four plug contacts <NUM>, the invention is not limited to this number of the plug contacts <NUM>, and it suffices if the connector includes at least a single plug contact <NUM> to be electrically connected to a conductor exposed on at least one surface of the sheet type conductive member <NUM>.

Claim 1:
A connector comprising:
a plug contact (<NUM>) having conductivity, the plug contact including a tubular portion (13A) extending along a fitting axis (C) in a Z direction with a recessed portion (13C) formed therein, and a flange (13B) extending from an end portion of the tubular portion in a direction orthogonal to the fitting axis; and
an inner contact (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) having conductivity, part of the inner contact being inserted in the recessed portion,
whereby the inner contact includes a retaining portion (18A, 19A, 28A, 38A) retained in the recessed portion and making contact with an inner surface of the recessed portion to be electrically connected to the plug contact, a connecting portion (18C, 19C, 28C, 38C) extending in the direction orthogonal to the fitting axis and facing a rear surface of the flange, and a spring portion (18B, 19B, 28B, 38B) joining the connecting portion to the retaining portion so as to be elastically displaceable along the fitting axis, and
wherein part of a connection object (<NUM>) of sheet shape having a conductor (15C, 15E) exposed on at least one surface of the connection object is sandwiched between the rear surface of the flange of the plug contact and the connecting portion of the inner contact in a direction along the fitting axis, the rear surface of the flange makes contact with a front surface of the connection object, the connecting portion makes contact with a rear surface of the connection object and an elastic pressing force acting in the +Z direction is applied to the connecting portion (18C, 19C, 28C, 38C) by the spring portion (18B, 19B, 28B, 38B) of the inner contact (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) such that the front surface on the +Z direction side of the sheet-shaped connection object <NUM> is pressed against the rear surface of the flange 13B of the plug contact <NUM>, while a rear surface on the -Z direction side of the sheet-shaped connection object <NUM> is pressed against the front surface of the connecting portion (18C, 19C, 28C, 38C) of the inner contact (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>), whereby the plug contact (<NUM>) is electrically connected to the conductor (15C) directly when the conductor is exposed on the front surface of the connection object, and the plug contact (<NUM>) is electrically connected to the conductor (15E) via the inner contact (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) when the conductor is exposed on the rear surface of the connection object.