DE102022103663A1 - FLOATING CONNECTOR - Google Patents

Abstract

Floating connector comprising a movable-side housing 70, a fixed-side housing 60, signal contacts 80 and power supply contacts 90. Each of the power supply contacts 90 includes a contact portion 93, which is held in the movable-side housing, a held portion 91 held in the fixed-side case 60, a first elastic portion 94a bent downward in a U-shape and having a first end connected to the held portion 91, and a second elastic portion 94b, connecting a lower end of the contact portion to a second end of the first elastic portion 94a. The first elastic portion 94a and the second elastic portion 94b have a plurality of cut portions 95 penetrating them and lined up in parallel to the front-rear direction, and a plurality of divided elastic portions 96 arranged in the front-rear direction. Direction by the plurality of incision portions 95 are separated from each other.

Description

TECHNICAL AREA

The present invention relates to a floating connector used in an electrical connection.

TECHNICAL BACKGROUND

Conventionally, as this type of floating contact, there has been known a floating connector comprising a fixed-side housing fixed on a substrate, a movable-side housing having a mating portion mateable with a mating connector, and a contact held across both the fixed-side housing and the movable-side housing. In order to absorb misalignment between substrates or positional shift of mating connector, the floating connector is configured such that the resiliency of the contact is used to make the movable-side housing displaceable relative to the fixed-side housing (see for example JP 2006 - 40687A ).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

PROBLEMS TO BE SOLVED BY THE INVENTION

A floating connector of such a configuration may have a power contact used in power supply in addition to a signal contact used in signal transmission. Of these contacts, the power supply contact through which a large current flows is formed with a larger width than the signal contact to have a large electric capacity. However, forming the power supply contact with a large width correspondingly decreases spring elasticity, undesirably decreasing durability (metal fatigue resistance) against repeated stress during vibration.

The present invention has been made in view of this problem and has an object to provide a floating connector having a power supply contact which makes it possible to increase durability against repeated stress while ensuring a large electric capacity.

MEANS OF SOLVING THE PROBLEMS

In order to achieve the above object, a floating connector according to the present invention comprises a movable-side housing mateable with a mating connector with an up-down direction as a assembling direction; a fixed-side case that is disposed below the movable-side case and supports the movable-side case; and signal contacts and power supply contacts that are attached across the movable-side case and the fixed-side case and that are lined up with a front-back direction as a line-up direction. Each of the power supply contacts includes: a contact portion held in the movable-side housing, which extends upward and makes contact with a mating contact during assembly with the mating connector, a held portion held in the fixed-side housing is held, a first elastic portion bent downward in a U-shape and having a first end connected to the held portion, and a second elastic portion extending in the right-left direction orthogonal to the insertion direction and the Stringing direction extends and connects a lower end of the contact portion with a second end of the first elastic portion. The first elastic portion and the second elastic portion are configured to have a plurality of cut-in portions penetrating them in their plate thickness direction and lined up in parallel to the front-rear direction, and a plurality of divided elastic portions divided in are separated from each other in the front-rear direction by the plurality of cut-in sections.

It should be noted that in the floating connector according to the present invention, it is preferable that each of the cut portions is formed as a cut including a portion bent from the lower end of the contact portion toward the second elastic portion.

Further, it is preferable that the floating connector according to the present invention further includes a third elastic portion extending in the right-left direction orthogonal to the insertion direction and the lining up direction, and an upper end of the held portion having a first end of the elastic portion, and that in the floating connector according to the present invention, each of the cut portions in the third elastic portion is formed as a continuous cut including a portion bent from the top end of the held portion toward the third elastic portion .

Furthermore, in the floating connector according to the present invention, it is preferable that a length of the first elastic portion in the top-bottom direction is longer than a length of the contact portion in the top-bottom direction.

Also, in the floating connector according to the present invention, it is preferable that an upper end of the first elastic portion projects further upward than an upper end of the contact portion.

ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION

Also, according to the floating connector of the present invention, each of the power supply contacts is formed with a large width, in order to ensure a large electric capacity, by segmenting the elastic portion by notch portions into a plurality of divided elastic portions, the spring elasticity of the elastic portion of the Power supply contact are sufficiently ensured overall. This makes it possible to increase durability against repeated stress (metal fatigue) during vibration, resulting in an improvement in vibration resistance of the connector as a whole.

Further, in the floating connector thus configured, each of the indented portions is formed down to a portion of the second elastic portion that particularly elastically deforms, i.e., a bent portion between the second elastic portion and the contact portion. This makes it possible to increase the flexibility of the bent portion around elastic deformation, bringing about an improvement in movability of the movable-side housing in the insertion direction (up-down direction).

In a suitably configured floating connector, two elastic portions (second elastic portion, third elastic portion) extending in the direction (left-right direction) orthogonal to the insertion direction (top-bottom direction) with the mating connector are provided, and a portion of the third elastic portion that particularly elastically deforms, i.e., a bent portion between the third elastic portion and the held portion. This makes it possible to increase the flexibility of the bent portion around elastic deformation and cause a stress applied in the up-down direction to be distributed to the second elastic portion and the third elastic portion, thus further improving the movability of the movable-side case in the inserting direction (up-down direction).

In an appropriately configured floating connector, the length of the first elastic portion in the up-down direction is greater than the length of the contact portion in the up-down direction. This makes it possible to increase the spring elasticity of the first elastic portion, thus bringing about an improvement in mobility of the first elastic portion.

Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. It should be understood, however, that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given for purposes of illustration only since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.

character list

• 1 ist eine Perspektivansicht einer Steckverbindervorrichtung, die eine Verbinderbuchse (schwimmenden Steckverbinder) gemäß einer Ausführung der vorliegenden Erfindung darstellt.
• 2 ist eine Querschnittsansicht der Steckverbindervorrichtung.
• 3 ist eine Perspektivansicht eines Verbindersteckers der Steckverbindervorrichtung.
• 4 ist eine Unteransicht des Verbindersteckers.
• 5 ist eine Querschnittsansicht entlang Pfeil V-V in 4 (d.h. eine Querschnittsansicht im Schnitt durch die Mitten von steckerseitigen Signalkontakten).
• 6 ist eine Querschnittsansicht entlang Pfeil VI-VI in 4 (d.h. eine Querschnittsansicht im Schnitt durch die Mitten von steckerseitigen Stromversorgungskontakten).
• 7 ist eine Perspektivansicht der Verbinderbuchse.
• 8 ist eine Draufsicht der Verbinderbuchse.
• 9 ist eine Querschnittsansicht entlang Pfeil IX-IX in 8 (d.h. eine Querschnittsansicht im Schnitt durch die Mitten von buchsenseitigen Signalkontakten).
• 10 ist eine Querschnittsansicht entlang Pfeil X-X in 8 (d.h. eine Querschnittsansicht im Schnitt durch die Mitten der buchsenseitigen Stromversorgungskontakte).
• 11 ist eine Perspektivansicht eines Aufreihungszustands solcher buchsenseitiger Signalkontakte und eines solchen buchsenseitigen Stromversorgungskontakts.
• 12 ist eine Perspektivansicht eines solchen buchsenseitigen Signalkontakts.
• 13 ist eine Perspektivansicht eines solchen buchsenseitigen Stromversorgungskontakts.
• 14 zeigt (A) eine Draufsicht eines solchen buchsenseitigen Stromversorgungskontakts und (B) eine Seitenansicht eines solchen buchsenseitigen Stromversorgungskontakts.
• 15 ist eine Querschnittsansicht eines Zustands, in dem der Verbinderstecker über der Verbinderbuchse ausgerichtet ist.
• 16 ist eine Querschnittsansicht eines Zustands, in dem solche steckerseitigen Stromversorgungskontakte mit einem vorstehenden Abschnitt der Verbinderbuchse in Kontakt stehen.
• 17 ist eine Querschnittsansicht eines Zustands, in dem solche steckerseitigen Stromversorgungskontakte und solche buchsenseitigen Stromversorgungskontakte aufeinander gleiten.
• 18 ist eine Querschnittsansicht eines Zustands, in dem der Verbinderstecker und die Verbinderbuchse zusammengesetzt sind.

The present invention will be more fully understood from the detailed description given below and the accompanying drawings, which are given by way of illustration only and are therefore not limitative of the present invention.

• 1 12 is a perspective view of a connector device showing a connector socket (floating connector) according to an embodiment of the present invention.
• 2 Fig. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the connector device.
• 3 Fig. 14 is a perspective view of a connector plug of the connector device.
• 4 Fig. 12 is a bottom view of the connector plug.
• 5 Fig. 12 is a cross-sectional view taken along arrow VV in Fig 4 (ie, a cross-sectional view cut through the centers of connector-side signal contacts).
• 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along arrow VI-VI in 4 (ie, a cross-sectional view cut through the centers of plug-side power supply contacts).
• 7 12 is a perspective view of the connector socket.
• 8th Fig. 12 is a plan view of the connector socket.
• 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along arrow IX-IX in 8th (ie, a cross-sectional view cut through the centers of socket-side signal contacts).
• 10 is a cross-sectional view along arrow XX in 8th (ie, a cross-sectional view cut through the centers of the socket-side power contacts).
• 11 Fig. 14 is a perspective view of an array state of such signal socket-side contacts and such power supply socket-side contact.
• 12 Figure 12 is a perspective view of such a signal socket-side contact.
• 13 Fig. 12 is a perspective view of such a female power supply contact.
• 14 (A) shows a plan view of such a socket-side power supply contact, and (B) shows a side view of such a socket-side power supply contact.
• 15 Fig. 14 is a cross-sectional view of a state where the male connector is aligned over the female connector.
• 16 Fig. 14 is a cross-sectional view of a state where such plug-side power supply contacts are in contact with a protruding portion of the connector socket.
• 17 Fig. 14 is a cross-sectional view of a state where such plug-side power supply contacts and such socket-side power supply contacts are slid on each other.
• 18 Fig. 14 is a cross-sectional view of a state where the plug connector and the socket connector are assembled.

DESCRIPTION OF FINISHES

A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. A connector device 1 having a floating connector (connector socket 50) according to an embodiment of the present invention is disclosed in US Pat 1 until 2 shown. An overall configuration of the connector device 1 will be described with reference to these drawings.

The connector device 1 is composed of a connector plug 10 which is formed on a first substrate B1 (see Fig 2 ) is provided, and a connector socket 50 provided on a second substrate B2 (see FIG 2 ) is provided. The first substrate B1 and the second substrate B2 can be electrically connected to each other by assembling the two connectors 10 and 50 in a direction orthogonal to a surface of each of the substrates B1 and B2. That is, the connector device 1 according to the present embodiment is constructed as a substrate stack connector. It should be noted that spacers S are arranged between the first substrate B1 and the second substrate B2 to keep the distance between the two substrates B1 and B2 at a predetermined distance. In the following description, for the sake of simplicity, front-back, left-right and top-bottom directions are given with respect to that shown in FIGS 1 , 3 and 7 Defined state shown, and as the direction of in the 1 , 3 and 7 With the arrows shown, an insertion direction (height direction) of the connectors 10 and 50 is referred to as the top-bottom direction, a longitudinal direction (width direction) of each of the connectors 10 and 50 is referred to as a front-rear direction, and a transverse direction (thickness direction) of of each of the connectors 10 and 50 is referred to as the right-left direction.

First, a configuration of the connector plug 10 (mating connector) will be described with additional reference to FIG 3 until 6 described. The connector plug 10 is configured to include a plug-side housing 20 fixed on the first substrate B1, a plurality of plug-side signal contacts 30 arranged in an aligned state in two rows along a longitudinal direction (front-rear direction) of the plug-side housing 20 and a plurality of plug-side power supply contacts 40 held in the plug-side housing 20 and provided at both ends in the direction of array of the plurality of plug-side signal contacts 30 . It should be noted that the connector-side signal contacts 30 and the connector-side power supply contacts 40 are hereinafter simply referred to as “connector-side contacts 30 and 40) insofar as no distinction between them is required.

The connector-side housing 20 is formed of an electrically insulating material such as synthetic resin, and is configured to have a housing body 21 formed in the shape of a horizontally long cuboid and a pair of fixing portions 29 formed at front and rear ends of the case body 21 are provided.

The case body 21 includes a base portion 22 extending in the front-rear direction, side walls 23 provided at left and right ends of the base portion 22, and end walls 24 provided at front and rear ends of the base portion 22, and is formed as a whole in the shape of a substantially rectangular box having an open bottom. The housing body 21 has, as a recess therein, a receiving space 25 (ie, a space into which a protruding portion 75 of the female contact 50 is received) which is rectangular in cross section with a downward opening. A lower half portion of the housing body 21 is constructed as a fitting raised portion 26 having such an outer shape that the connector socket 50 can be inserted.

The base portion 22 of the case body 21 includes a plurality of partition portions 22a formed in two rows in the left-right direction and at predetermined row intervals in the front-rear direction, and a coupling portion 22b located in the front-rear -direction and connects the left and right partition portions 22a to each other. Further, the base portion 22 has signal contact receiving spaces 27, which are formed in two rows in the left-right direction and at predetermined row intervals in the front-rear direction, and in which the connector-side signal contacts 30 are held. Further, the base portion 22 has power supply contact accommodating spaces 28, which are arranged on both sides in the front-rear direction of the plurality of signal contact accommodating spaces 27 and are formed in two rows in the left-right direction, and in which the plug-side power supply contacts 40 to be held. Each of the contact receiving spaces 27 and 28 is defined by a space between front and rear partition portions 22a and communicates with the receiving space 25 through its lower portion. The contact receiving spaces 27 and 28 are provided with contact holding grooves 27a and 28a in which the male-side contacts 30 and 40 are press-fitted.

Attached to each of the front and rear attachment portions 29 is an attachment piece 29a formed by bending a thin sheet metal into an L-shape. The fixing piece 29a is soldered to a mounting pattern on the first substrate B1, so that the connector plug 10 is stably fixed on the first substrate B1. Further, a circular cylindrical positioning projection 29b is provided on a lower side of the fixing portion 29 to position the connector plug 10 on the first substrate B1.

The plug-side contacts 30 and 40 are in predetermined shapes shown in FIG 5 and 6 or other drawings is formed by pressing (stamping and bending) a thin and flat sheet of electrically conductive material such as metal. The male-side contacts 30 and 40 are subjected to a predetermined surface treatment (electroplating), thereby covering their surfaces with thin films of gold (Au) or other metals.

Each of the connector-side signal contacts 30 is configured to have a press-fitting portion 31 which is press-fitted into a contact holding groove 27a of the connector-side housing 20, a contact portion 32 which is connected to a lower end of the press-fitting portion 31 and which is substantially in plate thickness direction is elastically displaced, and a conductor portion 33 which is bent from an upper end of the press-fit portion 31 in an L-shape and extends downward. At both ends of the press-fitting portion 31 in the plate width direction, press-fitting projections 31a protruding outward and fitting into inner surfaces of the contact holding groove 27a are formed, and is configured to be press-fitted in the contact holding groove 27a with a safety lock. The contact portion 32 is bent substantially in a zigzag shape and protrudes toward the receiving space 25, and has a curved contact portion 32a that protrudes furthest toward the receiving space 25 and which is constructed as a part that makes contact with a mating signal contact 80 on the socket side. The conductor portion 33 is configured to be electrically connectable to a wiring pattern (signal wiring pattern) formed on the first substrate B1 by soldering.

Each of the plug-side power supply contacts 40 is configured to have a press-fitting portion 41 press-fitted into a contact holding groove 28a of the plug-side housing 20, a contact portion 42 connected to a lower end of the press-fitting portion 41, and substantially in a plate thickness direction is elastically displaced, and a lead portion 43 bent in an L-shape from an upper end of the press-fit portion 41 and extending outward. At both ends in the plate width direction, the press-fitting portion 41 is formed with press-fitting projections 41a that protrude outward and fit into inner surfaces of the contact holding groove 28a, and is configured to be press-fitted in the contact holding groove 28a with a safety lock. The contact portion 42 is formed substantially zigzag curved toward the accommodating space 25 and has a curved contact portion 42a which protrudes furthest toward the accommodating space 25 and which is constructed as a member making contact with a mating socket-side power supply contact 90 . The ladder Section 43 is configured to be electrically connectable to a wiring pattern (power supply wiring pattern) formed on the first substrate B1 by soldering.

Now, a configuration of the connector socket 50 will be additionally described with reference to FIG 7 until 14 described. The connector socket 50 is configured to have a fixed-side housing 60 fixed on the second substrate B2, a movable-side housing 70 relatively displaceably attached to the fixed-side housing 60, a a plurality of socket-side signal contacts 80 provided across the two housings 60 and 70 and held in a state of being aligned in two rows along a longitudinal direction (front-rear direction) of each of the housings 60 and 70, and a plurality of socket-side power supply contacts 90 provided across the two housings 60 and 70 and provided at both ends in the direction of array of the plurality of socket-side signal contacts 80 . It should be noted that the socket-side signal contacts 80 and socket-side power contacts 90 are hereinafter referred to simply as “socket-side contacts 80, 90” insofar as no distinction between them is required.

The fixed-side case 60 is molded by an electrically insulating material such as synthetic resin, and is configured to have a base wall 61 that is in the shape of a substantially rectangular plate facing the second substrate B2 in a superposed manner, right and left left walls 62 provided at left and right ends of the base wall 61; and front and rear walls 63 provided at front and rear ends of the base wall 61. A circular cylindrical positioning projection 61a is provided on the base wall 61 to position the fixed-side case 60 on the second substrate B2. A plurality of contact holding grooves 62a formed in two rows in the left-right direction and at predetermined row intervals in the front-rear direction are formed through the right and left walls 62 in the top-bottom direction. Further, through the right and left walls 62 in the top-bottom direction, a plurality of contact holding grooves 62b are formed, arranged on both sides of the plurality of contact holding grooves 62a in the front-rear direction and in two in the left-right direction Rows are formed. A pair of fixing stays 65 are attached to the front and rear walls 63 to fix the fixed-side case 60 on the second substrate B2 and excessive relative displacement (floating) of the movable-side case 70 with respect to the fixed -Regulate side housing 60.

The movable-side case 70 is molded by an electrically insulating material such as synthetic resin, and includes a body wall 71 facing the base wall 61 of the fixed-side case 60 overlying, protective walls 72 formed at right and left ends of the body wall 71 are provided and bent in an inverted U-shape, and standing walls 73 provided on front and rear walls of the body wall 71, and at its center is defined a fitting recessed portion 74 (a space that accommodates the mating raised portion 26 of the connector plug 10 surrounded by these panels with an upward opening). In the fitting recessed portion 74, a raised protruding portion 75 protruding upward from the body wall 71 is formed. On left and right side surfaces of the protruding portion 75 are formed a plurality of contact holding grooves 75a which are recessed in cross section and are formed at predetermined lining up intervals in the front-rear direction and extend in the top-bottom direction. Further, on right and left side faces of the protruding portion 75, a plurality of contact holding grooves 75b are formed on both sides of the plurality of contact holding grooves 75a in the front-rear direction and are recessed in cross section and extending in the top-bottom direction extend. Further, through the body wall 71 in the top-bottom direction, a plurality of contact holding holes 71a are formed at predetermined lining up intervals in the front-rear direction, and the contact holding holes 71a and the contact holding grooves 75a have such a positional relationship that they are in alignment in the top-bottom direction are related to each other. Similarly, through the body wall 71 in the top-bottom direction, a plurality of contact holding holes 71b located on both sides of the plurality of contact holding holes 71a in the front-rear direction, and the contact holding holes 71b and the contact holding grooves 75b have such Positional relationship that they communicate with each other in alignment in the up-down direction.

The movable-side housing 70 is provided in a floating state above the fixed-side housing 60 with the plurality of socket-side contacts 80, 90 interposed therebetween. Moreover, between a bottom of the movable-side case 70 and a top of the fixed-side case 60, elastic portion accommodating spaces 76 are defined to accommodate elastically deformable portions (ie, elastic portions mentioned below 84 and 94) of the socket-side contacts 80 and 90.

The socket-side contacts 80 and 90 are in predetermined shapes shown in FIGS 11 until 14 or other drawings is formed by pressing (stamping and bending) a thin and flat sheet of electrically conductive material such as metal. The socket-side contacts 80 and 90 are subjected to a predetermined surface treatment (electroplating), thereby covering their surfaces with thin films of gold (Au) or other metals.

Each of the socket-side signal contacts 80 is configured to have a held portion 81 which is press-fitted into a contact holding groove 62a of the fixed-side housing 60 and which extends in the up-down direction, a lead portion 82 attached to a lower end of the held portion 81 is bent in a substantially L-shape and extends outward in the left-right direction, a contact portion 83 which extends substantially vertically upward and is press-fitted into a contact holding hole 71a and a contact holding groove 75a, and an elastic portion 84 which connects an upper end of the held portion 81 to a lower end of the contact portion 83 and is elastically deformable in the top-bottom direction, the right-left direction and the front-back direction.

At both ends of the held portion 81 in the plate width direction, press-fitting projections 81a protruding outward and fitting into inner surfaces of the contact holding groove 62a are formed, and is configured to be press-fitted in the contact holding groove 62a with a safety lock. Similarly, at both ends of the contact portion 83 in the sheet width direction, press-fit projections (sheet width direction press-fit portions) 83a that protrude outward and sit in inner surfaces of the contact holding hole 71a are formed, and it is configured to be press-fitted in the contact holding hole 71a with a safety lock becomes. Further, on a front side of the contact portion 83 (i.e., an outer surface thereof in the left-right direction), a press-fit projection (sheet width direction press-fit portion) 83b is formed, which protrudes outward and is inserted into an inner surface of the contact holding hole 71a to align the contact portion 83. The conductor portion 82 is configured to be electrically connectable to a wiring pattern (signal wiring pattern) formed on the second substrate B2 by soldering.

The elastic portion 84 is an elastically freely deformable portion (freely movable portion) which is fixed to neither the fixed-side case 60 nor the movable-side case 70, and which is positioned between the top of the fixed-side case 60 and the bottom of the movable-side case 70 is movably inserted. The elastic portion 84 includes a first elastic portion 84a bent into an inverted U-shape open downward, a second elastic portion 84b coupling a first end of the first elastic portion 84a to the lower end of the contact portion 83 and turning into extends linearly in the right-left direction, and a third elastic portion 84c which couples a second end of the first elastic portion 84a to an upper end of the held portion 81 and linearly extends in the right-left direction. The first elastic portion 84a is a part that elastically deforms mainly in horizontal directions (i.e., the front-back direction and the left-right direction), and the second elastic portion 84b and the third elastic portion 84c are parts that elastically deform mainly in the vertical direction (top-bottom direction).

Each of the socket-side power supply contacts 90 is configured to have a held portion 91 press-fitted into a contact holding groove 62b of the fixed-side housing 60 and extending in the up-down direction, a lead portion 92 extending from a lower end of the held portion 91 is bent into a substantially L-shape and extends outward in the right-left direction, a contact portion 93 which extends substantially vertically upward and which is press-fitted into a contact holding hole 71b and a contact holding groove 75b, and an elastic portion 94 which connects an upper end of the held portion 91 to a lower end of the contact portion 93 and which is elastically deformable in the top-bottom direction, the right-left direction and the front-back direction. It should be noted that the plate thickness dimension of the power supply contact 90 on the receptacle side is substantially identical to a plate thickness dimension of the signal contact 80 on the receptacle side. Meanwhile, a sheet width dimension of the socket-side power supply contact 90 is larger than a sheet width dimension of the socket-side signal contact 80. By thus ensuring a large cross-sectional area of the socket-side power supply contact 90, a larger current can be passed through the socket-side power supply contact 90 than through the socket-side signal contact 80.

At both ends of the held portion 91 in the plate width direction, press-fit projections 91a protruding outward and fitting into inner surfaces of the contact holding groove 62b are formed, and is configured to be press-fitted in the contact holding groove 62b with a safety lock. Similarly, at both ends of the contact portion 93 in the sheet width direction, press-fit projections (sheet width direction press-fit portions) 93a are formed that protrude outward and fit into inner surfaces of the contact holding hole 71b, and is configured to be press-fitted in the contact holding hole 71b with a safety lock . Further, on a front side of the contact portion 93 (ie, its outer surface in the right-left direction), a press-fit projection (plate thickness direction press-fit portion) 93b is formed, which protrudes outward and fits into an inner surface of the contact holding hole 71b to align the contact portion 93. The lead portion 92 is configured to be electrically connectable to a wiring pattern (power supply wiring pattern) formed on the second substrate B2 by soldering.

The elastic portion 94 is an elastically freely deformable portion (freely movable portion) which is fixed to neither the fixed-side case 60 nor the movable-side case 70, and which is positioned between the top of the fixed-side case 60 and the bottom of the movable-side case 70 is movably inserted. The elastic projection 94 includes a first elastic portion 94a bent into an inverted U-shape open downward, a second elastic portion 94b connecting a first end of the first elastic portion 94a to the lower end of the contact portion 93 and turning into extending linearly in the right-left direction, and a third elastic portion 94c connecting a second end of the first elastic portion 94a to the upper end of the held portion 91 and linearly extending in the right-left direction. The first elastic portion 94a is a part that elastically deforms mainly in horizontal directions (i.e., the front-rear direction and the right-left direction), and the second elastic portion 94b and the third elastic portion 94c are parts that elastically deform mainly in the vertical direction (top-bottom direction).

The elastic portion 94 (first to third elastic portions 94a to 94c) is composed of a plurality of (three in the present embodiment) divided elastic portions 96 divided at equal intervals in the front-rear direction (panel width direction) by a plurality ( in the present embodiment, two) slits 95 are separated from each other, which are lined up in parallel along the front-rear direction (sheet width direction), which is a line-up direction of the female-side contacts 80 and 90 . That is, the elastic portion 94 of each of the socket-side power supply contacts 90 is divided into three elastic portions 96 in the front-rear direction (sheet width direction) by two slits 95, and the three elastic portions 96 connect the held portion 91 to the contact portion 93 The held portion 91, the lead portion 92, and the contact portion 93 of the female-side power supply contact 90 are not divided in the front-rear direction (panel width direction).

Each of the slits 95 penetrates through the socket-side contact 90 in the plate thickness direction of the socket-side contact 90. Further, each of the slits 95 is continuously formed between the upper end of the held portion 91 and the lower end of the contact portion 94 along an axial direction of the socket-side power supply contact 90 and is formed as a notch having a portion (bent portion 97) bent from the lower end of the contact portion 94 to the second elastic portion 94b and a portion (bent portion 98) bent from the upper end of the held portion 91 to is bent toward the third elastic portion 94c.

Each of the elastic sections 96 has a substantially identical shape to the elastic section 84 of each of the socket-side signal contacts 80. Further, a sheet width dimension and a sheet thickness dimension of each of the elastic sections 96 are substantially equal to a sheet width dimension and a sheet thickness dimension of the elastic section 84 of each of the socket-side signal contacts 80. Thus, in the present embodiment, each of the elastic sections 96 and the elastic section 84 of each of the socket-side signal contacts 80 are substantially identical to each other in shape and dimension, and each of the elastic sections 96 and the elastic section 84 are in FIG Spring elasticity to each other essentially identical.

Further, in the present embodiment, a large height of the first elastic portion 94a in the up-down direction is secured, and an upper end of the first elastic portion 94a projects further upward than an upper end of the contact portion 93. That is, if as in FIG 14 (B) 1, a bottom of the second elastic portion 94b is used as a height limit, a height dimension Ha of the first elastic portion 94a is larger than a height dimension sung Hb of the contact portion 93. This makes it possible to further increase the resilience of the first elastic portion 94a, resulting in further improvement in movability of the elastic portion 94 (elastic sub-portions 96) in the front-rear direction and the right-left -Direction entails.

The socket-side contacts 80 and 90 thus configured are fixed to the fixed-side housing 60 through the held portions 81 and 91 at the first ends by press-fitting in the contact holding grooves 62a and 62b, and are fixed to the movable-side housing 70 through the contact portions 83 and 93 at the second ends are press-fitted into the contact holding holes 71a and 71b and the contact holding grooves 75a and 75b. Thereby, the movable-side housing 70 is coupled with the fixed-side housing 60 via the plurality of socket-side contacts 80 and 90 so that the movable-side housing 70 can be rotated in the front-rear direction, the right-left direction and the up-down direction is relatively displaceable (buoyant).

Now, for further understanding of the present embodiment, the functions of the connector device 1 will be additionally described with reference to FIG 15 until 18 described. The following describes the process of connecting the connector plug 10 to the connector socket 50. It should be noted that the 15 until 18 Figure 10 depict cross-sectional views taken through the centers of power supply contacts 40 and 90 without depicting cross-sectional views taken through the centers of signal contacts 30 and 80 (ie, cross-sectional views taken through the centers of signal contacts 30 and 80 are omitted since these cross-sectional views are similar to cross-sectional views in Figure Section through the centers of the power supply contacts 40 and 90 respectively).

First, as in 15 1, in mating the two connectors 10 and 50 together, the male connector 10 and female connector 50 are aligned one on top of the other. That is, the mating raised portion 26 of the connector plug 10 and the mating depressed portion 74 of the connector socket 50 are positioned one on top of the other.

Then causes as in 16 As shown, further assembling the mating mating raised portion 26 of the connector plug 10 with the mating female portion 74 of the connector socket 50 such that the protruding portion 75 of the connector socket 50 is inserted into the receiving space 25 of the connector plug 10. At this time, the contact portions 42 of the plug-side power supply contacts 40 come into contact with a front end of the protruding portion 75 of the movable-side housing 70 and elastically deform outward in the right-left direction. At the same time, the contact portions 32 of the connector-side signal contacts 30 come into contact with the front end of the protruding portion 75 of the movable-side housing 70 and elastically deform outward in the right-left direction (not shown).

Then causes as in 17 As shown, further assembling the mating mating raised portion 26 of the connector plug 10 with the mating depressed portion 74 of the connector socket 50 that the contact portions 42 of the plug-side power contacts 40 make contact with the contact portions 93 of the socket-side power contacts 90 so that the arcuate contact portions 42a of the plug-side power contacts 40 slide on the contact portions 93 of the socket-side power supply contacts 90 in an elastically pressed state. Further, the contact portions 32 of the plug-side signal contacts 30 make contact with the contact portions 83 of the socket-side signal contacts 80 so that the curved contact portions 32a of the plug-side signal contacts 30 slide on the contact portions 83 of the socket-side signal contacts 80 in an elastically pressed state (not shown).

Once beyond that, as in 18 shown, by further mating the mating mating raised portion 26 of the connector plug 10 with the female connector 74 of the connector socket 50, a predetermined seating condition (for example, a condition in which according to 2 the two substrates are placed at a predetermined distance by the spacers S placed between the two substrates) is achieved, the positions of the two connectors 10 and 50 relative to each other are determined so that the contact state between the plug-side power supply contacts 40 and the socket-side power supply contacts 90 is maintained and the contact state between the plug-side signal contacts 30 and the socket-side signal contacts 80 is maintained. Incidentally, the plug-side power supply contacts 40 and the socket-side power supply contacts 90 make elastic contact with an appropriate contact force, and the plug-side signal contacts 30 and the socket-side signal contacts 80 make elastic contact with each other with an appropriate contact force, thereby electrically connecting the two connectors 10 and 50 to each other be connected, allowing the output and reception of electrical energy and the transmission of signals between two substrates.

Even if, in the state where the two connectors 10 and 50 are fitted, the fitting of the male connector 10 and the female connector 50 in the front-rear direction, the right-left direction or the up-down direction with respect to FIG a normal position is positionally displaced, the elastic portions 84 and 94 of the female-side contacts 80 and 90 follow this displacement for elastic deformation in the front-rear direction, the right-left direction or the up-down direction, so that the Movable-side housing 70 is relatively displaced with respect to fixed-side housing 60 . This makes it possible to absorb the positional shift while maintaining the state of current contact between the plug-side contacts 30 and 40 and the socket-side contacts 80 and 90 . At this time, as mentioned above in the present embodiment, the elastic portion 94 of each of the socket-side power supply contacts 90 is divided into a plurality of divided elastic portions 96 by slits 95 so that the sheet width dimension of each of the divided elastic portions 96 is equal to the sheet width dimension of the elastic portion 84 of each of the socket-side signal contacts 80 is. This ensures a spring elasticity approximately equal to that of the elastic portion 84 of each of the signal socket-side contacts 80, thereby making the floating characteristics of the power supply socket-side contacts 90 and the signal socket-side contacts 80 uniform.

A supplementary explanation will now be given on a case where the fitting position of the two connectors 10 and 50 is positionally shifted in the up-down direction. In the present embodiment, for better floating characteristic of the female connector 50 in the up-down direction, the spring force in the up-down direction of the elastic portion 94 (mainly the second elastic portion 94b and the third elastic portion 94c) of each of the socket-side power supply contacts 90 is set smaller than the contact force between the contact portions of the power supply contacts 40 and 90, and is the spring force in the up-down direction of the elastic portion 84 (mainly the second elastic portion 84b and the third elastic portion 84c) of each of the socket-side Signal contacts 80 are set to be smaller than the contact force between the contact portions of the signal contacts 30 and 80. Therefore, for example, if a load in the pressing direction (up-down direction) is applied to the assembled two connectors 10 and 50, the elastic absorb Sections 84 and 94 of female-side contacts 80 and 90 undergo the positional displacement by elastic deformation in the up-down direction before the contact portions of the power supply contacts 40 and 90 or the contact portions of the signal contacts 30 and 80 are relatively displaced (slide) from each other in the up-down direction, thereby the position of contact between the contact portions of the power supply contacts 40 and 90 or the contact portions of the signal contacts 30 and 80 is maintained in a normal position. Meanwhile, if the elastic portions 84 and 94 of the socket-side contacts 80 and 90 have elastically deformed in the up-down direction to the extreme limit, the position of the connector plug 10 and the connector socket 50 can be made lower until a front end of the raised portion 26 rests on a bottom of the fitting recessed portion 74 because a predetermined clearance (gap) is provided in the up-down direction between the front end of the fitting raised portion 26 and the bottom of the fitting recessed portion 74 . In this case, the contact positions between the contact portions of the power supply contacts 40 and 90 and the contact position between the contact portions of the signal contacts 30 and 80 are positionally shifted in the top-bottom direction from normal positions. However, even if the contact portions of the power supply contacts 40 and 90 or the contact portions of the signal contacts 30 and 80 are relatively displaced from each other in the up-down direction, the power supply contacts 40 and 90 or the signal contacts 30 and 80 remain conductive with each other because the contact portions 84 and 94 of the socket-side contacts 80 and 90 have effective contact lengths corresponding to the amount of clearance mentioned above with respect to the contact portions 32 and 42 of the plug-side contacts 30 and 40.

Even if, according to the present embodiment, each of the socket-side power supply contacts 90 is designed with a greater width in order to ensure a large electrical capacitance, the resilience of the elastic section 94 of the socket-side power supply contact 90 can be increased overall by segmenting the elastic section 94 with slots 95 into a plurality of divided elastic portions 96 can be sufficiently secured. This makes it possible to increase durability against repeated stress (metal fatigue) during vibration, thus bringing about improvement in vibration resistance of the connector as a whole.

Further, in the present embodiment, each of the slits 95 is formed as a slit down to a portion of the second elastic portion 94b that particularly elastically deforms, ie, a bent portion 97 between the second elastic portion 94b and the contact portion 93. This makes it possible to increase the flexibility of the bent portion 97 by elastic deformation, which improves the movability of the movable-side case 70 in the insertion direction (up-down direction). brings.

Further, in the present embodiment, there are two elastic portions (second elastic portion 94b, third elastic portion 94c) extending in the direction (right-left direction) orthogonal to the insertion direction (top-bottom direction) of the two connectors 10 and 50 , are provided, and a portion of the third elastic portion 94c that particularly elastically deforms, i.e., a bent portion 98 between the third elastic portion 94c and the held portion 91. This makes it possible to increase the flexibility of the bent portion 98 by elastic deformation increase and cause a stress acting in the up-down direction to be distributed to the second elastic portion 94b and the third elastic portion 94c, thus further improving the movability of the movable-side housing 70 in the insertion direction ( top-bottom direction) entails.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and appropriate improvements can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

The foregoing embodiment has been described by taking a stacked connection connector device as an example, which makes an electrical connection between two substrates (first substrate, second substrate) arranged in parallel to each other. However, this configuration is not intended to impose any limitation. The present embodiment can also be applied to a vertical connection connector device that makes electrical connection between two substrates placed at right angles to each other, a horizontal connection connector device that makes electrical connection between two substrates placed on the same plane, or other connector devices .

In the above embodiment, the mating connector has been described taking a substrate-mounted connector as an example. However, this configuration is not intended to impose any limitation. For example, various connector types such as a wire-mount connector are applicable.

From the invention thus far described, it will be clear that it can be varied in numerous ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be apparent to those skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.

There is thus disclosed a floating connector comprising a movable side housing 70, a fixed side housing 60, signal contacts 80 and power supply contacts 90. Each of the power supply contacts 90 includes a contact portion 93 retained in the movable side housing. a held portion 91 held in the fixed-side case 60, a first elastic portion 94a bent downward in a U-shape and having a first end connected to the held portion 91, and a second elastic portion 94b connecting a lower end of the contact portion to a second end of the first elastic portion 94a. The first elastic portion 94a and the second elastic portion 94b have a plurality of incision portions 95 penetrating them and lined up in parallel to the front-rear direction, and a plurality of divided elastic portions 96 arranged in the front-rear direction. Direction by the plurality of incision portions 95 are separated from each other.

Reference List

1

connector device

10

connector plug (matching connector)

20

plug-side housing

25

recording room

26

raised pass section

30

plug-side contact section

40

plug-side power supply contact (matching contact)

50

Connector Socket (Floating Connector)

60

Fixed-side housing

70

Movable side housing

74

deepened pass section

75

preceding section

80

socket-side signal contact (signal contact)

90

socket-side power supply contact (power supply contact)

91

held section

93

contact section

94

elastic section

94a

first elastic section

94b

second elastic section

94c

third elastic section

95

Slit (Incision Section)

96

split elastic section

QUOTES INCLUDED IN DESCRIPTION

This list of documents cited by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Patent Literature Cited

• JP 2006 [0002]
• JP 40687 A [0002]

Claims (5)

Floating connector comprising: a movable-side case mateable with a mating connector with an up-down direction as a assembling direction; a fixed-side case that is disposed below the movable-side case and supports the movable-side case; and Signal contacts and power supply contacts that are fitted across the movable-side case and the fixed-side case and that are lined up with a front-rear direction as a line-up direction, wherein each of the power supply pins contains: a contact portion which is held in the movable-side housing, which extends upward and which makes contact with a mating contact during assembly with the mating connector, a held portion held in the fixed-side case, a first elastic portion bent downward in a U-shape and having a first end connected to the held portion, and a second elastic portion extending in the right-left direction orthogonal to the inserting direction and the lining up direction and connecting a lower end of the contact portion to a second end of the first elastic portion, and the first elastic portion and the second elastic portion are configured to have a plurality of cut-in portions penetrating them in their plate thickness direction and lined up in parallel to the front-rear direction, and a plurality of divided elastic portions divided in are separated from each other in the front-rear direction by the plurality of cut-in portions. Floating connector after claim 1 , wherein each of the incision portions is formed as an incision including a portion bent from the lower end of the contact portion toward the second elastic portion. Floating connector after claim 1 or 2 , further comprising a third elastic portion extending in the right-left direction orthogonal to the inserting direction and the stringing direction and connecting an upper end of the held portion to a first end of the elastic portion, each of the incision portions in the third elastic portion is formed as a continuous cut including a portion bent from the upper end of the held portion toward the third elastic portion. Floating connector according to one of Claims 1 until 3 , wherein a length of the first elastic portion in the top-bottom direction is longer than a length of the contact portion in the top-bottom direction. Floating connector after claim 4 , wherein an upper end of the first elastic portion projects further upward than an upper end of the contact portion.

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