Repairable connector modules and electronic devices

Abstract

This enables longer lifespan for repairable connector modules. [Solution] The repairable connector module 1 includes a first receptacle connector 10 and a second receptacle connector 11. The first receptacle connector 10 and the second receptacle connector 11 are configured to conform to the same shape standard. The mating position for mating the repairable connector module 1 with the housing plug connector 4 is switchable between a first mating position in which the second receptacle connector 11 is mated with the housing plug connector 4 and the first receptacle connector 10 is matable with the external plug connector 500, and a second mating position in which the first receptacle connector 10 is mated with the housing plug connector 4 and the second receptacle connector 11 is matable with the external plug connector 500.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a repairable connector module and an electronic device.

Background Art

[0002] As shown in FIG. 10 of the present application, Patent Document 1 discloses a digital camera 105 including a front cover 100 and a rear cover 101 that constitute an exterior, a substrate 102, a relay connector 103 surface-mounted on the substrate 102, and a housing member 104 that can be fitted with the relay connector 103 and into which an IC card (not shown) is inserted. The housing member 104 is removable from the relay connector 103 and can be easily replaced.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the configuration of Patent Document 1, there remains room for improvement from the perspective of extending the service life of the housing member 104.

[0005] An object of the present disclosure is to extend the service life of a repairable connector module.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] A repairable connector module is provided that is detachably attached to a housing plug connector located inside the housing of an electronic device, and includes a first receptacle connector into which an external plug connector can be mated from outside the housing, and a second receptacle connector mated to the housing plug connector, wherein the first and second receptacle connectors are configured to conform to the same shape standard, and the mating position for mating the repairable connector module to the housing plug connector is switchable between a first mating position in which the second receptacle connector is mated to the housing plug connector and the first receptacle connector can be mated to the external plug connector, and a second mating position in which the first receptacle connector is mated to the housing plug connector and the second receptacle connector can be mated to the external plug connector. The mating direction of the first receptacle connector and the mating direction of the second receptacle connector may be parallel to each other. The first receptacle connector and the second receptacle connector may be arranged back-to-back. The first receptacle connector has a first shell, and the second receptacle connector has a second shell, and the first shell and the second shell may be integrally formed. The first receptacle connector has a first shell, and the second receptacle connector has a second shell, and the first shell and the second shell may be configured separately. The repairable connector module may further include a bracket for securing at least one of the first receptacle connector and the second receptacle connector to the housing when either the first receptacle connector or the second receptacle connector is mated with the housing plug connector. The bracket may be fixed to at least one of the first receptacle connector and the second receptacle connector. The electronic device provided is capable of mounting the above-mentioned repairable connector module, wherein the housing includes a housing body having a module housing space for housing the repairable connector module, and a lid covering the repairable connector module housed in the module housing space. The bracket may have at least one positioning hole, and the cover may have at least one positioning pin that is inserted into the at least one positioning hole of the bracket. The at least one positioning hole includes at least two positioning holes arranged at different positions in the mating direction, and the at least one positioning pin may be inserted into the at least two positioning holes closer to the housing plug connector. The repairable connector module further includes a module board, and the first receptacle connector and the second receptacle connector may be mounted on the module board. The repairable connector module further includes a cover that is detachably attached to a housing body having a module housing space for housing the repairable connector module, and covers the repairable connector module housed in the module housing space, and the module substrate may be fixed to the cover. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to this disclosure, the lifespan of repairable connector modules will be extended. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] A perspective view of an electronic device. (First embodiment) [Figure 2] This is a perspective view of the casing with the lid removed. (First Embodiment) [Figure 3] This is a perspective view showing the repairable connector module removed from the housing plug connector. (First Embodiment) [Figure 4]A perspective view of a repairable connector module. (First Embodiment) [Figure 5] This is a perspective view of the housing body and housing plug connector. (First embodiment) [Figure 6] This is a perspective view of the lid from a different angle. (First Embodiment) [Figure 7] This is a partially cutaway perspective view showing the repairable connector module mated to the housing plug connector. (First Embodiment) [Figure 8] This is a partially cutaway perspective view showing the lid attached to the main body of the housing. (First Embodiment) [Figure 9] This is a side cross-sectional view of an electronic device. (Second Embodiment) [Figure 10] This is a simplified diagram of Figure 2 in Patent Document 1. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] The present invention will be described below through embodiments of the invention, but the invention claimed is not limited to the following embodiments. Furthermore, not all of the configurations described in the embodiments are necessarily essential as means of solving the problem. For clarity of explanation, the following descriptions and drawings have been omitted and simplified as appropriate. In each drawing, the same elements are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations have been omitted where necessary.

[0010] In the following embodiments, the description will be divided into multiple sections or embodiments where necessary for convenience. Unless otherwise specified, these are not unrelated, and one may be a modification, application, detailed explanation, or supplementary explanation of part or all of the other. Furthermore, in the following embodiments, when referring to the number of elements (including number, numerical value, quantity, and range), unless otherwise specified or clearly limited to a specific number in principle, it is not limited to that specific number, and may be greater than or less than that number.

[0011] Furthermore, in the following embodiments, the components (including operation steps, etc.) are not necessarily essential, except when specifically stated or when they are considered clearly essential in principle. Similarly, in the following embodiments, when referring to the shape, positional relationship, etc. of components, etc., unless specifically stated and unless it is clearly not so in principle, it shall include those that are substantially approximated or similar to the shape, etc. This also applies to the above numbers (including the number, numerical value, quantity, and range).

[0012] (First Embodiment) Hereinafter, the first embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 8. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an electronic device. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the state where the lid body is removed from the housing body. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the state where the repairable connector module is removed from the housing plug connector.

[0013] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the repairable connector module 1 is configured to be detachable from the housing plug connector 4 disposed in the housing 3 of the electronic device 2. The housing plug connector 4 is mounted on a housing substrate 5 disposed in the housing 3 of the electronic device 2. Therefore, it can also be said that the repairable connector module 1 is detachably mounted on the housing substrate 5 disposed in the housing 3 of the electronic device 2. The repairable connector module 1 is mounted on the housing substrate 5 by fitting the repairable connector module 1 to the housing plug connector 4 mounted on the housing substrate 5. Thus, the owner of the electronic device 2 can, by his own hands, detach and attach the repairable connector module 1 to the housing plug connector 4, and thus the right to repair the repairable connector module 1 is guaranteed.

[0014] The electronic device 2 is typically a portable terminal such as a laptop computer, a tablet terminal, or a smartphone terminal. However, the electronic device 2 may be a stationary terminal such as a desktop computer.

[0015] The housing 3 includes a housing body 7 having a module housing space 6 for housing the repairable connector module 1, and a cover 8 that covers the repairable connector module 1 housed in the module housing space 6.

[0016] With the repairable connector module 1 mated to the housing plug connector 4, the external plug connector 500 can be mated to the repairable connector module 1 from outside the housing 3.

[0017] Here, referring to Figures 1 and 3, we define the "insertion / extraction direction," "vertical direction," and "width direction." The insertion / extraction direction, vertical direction, and width direction are all orthogonal to each other.

[0018] The insertion / removal direction is the direction in which the external plug connector 500 is inserted into or removed from the repairable connector module 1. The insertion / removal direction includes the mating direction and the removal direction. The mating direction is the direction in which the external plug connector 500 is brought closer to the repairable connector module 1 when mating the external plug connector 500 into the repairable connector module 1. The removal direction is the direction in which the external plug connector 500 is moved away from the repairable connector module 1 when removing the external plug connector 500 from the repairable connector module 1.

[0019] The vertical direction is the direction in which the lid 8 is attached to and detached from the housing body 7. The vertical direction includes both upward and downward. Upward is the direction in which the lid 8 is moved away from the housing body 7 when removing the lid 8 from the housing body 7. Downward is the opposite direction to upward. Upward and downward are merely terms used for explanatory purposes and do not specify the orientation of the electronic device 2 when it is in use.

[0020] As mentioned above, the width direction is the direction perpendicular to the insertion / removal direction and the vertical direction. The width direction includes the inward and outward directions. The inward direction is the direction toward the center of the repairable connector module 1 in the width direction. The outward direction is the direction toward the center of the repairable connector module 1 in the width direction.

[0021] Figure 4 is a perspective view of the repairable connector module 1. As shown in Figure 4, the repairable connector module 1 includes a first receptacle connector 10, a second receptacle connector 11, and a bracket 12.

[0022] The first receptacle connector 10 is a 24-pin receptacle connector conforming to the USB Type-C® shape standard. However, the number of pins of the first receptacle connector 10 may be 16, 14, or 6. Furthermore, the first receptacle connector 10 may also be a receptacle connector conforming to other shape standards, such as USB Type-A®, USB Type-B®, mini USB Type-B®, Micro USB Type-B®, or Lightning®.

[0023] Similarly, the second receptacle connector 11 is a 24-pin receptacle connector conforming to the USB Type-C® shape standard. However, the number of pins of the second receptacle connector 11 may be 16, 14, or 6. Furthermore, the second receptacle connector 11 may be a receptacle connector conforming to other shape standards such as USB Type-A®, USB Type-B®, mini USB Type-B®, Micro USB Type-B®, or Lightning®.

[0024] Furthermore, the first receptacle connector 10 and the second receptacle connector 11 are configured to conform to the same shape standard. In this embodiment, as an example, both the first receptacle connector 10 and the second receptacle connector 11 are receptacle connectors that conform to the USB Type-C shape standard.

[0025] The first receptacle connector 10 includes a rigid substrate 10B on which a plurality of electrode pads 10A are formed, and a cylindrical shell 10C that covers the rigid substrate 10B.

[0026] The second receptacle connector 11 similarly includes a rigid substrate on which a plurality of electrode pads are formed, and a cylindrical shell 11C that covers the rigid substrate.

[0027] Multiple electrode pads 10A of the first receptacle connector 10 and multiple electrode pads of the second receptacle connector 11 are electrically connected to each other. The shell 10C of the first receptacle connector 10 and the shell 11C of the second receptacle connector 11 are electrically connected to each other.

[0028] The rigid substrate 10B of the first receptacle connector 10 and the rigid substrate of the second receptacle connector 11 may be made from a single rigid substrate. In this case, for example, multiple electrode pads will extend from one end to the other in the insertion / removal direction of the single rigid substrate.

[0029] The shell 10C has the functions of guiding the mating connector to the first receptacle connector 10 during mating, maintaining the orientation of the mating connector when it is mated to the first receptacle connector 10, positioning the mating connector in a plane perpendicular to the insertion / removal direction, and acting as an electromagnetic shield. The shell 11C has similar functions.

[0030] Furthermore, the mating direction of the first receptacle connector 10 in which it mates with the mating connector and the mating direction of the second receptacle connector 11 in which it mates with the mating connector are parallel to each other. Therefore, the direction in which the shell 10C of the first receptacle connector 10 extends and the direction in which the shell 11C of the second receptacle connector 11 extends are parallel to each other. The first receptacle connector 10 and the second receptacle connector 11 are arranged to be adjacent to each other in the insertion / removal direction. The first receptacle connector 10 and the second receptacle connector 11 are arranged to be adjacent to each other in the insertion / removal direction. The first receptacle connector 10 and the second receptacle connector 11 are arranged back to back.

[0031] The first receptacle connector 10 and the second receptacle connector 11 are connected to each other by any coupling method. The shell 10C of the first receptacle connector 10 and the shell 11C of the second receptacle connector 11 are constructed integrally, that is, as a single part. This reduces the manufacturing cost of the repairable connector module 1. However, instead, the shell 10C of the first receptacle connector 10 and the shell 11C of the second receptacle connector 11 may be constructed separately, that is, as two parts.

[0032] The rigid substrate 10B of the first receptacle connector 10 is typically a paper phenolic board or a glass epoxy board. The shell 10C of the first receptacle connector 10 is typically stainless steel or a nickel-plated copper alloy. The same applies to the second receptacle connector 11.

[0033] Bracket 12 is used to secure the repairable connector module 1 to the housing 3 when the repairable connector module 1 is mated to the housing plug connector 4, as shown in Figure 2. Returning to Figure 4, bracket 12 includes a bracket body 12A and two flanges 12B. Bracket body 12A is positioned vertically opposite to the first receptacle connector 10 and the second receptacle connector 11. Bracket body 12A is positioned above the first receptacle connector 10 and the second receptacle connector 11. Bracket body 12A is typically fixed to the shell 10C of the first receptacle connector 10 and the shell 11C of the second receptacle connector 11 by spot welding. The two flanges 12B are positioned to protrude outward in the width direction from both ends of the bracket body 12A in the width direction. Each flange 12B includes a connecting portion 12C extending downward from the corresponding end of the bracket body 12A in the width direction, and a flange body 12D projecting outward in the width direction from the connecting portion 12C. Two positioning holes 12E are formed in the flange body 12D of each flange 12B. In the flange body 12D of each flange 12B, the two positioning holes 12E are formed to be spaced apart from each other in the insertion / removal direction, and to be at the same position in the width direction.

[0034] Here, the repairable connector module 1 is configured to be mirror-symmetric with respect to the symmetry reference plane 13. The symmetry reference plane 13 is a plane that bisects the repairable connector module 1 in the insertion / removal direction. Therefore, as shown in Figure 3, when mating the repairable connector module 1 into the housing plug connector 4, either the first receptacle connector 10 or the second receptacle connector 11 may be mated into the housing plug connector 4. As a result, when the owner of the electronic device 2 replaces the repairable connector module 1, they do not need to pay attention to the positional relationship between the first receptacle connector 10 and the second receptacle connector 11 in the insertion / removal direction, and the repairable connector module 1 can be easily replaced.

[0035] Next, the housing body 7 of housing 3 will be described with reference to Figure 5. As shown in Figure 5, the housing body 7 of housing 3 includes a flat bottom plate 14, a flat top plate 15, side walls 16, and two module lower supports 17. The housing body 7 of housing 3 is typically made of insulating resin or metal. When the housing body 7 is made of insulating resin, it is formed, for example, by injection molding or machining insulating resins such as PBT (Polybutylene terephthalate), PPS (Poly Phenylene Sulfide), nylon resin, or LCP (Liquid Crystal Polymer, registered trademark). When the housing body 7 is made of metal, it is formed, for example, by MIM (Metal Injection Molding) or machining of stainless steel, or by die casting of zinc alloy.

[0036] The base plate 14 and the top plate 15 are both formed as flat plates perpendicular to each other in the vertical direction. The base plate 14 and the top plate 15 are positioned apart from each other in the vertical direction. The side wall 16 is positioned to connect the base plate 14 and the top plate 15. The two modular lower supports 17 are formed to project upward from the base plate 14 toward the top plate 15.

[0037] The top plate 15 has a notch 15A that opens in the removal direction. The top plate 15 has two mounting recesses 15B. In Figure 5, only one of the two mounting recesses 15B is shown. The two mounting recesses 15B are formed adjacent to each other in the width direction outward from the notch 15A. The two mounting recesses 15B are positioned so as to sandwich the notch 15A in the width direction. A mounting female screw 15C is formed on the bottom surface of each mounting recess 15B.

[0038] A notch 16A opening upward is formed in the side wall 16. A shell receiving recess 16C corresponding to the contour of the shell 10C of the first receptacle connector 10 is formed in the inner bottom surface 16B of the notch 16A.

[0039] The two module lower supports 17 are spaced apart from each other in the width direction. When viewed in the insertion / removal direction, the two module lower supports 17 are positioned so as to sandwich the shell housing recess 16C. The upper surface 17A of each module lower support 17 is flush with the inner bottom surface 16B of the notch 16A of the side wall 16. A positioning hole 17B is formed in the upper surface 17A of each module lower support 17. A module positioning plate 17C is formed projecting upward from the upper surface 17A of each module lower support 17. The positioning hole 17B and the module positioning plate 17C are arranged in this order in the fitting direction.

[0040] The aforementioned module housing space 6 is located between the bottom plate 14 and the top plate 15, and opens upward and in the removal direction via notches 15A and 16A.

[0041] Next, the lid 8 of the housing 3 will be described with reference to Figure 6. As shown in Figure 6, the lid 8 of the housing 3 includes a flat top plate 20, side walls 21, two modular upper supports 22, and two mounting flanges 23. The lid 8 of the housing 3, like the housing body 7 of the housing 3, is typically made of insulating resin or metal.

[0042] The top plate 20 is formed in a flat shape perpendicular to the vertical direction. The side walls 21 are positioned to protrude downward from the ends of the top plate 20 in the removal direction. The side walls 21 have shell receiving recesses 21A that open downward. Two module upper supports 22 are formed to protrude downward from the top plate 20. Two mounting flanges 23 are formed to protrude outward in the width direction from both ends of the top plate 20 in the width direction. Each mounting flange 23 has a through hole 23A.

[0043] The top plate 20 and side walls 21 are formed in a shape complementary to the cutouts 15A in the top plate 15 and 16A in the side walls 16 of the housing body 7 shown in Figure 5. A positioning pin 22B that protrudes downward is formed on the lower surface 22A of each module upper support 22.

[0044] Returning to Figure 5, the housing substrate 5 is flat and is supported by the bottom plate 14 or top plate 15 of the housing body 7 of the housing 3. The housing substrate 5 is a rigid substrate, and is typically a paper phenolic board or a glass epoxy board.

[0045] The housing plug connector 4 is mounted on the housing circuit board 5. The housing plug connector 4 is a plug connector that conforms to the same shape standard as the first receptacle connector 10 and the second receptacle connector 11. The housing plug connector 4 is positioned so that the mating direction with the mating connector coincides with the insertion / removal direction.

[0046] Figure 7 shows the repairable connector module 1 mated to the housing plug connector 4. Referring to Figure 7, in order to mat the repairable connector module 1 to the housing plug connector 4, the two flanges 12B of the bracket 12 of the repairable connector module 1 are seated on the upper surfaces 17A of the two module lower supports 17 of the housing body 7 of the housing 3, respectively, so that the first receptacle connector 10 or the second receptacle connector 11 of the repairable connector module 1 faces the housing plug connector 4 in the insertion / removal direction. Here, as an example, the second receptacle connector 11 faces the housing plug connector 4 in the insertion / removal direction. In this state, the second receptacle connector 11 is mated to the housing plug connector 4 by sliding the repairable connector module 1 in the mating direction. At this time, the two flanges 12B of the bracket 12 of the repairable connector module 1 abut against the two corresponding module positioning plates 17C in the insertion / removal direction, thereby restricting further movement of the repairable connector module 1 in the mating direction. At this time, in each flange 12B of the bracket 12 of the repairable connector module 1, the positioning hole 12E closer to the housing plug connector 4 of the two positioning holes 12E aligns with the positioning hole 17B of the corresponding module lower support 17 in a plan view.

[0047] In this state, as shown in Figure 8, the lid 8 is attached to the housing body 7 of the housing 3. At this time, the top plate 20 of the lid 8 is accommodated in the notch 15A of the top plate 15 of the housing body 7. Similarly, the side walls 21 of the lid 8 are accommodated in the notch 16A of the side walls 16 of the housing body 7. In addition, the two mounting flanges 23 of the lid 8 are accommodated in the two mounting recesses 15B of the top plate 15 of the housing body 7. Then, as shown in Figure 2, the two screws 30 are screwed through the through holes 23A of the two mounting flanges 23 of the lid 8 into the mounting female screws 15C of the two mounting recesses 15B of the top plate 15 of the housing body 7 of the housing 3. In this way, the lid 8 is fixed to the housing body 7.

[0048] As described above, with the lid 8 fixed to the housing body 7, as shown in Figure 8, the shell housing recess 16C of the side wall 16 of the housing body 7 and the shell housing recess 21A of the side wall 21 of the lid 8 face each other in the vertical direction, thereby forming a mating opening 3A in the housing 3 through which the external plug connector 500 shown in Figure 1 can be mated into the repairable connector module 1.

[0049] Furthermore, with the cover 8 fixed to the housing body 7, the repairable connector module 1 is restrained vertically by being sandwiched vertically between the housing body 7 and the cover 8. Specifically, the two flange bodies 12D of the repairable connector module 1 are sandwiched vertically by the two module lower supports 17 of the housing body 7 and the two module upper supports 22 of the cover 8. As a result, the repairable connector module 1 is restrained vertically by the housing 3. Here, "restraint" may mean completely prohibiting the movement of the repairable connector module 1, or it may mean allowing slight movement of the repairable connector module 1.

[0050] Furthermore, with the cover 8 fixed to the housing body 7, the repairable connector module 1 is restrained in the insertion / removal direction by being sandwiched between the housing body 7 and the cover 8 in the insertion / removal direction. Specifically, the two flange bodies 12D of the repairable connector module 1 are sandwiched in the insertion / removal direction by the module positioning plates 17C of the two module lower supports 17 of the housing body 7 and the side wall 21 of the cover 8. As a result, the repairable connector module 1 is restrained in the insertion / removal direction by the housing 3. The term "restraint" here may mean completely prohibiting the movement of the repairable connector module 1, or it may mean allowing some movement of the repairable connector module 1, as described above.

[0051] Furthermore, with the cover 8 fixed to the housing body 7, the repairable connector module 1 is positioned in the insertion / removal direction and width direction by the positioning pins 22B of the two module upper supports 22 of the cover 8. Specifically, the positioning pins 22B of each module upper support 22 of the cover 8 are inserted into the positioning hole 12E of the corresponding flange body 12D of the bracket 12 of the repairable connector module 1, which is the positioning hole 12E closest to the housing plug connector 4, and also into the positioning hole 17B of the corresponding module lower support 17 of the housing body 7. As a result, the repairable connector module 1 is positioned in the insertion / removal direction and width direction by the housing 3.

[0052] Typically, the positioning of the repairable connector module 1 in the insertion / removal direction relative to the housing 3 is achieved by the positioning pins 22B of the module upper support 22. Therefore, for example, the module positioning plate 17C of the module lower support 17 may function solely as a temporary positioning of the repairable connector module 1 in the insertion / removal direction when mating the repairable connector module 1 to the housing plug connector 4.

[0053] Referring to Figure 1, in order to mate the external plug connector 500 with the repairable connector module 1, the external plug connector 500 is inserted into the mating opening 3A of the housing 3. This causes the external plug connector 500 to mate with the first receptacle connector 10 of the repairable connector module 1.

[0054] Here, the first receptacle connector 10 of the repairable connector module 1 is prone to wear and tear or damage due to repeated mating with the external plug connector 500. Therefore, to replace the repairable connector module 1 with a new one, remove the two screws 30 from the housing 3 and pull the cover 8 upward from the housing body 7. Then, as shown in Figure 3, pull the repairable connector module 1 out of the housing plug connector 4. After that, the new repairable connector module 1 is mated with the housing plug connector 4 and the cover 8 is attached to the housing body 7.

[0055] In this embodiment, the lifespan of the repairable connector module 1 can be further extended by rotating the mating position of the repairable connector module 1 by 180 degrees in a plan view.

[0056] Specifically, Figure 7 illustrates a first mating position in which the external plug connector 500 can be mated to the first receptacle connector 10 while the second receptacle connector 11 is mated to the housing plug connector 4. In this way, when the second receptacle connector 11 is mated to the housing plug connector 4, the wear of the first receptacle connector 10 will precede that of the second receptacle connector 11 due to repeated insertion and removal of the external plug connector 500 from the first receptacle connector 10. Therefore, it is preferable to remove the repairable connector module 1 from the housing plug connector 4 once before the first receptacle connector 10 is damaged, and then, instead of the second receptacle connector 11, the first receptacle connector 10 should be mated to the housing plug connector 4. Specifically, the mating position of the repairable connector module 1 is switched from the first mating position to a second mating position in which the external plug connector 500 can be mated to the second receptacle connector 11 while the first receptacle connector 10 is mated to the housing plug connector 4. This suppresses further wear of the first receptacle connector 10, and the external plug connector 500 is repeatedly inserted into and removed from the second receptacle connector 11, thereby extending the lifespan of the repairable connector module 1.

[0057] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 3, the first receptacle connector 10 and the second receptacle connector 11 are receptacle connectors conforming to the same shape standard. Similarly, the housing plug connector 4 and the external plug connector 500 are also plug connectors conforming to the same shape standard. That is, in Figure 3, the mating operation of fitting the first receptacle connector 10 or the second receptacle connector 11 into the housing plug connector 4 is almost the same as the mating operation of fitting the external plug connector 500 into the first receptacle connector 10 or the second receptacle connector 11 in Figure 1. Therefore, it can be said that the mating operation of fitting the repairable connector module 1 into the housing plug connector 4 is easy for the owner of the electronic device 2.

[0058] Furthermore, when the external plug connector 500 is removed from the repairable connector module 1, there is a potential problem that the repairable connector module 1 may detach from the housing 3 along with the external plug connector 500. However, as shown in Figure 8, with the cover 8 fixed to the housing body 7, the two flange bodies 12D of the repairable connector module 1 face each other in the insertion / removal direction against the side wall 21 of the cover 8, thereby preventing the repairable connector module 1 from coming loose from the housing 3. Similarly, as shown in Figure 8, with the cover 8 fixed to the housing body 7, the positioning pin 22B of the corresponding module upper support 22 of the cover 8 is inserted into one of the two positioning holes 12E formed in each flange body 12D of the repairable connector module 1. As a result, when the external plug connector 500 is removed from the repairable connector module 1, the external force acting on the repairable connector module 1 in the removal direction is absorbed by the two positioning pins 22B, thus preventing the repairable connector module 1 from coming loose from the housing 3.

[0059] The first embodiment of this disclosure has been described above, and the first embodiment has the following features.

[0060] In other words, the repairable connector module 1 is detachably attached to a housing plug connector 4 located inside the housing 3 of the electronic device 2. The repairable connector module 1 includes a first receptacle connector 10 to which an external plug connector 500 can be mated from outside the housing 3, and a second receptacle connector 11 that can be mated to the housing plug connector 4. The first receptacle connector 10 and the second receptacle connector 11 are configured to conform to the same shape standard. The mating position for the repairable connector module 1 to the housing plug connector 4 can be switched between two positions: a first mating position in which the second receptacle connector 11 is mated to the housing plug connector 4 and the first receptacle connector 10 is matable to the external plug connector 500, and a second mating position in which the first receptacle connector 10 is mated to the housing plug connector 4 and the second receptacle connector 11 is matable to the external plug connector 500. With this configuration, the lifespan of the repairable connector module 1 can be extended by switching the mating position for the repairable connector module 1 to the housing plug connector 4 between the first and second mating positions.

[0061] Furthermore, the mating direction of the first receptacle connector 10 and the mating direction of the second receptacle connector 11 are parallel to each other. With this configuration, compared to the case where the mating directions of the first receptacle connector 10 and the mating directions of the second receptacle connector 11 are not parallel to each other, it contributes to reducing the height of the repairable connector module 1.

[0062] However, the mating direction of the first receptacle connector 10 and the mating direction of the second receptacle connector 11 may intersect. Typically, the mating direction of the first receptacle connector 10 and the mating direction of the second receptacle connector 11 may be orthogonal to each other. In this case, it contributes to miniaturization of the repairable connector module 1 in the insertion and removal direction.

[0063] Furthermore, the first receptacle connector 10 and the second receptacle connector 11 are arranged back-to-back. This configuration contributes to miniaturization of the repairable connector module 1.

[0064] Furthermore, the first receptacle connector 10 has a shell 10C (first shell). The second receptacle connector 11 has a shell 11C (second shell). The shells 10C and 11C are integrally constructed. With this configuration, the number of parts in the repairable connector module 1 is reduced, and thus the manufacturing cost of the repairable connector module 1 can be reduced. However, the shells 10C and 11C may be constructed separately. This would allow for a high degree of design freedom for the shells 10C and 11C.

[0065] Furthermore, the repairable connector module 1 includes a bracket 12 for fixing the first receptacle connector 10 and the second receptacle connector 11 to the housing 3 when either the first receptacle connector 10 or the second receptacle connector 11 is mated with the housing plug connector 4. With this configuration, the repairable connector module 1 is fixed to the housing 3 without any problems.

[0066] Furthermore, instead of fixing both the first receptacle connector 10 and the second receptacle connector 11 to the housing 3, a configuration in which only one of them is fixed to the housing 3 is also conceivable. Since the first receptacle connector 10 and the second receptacle connector 11 that constitute the repairable connector module 1 are mutually connected, fixing the first receptacle connector 10 to the housing 3 by the bracket 12 and fixing the second receptacle connector 11 to the housing 3 by the bracket 12 are substantially the same thing.

[0067] Furthermore, in the first embodiment described above, as shown in Figures 2 to 5, each flange 12B of the bracket 12 rests on each module lower support 17 of the bottom plate 14 of the housing body 7 of the housing 3 over its entire length in the insertion / removal direction. However, alternatively, a configuration in which each flange 12B of the bracket 12 rests on each module lower support 17 of the bottom plate 14 of the housing body 7 of the housing 3 in only a portion of the length in the insertion / removal direction is also conceivable.

[0068] For example, one possible configuration is one in which the tip of each flange 12B of the bracket 12 rests on each module lower support 17 of the bottom plate 14 of the housing body 7 of the housing 3, while the other parts are floating above the bottom plate 14 of the housing body 7 of the housing 3. Similarly, for example, a configuration is also conceivable in which the leading edges of each flange 12B of the bracket 12 in the fitting direction rest on each module lower support 17 of the bottom plate 14 of the housing body 7 of the housing 3, while the other parts are floating above the bottom plate 14 of the housing body 7 of the housing 3.

[0069] Furthermore, the bracket 12 is fixed to both the first receptacle connector 10 and the second receptacle connector 11. With this configuration, the handling of the repairable connector module 1 is improved. Note that instead of fixing the bracket 12 to both the first receptacle connector 10 and the second receptacle connector 11, it may be fixed to only one of the first receptacle connector 10 or the second receptacle connector 11.

[0070] Furthermore, the electronic device 2 capable of housing the repairable connector module 1 has the following features: The housing 3 includes a housing body 7 having a module housing space 6 for housing the repairable connector module 1, and a cover 8 covering the repairable connector module 1 housed in the module housing space 6. With this configuration, the repairable connector module 1 can be concealed within the housing 3.

[0071] Furthermore, the bracket 12 has at least one positioning hole 12E. The cover 8 has at least one positioning pin 22B that is inserted into at least one positioning hole 12E of the bracket 12. With the above configuration, the repairable connector module 1 can be positioned in the housing 3 with a simple configuration.

[0072] Furthermore, in each flange body 12D, at least one positioning hole 12E includes two positioning holes 12E positioned at different locations in the mating direction. At least one positioning pin 22B is inserted into the positioning hole 12E closer to the housing plug connector 4. With this configuration, when the repairable connector module 1 rotates in a plan view due to an external force acting on the repairable connector module 1 in a plane facing the repairable connector module 1 in the vertical direction, caused by the external plug connector 500 mated to the repairable connector module 1 being twisted, the amount of displacement in the width direction of the second receptacle connector 11 (or first receptacle connector 10) mated to the housing plug connector 4 can be reduced. Therefore, it can be said that the lifespan of the housing plug connector 4 is extended.

[0073] Furthermore, each flange body 12D may have three or more positioning holes 12E.

[0074] (Second Embodiment) Next, a second embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to Figure 9. The following description will focus on the differences between this embodiment and the first embodiment, omitting any redundant explanations.

[0075] In the first embodiment described above, as shown in Figure 4, the first receptacle connector 10 and the second receptacle connector 11 are directly connected to each other in the insertion and removal direction. Furthermore, the repairable connector module 1 and the cover 8 are separate parts, and as shown in Figures 7 and 8, the repairable connector module 1 is fitted into the housing plug connector 4, and then the cover 8 is attached to the housing body 7.

[0076] In contrast, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 9, the repairable connector module 1 further includes a module substrate 40. The module substrate 40 is typically a rigid substrate. The first receptacle connector 10 and the second receptacle connector 11 are mounted on the module substrate 40. This allows off-the-shelf products to be used as the first receptacle connector 10 and the second receptacle connector 11, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost of the repairable connector module 1.

[0077] Furthermore, the repairable connector module 1 includes a cover 8. The module board 40 is fixed to the cover 8. With this configuration, the first receptacle connector 10, the second receptacle connector 11, and the cover 8 are interconnected, allowing the operation of fitting the repairable connector module 1 into the housing plug connector 4 and the operation of attaching the cover 8 to the housing body 7 to be performed simultaneously, thereby simplifying the replacement of the repairable connector module 1.

[0078] In this embodiment, the repairable connector module 1 includes a cover 8, a module substrate 40 fixed to the cover 8, and a first receptacle connector 10 and a second receptacle connector 11 mounted on the module substrate 40. The first receptacle connector 10 and the second receptacle connector 11 are typically positioned apart from each other in the insertion / removal direction.

[0079] The repairable connector module 1 mounted on the module board 40 may be a separate component from the cover 8.

[0080] Although the present invention has been described above with reference to embodiments, the present invention is not limited thereto. Various modifications to the structure and details of the present invention can be made that are understandable to those skilled in the art within the scope of the invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0081] 1 Repairable Connector Module 2 Electronic equipment 3 cabinets 3A Fitting opening 4. Housing plug connector 5. Enclosure circuit board 6 Module housing space 7. Main unit 8 Lid 10 First receptacle connector 10A electrode pads 10B Rigid PCB 10C shell (first shell) 11. Second receptacle connector 11C shell (second shell) 12 brackets 12A Bracket Body 12B flange 12C connection part 12D flange body 12E Positioning hole 13. Reference plane of symmetry 14 Bottom plate 15 Top plate 15A Notch 15B Mounting recess 15C mounting female thread 16 side wall 16A Notch 16B Inner bottom surface 16C Shell housing recess 17 Module Lower Support 17A Top 17B Positioning hole 17C Module Positioning Plate 20 top plate 21 Side wall 21A Shell housing recess 22 Module Upper Support 22A Bottom 22B Positioning pin 23 Mounting flange 23A through hole 30 screws 40 Module boards 500 External Plug Connectors

Claims

1. A repairable connector module that can be attached to and detached from a housing plug connector located inside the housing of an electronic device, A first receptacle connector into which an external plug connector can be mated from the outside of the housing, A second receptacle connector that can be mated to the housing plug connector, Includes, The first receptacle connector and the second receptacle connector are configured to conform to the same shape standard. The mating position for mating the repairable connector module into the housing plug connector is: The second receptacle connector is mated with the housing plug connector, and the first receptacle connector is in a first mating position in which it can be mated with the external plug connector, The first receptacle connector is mated with the housing plug connector, and the second receptacle connector is in a second mating position in which it can be mated with the external plug connector, It can be switched between the following: Repairable connector module.

2. A repairable connector module according to claim 1, The mating direction of the first receptacle connector and the mating direction of the second receptacle connector are parallel to each other. Repairable connector module.

3. A repairable connector module according to claim 2, The first receptacle connector and the second receptacle connector are arranged back to back. Repairable connector module.

4. A repairable connector module according to claim 3, The first receptacle connector has a first shell, The second receptacle connector has a second shell, The first shell and the second shell are configured as a single unit. Repairable connector module.

5. A repairable connector module according to claim 3, The first receptacle connector has a first shell, The second receptacle connector has a second shell, The first shell and the second shell are constructed separately. Repairable connector module.

6. A repairable connector module according to claim 3, Furthermore, the system includes a bracket for fixing at least one of the first receptacle connector and the second receptacle connector to the housing, with either the first receptacle connector or the second receptacle connector mated with the housing plug connector. Repairable connector module.

7. A repairable connector module according to claim 6, The bracket is fixed to at least one of the first receptacle connector and the second receptacle connector. Repairable connector module.

8. The electronic device capable of mounting the repairable connector module according to claim 7, The aforementioned enclosure is A housing body having a module housing space for housing the repairable connector module, A cover that covers the repairable connector module housed in the module housing space, including, electronic equipment.

9. The electronic device according to claim 8, The bracket has at least one positioning hole, The cover has at least one positioning pin that is inserted into the at least one positioning hole of the bracket. electronic equipment.

10. The electronic device according to claim 9, The at least one positioning hole includes at least two positioning holes arranged at different positions in the fitting direction, The at least one positioning pin is inserted into the at least two positioning holes that are closer to the housing plug connector. electronic equipment.

11. A repairable connector module according to claim 1, Furthermore, including the module board, The first receptacle connector and the second receptacle connector are mounted on the module board. Repairable connector module.

12. A repairable connector module according to claim 11, Furthermore, it includes a cover that is detachably attached to the housing body having a module housing space for housing the repairable connector module, and covers the repairable connector module housed in the module housing space. The module board is fixed to the cover, Repairable connector module.

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