TWI521805B - Electrical connector assembly and socket connector - Google Patents

Description

Electrical connector assembly and socket connector

The present invention relates to an electrical connector assembly and a socket connector as one of the assemblies, the electrical connector assembly having a socket connector disposed on a circuit board and a plug connector mated thereto.

Such an electrical connector assembly is disclosed, for example, in the configuration of Patent Document 1. The connector assembly of Patent Document 1 is provided with a fixing member (fitting) for the socket connector and the plug connector, and the fixing member is used for soldering and fixing the circuit substrate of the connector with the connector portion when the connectors are connected to each other When connected, the fixing members are engaged (locked) with each other to prevent the connector from coming off. The fixing member is formed by processing a metal plate and held by the casing at both end positions in the arrangement direction of the terminals of the connector.

The fixing member of the socket connector has: an end portion supported by the end wall of the housing, and a side portion which is bent from the end portion and supported by both side walls of the end wall; when the connector is fitted When observing, the whole is made into a U shape. A hook-shaped locking portion that protrudes upward and is bent into an inverted U-shape is provided at the end portion, and the side portions are respectively in contact with each other. A concave locking portion is formed on both inner surfaces of the side wall of the casing. a fixing member of the plug connector having a plate member parallel to an end portion of the fixing member of the socket connector, and a protruding card that is engaged with the concave locking portion at both ends thereof The joint portion is provided as a cut end surface in the thickness direction of the plate, and is provided with a U-shaped piece which is bent upward from the lower edge of the portion of the plate member and has a protruding portion formed on the plate surface. In Patent Document 1, the "locking portion" is used for the fixing member of the socket connector, and the "locking portion" is used for the fixing member of the plug connector to distinguish the two.

When the plug connector is mated and connected to the receptacle connector of Patent Document 1 having the fixing member, the protruding engaging portion of the fixing member of the plug connector and the protrusion-like other portion are fitted in the fitting process. The engaging portion, the concave locking portion of the fixing member of the corresponding socket connector and the hook-shaped locking portion of the inverted U-shape can be fitted to a predetermined position in a state of being elastically deformed by the interference amount. When the predetermined position is reached, the elastic deformation is released, and the corresponding engaging portion and the locking portion are engaged in the connector pulling direction by the interference amount, and the locking function for preventing the connector from being pulled out is provided.

[Advanced technical literature] [Patent Literature]

[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2010-198996

In Patent Document 1, the fixing member in the socket connector is used. The locking function achieved by the engaging portion of the locking portion and the fixing member of the plug connector is such that a portion of the end wall of the end portion of the housing in the terminal arrangement direction has a side wall and two side walls in the vicinity thereof The two parts of the opposite direction are obtained. That is to say, for one fixing member, the locking function is obtained in three places in a total of three directions in the direction of the end wall of the casing and the direction to the side wall.

However, in the fixing member of Patent Document 1, the amount of elastic deformation at the time of engagement of the engaging portion or the locking portion is small, and the elastic deformation before the engagement is likely to be caused. The problem of damage to the engagement area.

First, in the fixing member of the socket connector, in the concave locking portion located on the side wall, the engaging portion is a protruding engaging portion of the fixing member of the plug connector on the object side, and the engaging portion is on the plate. Since the cut surface in the thickness direction of the plate is formed in a protruding shape, it is easy to damage the surface in the vicinity of the locking portion before reaching the above-described locking portion. Further, since the protruding engagement portion does not elastically deform even if it receives a reaction force in a direction parallel to the plate surface, the rigidity in the same direction is high, and the surface near the locking portion where the locking portion abuts will be The damage is greatly reduced, and as a result, the amount of jamming of the locking portion itself is reduced.

Then, the locking portion of the end wall of the housing of the fixing member on the side of the socket connector is disposed at the center of the end portion supported by the end wall of the housing, so that the locking portion is located at both ends of the beam-like shape In the center of the end portion, the positional movement (shift) caused by the elastic deformation is small.

The locking portion body extends toward the height of the end portion Therefore, it is formed into a short arm body, and its shape is close to each other and is folded back into an inverted U shape so that the rigidity is high, and the locking portion body has almost no elasticity. Further, since the inverted U-shaped locking portion is engaged with the front surface of the inverted connector of the plug connector, the front end edge portion of the inverted U-shaped portion is required to be engaged with the engaging portion. The front end edge portion is moved in contact with the face portion, and the face is easily damaged by the sharp edge of the front end edge portion before reaching the engagement position. Further, in the same manner as in the case of the locking portion of the fixing member of the socket connector, the engaging portion of the fixing member of the plug connector is formed as an arm body that extends in the height direction, so that the amount of elastic deformation of the arm body is also It cannot be guaranteed to be large and it is difficult to avoid damage.

In the fixing member of Patent Document 1, since the amount of elastic deformation is not large, the plate surface of the fixing member is abutted against the plate surface in the thickness direction of the plate or the sharp front end edge abuts and is engaged, so that it is easily damaged. As a result of the above-mentioned board surface, as the wear is reduced, the locking mechanism tends to deteriorate.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide an electrical connector assembly and a socket connector as one of the assemblies, the electrical connector assembly having: before the connectors reach each other in a locked position A socket connector for suppressing a damaged locking fitting, and a plug connector mated thereto.

<First invention>

An electrical connector assembly according to a first aspect of the invention includes: a receptacle connector disposed on a mounting surface of a circuit board; and a connector that is inserted at a right angle to the mounting surface as a connector insertion and insertion direction a plug connector; the socket connector retains a plurality of terminal arrangements in the housing in a direction parallel to the mounting surface, and maintains a plug for the plug at both ends of the housing in the array direction The connector locks the engaged locking fitting, and the plug connector has an object terminal that is connected to the terminal of the socket connector in a connector fitting state, and an object locking fitting that engages with the locking fitting of the socket connector.

In the electrical connector assembly, in the first invention, the locking fitting of the socket connector and the object locking fitting of the plug connector are formed by processing a metal plate, and the locking fitting of the socket connector has: A base portion having a substantially U-shaped shape when viewed in the direction in which the connector is inserted and removed, and a base portion extending in a direction in which the board is inserted and removed, and a lock extending from the base portion at a right angle to the board surface An arm portion; the base portion having an end wall side base portion of an end wall of the housing extending in a width direction of the connector at a right angle to the array direction, and a position of the base portion at a position from the end wall side Extending along the side wall of the casing toward the arrangement direction, and facing the side wall side base portion in the connector width direction; the locking arm portion having: the casing from the pair of side wall side bases toward the arrangement direction a pair of side wall side locking arms that extend toward the inner side in the width direction of the connector and are elastically deflectable toward the width direction of the connector; the pair of side wall side locking arm portions An object locking fitting that can accommodate the plug connector with each other, the pair of side wall side locking arm portions During the period before the official locking position of the object locking fitting of the plug connector, the panel surface can be slidably attached to the surface of the object locking fitting, and has: in the official locking position, the connector is pulled out and the object locking fitting is A locking portion or a locked portion that locks each other.

In the first invention, the end wall side locking arm portion and the opposite side wall side locking arm portions are mutually in correspondence with the corresponding portions of the object locking fitting before reaching the formal locking position with the object locking fitting of the plug connector Slide the board surface. Therefore, stress concentration is less likely to occur than in the case where the cutting surface or the front end edge portion of the locking fitting is cut in the thickness direction of the plate. As a result, since it is difficult to damage the plate surface of the lock fitting, the engagement area is not reduced by abrasion, and the deterioration of the lock engagement force can be avoided.

According to the connector of the first aspect of the invention, it is required to be miniaturized in the direction in which the connector is inserted and removed, and since the size of the terminal can be made larger in the terminal arrangement direction, the end wall side locking arm portion is extended in the above-mentioned arrangement direction, and is connected thereto. The side wall side locking arm portion can be made larger than when the insertion and removal direction is extended. Thus, the amount of elastic displacement when sliding with the locking fitting of the plug connector becomes large, whereby the abutment pressure of the locking fitting and the panel surface of the object locking fitting during the reaching of the formal locking position can be lowered, and the connection can be made The locking amount of the locking fitting and the object locking fitting after the elastic displacement of the device is completed is increased. As a result, the surface of the locking fitting and the object locking fitting is not easily damaged, and the locking of the locking fitting and the object locking fitting is more sure.

In the first invention, the arm portion locking arm portion provided at the lock fitting of the socket connector is extended from the side wall side base portion toward the terminal arrangement direction. Stretched to flex elastically toward the width of the connector.

In the connector of the present invention, the connector is required to be miniaturized in the direction in which the connector is inserted and removed, and since the size of the terminal can be increased in the arrangement direction of the terminal, the side wall side locking arm portion is extended in the above-mentioned arrangement direction. The side wall side locking arm portion can be lengthened as compared with the case where the insertion and removal direction is extended. Therefore, the amount of elastic displacement caused by the sliding contact with the plate surface of the lock fitting of the plug connector becomes large, whereby the abutment pressure of the plate faces of the lock fittings before reaching the formal lock position can be lowered, and The locking amount of the lock fittings after the elastic displacement of the connector is completed is increased. As a result, it is not easy to damage the board surface of the lock fitting, and the locking of the lock fittings can be surely performed.

According to the first aspect of the invention, the object locking fitting provided in the plug connector has a locking arm portion extending in the direction in which the terminals are arranged, and at least a part of the locking arm portion is bent toward the inner side in the connector width direction to form a locking portion. The locking portion is locked with the stepped corresponding locking portion of the housing of the plug connector, and is prevented from coming off the housing of the plug connector in the connector insertion/removal direction.

By locking the locking portion formed by the bending of the locking arm portion of the object locking fitting to the stepped corresponding locking portion of the housing of the plug connector, the insertion and removal of the connector can be surely prevented. The directional object locking fitting is detached from the above casing.

<Second invention>

The socket connector of the second invention is disposed on the mounting surface of the circuit board a plug connector is fitted and connected in a direction perpendicular to the mounting surface as a connector insertion/removal direction; a direction parallel to the mounting surface is used as an arrangement direction, and a plurality of terminals are arranged in the housing. And a locking fitting for locking engagement with the plug connector is held at both ends of the housing in the arrangement direction.

In the socket connector, in the second invention, the locking fitting is formed by processing a metal plate, and the locking fitting has a substantially U-shaped shape when viewed in a direction in which the connector is inserted and removed, and a plate thereof a base portion extending in a direction in which the connector is inserted and removed, and a locking arm portion extending from the base portion into an arm shape and deflecting at a right angle to the plate surface; the base portion having a position along the alignment An end wall side base portion of an end wall of the housing extending in a width direction of the connector at a right angle, and a position thereof extending along a side wall of the housing extending from both ends of the end wall side base portion toward the arrangement direction, and being connected The locking arm portion is opposite to the side wall side base portion; the locking arm portion has a side wall portion extending from the pair of side wall side portions toward the arrangement direction along the side wall of the housing, and is inclined toward the inner side in the connector width direction, and a pair of side wall side locking arm portions elastically flexing toward the connector width direction; the pair of side wall side locking arm portions accommodating the object locking fitting of the plug connector with the pair of side walls The side locking arm portion is slidably coupled to the surface of the object locking fitting by a plate surface before reaching the official locking position of the object locking fitting of the plug connector, and has: the connector is pulled in the formal locking position A locking portion or a locked portion that is interlocked with the object locking fitting in the out direction.

In the second invention, as in the first invention described above, The end wall side locking arm portion and the two side wall side locking arm portions of the locking fitting of the seat connector are mutually adjacent to the corresponding portions of the object locking fitting before reaching the formal locking position of the object locking fitting of the plug connector Sliding on the board surface. Therefore, since the board surface of the lock fitting is not easily damaged, the deterioration of the lock engagement force can be avoided. In the same manner as the first aspect of the invention, since the side wall side locking arm portion extends in the above-described arrangement direction, the side wall side locking arm portion can be formed to be long and can be easily elastically displaced. Therefore, it is not easy to damage the board surface of the lock fitting, and the locking of the lock fittings can be surely performed.

As in the first invention, by making the side wall side locking arm portion grow, the amount of elastic displacement when sliding with the locking fitting of the plug connector becomes large, thereby enabling the locking fitting during the time of reaching the official locking position. The abutting pressure with respect to the plate faces of the object locking fitting is lowered, and the locking amount of the locking fitting and the object locking fitting after the elastic displacement of the connector is completed can be increased. As a result, the surface of the locking fitting and the object locking fitting is not easily damaged, and the locking of the locking fitting and the object locking fitting is more sure.

According to the present invention, the lock fitting of the socket connector and the plug connector has a locking portion at the end portion of the connector at the end wall side and the opposite side wall sides, so that the connector is pulled out obliquely. It can also ensure a good advantage, and the locking fitting of the socket connector and the object locking fitting of the plug connector are slid in contact with each other by the plate surface, and are not easily damaged, before reaching the formal locking position. The face does not reduce the amount of jam due to wear, ensuring a formal locking force.

1‧‧‧Socket connector

2‧‧‧ plug connector

10‧‧‧shell

14‧‧‧ side wall

15‧‧‧End wall

20‧‧‧ terminals

30‧‧‧Locking accessories

31‧‧‧ base

31A‧‧‧End wall side base

31B‧‧‧ sidewall side base

33‧‧‧End wall side locking arm

34‧‧‧ Side wall side locking arm

40‧‧‧shell

45A‧‧‧corresponding to the locking part

50‧‧‧Object terminal

60‧‧‧Object locking accessories

63B‧‧‧Clock arm

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the entirety of a receptacle connector and a plug connector according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein (A) shows a posture in which the accommodation spaces of the two connectors are upward, and (B) shows a fitting of the connectors. The previous posture.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the receptacle connector of Fig. 1 showing the state before mounting of the lock fitting.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the plug connector of Fig. 1 showing a state before mounting of the object lock fitting.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the lock fitting of the receptacle connector of Fig. 2 and the object lock fitting of the plug connector of Fig. 3, (A) showing the state before the connector is fitted, and (B) showing the connector. Locked state after fitting.

Fig. 5 is a view showing the lock fitting of the receptacle connector and the object lock fitting of the plug connector of Fig. 4 before the fitting of the connector, and (A) is a sectional view of the VA-VA of Fig. 4(A), ( B) is a view as seen from the direction of the VB arrow of Fig. 4(A).

Fig. 6 is a view showing the lock fitting of the receptacle connector and the object lock fitting of the plug connector of Fig. 4 in the locked state after the connector is fitted, and (A) is a VIA-VIA section of Fig. 4(B). Fig. (B) is a view as seen from the direction of the arrow VIB of Fig. 4(B).

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the entirety of a receptacle connector and a plug connector according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein (A) shows a posture in which the accommodation spaces of the two connectors are upward, and (B) shows a fitting of the connectors. The previous posture. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the receptacle connector of Fig. 1 showing the state before mounting of the lock fitting. In the second drawing, the socket connectors of Figs. 1(A) and (B) are displayed upside down. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the plug connector of Fig. 1 showing a state before mounting of the object lock fitting.

The socket connector 1 and the plug connector 2 of the present embodiment are connectors for circuit boards that are respectively disposed on mounting surfaces of different circuit boards (not shown), and constitute a direction at right angles to the faces of the circuit boards ( The vertical direction of the first drawing (A) and (B) is a connector assembly in the insertion and removal direction.

As shown in FIGS. 1(A) and (B), the receptacle connector 1 has a housing 10 which is formed into a substantially rectangular outer shape, and the longitudinal direction of the housing 10 is defined as an arrangement direction by the housing. The terminal 20 of the plurality of rows and the two lock fittings 30 held by the both end portions of the casing 10 in the longitudinal direction are arranged. The receptacle connector 1 is placed and mounted on a circuit board in the posture shown in Figs. 1(A) and 1(B).

The casing 10 is made of, for example, an electrically insulating material such as resin, and a direction parallel to the mounting surface of the circuit board is defined as a longitudinal direction. (terminal arrangement direction) extends. The casing 10 has a bottom wall 11 that is parallel to the mounting surface (refer to a second view in which the socket connector of FIG. 1 is displayed upside down), and rises upward from the bottom wall 11 and is arranged toward the terminal. The protruding protruding wall portion 12 and the frame-shaped peripheral wall 13 that rises upward from the bottom wall 11 and surrounds the protruding wall portion 12 are formed. The peripheral wall 13 has a pair of side walls 14 extending in the terminal arrangement direction, and a pair of ends extending in a connector width direction at right angles to the terminal arrangement direction, and connecting end portions of the pair of side walls 14 to each other. Wall 15. An annular space that opens upward between the protruding wall portion 12 and the peripheral wall 13 is formed as a housing space 16 for accommodating the peripheral wall 63 as a fitting portion of the plug connector 2 as the target connector.

In the casing 10, terminal holding grooves 17 for holding the terminals 20 are arranged in the row in the terminal arrangement direction at equal intervals in the connector width direction with respect to the projecting wall portion 12. The terminal holding groove 17 covers a side surface of the protruding wall portion 12, an upper surface of the bottom wall 11, and an inner side surface of the side wall 14 (a surface facing the side surface of the protruding wall portion 12), and an upper surface and an outer surface of the side wall 14, The groove is continuously formed and recessed, and is formed in a groove shape of a horizontal S shape as viewed in the terminal arrangement direction.

The casing 10 holds the lock fitting 30 at both end portions 10A in the terminal arrangement direction. In the present embodiment, the end portion 10A of the casing 10 is a portion outside the terminal arrangement range in the terminal arrangement direction, that is, a portion located further outward of the terminal holding groove 17 at both ends of the terminal arrangement direction. . In the present embodiment, a portion of the accommodating space 16 that is outside the range of the terminal arrangement, in other words, a housing The space surrounded by the end wall 15 of the end portion 10A of the 10 and the two side walls 14 is referred to as "end space 16A".

The casing 10 is connected to an end portion of the protruding wall portion 12 in the terminal arrangement direction at a central position in the connector width direction, and protrudes upward from the bottom wall 11 toward the end space 16A and is arranged toward the terminal. An extended ridge portion 18. The ridge portion 18 is formed to be lower than the projecting wall portion 12 and the peripheral wall 13. The ridge portion 18 enters the end groove portion 45B of the plug connector 2 to be described later in a state in which the connector is fitted, and has a function of guiding the plug connector 2 in the connector width direction.

Although the casing 10 is formed to receive the retaining lock fitting 30, the lock fitting 30 will be described before the housing 10 is further described in order to understand its shape.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the lock fitting 30 of the receptacle connector 1 of Fig. 2 and the target lock fitting 60 of the plug connector 2 of Fig. 3, wherein (A) is a state before the connector is fitted, (B) It is the locked state after the connector is fitted.

The locking fitting 30 is formed by punching a metal plate into a predetermined shape and then bending it in the thickness direction of the plate. As shown in Fig. 4(A), each of the lock fittings 30 has two base portions 31 which are formed in a substantially U-shape when viewed from the up-and-down direction and whose plate faces extend in the up-and-down direction, and are retained from the base portion 31. The portion 32, the end wall side locking arm portion 33, and the side wall side locking arm portion 34.

The base portion 31 has an end wall side base portion 31A extending in the connector width direction (the right and left direction in Fig. 4(A)), and Both ends of the end wall side base portion 31A are formed toward the side wall side base portion 31B extending in the terminal arrangement direction (the obliquely downward left in FIG. 4(A)). The held portion 32 has a fixing portion 32A that is bent outward in the connector width direction on the lower edge of the side wall side base portion 31B, and a portion that extends in the upper portion of the side wall side base portion 31B so as to be continuous upward with the fixing portion 32A. The press-fitting arm portion 32B having substantially the same position at the upper edge.

The fixing portion 32A is a portion soldered and fixed to a corresponding portion of the circuit board, and has a function of fixing the socket connector 1 to the circuit board together with the connecting portion 22 of the terminal 20. In the connecting portion (curved portion) of the fixing portion 32A and the press-fitting arm portion 32B, a hole portion 32C penetrating in the thickness direction of the plate is formed, and when the fixing portion 32A is welded and fixed, the molten solder is filled in. In the hole portion 32C, the fixing to the circuit board is made stronger. The press-fitting arm portion 32B is formed with a press-fitting projection 32B-1 that protrudes from both end edges extending in the vertical direction. When the press-fitting arm portion 32B is press-fitted into the fitting holding groove 14A of the casing 10, the press-fitting projection 32B-1 bites into the inner wall surface of the fitting holding groove 14A to make it stronger.

The end wall side lock arm portion 33 is folded back from the lower edge of the end wall side base portion 31A toward the inside of the terminal arrangement range (the left obliquely downward side of FIG. 4(A)), and is formed to extend upward to the end wall side base portion 31A. The strip shape of the upper edge of the uppermost edge is elastically deflected in the direction of the thickness of the plate in the direction of the thickness of the plate. The end wall side lock arm portion 33 is formed at a position near the upper end thereof, and a portion of the plate surface is formed so as to protrude toward the terminal arrangement range side to form a substantially hemispherical end wall side lock projection 33A (see also FIG. 5). (A)). The end wall side locking projection 33A can be locked to the end wall side of the object lock fitting 60 of the plug connector 2 by the locking recess 62A (refer to Fig. 6(A)). The end wall side locking projection 33A is formed, for example, by press working in the thickness direction of the plate.

The side wall side locking arm portion 34 extends inward from the side wall side base portion 31B toward the terminal arrangement direction, and is slightly inclined toward the inner side in the connector width direction, and is elastically deflectable in the thickness direction of the connector in the plate thickness direction. The side wall side locking arm portion 34 is formed at a position near the upper end thereof with a side wall side locking projection 34A whose part of the plate surface protrudes inward in the connector width direction. The side wall side locking projections 34A are formed as protrusions extending in the terminal arrangement direction, and as will be described later, the side wall side of the object lock fitting 60 of the plug connector 2 is locked by the recessed portion 63A. The upper surface of the side wall side locking projection 34A is formed as an inclined surface that is inclined toward the inner side in the connector width direction as it goes downward. When the target locking fitting 60 abuts against the inclined surface from above, the side wall side locking arm The portion 34 is subjected to a force including a component outward in the width direction of the connector, and is elastically displaced in the same direction. The side wall side locking projections 34A are formed, for example, by press working in the thickness direction of the sheet, similarly to the end wall side locking projections 33A.

Return to the description of the housing 10. As shown in Fig. 2, the end portion 10A of the casing 10 is formed to open upward (the lower side of Figs. 1(A) and (B)) on the two side walls 14 for pressing the lock fitting 30. The arm portion 32B is press-fitted into the held fitting holding groove 14A. As shown in Fig. 2, the side wall 14 and the end wall 15 as the end portion 10A are formed with a receiving groove for accommodating the base portion 31 of the lock fitting 30 and the side wall side locking arm portion 34. Part 10B. The accommodating groove portion 10B is formed to have a substantially U-shape and is opened upward as viewed from the upper side of FIG. 2 (the lower side of FIGS. 1(A) and (B)). The accommodation groove portion 10B is opened toward the end space 16A along a portion of the side wall 14 of the end portion 10A. Then, as shown in FIGS. 1(A) and (B), in a state where the lock fitting 30 is attached to the casing 10, the side wall side base portion 31B and the side wall side lock arm portion 34 of the lock fitting 30 are exposed toward the end space 16A.

As shown in Fig. 2, the end portions 10A of the casing 10 are arranged in the connector width direction so as to open upward at the end wall 15 (the lower side of Figs. 1(A) and (B)). The receiving hole portion 15A in which the two end wall side locking arm portions 33 of the lock fitting 30 are respectively accommodated. The two accommodating hole portions 15A are surrounded by the accommodating groove portion 10B having a substantially U-shape as viewed from above in the second drawing, and are opened toward the end space 16A. Then, as shown in Fig. 1, in the state in which the lock fitting 30 is attached to the casing 10, the end wall side lock arm portion 33 is exposed toward the end space 16A.

As shown in Fig. 1, the inner edge portion of the upper surface of the end portion 10A of the casing 10, that is, the edge portion extending along the end space 16A to form a substantially U-shape, is formed along with the end space. The guide surface 10C which is inclined downward toward the 16A side. When the connector is fitted, the peripheral wall 43 of the plug connector 2 is brought into the receptacle connector by guiding the end wall 63 of the plug connector 2 described later toward the end space 16A with the guide surface 10C. 1 inside the accommodating space 16.

The terminal 20 is formed by punching the metal plate by maintaining a flat surface of the metal plate, and arranging the plate surface to form a straight line for the terminal arrangement direction. angle. In the terminal arrangement direction (the thickness direction of the board), the terminal 20 is formed in a lateral S shape, and a contact portion 21 that is in contact with the terminal (target terminal) 50 of the plug connector 2 is formed on one end side, and the other end side is formed on the other end side. A connecting portion 22 that is soldered to a corresponding circuit portion of the circuit board. The terminal 20 is press-fitted into the terminal holding groove 17 from above so that the inverted U-shaped holding portion 23 crosses the side wall 14 of the casing 10 when viewed from the terminal arrangement direction. In the held portion 23, a locking projection 23A for locking with the target terminal 50 of the plug connector 2 is formed to protrude toward the contact portion 21 side.

In a state in which the terminal 20 is held by the terminal holding groove 17, as shown in FIGS. 1(A) and (B), the contact portion 21 of the terminal 20 protrudes from the side surface of the protruding wall portion 12 toward the accommodating space 16, and The locking projection 23A protrudes from the inner side surface of the side wall 14 toward the accommodating space 16. The connecting portion 22 of the terminal 20 extends from the casing 10 toward the outer side in the connector width direction at substantially the same height as the bottom surface of the casing 10.

As shown in Fig. 2, the above-described lock fitting 30 is attached from the side of the bottom wall 11 of the casing 10 (above in Fig. 2). Specifically, the base portion 31, the side wall side locking arm portion 34, the press-fitting arm portion 32B, and the end wall side locking arm portion 33 of the lock fitting 30 are housed in the fitting holding groove 14A of the casing 10, and the receiving groove portion. Inside the 10B, the inside of the receiving hole portion 15A. As a result, the press fitting projection 32B-1 of the press-fitting arm portion 32B is bitten into the inner wall surface of the fitting holding groove 14A, and the lock fitting 30 is press-fitted and held by the casing 10.

Then according to Figure 1 (A), (B) and Figure 3 The construction of the plug connector 2 is shown. The plug connector 2 has a housing 40 that is formed into a substantially rectangular outer shape, and a plurality of terminals 50 that are arranged in the two rows by the housing 10 in the longitudinal direction of the housing 40 (hereinafter referred to as The "target terminal 50") and the two object locking fittings 60 held by the both end portions of the casing 40 in the longitudinal direction. The plug connector 2 is attached to the circuit board in the posture shown in FIG. 1(A), and is fitted and connected to the receptacle connector 1 in a vertically inverted posture as shown in FIG. 1(B).

The casing 40 is made of, for example, an electrically insulating material such as resin, and extends in a direction parallel to the mounting surface of the circuit board as a longitudinal direction (terminal arrangement direction). The casing 40 has a bottom wall 41 that is parallel to the mounting surface (refer to FIG. 1(B)), and as shown in FIGS. 1(A) and 3, rises upward from the bottom wall 41. The frame-shaped peripheral wall 43. The peripheral wall 43 has a pair of side walls 44 extending in the terminal arrangement direction, and a pair of ends extending in a connector width direction at right angles to the terminal arrangement direction, and connecting end portions of the pair of side walls 44 to each other. Wall 45. A space surrounded by the peripheral wall 13 and opened upward is formed as a housing space 46 for accommodating the protruding wall portion 12 of the receptacle connector 1.

Although the casing 40 is formed to hold the object locking fitting 60, the shape of the casing 40 will be described with respect to the object locking fitting 60 before further description of the casing 40 in order to understand its form.

The configuration of the object locking fitting 60 held by the above-described housing 40 will be mainly described based on Fig. 4(A). In the fourth picture (A) is displayed in the same direction as the object lock fitting 60 of Fig. 1(B) in the vertical direction, and is reversely displayed in the vertical direction with the object lock fitting 60 of Figs. 1(A) and 3 . The object locking fitting 60 has a base portion 61 that covers the lower surface of the end wall 45 of the casing 40 of Fig. 1(B) (the upper surface of Fig. 1(A) and Fig. 3), and the base portion 61 The end wall-side locked portion 62 that is bent upward to cover the end surface of the end wall 45, and the side wall-side locked portion 63 that is bent upward from the base portion 61 and covers the side surface of the end wall 45.

In the base portion 61, a slit portion 61A extending in the terminal arrangement direction (the obliquely downward direction in FIG. 4(A)) is formed at a central position in the connector width direction (the left-right direction in FIG. 4(A)). The slit portion 61A is in a state in which the target locking fitting 60 is attached to the casing 40, and its position corresponds to the end groove portion 45B of the end wall 45 of the casing 40 to be described later (refer to FIG. 1(A)).

The end wall side locked portion 62 is at a position corresponding to the end wall side locking arm portion 33 of the lock fitting 30 of the receptacle connector 1 in the connector width direction as shown in Fig. 4(A), and the end wall side is The upper edge of the lock portion 62 is not substantially semicircular, and an end wall side lock recess 62A for locking with the end wall side lock projection 33A of the end wall side lock arm portion 33 is formed.

As shown in FIG. 4(A), the side wall side to-be-locked portion 63 is formed at a position close to the lower side of the base portion 61 at the edge portion in the terminal arrangement direction (fourth (A) is a left oblique lower side). , extending toward the terminal arrangement direction to form a locking fitting 30 for use with the socket connector 1 The side wall side where the side wall side locking projection 34A is locked is locked by the recess 63A. A locking arm portion 63B for attaching the target locking fitting 60 to the casing 40 is formed on the side of the side wall side locked concave portion 63A so as to extend inward in the terminal arrangement direction. The locking arm portion 63B is slightly bent in a bending process toward the inner side in the width direction of the connector, and a locking portion that is elastically displaceable in the width direction of the connector is formed. The side wall side locked recess portion 63A, as will be described later, is used to receive the side wall side locking projection 34A of the lock fitting 30 of the receptacle connector 1 in the connector fitting state, and the lower edge of the side wall side locked recess portion 63A is The connector pull-out direction (upper) is locked with the above-described side wall side locking projection 34A.

Return to the description of the housing 40. The end wall 45 of the housing 40 is used to hold the object locking fitting 60 as shown in Figs. 1(A) and (B). As shown in Fig. 3, the end wall 45, except for the corner portion, the upper surface (below the first drawing (B)), the side surface (the surface at right angles to the connector width direction), and the end surface (relative to the end surface) The surface in which the terminals are arranged at right angles is recessed to the extent of the thickness of the panel of the object locking fitting 60. The side surface of the end wall 45 is further recessed substantially in the lower half to form a segment which functions as a corresponding locking portion 45A for mounting the object locking fitting 60 to the casing 40. As shown in Fig. 3, on the upper surface of the end wall 45, an end groove portion 45B as a groove portion extending in the terminal arrangement direction is formed at a central position in the connector width direction. The end groove portion 45B is for accommodating the ridge portion 18 of the casing 10 of the receptacle connector 1 in a connector fitting state as will be described later.

The target terminal 50 is a strip obtained by punching a metal plate. The sheet is bent toward the thickness of the sheet. The target terminal 50 is integrally molded and held by the side walls 44 of the casing 40, and is arranged at equal intervals in the longitudinal direction of the side wall 44. The target terminal 50 has a straight connecting portion 51 extending outward from the side wall 44 in the connector width direction at substantially the same height as the bottom wall 41 of the casing 40, and is continuous with the connecting portion 51 and faces the first figure. (A), the upper part of Fig. 3 (below the first figure (B)) is bent and folded back into an inverted U shape to bury the inverted U-shaped portion held by the side wall 44. The inverted U-shaped portion extends along the side wall 44, and the inverted U-shaped plate surface is exposed to be flush with the side wall 44.

One of the two leg portions of the inverted U-shaped portion of the target terminal 50 located on the inner side surface side of the side wall 44 is formed as a corresponding contact portion 52 for contacting the terminal 20 of the receptacle connector 1. . A corresponding contact recess 52A for accommodating the projecting contact portion 21 of the terminal 20 is formed in the corresponding contact portion 52 from the plate surface. The other leg portion on the outer side surface side of the side wall 44 is formed as a locked portion 53 for locking with the locking projection 23A of the above-described terminal 20. In the locked portion 53, a locked concave portion 53A for accommodating the locking projection 23A is formed in a recessed shape from the plate surface.

The attachment of the object locking fitting 60 to the housing 40 of the plug connector 2 will be described. As shown in FIG. 3, the object locking fitting 60 is attached from the opening side (upward in FIG. 3) of the housing space 46 of the casing 40 so as to cover the end wall 45 of the casing 40. As a result, the upper surface and the both side surfaces of the end wall 45 of Fig. 3 are made (for the width direction of the connector) The surface at right angles and the end surface (the surface at right angles to the direction in which the terminals are arranged) are covered by the object locking fitting 60. Thus, the end wall 45 is reinforced by the object locking fitting 60, so that the end wall 45 is not easily deformed even by an inadvertent external force.

In the mounting process of the object locking fitting 60, the two locking arm portions 63B as the locking portions of the object locking fitting 60 abut against the side faces of the end wall 45 of the casing 40 with the plate surface facing the connector width direction. The outer sides (directions away from each other) are elastically displaced. When the locking arm portion 63B passes the stepped corresponding locking portion 45A and reaches the position below the corresponding locking portion 45A, the locking arm portion 63B returns from the elastically displaced state. As a result, the locking arm portion 63B is locked to the corresponding locking portion 45A, and the object locking fitting 60 is prevented from coming off the housing 40 in the vertical direction.

In the present embodiment, the entire locking arm portion 63B is formed as a locking portion, and instead of this, only a part of the locking arm portion 63B is subjected to bending deformation processing to be formed as a locking portion. In the present embodiment, the locking arm portion and the locked concave portion are provided on the side wall side of the casing, and of course, it may be provided on the end wall side instead.

In the present embodiment, since the locking arm portion 63B of the target locking fitting 60 is locked to the stepped corresponding locking portion 45A of the casing 40, the casing 40 can be downsized in the width direction. More specifically, for example, a slit-shaped retaining groove parallel to both side faces of the end wall of the casing is formed on the end wall, and the retaining portion of the target locking fitting is press-fitted into the retaining groove. It is necessary to form the wall portion surrounding the holding groove with a sufficient thickness, so that the housing is large in the width direction and the long side direction of the housing. Modeling. On the other hand, in the present embodiment, only the corresponding locking portion 45A for locking the locking arm portion 63B of the target locking fitting 60 is formed such that a part of both side faces of the end wall 45 of the casing 40 is notched. Since the difference is completed, the casing 40 does not increase in size in the width direction and the longitudinal direction.

Next, the fitting operation of the connectors will be described based on FIGS. 1(B), 4, 5, and 6. Fig. 5 is a view showing the lock fitting of the receptacle connector 1 and the lock fitting of the plug connector 2 in Fig. 4 before the connector fitting, and (A) is a VA-VA sectional view of Fig. 4(A). (B) is a view as seen from the direction of the VB arrow of Fig. 4(A). Fig. 6 is a view showing the lock fitting of the receptacle connector 1 and the lock fitting of the plug connector 2 of Fig. 4 in a locked state after the connector is fitted, and (A) is VIA-VIA of Fig. 4(B). The cross-sectional view, (B) is a view as seen from the direction of the arrow VIB of Fig. 4 (B).

First, the socket connector 1 and the plug connector 2 are attached to respective circuit boards by soldering. Next, as shown in FIG. 1(B), the socket connector 1 is placed in a posture in which the accommodating space 16 is directed upward, and the plug connector 2 is placed above the socket connector 1 so that the accommodating space 46 faces downward. . At this time, as shown in FIGS. 4(A) and 5(A) and (B), the end wall side of the target lock fitting 60 is locked by the recessed portion 62A and the side wall side is locked by the recessed portion 63A, respectively. The end wall side locking projection 33A and the side wall side locking projection 34A of the lock fitting 30 are located above.

Next, maintain the posture of Fig. 1 (B) and connect the plug The device 2 is moved downward so that the protruding wall portion 12 of the receptacle connector 1 enters from below in the accommodating space 46 of the plug connector 2, and the peripheral wall 43 of the plug connector 2 is directed into the accommodating space 16 of the receptacle connector 1. Enter above. As a result, the contact portion 21 and the locking projection 23A of the terminal 20 of the receptacle connector 1 respectively enter the corresponding contact recess 52A and the locked recess 53A of the target terminal 50 of the plug connector 2, and electrical contact and contact of the terminals are performed. The connector is pulled out of the direction (upper). The protruding portion 18 of the casing 10 of the receptacle connector 1 penetrates the slit portion 61A of the target locking fitting 60 of the plug connector 2 from below and enters the end groove portion 45B of the casing 40. As a result, even if an external force such as vibration is applied to the connector fitting state, the movement of the ridge portion 18 in the connector width direction is restricted by the inner wall surface of the end groove portion 45B and the edge portion of the slit portion 61A. It is possible to prevent the connectors in the width direction from shifting from each other. In particular, the edge portion of the slit portion 61A is a member made of metal, that is, a part of the object locking fitting 60, and the strength is high, and this portion enhances the effect of the restriction.

In the connector fitting process, the end wall side of the target locking fitting 60 is locked by the locking portion 62, and the end wall side locking arm portion 33 of the lock fitting 30 is elastically displaced toward the outside in the terminal arrangement direction (the end wall side base portion 31A side). The end wall side locking projection 33A of the end wall side locking arm portion 33 is slidably attached to the end surface of the end wall side locked portion 62. As shown in Fig. 4(B) and Fig. 6(A) and Fig. 6(B), the end wall side of the end wall side locked portion 62 is locked by the recessed portion 62A, and reaches the end wall side locking projection 33A. Position, when the locking fittings are brought to each other to the formal locking position, the end wall side locking arm portion 33 is returned to the free state, and the end wall side locking projection 33A is extended. The end wall side is inserted into the recessed recess 62A. As a result, the end wall side locking projection 33A is engaged with the end wall side by the locking recess 62A.

On the other hand, the side wall side of the target lock fitting 60 is locked by the lock portion 63, and the side wall side lock arm portion 34 of the lock fitting 30 is elastically displaced toward the outer side in the connector width direction, and the side surface of the side wall side lock portion 63 is used. Further, it is slidably coupled to the side wall side locking projection 34A of the side wall side locking arm portion 34. As shown in FIG. 4(B) and FIG. 6(A) and FIG. 6(B), when the side wall side of the side wall side to-be-locked portion 63 is locked by the recessed portion 63A, the position of the side wall side locking projection portion 34A is reached. When the lock fittings are brought to the main locking position, the side wall side locking arm portion 34 is returned to the free state, and the side wall side locking projection portion 34A projects into the side wall side locked recess portion 63A. As a result, the side wall side locking projection 34A is engaged with the side wall side by the locking recess 63A.

In this way, the fitting action of the connectors is completed by bringing the locking fittings to each other to the official locking position. As a result, the engagement between the end wall side locking projection 33A and the end wall side locked recess 62A, and the locking of the side wall side locking projection 34A and the side wall side locked recess 63A prevent the connectors from each other. Inadvertently falling off.

In the present embodiment, the end wall side locking arm portion 33 and the side wall side locking arm portion 34 of the locking fitting 30 of the receptacle connector 1 are opposite to the end wall of the subject locking fitting 60 before the locking fittings reach each other to the formal locking position. The side locked portion 62 and the side wall side locked portion 63 are slidably coupled to each other by a plate surface. Therefore, stress concentration is less likely to occur than in the case where the cut surface or the edge portion of the lock fitting is cut in the thickness direction of the fitting. Result by Since it is difficult to damage the respective plate faces of the lock fitting 30 and the object lock fitting 60, the engagement area is not reduced by abrasion, and the deterioration of the lock engagement force can be avoided.

The lock fitting 30 and the object lock fitting 60 have locking portions at the end portions of the respective end portions on the end wall side and the two side wall sides facing each other. Therefore, even if the plug connector 2 is tilted in either of the terminal arrangement direction and the connector width direction in the connector fitting state, a relatively good locking force can be ensured, so that the inadvertent connector can be prevented from falling off each other.

In the present embodiment, since the side wall side locking arm portion 34 of the lock fitting 30 extends in the terminal arrangement direction, the side wall side locking arm portion 34 can be enlarged as compared with the case of extending in the vertical direction (connector insertion and removal direction). Then, the amount of elastic displacement caused by the sliding of the side surface side of the object locking fitting 60 by the plate surface of the locking portion 63 becomes large, whereby the abutting pressure of the plate faces of the locking fittings before reaching the formal locking position can be made. It is lowered, and the locking amount of the locking fittings after the fitting of the connector is completed can be increased. As a result, it is not easy to damage the respective plate faces of the lock fitting 30 and the object lock fitting 60, and the locking of the lock fittings can be surely performed.

In the present embodiment, the side wall side locking arm portion of the lock fitting extends from the side wall side base portion toward the terminal arrangement direction, and the extending direction of the side wall side locking arm portion is not limited thereto, and when the height of the connector is sufficiently large, for example, It is possible to extend from the side wall side base toward the connector insertion/removal direction (up and down direction).

In the present embodiment, although the end wall side lock of the locking fitting is The end wall side of the fixed arm portion and the object locking fitting are respectively provided with two locking recesses, and instead of this, only one of them may be provided, or three or more respectively.

In the present embodiment, although the locking fitting of the socket connector forms the locking portion, and the object locking fitting of the plug connector is provided with the concave locking portion, instead of this, the locking fitting is provided with the concave locking. And a protruding locking portion is provided in the object locking fitting. In the present embodiment, although the lock fitting is provided with the lock arm portion that is elastically displaceable, instead of this, the lock arm portion may be provided in the object lock fitting, and the lock arm portion may be provided in the lock fitting.

1‧‧‧Socket connector

2‧‧‧ plug connector

10‧‧‧shell

10A‧‧‧End

10C‧‧‧ Guide surface

12‧‧‧Blint

13‧‧‧Wall

14‧‧‧ side wall

14A‧‧‧Accessory ditch

15‧‧‧End wall

16‧‧‧ accommodating space

16A‧‧‧End space

17‧‧‧ terminal retention groove

18‧‧‧Bulge

20‧‧‧ terminals

21‧‧‧Contacts

22‧‧‧Connecting Department

23‧‧‧ Keeped Department

23A‧‧‧Locking projection

30‧‧‧Locking accessories

31B‧‧‧ sidewall side base

32B‧‧‧ pressed into the arm

33‧‧‧End wall side locking arm

34‧‧‧ Side wall side locking arm

40‧‧‧shell

41‧‧‧ bottom wall

43‧‧‧Weibi

44‧‧‧ side wall

45‧‧‧End wall

46‧‧‧ accommodating space

50‧‧‧Object terminal

51‧‧‧Connecting Department

52‧‧‧ Corresponding contact

52A‧‧‧ Corresponding contact recess

53‧‧‧Locked Department

53A‧‧‧ Locked recess

60‧‧‧Object locking accessories

61‧‧‧ base

61A‧‧‧Slits

62‧‧‧End wall side locked part

63‧‧‧ Side wall side locked part

Claims (5)

An electrical connector assembly having: a socket connector disposed on a mounting surface of a circuit board; and a plug that is fitted to the socket connector in a direction in which the connector is inserted at a right angle with respect to the mounting surface a connector; the socket connector holds a plurality of terminal arrangements in the housing in a direction parallel to the mounting surface, and maintains a plurality of terminal arrangements in the housing at the two ends of the housing for locking with the plug connector The locking locking fitting has a target terminal that is connected to the terminal of the socket connector in a connector fitting state, and an object locking fitting that engages with the locking fitting of the socket connector, and is characterized in that: The locking fitting of the connector and the object locking fitting of the plug connector are formed by processing a metal plate, and the locking fitting of the socket connector has a substantially U-shaped shape when viewed in a direction in which the connector is inserted and removed, and a base extending from the plate surface in the direction in which the connector is inserted and removed, and extending from the base to deflect at a right angle to the plate surface a locking arm portion; the base portion having an end wall side base portion of an end wall of the housing extending in a width direction of the connector at a right angle to the arrangement direction, and a position from the end wall side base portion The two ends extend along the side wall of the casing toward the above-mentioned arrangement direction, and are opposite to the side wall side base portion in the connector width direction; the locking arm portion has a base portion facing upward from the pair of side wall sides a pair of side wall side locking arm portions extending along the side wall of the housing and inclined toward the inner side in the connector width direction and elastically deflectable toward the connector width direction; the pair of side wall side locking arm portions being between each other An object locking fitting accommodating the plug connector, the pair of side wall side locking arm portions being slidably coupled to the panel of the object locking fitting by a plate surface before reaching a formal locking position of the object locking fitting of the plug connector And a locking portion or a locked portion that locks with the object locking fitting in the connector pulling direction at the formal locking position. The electrical connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the object locking fitting of the plug connector has: a locked portion corresponding to a locking portion of the side wall side locking arm portion of the locking fitting provided at the socket connector; or a locking portion corresponding to the locked portion provided on the side wall side locking arm portion; a locking portion of the socket connector and a locked portion of the plug connector, or a locked portion of the socket connector and the plug connector The locking portions are locked to each other in a flat surface opposite to each other in the direction in which the connectors are inserted and removed. The electrical connector assembly of claim 1 or 2, wherein the locking arm portion of the locking fitting of the receptacle connector further has: an end wall side locking arm portion extending from the end wall side base portion, the end wall side locking The arm portion can be slidably coupled to the pair during the period before reaching the official locking position of the object locking fitting of the plug connector Like the plate surface of the locking fitting, and having a locking portion or a locked portion that interlocks with the object locking fitting in the connector pulling direction in the formal locking position. The electrical connector assembly of claim 1 or 2, wherein the object locking fitting provided to the plug connector has a locking arm portion extending toward the direction in which the terminals are arranged, at least a portion of the locking arm portion being connected The inner side in the width direction of the device is bent to form a locking portion that is locked with the stepped corresponding locking portion of the housing of the plug connector, and the housing from the plug connector is prevented from being inserted and removed in the connector. The body falls off. A socket connector is provided on a mounting surface of a circuit board, and a plug connector is fitted and connected in a direction perpendicular to the mounting surface as a connector insertion direction; a direction parallel to the mounting surface is arranged as an arrangement a direction in which a plurality of terminal arrangements are held in the housing, and a locking fitting for locking engagement with the plug connector is held at both ends of the housing in the arrangement direction, wherein the locking fitting is a metal The locking fitting has a base portion which is formed in a substantially U-shape when viewed in the direction in which the connector is inserted and removed, and has a base portion extending in a direction in which the connector is inserted and removed, and an arm extending from the base portion. a locking arm portion that is deflectable in a direction at right angles to the plate surface; the base portion having an end wall side base portion of the end wall of the housing extending in a width direction of the connector at a right angle to the arrangement direction And a position thereof extending along a side wall of the casing extending from both ends of the end wall side base toward the above-mentioned arrangement direction, and facing each other in the connector width direction a side wall side base portion; the locking arm portion having a base portion extending from the pair of side wall side portions toward the arrangement direction along the side wall of the housing, and inclined toward the inner side in the connector width direction, and elastically biasable toward the connector width direction a pair of side wall side locking arm portions; the pair of side wall side locking arm portions accommodating the object locking fittings of the plug connector, the pair of side wall side locking arm portions reaching the object locking fitting with the plug connector During the period before the official locking position, the plate surface is slidably coupled to the plate surface of the object locking fitting, and has a locking portion or a locked portion that is locked to the object locking fitting in the connector pulling direction at the official locking position.