JP5134415B2 - Socket connector - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a socket connector used in combination with a base connector fixed to a circuit board.

  Conventionally, a connector pair (hereinafter also referred to as a “socket-base connector pair”) including a base connector fixed to a circuit board and a socket connector is known. In addition, in the socket-base connector pair, as a configuration for maintaining the connection state between the socket connector and the base connector, a lock arm is provided in the socket housing of the socket connector, and a latch portion is provided in the base housing of the base connector. (For example, see Patent Document 1 below).

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of a socket housing in a conventional socket connector, cut along a fulcrum portion of a lock arm. FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view showing a state where the lock arm is excessively rotated in the conventional socket connector.
As shown in FIG. 13, in the conventional socket connector 110, the lock arm 115 is located between the hook portion 115a, the force application portion 115b, and between the hook portion 115a and the force application portion 115b and connected to the outer surface of the socket housing 112. The hook portion 115a and the force point portion 115b are configured to be rotatable around the fulcrum portion 115c. The latch portion (not shown) has a claw portion connected to the outer surface of the base housing.

  According to the lock arm 115 and the latch portion, the hook connector 115a and the latch portion of the lock arm 115 are engaged with each other in the combined state in which the socket connector 110 and the base connector are combined. It is possible to maintain a combined state with.

  Further, the socket housing 112 has an opening that opens to the first direction D1 side in the first direction D1 side (the direction from the socket connector 110 to the base connector in the combined state) in the connecting portion 118 that is connected to the fulcrum portion 115c. In many cases, the space 120 is formed. The open space 120 functions as a space in which the peripheral wall portion to which the latch portion of the base housing is coupled is accommodated in the combined state.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-200653

  By the way, depending on the size of the open space 120, as shown in FIG. 14, the hook portion 115a may rotate excessively toward the open space 120 around the fulcrum portion 115c. The fulcrum part 115c may be broken or plastically deformed, and the lock function of the lock arm 115 may not function.

  Therefore, according to the present invention, in the socket connector used in combination with the base connector that has the latch portion and is fixed to the circuit board, the rotation of the lock arm is restricted and the fulcrum portion of the lock arm can be prevented from being broken. An object is to provide a socket connector.

  (1) The present invention is a socket connector used in combination with a base connector having a latch portion and fixed to a circuit board. The socket connector is connected to an outer surface of the socket housing and the socket connector. And a lock arm that maintains a combined state of the socket connector and the base connector by engaging with the latch portion in a combined state in which the base connector is combined, and the lock arm is in the combined state A hook portion extending in a first direction from the socket connector toward the base connector; a force point portion extending in a second direction opposite to the first direction; and the socket housing positioned between the hook portion and the force point portion And a fulcrum portion connected to the outer surface of the fulcrum. The socket housing is configured to be rotatable, and the socket housing is formed with an open space that opens to the first direction side in the first direction side of the connecting portion that is connected to the fulcrum portion. The socket housing includes a stopper that prevents the hook portion from excessively entering the open space when the hook portion rotates around the fulcrum portion.

  (2) It is preferable that the said open space is a space in which the surrounding wall part to which the said latch part in the said base connector is connected in the said combination state is accommodated.

(3) The base connector includes an escape portion that avoids interference with the stopper in the combined state,
The stopper is preferably formed so as to be guided into the escape portion when the socket connector and the base connector are combined.

  (4) It is preferable that the stopper is provided at a position in the socket housing facing a central portion of the lock arm in the rotation axis direction.

  (5) It is preferable that the stopper is provided in the socket housing in the vicinity of both end portions along the rotation axis direction of the lock arm.

  According to the present invention, in a socket connector that is used in combination with a base connector that has a latch portion and is fixed to a circuit board, the rotation of the lock arm is restricted, and the fulcrum portion of the lock arm is prevented from being broken. be able to.

Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view seen from the base connector side in a state where the socket connector and the base connector of the first embodiment of the present invention are separated. FIG. 2 is a perspective view seen from the base connector side in a state where the socket connector and the base connector of the first embodiment are combined. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the combined socket connector and base connector taken along line AA shown in FIG. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a socket housing in the socket connector of the first embodiment. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the socket housing shown in FIG. 4 that is cut along the third direction D3 through the fulcrum 15c of the lock arm.

  6 is a cross-sectional view of the socket housing shown in FIG. 4 cut along the line BB shown in FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the socket housing shown in FIG. 4 taken along line AA shown in FIG. FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a base connector used in combination with the socket connector of the first embodiment. FIG. 9 is a plan view of the socket housing shown in FIG. FIG. 10 is a bottom view of the socket housing shown in FIG.

The socket connector of the present invention is a connector used in combination with a base connector.
First, the base connector 30 used in combination with the socket connector 10 of the first embodiment will be described.

  In the following description, a state where the socket connector 10 and the base connector 30 are combined is referred to as a “combined state”. In the combined state, the direction from the socket connector 10 toward the base connector 30 is referred to as a “first direction D1”. The direction opposite to the first direction D1 is referred to as a “second direction D2.” A direction along the rotation axis of the lock arm 15 in the socket connector 10 is referred to as a “third direction D3”. A direction orthogonal to the first direction D1 and the third direction D3 and toward the lock arm 15 or the latch portion 36 is referred to as a “fourth direction D4”. The direction opposite to the fourth direction D4 is referred to as “fifth direction D5”.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 and 8, the base connector 30 is a connector fixed to the surface of the circuit board 40. The base connector 30 includes a base housing 31 made of synthetic resin and a plurality of terminals 35. The base housing 31 has a substantially rectangular “U” shape in a plan view standing from three sides of a substantially rectangular bottom plate portion 38 and a substantially rectangular bottom plate portion 38 in a plan view (when viewed in the first direction D1). The peripheral wall part 32 of a shape is provided. The peripheral wall portion 32 is not necessarily continuous, but has a substantially “U” shape as a whole.
The substantially “U” -shaped peripheral wall 32 is located on the fourth direction D4 side and extends in the third direction D3, and a pair of side walls extending in the fifth direction D5 from both ends of the front wall 32a. Parts 32b and 32b. A latch portion 36 is provided on the outer surface of the front wall portion 32a on the fourth direction D4 side.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the region on the fourth direction D4 (front wall portion 32a) side in the bottom plate portion 38 of the base connector 30 rises toward the second direction D2 to form a pedestal portion 34. The pedestal portion 34 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape extending along the third direction D3 adjacent to the front wall portion 32a. A relief portion 33 that is recessed in the first direction D1 and extends along the fourth direction D4 is formed at the center of the base portion 34 in the third direction D3. The escape portion 33 is provided in order to avoid interference with the stopper 23 (details will be described later) in the socket connector 10 in the combined state.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 8, a second escape portion 32d is formed at a position outside the latch portion 36 in the front wall portion 32a in the third direction D3. The second escape portion 32d is recessed in the first direction D1. The second relief portion 32d is provided to avoid interference with the fulcrum portion 15c and the connecting portion 18 in the socket connector 10 in the combined state.

  The terminal 35 is made of a metal piece. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 8, the terminal 35 is connected to the socket side connection portion 35a protruding from the pedestal portion 34 in the second direction D2 and the front wall portion 32a through the bottom plate portion 38. A board-side connecting portion 35b that protrudes toward the four directions D4. The socket side connection portion 35a is electrically connected to a terminal (not shown) of the cable 11 in the socket connector 10 in the combined state. The board-side connecting portion 35b is electrically connected to the wiring or the like on the circuit board 40 and is mechanically fixed to the circuit board 40 by soldering or the like.

The pair of side wall portions 32b, 32b is a side wall portion convex portion 32c whose central portion in the fourth direction D4 protrudes toward the inside in the third direction D3.
In the base connector 30, an accommodation space 39 is formed by the bottom plate portion 38 (including the pedestal portion 34) and the substantially “U” -shaped peripheral wall portion 32. The accommodation space 39 is open on the second direction D2 side and the fifth direction D5 side. In the combined state, the accommodation space 39 accommodates most of the socket housing 12 on the first direction D1 side.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, a latch portion 36 is provided on the outer surface (the surface on the fourth direction D4 side) of the front wall portion 32 a of the base housing 31. The latch portion 36 engages with a hook portion 15 a (details will be described later) of the lock arm 15 in the socket connector 10. On the outer surface side of the latch portion 36, a slope portion 37b that slopes in the first direction D1 and in the fourth direction D4 from the second direction D2 side in the latch portion 36, and a first direction D1 side in the slope portion 37b. And an engaging projection 37a located at the same position.

Next, the socket connector 10 according to the first embodiment used in combination with the above-described base connector 30 will be described.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the socket connector 10 of the first embodiment includes a socket housing 12, a lock arm 15, and a cable 11.
The socket housing 12 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape as a whole. The lock arm 15 is connected to the outer surface of the socket housing 12 on the fourth direction D4 side. A terminal (not shown) of the cable 11 is disposed inside the socket housing 12, and the other end portion extends from the socket housing 12 in the fifth direction D5. The terminal of the cable 11 is electrically connected to the terminal 35 of the base connector 30 in the combined state.

  As shown in FIGS. 1-7, the lock arm 15 is located between the hook portion 15a extending in the first direction D1, the force point portion 15b extending in the second direction D2, the hook portion 15a and the force point portion 15b, and And a fulcrum portion 15c connected to the outer surface of the socket housing 12. The lock arm 15 is configured such that the hook portion 15a and the force point portion 15b are rotatable about a fulcrum portion 15c.

  The hook portion 15a has a plate shape as a whole, and a tip portion thereof (an end portion on the first direction D1 side) is an engagement protrusion that protrudes toward the fifth direction D5 side. The hook portion 15a rotates around a rotation axis along the third direction D3 with the fulcrum portion 15c as a fulcrum, and in a predetermined angle range toward the fifth direction D5 or toward the fourth direction D4. It can turn freely. In a state where the force point portion 15b is rotated in the fifth direction D5, a biasing force is generated in the hook portion 15a so as to rotate in the fifth direction D5.

  The force point portion 15b has a plate shape as a whole, and a tip portion thereof (an end portion on the second direction D2 side) is a bulging portion that bulges on the fourth direction D4 side. The bulging portion is provided in order to improve the ease of pushing when the force point portion 15b is pushed with a finger or the like. The force point part 15b is located on the opposite side of the hook part 15a and the second direction D2 side across the fulcrum part 15c. The force point portion 15b rotates around a rotation axis along the third direction D3 with the fulcrum portion 15c as a fulcrum, and within a predetermined angle range toward the fourth direction D4 or toward the fifth direction D5. It can turn freely.

  The socket housing 12 has a contact surface 21. The contact surface 21 is a surface that is located at the connecting portion 18 that is connected to the fulcrum portion 15c of the socket housing 12 and that contacts the end surface of the base connector 30 on the second direction D2 side in the combined state. In the present embodiment, the contact surface 21 contacts the end surface on the second direction D2 side in the front wall portion 32a of the peripheral wall portion 32 of the base connector 30.

  As shown in FIG. 5, FIG. 9, FIG. 10, etc., two (one pair) fulcrum portions 15c are provided apart from each other in the third direction D3. That is, the fulcrum part 15c is discontinuous in the third direction D3. As shown in FIGS. 3, 5, 7, and the like, the fulcrum portion 15 c is located on the first direction D1 side with respect to the contact surface 21.

  As shown in FIGS. 1, 6, 7, and 10, the connecting portion 18 of the socket housing 12 is provided with a first notch portion 19 that opens toward the first direction D <b> 1. The first cutout portion 19 has a rectangular shape when viewed in the third direction D3, and extends over the entire region in the third direction D3. The connecting portion 18 is present on the fourth direction D4 side and the fifth direction D5 side from the first notch portion 19.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 6, 7, etc., the socket housing 12 is formed with an open space 20. The open space 20 is a space formed on the first direction D1 side in the connecting portion 18 and opened to the first direction D1 side.
The open space 20 is a space in which the peripheral wall portion 32 (that is, the front wall portion 32a) to which the latch portion 36 of the base connector 30 is coupled is accommodated in the combined state.

  As shown in FIGS. 1, 5, 6, and 10, the socket housing 12 includes a stopper 23. The stopper 23 is provided to prevent excessive entry of the hook portion 15a into the open space 20 when the hook portion 15a rotates around the fulcrum portion 15c. “Preventing excessive entry of the hook portion 15 a into the open space 20” means not only when the hook portion 15 a does not enter the open space 20 at all, but also when the hook portion 15 a enters the open space 20. This means that the hook portion 15a is prevented from entering the open space 20 as long as the function of 15c is not lost. Examples of the loss of the function of the fulcrum part 15c include breakage, breakage, plastic deformation and the like of the fulcrum part 15c.

One stopper 23 is provided in the socket housing 12 at a position facing the central portion of the lock arm 15 in the rotation axis direction (third direction D3).
The stopper 23 is formed so as to be guided into the escape portion 33 (see FIG. 8) when the socket connector 10 and the base connector 30 are combined. In the present embodiment, the stopper 23 is provided at a position facing the escape portion 33 in the combined state, and has a shape slightly smaller than the escape portion 33.

  As shown in FIGS. 4, 9, 10, etc., a pair of outer surfaces along the fourth direction D <b> 4 in the socket housing 12 are formed with outer surface recesses 24, 24 that are recessed toward the inner side in the third direction D <b> 3. Yes. The outer surface concave portion 24 is provided at a position facing the side wall portion convex portion 32c (see FIG. 8) of the base connector 30 in the combined state, and has a shape slightly larger than the side wall portion convex portion 32c. Accordingly, when the socket connector 10 and the base connector 30 are combined, the side wall convex portion 32c is inserted into the outer surface concave portion 24 in the first direction D1, and functions as an insertion guide.

  In the socket housing 12, the edge part along the 4th direction D4 in the 2nd direction D2 side extends outside the 3rd direction D3, and forms the collar part 12a. The collar portion 12 a improves the ease of picking up the socket housing 12 when the socket connector 10 is attached or detached.

  As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3, and 8, the socket connector 10 and the base connector 30 are combined as follows to form a socket-base connector pair. The side wall convex portion 32c and the outer surface concave portion 24 are opposed, the open space 20 and the front wall portion 32a of the peripheral wall portion 32 are opposed, the stopper 23 and the escape portion 33 are opposed, and the fulcrum portion 15c and the second relief portion. The socket connector 10 and the base connector 30 are relatively moved closer to the first direction D1 or the second direction D2 in a state where they face each other. As a result, the side wall convex portion 32c is inserted into the outer surface concave portion 24, the front wall portion 32a of the peripheral wall portion 32 is inserted into the open space 20, the stopper 23 is inserted into the escape portion 33, and the fulcrum portion 15c is the second escape portion. 32d.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the hook portion 15a of the lock arm 15 slides on the slope portion 37b of the latch portion 36 and rotates in the fourth direction D4 around the fulcrum portion 15c. Over the engagement protrusion 37a, the latch portion 36 is engaged. As described above, when the hook portion 15a and the latch portion 36 are engaged, the connection state between the socket connector 10 and the base connector 30 is maintained.

  On the other hand, when the connection state between the socket connector 10 and the base connector 30 is released, the hook portion 15a rotates in the fourth direction D4 about the fulcrum portion 15c by pressing the force application portion 15b. In this state, the socket connector 10 and the base connector 30 are separated from each other in the first direction D1 or the second direction D2, so that the coupled state of the socket connector 10 and the base connector 30 can be released.

According to the socket connector 10 of 1st Embodiment which has the above structure, the following effects are show | played.
In the socket connector 10 of the first embodiment, the socket housing 12 is provided with a stopper 23 that prevents the hook portion 15a from excessively entering the open space 20 when the hook portion 15a rotates about the fulcrum portion 15c. I have. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 11, even if the lock arm 15 is likely to rotate excessively in the fifth direction D5, the hook portion 15a contacts the stopper 23 before the fulcrum portion 15c is broken or plastically deformed. Touch. Therefore, the rotation of the lock arm 15 is restricted, and the fulcrum 15c of the lock arm 15 can be prevented from being broken.

  Further, the base connector 30 includes a relief portion 33 that avoids interference with the stopper 23 in the combined state, and the stopper 23 is guided inside the relief portion 33 when the socket connector 10 and the base connector 30 are combined. Is formed. Therefore, the socket connector 10 can be easily guided to an appropriate combination position in the base connector 30.

  Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the other embodiments, points different from the first embodiment will be mainly described, the same reference numerals are given to the same configurations as those in the first embodiment, and the description will be omitted. The description of the first embodiment is appropriately applied to points that are not particularly described in the other embodiments. In other embodiments, the same effects as those of the first embodiment can be obtained.

FIG. 12 is a bottom view (corresponding to FIG. 10) showing a socket housing in the socket connector of the second embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 12, the socket housing 12 in the socket connector 10 of the second embodiment is mainly different in the number of stoppers 23 from the socket housing 12 in the first embodiment. Other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment.

Specifically, in the second embodiment, two stoppers 23 are provided in the socket housing 12 in the vicinity of both end portions along the rotation axis direction of the lock arm 15 (the direction along the third direction D3). . Although not shown, the base housing 31 is provided with two relief portions at positions corresponding to the stoppers 23.
Therefore, in the combined state, the twist of the lock arm 15 is restricted and suppressed by the stopper 23. Therefore, breakage caused by this twist can be further suppressed.

As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was described, this invention is not restrict | limited to embodiment mentioned above, It can change suitably.
For example, the number, position, size, shape, interval, etc. of the stopper 23 are not particularly limited. Moreover, there is no restriction | limiting in particular in the number of the fulcrum parts 15c, a position, a magnitude | size, a shape, an interval.

It is the perspective view seen from the base connector side in the state which separated the socket connector and base connector of 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is the perspective view seen from the base connector side in the state which combined the socket connector and base connector of 1st Embodiment. It is sectional drawing which cut | disconnected the socket connector and base connector of the combined state cut | disconnected by the AA line shown in FIG. It is a perspective view of the socket housing in the socket connector of 1st Embodiment. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the socket housing shown in FIG. 4 taken along the third direction D3 through the fulcrum 15c of the lock arm. It is sectional drawing cut | disconnected by the BB line shown in FIG. 10 about the socket housing shown in FIG. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the socket housing shown in FIG. 4 cut along line AA shown in FIG. 9. It is a perspective view which shows the base connector used in combination with the socket connector of 1st Embodiment. It is a top view of the socket housing shown in FIG. It is a bottom view of the socket housing shown in FIG. It is sectional drawing (corresponding to FIG. 7) showing the effect of the socket connector of the first embodiment. It is a bottom view (corresponding to FIG. 10) showing a socket housing in the socket connector of the second embodiment. It is sectional drawing which cut | disconnected the socket housing in the conventional socket connector so that the fulcrum part of a lock arm might be passed. In the conventional socket connector, it is sectional drawing which shows the state which the lock arm rotated excessively.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Socket connector 12 Socket housing 15 Lock arm 15a Hook part 15b Force point part 15c Supporting point part 16 2nd notch part 17 3rd notch part 18 Connection part 19 1st notch part 20 Open space 21 Contact surface 23 Stopper 30 Base Connector 32 Peripheral wall portion 32a Front wall portion 33 Escape portion 36 Latch portion 40 Circuit board D1 First direction D2 Second direction D3 Third direction (rotation axis direction of the lock arm)

Claims (3)

A socket connector used in combination with a base connector having a latch portion and fixed to a circuit board,
The socket connector is coupled to the outer surface of the socket housing, and the socket connector and the base connector are coupled to each other by engaging the latch portion in a combined state in which the socket connector and the base connector are combined. A lock arm to maintain,
The lock arm includes a hook portion extending in a first direction from the socket connector toward the base connector in the combined state, a force point portion extending in a second direction opposite to the first direction, the hook portion, and the force point. And a fulcrum part connected to the outer surface of the socket housing, and the hook part and the force point part are configured to be rotatable around the fulcrum part.
In the socket housing, an open space that is open to the first direction side is formed on the first direction side in the connecting portion that is connected to the fulcrum portion,
The socket housing includes a stopper that prevents excessive entry of the hook portion into the open space when the hook portion rotates around the fulcrum portion .
The stopper is in the socket housing, at a position facing the center of the rotation axis direction of the lock arm, or a feature that you have provided near both end portions along the rotation axis direction of the lock arm Socket connector to be used.   The socket connector according to claim 1, wherein the open space is a space that accommodates a peripheral wall portion to which the latch portion of the base connector is coupled in the combined state. The base connector includes an escape portion that avoids interference with the stopper in the combined state,
3. The socket connector according to claim 1, wherein the stopper is formed so as to be guided into the escape portion when the socket connector and the base connector are combined. 4.

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