JP2003178834A - Card edge connector - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To safeguard a circuit board against electrostatic discharge damage or the like. <P>SOLUTION: A card edge connector 10 has a substrate side housing 11 in which the end brim part of the circuit board 20 is provided by being protruded into a hood part 12 and has a terminal side housing 40 which is enabled to be fitted into the hood part 12 and which houses a terminal fitting 50. In the substrate side housing 11, an opening part 13 side of the hood part 12 is capped by a substrate protecting member 30 positioned at a protection position under non-fitting condition, and this substrate protecting member 30 is displaced to the refuge position of the deep side of the hood part 12 accompanied with the fitting action of both housings 11, 40, and the terminal fitting 50 of the terminal side housing 40 is electrically connected with and contacted with the terminal part 21 of the exposed circuit board 20. Therefore, the circuit board 20 is safeguarded under the non-fitting condition, because it is prevented that the hood part 12 is contaminated with foreign matters, and that an operator accidentally touches the circuit board 20 with the finger. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a card edge connector.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A connector of this type includes a board-side housing in which an edge portion of a circuit board is projected in a hood portion, and a terminal-side housing having terminal fittings, and the terminal-side housing is fitted to the hood portion. As a result, the terminal fitting is brought into conductive contact with the terminal portion on the circuit board. An example of such a card edge connector is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-142128.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional connector, even though the circuit board is arranged in the hood portion in the non-fitted state of both housings, the terminal portion is exposed, so that the foreign matter is not present. Might mix into the hood and come into contact with the terminal, or if an operator touches the terminal with his / her finger, the circuit may be damaged by static electricity. The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a card edge connector capable of protecting a circuit board.

[0004]

A card edge connector according to the invention of claim 1 for solving the above-mentioned problems is a board-side housing provided with an end edge portion of a circuit board projecting into a hood portion, and the hood. And a terminal side housing that accommodates a terminal fitting that can be fitted to the terminal part and that can be brought into contact with the terminal part provided on the circuit board in the fitted state. Is provided with a board protection member that is displaceable from a protection position that covers the opening of the hood portion to a retracted position that exposes the terminal portion of the circuit board in accordance with the fitting operation with the terminal side housing. It has a feature in that it exists.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the substrate protection member is provided between the two housings in association with the operation of separating the two housings from the fitted state to the non-fitted state. It is characterized in that a return means for returning from the retracted position to the protected position is provided.

[0006]

According to the first aspect of the invention, in the board-side housing, the opening side of the hood portion is covered by the board-protecting member that is in the protection position in the non-fitting state with the terminal-side housing, and both housings are covered. The terminal fitting of the terminal-side housing is brought into conductive contact with the exposed terminal portion of the circuit board due to the displacement of the board protection member to the retracted position as a result of the fitting operation. Therefore, in the non-fitted state, it is possible to prevent foreign matter from entering the hood portion and an operator from accidentally touching the circuit board with a finger, so that the circuit board is protected.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the board protecting member is returned to the protection position as the two housings are separated from the fitting state to the non-fitting state, and the circuit board is protected again. Therefore, the workability is good.

[0008]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. As shown in FIG. 1, the card edge connector 10 of the present embodiment is configured to include a board-side housing 11 and a terminal-side housing 40 that can be fitted and removed from each other. In the following description of both housings 11 and 40, the side where the other side and the other side are fitted together is the front side.

The board-side housing 11 is made of a synthetic resin material and, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, has a horizontally long rectangular hood portion 12 having an opening 13 at the front end. An end edge portion of the circuit board 20 projects forward from the back wall 14 of the hood portion 12. A board protection member 30 for protecting the circuit board 20 is mounted in the hood portion 12.

The substrate protection member 30 is formed of a synthetic resin material into a rectangular flat plate shape, has a posture parallel to the inner wall 14 in the hood portion 12, and has a slight clearance with the inner wall of the hood portion 12. Be accommodated. An insertion hole 31 that allows the circuit board 20 to be inserted in the front-rear direction is formed in the center of the board protection member 30, and the board protection member 30 is located inside the hood portion 12 from the protection position on the opening 13 side to the back wall 1.
It can be displaced along the front-rear direction up to the retracted position on the 4th side. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 6, the board protection member 30 in the protection position covers the opening 13 side of the hood portion 12, and at this time, the tip of the circuit board 20 has the board protection member 30.
It is in a position retracted further back than. On both the left and right inner side walls of the hood portion 12, there are projections 15 on the inner side of the opening portion immediately behind the opening portion 13.
The upper and lower pairs are provided, so that the substrate protection member 30 at the protection position is locked in the retaining state. Further, a state in which a temporary locking protrusion 16 is provided so as to be slightly separated from each of the retaining protrusions 15 and the substrate protecting member 30 at the protection position is sandwiched between the temporary retaining protrusion 16 and the retaining protrusion 15. It is supposed to be held in. The retaining projection 15 has a relatively tall surface and a front and rear surface that stands up, whereas the temporary locking projection 1
6 is shorter than the stopper protrusion 15 and has a mountain shape having slopes in the front and rear, and is configured to be able to exert a relatively small locking force with respect to the substrate protection member 30. Further, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the board protection member 30 in the retracted position is in contact with the back wall 14, and at this time, the circuit board 20 is inserted into the insertion hole 31 and is provided on both upper and lower surfaces on the tip side. The formed terminal portion 21 (see FIG. 2) is exposed in front of the substrate protection member 30.

On the other hand, the terminal side housing 40 is made of a synthetic resin material, and as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4 to 6, has a horizontally long box shape, and its front end side portion has a hood portion 12.
It is possible to fit inside. Inside the terminal-side housing 40, a plurality of cavities 41 that open in the front-rear direction are vertically arranged.
It is divided into stages and is formed so as to be parallel in the left-right direction in each stage. The terminal fittings 50 connected to the ends of the electric wires 51 are housed in the respective cavities 41 in a state in which they are prevented from coming off. On the front end surface of the terminal side housing 40,
An insertion space 42 opened in the shape of a horizontally elongated slit is formed at an intermediate height position between the upper and lower cavities 41, and the circuit board 20 can be inserted therein. Insert space 42
Includes a terminal fitting 50 housed in the upper and lower cavities 41.
A part of the elastic contact piece 52 has a protrusion so that when the circuit board 20 is inserted, the elastic contact piece 52 elastically contacts the terminal portions 21 on the upper and lower surfaces of the circuit board 20. Further, as shown in FIG. 5, a seesaw-shaped lock arm 43 is formed in the central upper portion of the terminal side housing 40, and a lock protrusion 44 provided at the front end thereof protrudes into the insertion space 42, and Circuit board 2
A lock hole 22 in which the lock protrusion 44 can be locked is formed at 0.

Further, a pair of upper and lower engaging pieces 45 (corresponding to "returning means" of the present invention) are provided on the front end surface of the terminal side housing 40 on both left and right side edges. Locking piece 45
Has a projection 45A that extends forward and can be bent and deformed in the left-right direction, and has a tip end portion that projects outward in the left-right direction. The projection 45A has a mountain shape having front and rear slopes. On the other hand, the board protection member 30 is provided with through holes 32 through which the respective locking pieces 45 can enter. Further, the rear wall 14 of the hood portion 12 is formed with a recessed escape hole 17 into which the tip of each locking piece 45 can enter.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described. The board protection member 30 is pushed into the hood portion 12 through the opening 13 when the board protection member 30 is assembled to the board-side housing 11.
Then, the retaining projections 15 and the side walls of the hood portion 12 are slightly bent and deformed, and the substrate protection member 30 passes over the retaining projections 15, and the retaining projections 15 and the side walls are restored and deformed, so that the substrate protection member 30 temporarily becomes the retaining projections 15. It is sandwiched between the locking projections 16 and held in the protective position. As a result, in the board-side housing 11 in the non-fitted state, the opening 13 side of the hood portion 12 is covered with the board protection member 30 (see FIGS. 1 and 6).

When the two housings 11 and 40 are fitted together, the terminal-side housing 40 is directly opposed to the hood portion 12 and brought close to them. Then, first, the projection 45A of the locking piece 45 hits the hole edge portion of the through hole 32 in the substrate protection member 30, and as shown in FIG. 7, the locking piece 45 is bent and deformed inward in the left-right direction, and the through hole 32 is deformed. Enter inside. When the projection 45A passes over the through hole 32, the locking piece 45 is restored and deformed, and the projection 45A is locked to the hole edge portion of the through hole 32.

When the fitting is advanced, the front end surface of the terminal-side housing 40 abuts against the board protecting member 30 and the board protecting member 30 is pressed inward. Then, the temporary locking projections 16 and the side walls of the hood portion 12 are slightly bent and deformed, the board protection member 30 gets over the temporary locking projections 16, and is displaced to the inner side of the hood portion 12 together with the terminal side housing 40 ( (See FIG. 8).

When the terminal side housing 40 reaches the proper fitting state, as shown in FIG. 9 and FIG.
0 reaches the retracted position in contact with the back wall 14, and the tip of the locking piece 45 enters the escape hole 17. Further, the circuit board 20 is inserted into the insertion space 42 of the terminal side housing 40, and the elastic contact pieces 52 of each terminal fitting 50 elastically contact the terminal portions 21 of the circuit board 20. Further, the lock protrusion 44 of the lock arm 43 elastically engages with the lock hole 22 of the circuit board 20, whereby the two housings 11 and 40 are locked so that they cannot be separated from each other.

When the housings 11 and 40 are released from the fitted state to the non-fitted state, first, the lock arm 43 is bent to release the lock between the lock protrusion 44 and the lock hole 22, and the housing on the terminal side. 40 is pulled out from the hood portion 12. At this time, since the projection 45A of the locking piece 45 is locked to the board protection member 30, the board protection member 30 is displaced forward from the retracted position along with the terminal-side housing 40. When the board protection member 30 hits the temporary locking projection 16, the temporary locking projection 16 and the side wall of the hood portion 12 are slightly bent and deformed, and the board protection member 30 rides over the temporary locking projection 16 and hits the retaining projection 15. . Both housings 11, 4
When 0 is further separated, the retaining projection 15 exerts a relatively large locking force with respect to the substrate protection member 30, so that the locking piece 45 is bent and deformed as shown in FIG.
The locking between A and the hole edge of the through hole 32 is released, and the locking piece 4
5 escapes from the through hole 32 to the outside, and the terminal side housing 40
Is released. At this time, the substrate protection member 30 is held at the protection position inside the hood portion 12.

As described above, according to this embodiment, in the board-side housing 11, the opening 13 side of the hood portion 12 is covered by the board-protecting member 30 which is in the protection position when the terminal-side housing 40 is not fitted. Then, the terminal fittings 50 of the terminal-side housing 40 are brought into conductive contact with the terminal portions 21 of the circuit board 20 exposed by the displacement of the board protection member 30 to the retracted position as the housings 11 and 40 are fitted together.
Therefore, in the non-fitted state, it is possible to prevent foreign matter from entering the hood portion 12 and an operator from accidentally touching the circuit board 20 with a finger, so that the circuit board 20 is protected.

In addition, the board protecting member 3 is accompanied with the operation of separating the housings 11 and 40 from the fitted state to the non-fitted state.
Since 0 returns to the protection position and the circuit board 20 is protected again, workability is good.

The technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and the following technical scope is also included in the technical scope of the present invention. (1) In the above embodiment, the return means causes the board protection member to return from the retracted position to the protection position in accordance with the operation of separating the two housings from the fitted state. Instead of providing the means, the substrate protection member may be returned to the protection position by an operation different from the detaching operation of both housings.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view showing a non-fitted state of a board-side housing and a terminal-side housing in the present embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state before the substrate side housing and the substrate protection member are assembled.

FIG. 3 is a front view of a board-side housing.

FIG. 4 is a front view of the terminal side housing.

FIG. 5 is a side sectional view of a terminal side housing.

FIG. 6 is a plan sectional view showing a non-fitted state of the board-side housing and the terminal-side housing.

FIG. 7 is a plan cross-sectional view showing a state in which the locking piece is bent in the process of fitting both housings together.

FIG. 8 is a plan cross-sectional view showing a state in which the board protection member is pressed against the terminal side housing in the process of the fitting operation of both housings.

FIG. 9 is a plan sectional view showing a fitted state of the board-side housing and the terminal-side housing.

FIG. 10 is a side sectional view showing a fitted state of the board-side housing and the terminal-side housing.

FIG. 11 is a plan sectional view showing a state in which the locking pieces are bent in the process of separating both housings.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 ... Card edge connector 11 ... Board side housing 12 ... Hood section 20 ... Circuit board 21 ... Terminal part 30 ... Board protection member 40 ... Terminal side housing 45 ... Locking piece (returning means) 50 ... Terminal fittings

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A board-side housing having an edge portion of a circuit board projecting into a hood portion, and a terminal portion provided on the circuit board in a fitted state capable of being fitted to the hood portion. A card edge connector having a terminal-side housing accommodating a contactable terminal fitting, wherein the board-side housing covers the opening of the hood portion in accordance with a fitting operation with the terminal-side housing. A card edge connector comprising a board protection member that is displaceable from a protection position to a retracted position where the terminal portion of the circuit board is exposed. 2. A return means is provided between the two housings to return the substrate protection member from the retracted position to the protected position when the housings are separated from the fitted state to the non-fitted state. The card edge connector according to claim 1, wherein the card edge connector is provided.