JP5444283B2 - Electrical connector and electrical connector assembly - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an electrical connector and an electrical connector assembly.

  For example, a connector disclosed in Patent Document 1 is known as an electrical connector that receives a mating connector from above and is fitted and connected to the mating connector. The connector disclosed in Patent Document 1 is configured to receive the mating connector from above in an annular receiving space formed between a protruding wall portion standing upward from the bottom wall of the housing and a peripheral wall surrounding the protruding wall portion. A plurality of terminals are arranged and held in rows on two side walls extending in the longitudinal direction of the housing so as to face each other among the peripheral walls.

  The terminal is formed in a horizontal S-shape including a U-shaped portion by bending a metal plate strip in the thickness direction, and extends along the opposing surface of the protruding wall portion and the side wall and the upper surface of the bottom wall. The side wall of the mating connector is received from above between the legs of the U-shaped part.

  Of the legs of the U-shaped part, the leg part extending along the opposing surface of the protruding wall part is formed as a contact part that is curved so that its upper end protrudes toward the side wall with a free end, The contact portion comes into contact with a corresponding contact portion of a terminal (mating terminal) of the mating connector. Further, of the leg portions of the U-shaped portion, the leg portion that extends along the opposing surface of the side wall is formed with a lock projection that protrudes toward the projection wall at a position near the upper end. The portion is engaged with the locked recess of the mating terminal in the vertical direction to prevent inadvertent disconnection between the connectors.

JP2007-035291

  In the connectors that are fitted together in the vertical direction as in Patent Document 1, there is a strong demand for low-profile connectors, and when the terminal is made by bending a metal plate strip in the plate thickness direction, The height may be reduced by reducing the thickness of the terminal. However, by reducing the plate thickness dimension of the terminals, the terminals are easily bent in the plate thickness direction, so that the lock strength between the terminals is lowered, and the connectors may be easily removed.

  In view of such circumstances, even if the thickness of the terminal is reduced to reduce the height of the connector, the present invention avoids a decrease in the locking strength between the connectors and prevents the connectors from coming off well. It is an object to provide an electrical connector and an electrical connector assembly.

<First invention>
An electrical connector according to the present invention is an electrical connector that receives a mating connector from above in a receiving space and is fitted and connected to the mating connector, and stands between at least a pair of standing walls that rise upward from the bottom wall and face each other And a plurality of terminals arranged and held by integral molding on at least one of the pair of standing walls.

  In such an electrical connector, the housing is configured such that one of the pair of standing walls is fitted into the mating connector from below, and the mating connector is fitted into the receiving space from above. The terminal is made by bending a metal plate-shaped piece in the plate thickness direction, and has a first leg, a second leg, and a third leg, and the first leg is the one of the ones The second leg portion extends vertically along one side surface of the standing wall facing the other standing wall and is exposed toward the other standing wall, and the second leg portion is disposed on both sides of the one standing wall. It extends in the up-down direction along the other side surface of the surface, and is exposed toward the opposite side to the other standing wall in the facing direction of the pair of standing walls, and the third leg is formed on the other standing wall. Up and down along one side of the two sides facing the one standing wall The first leg portion, the second leg portion, and the third leg portion can contact the corresponding portion of the mating terminal of the mating connector. At least two of the leg portions are formed with lock protrusions protruding in the above-mentioned opposite direction or lock recesses sinking in the opposite direction, and a locked recess or cover formed in a corresponding portion of the counterpart terminal of the counterpart connector. It can be locked in the up and down direction with the lock protrusion.

  In the present invention, at the time of connector fitting, one of the pair of standing walls of the connector is fitted into the mating connector from below, and the first leg portion located on both side surfaces of the one standing wall of the connector and The second leg portion contacts the corresponding portion of the mating connector terminal (mating terminal). At the same time, the mating connector is fitted into the connector receiving space from above, and the first leg portion and the third leg portion located on the opposing surfaces of the pair of standing walls of the connector come into contact with the corresponding portions of the mating terminal. In addition, the lock protrusion or the lock recess formed on at least two of the first leg, the second leg, and the third leg is a locked recess or cover formed on the corresponding portion of the mating terminal. Lock with the locking projection in the vertical direction.

  According to the present invention, each terminal and the mating terminal are locked by at least two legs of the first leg, the second leg, and the third leg by a pair of upright walls, that is, at two locations. As compared with a conventional connector in which the terminals are locked at one place, the number of places to be locked is increased, and the lock strength is increased accordingly. In addition, the lock is not only strengthened by the number of lock points, but also there is a distance between the lock points, so that the lock is strong against an external force that causes an inclination. As a result, according to the present invention, even if the thickness of the terminal is reduced, the lock strength of the entire connector does not decrease.

  In the housing, one of the pair of standing walls is inserted from below between a pair of the standing walls formed on the mating connector, and one of the pair of standing walls is It is good also as being adapted to be inserted into the receiving space from above.

<Second invention>
An electrical connector assembly according to the present invention is a connector assembly having the electrical connector of the first invention and a mating connector fitted and connected to the electrical connector, the mating connector standing downward from an upper wall. And a plurality of mating terminals arranged and held on the mating standing wall, wherein the mating terminal is formed by bending a metal plate-shaped piece in the plate thickness direction. And having a mating first leg, a mating second leg, and a mating third leg that extend in the vertical direction corresponding to the first leg, the second leg, and the third leg of the electrical connector, respectively. A mating receiving space is formed between the mating first leg and the mating second leg facing each other, and the mating first leg is the mating partner of both sides of the mating standing wall. Extends along one side located on the second leg side The mating third leg portion extends along the other side surface of the mating standing wall, and the mating standing wall is fitted into the receiving space of the electrical connector from above, and one of the electrical connectors A standing wall is inserted into the mating receiving space from below, and each of the mating first leg, mating second leg, and mating third leg is a corresponding part of the terminal of the electrical connector. It is possible to contact, and at least two of the legs are formed with a locked protrusion protruding in the opposing direction of the pair of upstanding walls of the electrical connector or a locked recess recessed in the opposing direction. It is characterized in that it can be locked in the vertical direction with a lock recess or lock protrusion formed in a corresponding portion of the terminal of the electrical connector.

  In the present invention, at the time of connector fitting, one of the pair of standing walls of the connector is inserted into the mating receiving space from below, and the first leg portion located on both side surfaces of the one standing wall of the connector And a 2nd leg part contacts each of the other party 1st leg part of an other party terminal, and the other party 2nd leg part. At the same time, the mating standing wall of the mating connector is inserted into the connector receiving space from above, and the first leg portion and the third leg portion located on the opposing surfaces of the pair of standing wall of the connector are on both sides of the mating standing wall. It contacts each of the opponent's first leg and the opponent's third leg located on the surface. In addition, the lock protrusion or the lock recess formed on at least two of the first leg, the second leg, and the third leg of the terminal is the mating first leg, mating second of the mating terminal. It is locked in the up-down direction with a locked recess or locked protrusion formed on the leg and the third leg of the other party.

  According to the present invention, as in the first invention, each terminal and the mating terminal are at least two legs of the first leg, the second leg, and the third leg in a pair of standing walls, that is, Since it is locked at two places, the number of places to be locked is increased as compared with a conventional connector in which terminals are locked at one place, and the lock strength is increased accordingly. Further, since there is a distance between the lock portions, it is the same as in the first invention that it is strong against a moment due to an external force that causes an inclination. As a result, according to the present invention, even if the thickness of the terminal is reduced, the lock strength of the entire connector does not decrease.

As described above, in the present invention, at least two of the first leg portion, the second leg portion, and the third leg portion in which the terminals held by at least the pair of standing walls extend along the side surfaces of the pair of standing walls are provided. Locked by one leg. Therefore, compared to the case where the terminals are locked at one place as in the prior art, the number of places to be locked is increased, so that the connector thickness is reduced by reducing the plate thickness dimension of the terminals. However, the locking strength of the entire connector does not decrease, and the inadvertent disconnection between the connectors can be well prevented.

It is a perspective view of the electric connector for circuit boards concerning a first embodiment. It is a perspective view of a mating connector. It is sectional drawing which shows the state before fitting of the connector of FIG. 1 and the other party connector of FIG. 2, and has shown the cross section in the position of the terminal in a housing longitudinal direction.

  Embodiments of an electrical connector according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an electrical connector 1 (hereinafter referred to as “connector 1”) according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a mating connector 2. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a state before the connector of FIG. 1 and the mating connector of FIG. 2 are fitted, and shows a cross section at the position of the terminal 20 in the longitudinal direction of the housing. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the connector 1 of FIG. The mating connector 2 in FIG. 2 is shown with the fitting side facing upward, and is shown upside down from FIG.

[Connector configuration]
The connector 1 is a receptacle-type electrical connector for a circuit board disposed on a circuit board, and accepts a plug-type mating connector 2 (see FIGS. 2 to 4) disposed on another circuit board from above. This is an electrical connector that is fitted and connected to the mating connector 2. The connector 1 includes a relatively thin synthetic resin housing 10 having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, a plurality of metal terminals 20 arranged and held in the housing 10 in the longitudinal direction of the housing 10, and the length of the housing 10. And a fixture 30 held by the housing 10 at both outer positions with respect to the arrangement range of the terminals 20 in the direction, that is, the terminal arrangement direction.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the housing 10 includes a bottom wall 11 that faces a surface of a circuit board (not shown), a central wall portion 12 that rises upward from the bottom wall 11, and a protruding wall portion 13. And a peripheral wall. The central wall portion 12 extends in the longitudinal direction at a central position of the housing 10 in a short direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. Two protruding wall portions 13 are formed on both sides of the central wall portion 12 so as to be symmetrical with respect to the central wall portion 12 in the short direction, and face the central wall portion 12. It extends in the longitudinal direction. The peripheral wall is formed so as to surround the central wall portion 12 and the protruding wall portion 13, and the two side walls 14 extending in the longitudinal direction so as to face each other and the end portions of the two side walls 14 are connected to each other. And two end walls 15 extending in the short direction.

  As seen in FIG. 1, the central wall portion 12 connects the end walls 15 in the longitudinal direction. The two protruding wall portions 13 are formed with a length substantially corresponding to the terminal arrangement range, and a gap is formed between both end portions of the protruding wall portion 13 and the end wall 15. The housing 10 is formed with two receiving spaces 16 separated in the short direction by the central wall portion 12, and each receiving space 16 surrounds the protruding wall portion 13 and the protruding wall portion 13. A rectangular annular space opened upward between the central wall portion 12, the side wall 14, and the end wall 15, and receives the mating connector 2 from above in the receiving space 16 as will be described later. Yes.

  As is often seen in FIG. 3, the receiving space 16 includes an outer receiving space 16 </ b> A positioned between the opposing surfaces of the protruding wall portion 13 and the side wall 14 that are opposed to each other in the short direction, and It has an inner receiving space 16 </ b> B located between the opposed surfaces of the central wall portion 12 and the protruding wall portion 13.

  As can be seen in FIG. 3, the bottom wall 11 is located at a position corresponding to the terminal 20 in the longitudinal direction (perpendicular to the plane of the paper), and the outer side in the lateral direction (left-right direction in FIG. 3). The lower surface is sunk in a corresponding range from the receiving space 16A to the side wall 14, and an accommodation recess 11A for accommodating a part of an outer connection portion 24 of the terminal 20 and an inner connection portion 22A described later is formed (FIG. (See also 4). Further, as seen in FIG. 4, the bottom wall 11 has a lower surface (upper surface in FIG. 4) submerged in a range corresponding to the side wall 14 at a position corresponding to the fixing bracket 30 in the longitudinal direction. An accommodation recess 11 </ b> B for accommodating an inner fixing portion 31 and an outer fixing portion 32 of the fixing metal 30 to be described later is formed.

  As is often seen in FIG. 3, the terminal 20 is formed by bending a strip-shaped metal plate-shaped piece in the plate thickness direction, and is integrally molded with the housing 10 and held in the longitudinal direction. . The terminal 20 is bent at the lower end of a first reverse U-shaped portion 21 held on the side wall 14 of the housing 10 and a first inner leg portion 21A (to be described later) of the first reverse U-shaped portion 21, and the short side. A base 22 that extends inward in the direction, a second inverted U-shaped portion 23 that is bent at the inner end of the base 22 in the short-side direction and is held by the protruding wall portion 13, and the first inverted U-shaped portion 21. And an outer connecting portion 24 as an outer soldering portion that is bent at the lower end of the first outer leg portion 21B described later and extends outward in the lateral direction.

  The first inverted U-shaped portion 21 is held on the side wall 14 of the housing 10 by integral molding, and a first inner leg as a third leg portion located on the outer receiving space 16A side in the short direction. 21A, a first outer leg portion 21B located outside the first inner leg portion 21A, and a first connecting portion 21C that connects the upper ends of the first inner leg portion 21A and the first outer leg portion 21B. have. 21 A of 1st inner side leg parts have exposed the outer surface which faces in the said outer side receiving space 16A, and are extended in the up-down direction, The said outer surface was sunk in the said transversal direction (plate thickness direction) between side edges. A lock recess 21A-1 is formed. As is often seen in FIG. 1, the lock recess 21 </ b> A- 1 has a width dimension smaller than the width dimension of the terminal 20 (dimension in the longitudinal direction of the housing 10), and is formed by, for example, pressing.

  In a state where the first inverted U-shaped portion 21 is held on the side wall 14 by integral molding, the first inner leg portion 21A has both side end surfaces (end surfaces on both sides in the longitudinal direction of the housing 10) and a first outer side. The plate surface (inner surface) facing the leg portion 21B is held in contact with the side wall 14 so that the plate surface (outer surface) exposed from the side wall 14 forms a surface at the same level as the inner surface of the side wall 14. positioned. Further, the first outer leg portion 21B and the first connecting portion 21C are embedded and held in the side wall 14.

  As is often seen in FIG. 3, the second inverted U-shaped portion 23 is held on the protruding wall portion 13 by integral molding, and is located on the inner receiving space 16 </ b> B side in the short direction. A second inner leg portion 23A as a leg portion, a second outer leg portion 23B as a first leg portion located outside the second inner leg portion 23A, the second inner leg portion 23A and the second outer leg It has the 2nd connection part 23C which connects the upper ends of the part 23B. The outer surface of the second inner leg portion 23A is exposed in the inner receiving space 16B and extends in the vertical direction. The second inner leg portion 23A sunk in the lateral direction (plate thickness direction) between the side edges on the outer surface. A lock recess 23A-1 is formed. As shown in FIG. 1, the lock recess 23A-1 has a width dimension smaller than the width dimension of the terminal 20 and is formed, for example, by pressing, as with the lock recess 21A-1.

  The outer surface of the second outer leg portion 23B is exposed in the outer receiving space 16A and extends in the vertical direction. The outer surface protrudes in the lateral direction (plate thickness direction) between the side edges. Thus, a lock projection 23B-1 is formed opposite the lock recess 21A-1 of the first inverted U-shaped portion 21. As is often seen in FIG. 1, the lock protrusion 23 </ b> B- 1 has a width dimension smaller than the width dimension of the terminal 20, and is formed by, for example, pressing.

  In a state in which the second inverted U-shaped portion 23 is held on the protruding wall portion 13 by integral molding, the second inner leg portion 23A, the second outer leg portion 23B, and the second connecting portion 23C The plate surface on the inner side of the inverted U-shaped portion is held in contact with the protruding wall portion 13, and the outer plate surface of the inverted U-shaped portion exposed from the protruding wall portion 13 is the protruding wall portion 13 of the housing 10. The inner surface, the outer surface, and the upper surface are positioned at the same level.

  In this embodiment, the lock recess 21A-1 of the first inner leg 21A of the terminal 20, the lock recess 23A-1 of the second inner leg 23A, and the lock protrusion 23B-1 of the second outer leg 23B are the connectors. It has a function as a contact part with the other party terminal 50 with the function as a lock part which prevents careless disconnection of each other.

  The base portion 22 is held on the bottom wall 11 of the housing 10 by integral molding. The base 22 connects the lower ends of the first inner leg 21 </ b> A of the first inverted U-shaped part 21 and the second inner leg 23 </ b> A of the second inverted U-shaped part 23. As is often seen in FIG. 4, the base portion 22 extends in the short direction so as to include a range corresponding to the outer receiving space 16A, and a crank-shaped bent portion within the range corresponding to the outer receiving space 16A. have.

  The base portion 22 is exposed such that the lower surface of the portion located outside the bent portion in the lateral direction is located at substantially the same level as the lower surface of the bottom wall 11, and the portion is soldered on the circuit board. It is formed as an inner connecting portion 22A as an inner soldered portion. In the present embodiment, the inner connection portion 22A can be electrically connected to a corresponding circuit portion of the circuit board by being soldered to a pad on the circuit board. Further, the inner connection portion 22A contributes to improvement of the fixing strength of the connector 1 to the circuit board.

  In addition, the base 22 has a portion located inward of the bent portion in the short direction and located above the inner connecting portion 22A, and the upper surface thereof is substantially the same as the upper surface of the bottom wall 11. It is located at the level and is exposed to the outer receiving space 16A in a range corresponding to the outer receiving space 16A. As shown in FIG. 3, the portion where the upper surface is exposed in the outer receiving space 16 </ b> A is located in a range including the position of the locking protrusion 23 </ b> B- 1 of the second outer leg 23 </ b> B in the short direction. Yes. Further, the lower end of the second outer leg portion 23B of the second inverted U-shaped portion 23 is in contact with the exposed upper surface of the base portion 22.

  The outer connecting portion 24 extends directly below the lower end of the side wall 14 described above toward the outer side in the lateral direction, and the lower surface of the outer connecting portion 24 is located at substantially the same level as the lower surface of the bottom wall 11. In addition, by being soldered to the pads on the circuit board, electrical connection with the corresponding circuit portion of the circuit board is possible. The pad to which the outer connecting portion 24 is soldered may be shared with the pad to which the inner connecting portion 22A is soldered, or both pads may be provided separately from each other. The outer connecting portion 24, together with the inner connecting portion 22A, contributes to improvement of the fixing strength of the connector 1 to the circuit board.

  As is often seen in FIGS. 1 and 3, the front end (free end) of the outer connecting portion 24 is slightly larger than the position of the outer surface of the side wall 14 in the short direction so that it can be seen from the outside. Located on the outside. It is not essential that the tip of the outer connecting portion 24 is located outside the position of the outer surface of the side wall 14, and the tip is the same position as the position of the outer surface of the side wall 14 or the position of the outer surface. It may be located inside.

  As can be seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, the entire inner connecting portion 22 </ b> A and a part of the outer connecting portion 24 are accommodated in the accommodating recess 11 </ b> A of the housing 10. The accommodating recess 11A provides a sufficient space for the solder to be fused to each of the inner connecting portion 22A and the outer connecting portion 24, and holds the solder in the accommodating recess 11A. This can be reliably used for soldering the portion 22A and soldering the outer connection portion 24. In addition, the inner connecting portions 22A and the outer connecting portions 24 adjacent to each other in the longitudinal direction may be inadvertently short-circuited by solder by the wall portion that separates the housing recesses 11A in the longitudinal direction of the housing 10. Can be prevented. In the present embodiment, the inner connecting portion 22A and the outer connecting portion 24 are accommodated in one accommodating recess 11A. Instead, the inner connecting portion 22A and the outer connecting portion 24 are separately accommodated. You may accommodate in the recessed part.

  The fixing bracket 30 is made by bending a strip-shaped metal plate strip in the plate thickness direction, and is held on the end wall 15 by integral molding at four corners in the planar shape of the connector 1. As shown in FIG. 4, the fixing bracket 30 is configured such that the inner fixing portion 31 and the outer fixing portion 32 having the same shape as the inner connection portion 22 </ b> A and the outer connection portion 24 of the terminal 20 are accommodated in the housing recess 11 </ b> B. The inner fixing portion 31 and the outer fixing portion 32 are soldered onto the circuit board, and together with the terminals 20, contributes to an improvement in fixing strength of the connector 1 to the circuit board.

[Manufacture of connector 1]
The connector 1 is manufactured as follows. First, the terminal 20 and the fixture 30 are held by a mold (not shown) arranged from above, below and from the side. Here, the molds arranged from above, below and from the side are referred to as “upper mold”, “lower mold” and “side mold”, respectively. The upper mold has a protruding portion having a shape adapted to the receiving space 16 (the outer receiving space 16 </ b> A and the inner receiving space 16 </ b> B) of the housing 10, and forms the receiving space 16. Further, the lower mold has a protruding portion having a shape adapted to the housing recesses 11A and 11B of the housing 10, and forms the housing recesses 11A and 11B. And in the state which hold | maintained the terminal 20 and the fixing metal fitting 30 with the said upper metal mold | die, the lower metal mold | die, and the side metal mold | die, by filling resin between these metal mold | dies, the terminal 20 and the fixing metal fitting 30 are obtained. The connector 1 is completed by being integrally molded with the housing 10.

  The upper mold surrounds the lock protrusion 23B-1 in three directions on the surface facing the protrusion wall 13 at a position corresponding to the lock protrusion 23B-1 of the terminal 20 in the terminal arrangement direction in the vertical direction. An extending groove is formed to open toward the protruding wall 13 side. The groove portion is also opened downward, so that the upper die does not interfere with the lock protrusion 23B-1 when the upper die is arranged from above.

  In the present embodiment, as described above, the base portion 22 of the terminal 20 has an upper surface on the outer side in the range including the position of the lock projection 23B-1 of the second outer leg portion 23B in the short direction. It is exposed in the receiving space 16A. Therefore, when the upper mold is brought from above to the position where the lower surface of the upper mold contacts the upper surface of the base 22, the lower end of the groove of the upper mold is blocked by the base 22 of the terminal 20. As a result, at the time of integral molding, the base 22 prevents the resin from flowing into the groove from the open lower end of the upper mold. Therefore, after integral molding, the resin is placed below the lock protrusion 23B-1. Space due to absence is secured.

  Further, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the lower end of the second outer leg portion 23B is in contact with the upper surface of the base portion 22 and no gap is formed between them. The resin does not flow into the groove of the upper mold from the protruding wall 13 side.

  Thus, by reliably preventing the resin from flowing into the groove of the upper mold and securing the space below the lock protrusion 23B-1, the lock protrusion 23B-1 reliably protrudes. To do. Therefore, in the connector fitting state, the original function of the lock projection 23B-1 is exhibited, and the lock projection 23B-1 is locked in the up-down direction with the locked recess 51A-1 of the mating terminal 50 described later. It is possible to prevent the connectors from coming off.

[Configuration of mating connector]
The mating connector 2 shown in FIG. 2 is shown in a state in which the posture at the time of connector fitting shown in FIG. Therefore, an upper wall 41 (described later) located above in FIG. 3 is located below in FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, the mating connector 2 includes a relatively thin synthetic resin housing 40 having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped outer shape and a plurality of metal terminals arranged and held in the housing 40 in the longitudinal direction of the housing 40. 50 (hereinafter referred to as “mating terminal 50”) and a fixing bracket 60 held by the housing 40 at both outer positions relative to the arrangement range of the mating terminals 50 in the longitudinal direction of the housing 40, that is, the terminal arrangement direction. Have.

  The housing 40 shown in FIG. 2 is configured to receive the connector 1 in a mating receiving space 46 that opens upward (downward in FIG. 3), and faces the surface of another circuit board (not shown). It has an upper wall 41, two projecting wall portions 43 that stand up from the upper wall 41 (downward in FIG. 3) and a peripheral wall that surrounds them. The two protruding wall portions 43 face each other at a position closer to the center of the housing 40 in the lateral direction and extend in the longitudinal direction.

  The peripheral wall is formed so as to surround the protruding wall portion 43, and extends in the lateral direction by connecting two side walls 44 facing each other in the longitudinal direction and connecting the end portions of the two side walls 44 to each other. And two end walls 45. As seen in FIG. 2, the protruding wall portion 43 connects the end walls 45 in the longitudinal direction.

  The housing 40 has two opposing outer receiving spaces 46A formed by being surrounded by the protruding wall portion 43, the side wall 44, and the end wall 45, and between the two protruding wall portions 43, that is, the short side. A partner inner receiving space 46B is formed at the center position in the hand direction, and the partner receiving space 46 is composed of the partner outer receiving space 46A and the partner inner receiving space 46B. As will be described later, the mating outer receiving space 46A receives the protruding wall portion 13 of the connector 1 and the mating inner receiving space 46B receives the central wall portion 12 of the connector 1 when the connector is fitted. ing.

  The mating terminal 50 is made by bending a strip-shaped metal plate piece in the plate thickness direction, and is integrally molded with the housing 40 and held in the longitudinal direction. As shown in FIG. 3, the mating terminal 50 includes a first U-shaped portion 51 held on the side wall 44 of the housing 40, and a mating first inner leg portion 51 </ b> A (described later) of the first U-shaped portion 51. A base 52 that is bent at the upper end and extends inward in the short direction; a second U-shaped portion 53 that is bent at the inner end in the short direction of the base 52 and held by the protruding wall 43; The U-shaped portion 51 has a connecting portion 54 that is bent at the upper end of a mating first outer leg portion 51B described later and extends outward in the lateral direction.

  The first U-shaped portion 51 is held on the side wall 44 of the housing 40 by integral molding, and is a counterpart first leg as a counterpart first leg located on the counterpart outer receiving space 46A side in the short direction. Inner leg 51A, mating first outer leg 51B as a mating third leg located outside mating first inner leg 51A, mating first inner leg 51A and mating first outer leg It has the other party 1st connection part 51C which connects the lower ends of 51B.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the mating first inner leg portion 51 </ b> A extends in the vertical direction with the outer surface facing the mating outer receiving space 46 </ b> A exposed, and the outer surface has the short side between the side edges. A locked recess 51A-1 is formed which is submerged in the hand direction (plate thickness direction). In addition, the first outer leg portion 51B of the opponent is exposed in the lateral direction outward and extends in the up-down direction, and the outer surface faces the lateral direction outward between the side edges. A protruding protruding protrusion 51B-1 is formed. The locking recessed portion 51A-1 and the locking protrusion 51B-1 have a width dimension smaller than the width dimension of the mating terminal 50 (dimension in the longitudinal direction of the housing 40), as can be seen in FIG. It is formed by pressing.

  In the state where the first U-shaped portion 51 is held on the side wall 44 by integral molding, the mating first inner leg portion 51A, the mating first outer leg portion 51B, and the mating first connecting portion 51C are arranged on both sides. The plate surface inside the end surface and the U-shaped portion is held in contact with the side wall 44, and the plate surface (outer surface) of the U-shaped portion exposed from the side wall 44 is the inner surface, outer surface, and lower surface of the side wall 44. Are located on the same level surface.

  As is often seen in FIG. 3, the second U-shaped portion 53 is held on the protruding wall portion 43 by integral molding, and the second U-shaped portion 53 is located on the counterpart inner receiving space 46 </ b> B side in the short direction. Two inner legs 53A, a second partner outer leg 53B as a second partner leg positioned outside the second partner inner leg 53A, the second partner inner leg 53A and the second partner outer leg It has the other party 2nd connection part 53C which connects the lower ends of the part 53B. The counterpart second outer leg 53B has an outer surface extending in the vertical direction exposed in the counterpart outer receiving space 46A, and the outer surface extends in the short direction (plate thickness direction) between the side edges. A locked protrusion 53B-1 protruding outward is formed. As shown in FIG. 2, the locked protrusion 53B-1 has a width smaller than the width of the terminal 20 and is formed by, for example, pressing, as with the locked protrusion 51B-1. .

  In a state where the second U-shaped portion 53 is held on the protruding wall portion 43 by integral molding, the mating second inner leg portion 53A, the mating second outer leg portion 53B, and the mating second connecting portion 53C are arranged on both sides. The plate surface inside the end face and the U-shaped portion is held in contact with the protruding wall portion 43, and the plate surface (outer surface) of the U-shaped portion exposed from the protruding wall portion 43 is the inner surface of the protruding wall portion 43. It is located so as to form the same level surface as the side surface, the outer surface and the upper surface.

  In the present embodiment, the locked recess 51A-1 of the mating first inner leg 51A of the mating terminal 50, the locked protrusion 51B-1 of the mating first outer leg 51B, and the locked second outer leg 53B of the mating terminal 50 are locked. The protrusion 53B-1 also has a function as a contact portion with the terminal 20 of the connector 1 as well as a function as a lock portion that prevents inadvertent disconnection between the connectors.

  The base 52 is held on the upper wall 41 of the housing 40 by integral molding. The base 52 connects the upper ends of the mating first inner leg 51 </ b> A of the first U-shaped portion 51 and the mating second inner leg 53 </ b> A of the second U-shaped portion 53. The base 52 extends in a straight shape in a range including the range corresponding to the counterpart outer receiving space 46A in the short direction.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the lower surface (upper surface in FIG. 2) of the base 52 is located at substantially the same level as the lower surface of the upper wall 41, and the counterpart is within a range corresponding to the counterpart outer receiving space 46A. It is exposed in the outer receiving space 46A. The part where the lower surface is exposed in the counterpart outer receiving space 46A is located in a range including the position of the locked projection 53B-1 of the counterpart second outer leg 53B in the short direction. Further, the upper end of the second outer leg portion 53B of the second U-shaped portion 53 is in contact with the exposed lower surface of the base portion 52.

  The fixture 60 is made by bending a strip-shaped metal plate strip in the plate thickness direction, and is held on the end wall 45 by integral molding at four corners in the planar shape of the mating connector 2. As shown in FIG. 2, the fixing bracket 60 has a fixing portion 61 having the same shape as the connection portion 54 of the mating terminal 50, and the fixing portion 61 is coupled to the mating terminal 50 on the circuit board. By soldering to the circuit board, the fixing strength of the connector 1 to the circuit board is improved.

[Manufacture of mating connector 2]
The mating connector 2 is formed in a posture in which the mating receiving space 46 is opened upward as shown in FIG. 2 and, like the connector 1 described above, the mating terminal is connected by an upper mold, a lower mold, and a side mold. The mold 50 is manufactured by filling resin between the molds while holding the 50 and the fixing bracket 60 and integrally molding the mating terminal 50 and the fixing bracket 60 with the housing 40.

  Further, as described above, the base 52 of the mating terminal 50 is within the range including the position of the locked projection 53B-1 of the mating second outer leg 53B in the short direction of the housing 40 in FIG. The upper surface (the lower surface in FIG. 3) is located at substantially the same level as the upper surface (the lower surface in FIG. 3) of the upper wall 41 and is exposed in the counterpart outer receiving space 46A. The lower end (upper end in FIG. 3) is in contact with the upper surface (lower surface in FIG. 3) of the base 52. Therefore, at the time of integral molding, similarly to the connector 1 described above, the resin is prevented from flowing into the groove portion of the upper mold, and the locked projection 53B-1 reliably projects.

[Connector mating operation]
Hereinafter, the fitting operation between the connector 1 and the mating connector 2 will be described. First, the terminals 20 and the fixtures 30 of the connector 1 are soldered to the circuit board, and the terminals 50 and the fixtures 60 of the mating connector 2 are soldered to other circuit boards. Next, as shown in FIG. 3, the connector 1 is brought into a posture in which the receiving space 16 is opened upward, and the mating connector 2 is brought to a position above the connector 1 in a posture in which the mating receiving space 46 is opened downward. .

  3, the mating connector 2 is moved downward, and the side wall 44 and the protruding wall portion 43 of the mating connector 2 are moved upward into the outer receiving space 16A and the inner receiving space 16B of the connector 1 from above. Insert each one. At the same time, the protruding wall portion 13 and the central wall portion 12 of the connector 1 are fitted into the mating outer receiving space 46A and the mating inner receiving space 46B of the mating connector 2 from below.

  By fitting the side wall 44 of the mating connector 2 into the outer receiving space 16 </ b> A of the connector 1 from above, the first U-shaped portion 51 of the mating terminal 50 of the mating connector 2 becomes the lock recess 21 </ b> A− of the terminal 20 of the connector 1. 1 and the lock protrusion 23B-1 are pushed and expanded. Further, by inserting the protruding wall portion 43 of the mating connector 2 into the inner receiving space 16 </ b> B of the connector 1 from above, the second U-shaped portion 53 of the mating terminal 50 of the mating connector 2 is connected to the terminal 20 of the connector 1. The space between the lock recess 23A-1 and the central wall portion 12 is expanded and entered.

  Further, by inserting the protruding wall 13 of the connector 1 into the mating outer receiving space 46 </ b> A of the mating connector 2 from below, the second inverted U-shaped portion 23 of the terminal 20 of the connector 1 is mated with the mating terminal 50 of the mating connector 2. The to-be-locked recess 51A-1 and the to-be-locked protrusion 53B-1 are pushed and expanded.

  When the fitting operation between the connectors further progresses, the lock recess 21A-1, the lock projection 23B-1 and the lock recess 23A-1 of the connector 1 become the lock projection 51B-1 of the mating connector 2, and the lock recess 51A-. 1 and the locked protrusion 53B-1 in the vertical direction. As a result, the terminals of the connectors are electrically connected and locked to each other, and the fitting connection between the connectors is completed.

  As described above, since the first U-shaped portion 51 of the mating terminal 50 enters between the lock recess 21A-1 and the lock projection 23B-1 of the terminal 20 while being engaged with the connector, 10, the pressing force directed outward in the short direction acts on the first inner leg 21 </ b> A of the terminal 20 and the side wall 14 of the housing 10, and the lower part of the first inner leg 21 </ b> A and the side wall 14 is used as a fulcrum. A moment that turns is generated.

  In the present embodiment, since the inner connecting portion 22A extending inward in the short direction from the lower end of the first inner leg portion 21A is located inside the first inner leg portion 21A in the short direction, the moment Against this, a drag is generated at the soldered portion between the inner connecting portion 22A and the circuit board. Therefore, the external force acting on the soldered portion between the outer connecting portion 24 of the terminal 20 and the circuit board is reduced by this drag force, so that the soldered portion can be prevented from being damaged.

  Moreover, in this embodiment, since each terminal 20 and the other party terminal 50 are locked in three places, compared with the case where terminals are locked in one place like the past, there are many places locked. Accordingly, the lock strength is increased accordingly. In addition, the lock is not only strengthened by the number of lock points, but also there is a distance between the lock points, so that the lock is strong against an external force that causes an inclination. Therefore, even when the thickness of the terminal 20 and the mating terminal 50 is reduced to reduce the height of the connector 1 and the mating connector 2, the locking strength of the entire connector does not decrease, and the connectors are inadvertent. Omission can be prevented well.

  In this embodiment, the connector terminal has a lock recess in the first inner leg, a lock recess in the second inner leg, and a lock protrusion on the second outer leg. Depending on the shape, it may be changed as appropriate to which of the leg portions the lock projection or the lock recess is formed. Specifically, as long as the upper surface of the base of the terminal is exposed to the receiving space in the short direction of the housing, there is no risk of resin flowing into the groove of the upper mold during integral molding. Either the portion or the lock recess may be formed. On the other hand, in the range where the upper surface of the base portion is not exposed, it is impossible to prevent the resin from flowing into the groove portion of the upper mold from the lower end opening at the time of integral molding, so the lock protrusion cannot be formed and the lock recess is formed. Is done.

  Further, if the upper surface of the base portion is exposed below, it is possible to form lock protrusions on all the leg portions of the first inner leg portion, the second inner leg portion and the second outer leg portion. In addition, it is possible to form lock recesses in all the leg portions regardless of whether or not the upper surface of the base portion is exposed below. The mating terminal of the mating connector is formed with a locked recess and a locked projection corresponding to the locking projection and the locking recess of each leg of the connector terminal.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the lock protrusion or the lock recess is formed on all the three leg portions of the first inner leg portion, the second inner leg portion, and the second outer leg portion. Instead, a lock protrusion or a lock recess may be formed on two of the three legs, and one leg may be a flat contact portion without forming a lock protrusion or a lock recess.

  In this embodiment, the lock protrusion and the lock recess of the terminal are formed with dimensions smaller than the width dimension of the terminal. Instead, for example, by bending the terminal in the plate thickness direction. The lock protrusion and the lock recess terminal can be formed over the entire width direction of the terminal.

  In the present embodiment, the outer surface of the first inner leg of the first inverted U-shaped portion of the terminal, the outer surface of the second inverted U-shaped portion, and the upper surface of the base are respectively a side wall, a protruding wall portion, and a bottom wall. Although the surface is exposed at the same level, it may be positioned at a level protruding from the side wall, the protruding wall portion, and the bottom wall instead.

  In the present embodiment, the base portion of the terminal connects the lower ends of the first inner leg portion of the first inverted U-shaped portion and the inner leg portion of the second inverted U-shaped portion. The base portion may connect, for example, the lower end of the first inner leg portion of the first inverted U-shaped portion and the lower end of the second outer leg portion of the second inverted U-shaped portion. In this case, each terminal is provided with three or more inverted U-shaped portions, and the housing is provided with side walls or protruding wall portions for holding the inverted U-shaped portions, and the inverted U-shaped portions adjacent to each other. In the same manner as described in the present embodiment, a lock protrusion and a lock recess may be formed. As a result, the number of lock locations is further increased, and the lock strength can be increased accordingly.

  The modifications described above can also be applied to the mating connector.

  In the present embodiment, both the inner soldered portion and the outer soldered portion of the terminal are connection portions for electrical connection with the corresponding circuit portion of the circuit board. The connecting portion may be a connecting portion, and the other may be a fixing portion that is not electrically connected to the circuit board and is soldered for fixing the connector to the circuit board.

  In the present embodiment, the case where the present invention is applied to the receptacle-type connector has been described, but the present invention can be applied to a plug-type connector instead. In this case, the locked protrusion and the locked recess of the mating terminal function as a lock protrusion and a locking recess.

  In the present embodiment, the mating connector is an electrical connector for a circuit board. However, the form of the mating connector is not limited to this, and may be, for example, a cable electrical connector in which the mating terminal is connected to a cable. In the present embodiment, the mating connector is formed by integrally molding the mating terminal and the housing. Alternatively, the mating terminal may be held in the housing by press-fitting the mating terminal into the housing. .

  Further, in this embodiment, the housing of the mating connector has a side wall and a protruding wall portion, the side wall holds the first U-shaped portion of the mating terminal, and the projecting wall portion is the second U of the mating terminal. Instead of this, instead of providing a protruding wall part in the housing, the second U-shaped part of the mating terminal is not held in the housing but is positioned alone. Good.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Connector 23B-1 Lock protrusion 2 Mating connector 40 Housing 10 Housing 41 Upper wall 11 Bottom wall 43 Projecting wall (mating standing wall)
13 Projection wall (standing wall) 44 Side wall (mating wall)
14 Side wall (standing wall) 46A Counterpart outer receiving space (partner receiving space)
16A Outer receiving space (receiving space) 50 Mating terminal 20 Terminal 51A Mating first inner leg (mating first leg)
21A First inner leg (third leg) 51A-1 Locked recess 21A-1 Lock recess 51B Mating first outer leg (mating third leg)
23A Second inner leg (second leg) 51B-1 Locked protrusion 23A-1 Lock recess 53B Mating second outer leg (mating second leg)
23B Second outer leg (first leg) 53B-1 Locked protrusion

Claims (3)

An electrical connector that receives a mating connector from above in a receiving space and is fitted and connected to the mating connector, wherein the housing has a receiving space formed between at least a pair of standing walls that stand upward from the bottom wall and face each other And an electrical connector comprising a plurality of terminals arranged and held by integral molding on at least one of the pair of standing walls,
The housing is configured such that one of the pair of standing walls is fitted into the mating connector from below, and the mating connector is fitted into the receiving space from above.
The terminal is made by bending a metal plate-shaped piece in the thickness direction, and has a first leg, a second leg, and a third leg.
The first leg portion extends in the vertical direction along one side surface of the one standing wall facing the other standing wall, and is exposed toward the other standing wall.
The second leg portion extends in the vertical direction along the other side surface of both side surfaces of the one standing wall and is exposed toward the opposite side to the other standing wall in the opposing direction of the pair of standing walls. And
The third leg portion extends vertically along one side surface of the other standing wall facing the one standing wall, and is exposed toward the one standing wall.
Each of the first leg, the second leg, and the third leg can contact a corresponding portion of the mating terminal of the mating connector, of which at least two legs project in the facing direction. A lock protrusion or a lock recess recessed in the opposite direction is formed and can be locked in the vertical direction with the locked recess or lock protrusion formed in the corresponding portion of the mating connector mating terminal. An electrical connector featuring.   In the housing, one of the pair of standing walls is inserted from below between a pair of the standing walls formed on the mating connector, and one of the pair of standing walls is The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the electrical connector is inserted into the receiving space from above. A connector assembly comprising the electrical connector according to claim 1 or 2, and a mating connector fitted and connected to the electrical connector,
The mating connector includes a housing in which at least one mating standing wall that rises downward from the upper wall is formed, and a plurality of mating terminals arranged and held on the mating standing wall,
The mating terminal is formed by bending a metal plate-shaped piece in the thickness direction, and extends in the vertical direction corresponding to the first leg, the second leg, and the third leg of the electrical connector. It has a first leg, an opponent second leg, and an opponent third leg,
An opponent receiving space is formed between the opponent first leg and the opponent second leg facing each other,
The first mating leg portion extends along one side surface located on the second mating leg portion side of both side surfaces of the mating standing wall,
The opponent third leg portion extends along the other side surface of the opponent standing wall,
The mating standing wall is fitted into the electrical connector receiving space from above, and one standing wall of the electrical connector is fitted into the mating receiving space from below,
Each of the mating first leg, the mating second leg, and the mating third leg can contact a corresponding portion of the terminal of the electrical connector, and at least two of the legs of the electrical connector A locked protrusion protruding in the opposite direction of the pair of upstanding walls or a locked recess recessed in the opposite direction is formed, and the lock recess or lock protrusion formed in the corresponding part of the terminal of the electrical connector and the upper and lower An electrical connector assembly characterized in that it can be locked in a direction.

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