connector

Abstract

This invention provides a connector that enables a more proper mating of a peer connector. The connector of this invention allows the peer connector to be mated from an opening in a frame to the inside of the frame. The frame has: a sidewall extending in the mating direction of the connector and the peer connector, surrounding the peer connector in its mated state; and a guide portion disposed in the sidewall at an end located on the opening side in the mating direction, guiding the peer connector towards the inside of the frame. The sidewall is continuous throughout the entire circumference of the frame, and the guide portion is disposed throughout the entire circumference of the frame at the end of the sidewall located on the opening side.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a connector, and more particularly to a connector having a frame with an opening and capable of fitting a counterpart connector from the opening into the inside of the frame. Background Technology

[0002] As a conventional connector capable of mating with the other side connector, for example, the connector described in Patent Document 1 (hereinafter referred to as connector 1). Connector 1 is a socket connector, such as... Figure 17 The frame shown is a rectangle 3. From... Figure 18 and Figure 19 It can be seen that the opposite connector 2, which is a plug connector, enters the inner side of the frame 3 through the opening 4 of the frame 3 and fits into the connector 1.

[0003] In connector 1, such as Figure 17 and Figure 19 As shown, the upper end of frame 3 (the end with the opening 4) bends inward towards the inside of frame 3. Thus, as... Figure 19 As shown, when the connectors are engaged, the other connector 2 is properly guided to the inside of the frame 3, which is easily understood as entering the inside of the frame 3 in the direction of the normal configuration position.

[0004] Existing technical documents

[0005] Patent documents

[0006] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2016-12553

[0007] As a structure for guiding the counterpart connector 2 to the inside of the frame 3 during connector mating, a structure superior to that used in conventional connectors such as connector 1 described in Patent Document 1 is required. Specifically, a connector capable of unobstructedly guiding the counterpart connector 2 to the inside of the frame 3 is desired. Summary of the Invention

[0008] The present invention was made in view of the above circumstances, and its object is to solve the problems described below. The object of the present invention is to solve the problems of the prior art described above and to provide a connector that enables a more proper fit between the connector and the other side.

[0009] To achieve the above objectives, the connector of the present invention comprises a frame having an opening and capable of fitting a peer connector from the opening into the inside of the frame. The connector is characterized in that the frame has: a sidewall extending in the fitting direction of the connector and the peer connector, surrounding the peer connector in a fitted state with the connector; and a guide portion disposed at an end of the sidewall located on the opening side in the fitting direction, guiding the peer connector toward the inside of the frame; the sidewall is continuous throughout the entire circumference of the frame, and the guide portion is disposed throughout the entire circumference of the frame at the end of the sidewall located on the opening side.

[0010] According to the connector of the present invention, since the guide portion is provided throughout the entire circumference of the frame, the connector on the opposite side can be properly guided to the inside of the frame when the connector is engaged.

[0011] Furthermore, in the connector of the present invention, the sidewalls can be seamlessly continuous throughout the entire circumference of the frame, and the guide portion is constructed of the same component as the sidewall and is integrated with the sidewall.

[0012] Based on the above structure, since the sidewalls and guides of the frame are made of the same component, the number of components is further reduced compared to the case where the sidewalls and guides are made of different components.

[0013] Furthermore, in the connector of the present invention, the guide portion can be formed by bending the end of the sidewall located on the opening side toward the outside of the frame.

[0014] Based on the above structure, the guide portion can be more easily formed using a part of the component constituting the sidewall.

[0015] Furthermore, in the connector of the present invention, the sidewalls and the guide portion can be made of the same metal plate.

[0016] According to the above structure, a guide portion can be formed using a part of the metal plate constituting the sidewall.

[0017] Furthermore, in the connector of the present invention, the guide portion may include: a bent portion that is continuous with a portion of the sidewall extending in the mating direction; and a flange portion that extends from the bent portion to the outside of the frame, with the opening surrounded by the flange portion.

[0018] According to the above structure, the guide portion, including the bent portion and the flange portion, facilitates guiding the opposite connector from the opening of the frame to the inside of the frame when the connector is engaged.

[0019] Furthermore, in the connector of the present invention, the surface facing the inside of the frame in the bent portion can be bent into an arc shape.

[0020] Based on the above structure, it is easier to guide the opposite connector to the inside of the frame when the connectors are mated.

[0021] Furthermore, in the connector of the present invention, the portions of the guide portion provided throughout the entire circumference of the frame can be configured in the same position in the mating direction.

[0022] According to the above structure, since the positions of the various parts of the guide portion are aligned in the mating direction, the opposite connector can be more properly guided to the inside of the frame when the connector is mated. Specifically, in the above structure, since there are no protrusions or recesses in the guide portion, it is possible to avoid the opposite connector from hooking onto such protrusions or recesses.

[0023] Furthermore, in the connector of the present invention, the inner peripheral surface of the sidewall may contact the outer peripheral surface of the counterpart connector when the counterpart connector is engaged with the connector.

[0024] Based on the above structure, the mating state of the opposite-side connector and the connector can be stabilized.

[0025] Furthermore, in the connector of the present invention, the sidewall may have a protruding portion whose inner peripheral surface protrudes further into the frame than other portions of the sidewall. When the other side connector is engaged with the connector, the area with the protruding portion in the inner peripheral surface of the sidewall contacts the outer peripheral surface of the other side connector.

[0026] According to the above structure, by providing a protrusion on the inner circumferential surface of the sidewall, the frame can easily contact the outer circumferential surface of the mating connector. As a result, the mating state of the mating connector with the other connector can be stabilized more effectively.

[0027] Furthermore, in the connector of the present invention, the sidewall may have a pair of long side portions arranged at intervals from each other and a pair of short side portions connecting the ends of the pair of long side portions to each other, and a protrusion is provided on each of the pair of long side portions and each of the pair of short side portions.

[0028] According to the above structure, by providing protruding portions on each of the four sides of the sidewall, the frame can more easily contact the outer peripheral surface of the mating connector. As a result, the mating state of the mating connector with the other connector can be stabilized more effectively.

[0029] The effects of the invention:

[0030] According to the present invention, a connector is provided that can properly guide the opposite connector to the inside of the frame when the connector is engaged. Attached Figure Description

[0031] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of a connector according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] Figure 2This is a top view of a connector according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] Figure 3 This is a bottom view of a connector according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] Figure 4 This is a front view of a connector according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0035] Figure 5 This is a side view of a connector according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0036] Figure 6 This is a 3D view of the connector on the other side.

[0037] Figure 7 It is a three-dimensional view of the connector that is fitted into the connector on the other side.

[0038] Figure 8 This is a top view of the connector that is mated with the connector on the other side.

[0039] Figure 9 This is a side view of the connector that is mated with the connector on the other side.

[0040] Figure 10 This is an exploded view of a connector according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0041] Figure 11 This is a top view of the frame and the obstruction.

[0042] Figure 12 It is shown Figure 5 The diagram of section II.

[0043] Figure 13 It is shown Figure 9 A cross-sectional view of the JJ.

[0044] Figure 14 This is an explanatory diagram about deep drawing.

[0045] Figure 15 This is a diagram showing the connector and the counterpart connector during the mating stage, and it is a front view of each connector.

[0046] Figure 16 This diagram shows the connector and the counterpart connector during the mating stage, illustrating the connection between... Figure 9 The diagram shows a cross-section of the JJ.

[0047] Figure 17 This is a perspective view of one of the existing examples of a connector.

[0048] Figure 18 This diagram illustrates the situation where the connector on the other side is fitted with one of the existing connector examples.

[0049] Figure 19 It is shown Figure 18 A diagram of the KK cross section.

[0050] Figure Labels

[0051] 1. Connector 2. Partner connector 3. Frame 4. Opening 5. Bend 10. Connector

[0052] 10A Opening; 11 Frame; 12 Side Wall; 13, 14 Long Side Section; 15, 16 Short Side Section

[0053] 17 Bottom wall 18 Edge 19 Corner 20 Shell 21 Central part of shell 22 End of shell

[0054] 23 Central protrusion 24 Side protrusion 25 Insertion groove 26 Insertion recess 27 Inserted part

[0055] 31 Contact (first terminal) 32 Contact (second terminal) 33 Contact (third terminal)

[0056] 40 Blocking part; 41 Fitting part; 42 Connecting part; 43 Protruding piece; 44 Mounting part

[0057] 45 Insertion recess 46 Press-in portion 47 Contact protrusion 51 Erected portion 52 Bending portion

[0058] 53 Flange portion 54 Guide portion 55 Protruding portion 100 Counterside connector

[0059] 102 Opposite side frame 104 Bottom wall 106, 108 Contact holding part

[0060] 111, 112, 113 Counter-side contact; 114 Counter-side blocking part; 116 Engaging recess.

[0061] F-frame substrate, M-metal plate, P-pressing device Detailed Implementation

[0062] The connector of the present invention will now be described with reference to specific examples shown in the accompanying drawings. Furthermore, the following embodiments are merely examples provided for ease of understanding of the present invention and do not limit the invention. That is, the present invention can be modified or improved from the following embodiments without departing from its spirit. In addition, the material, shape, and design dimensions of each part of the connector of the present invention can be set according to the intended use of the invention and the technical standards at the time of its implementation. Furthermore, the present invention includes its equivalents.

[0063] Furthermore, the three mutually orthogonal directions will be referred to as the X, Y, and Z directions below, with the mating direction of the connector and the other connector corresponding to the Z direction. Here, the Z direction is the vertical direction of the connector, the X direction is the horizontal width direction of the connector, and the Y direction is the front-back direction of the connector.

[0064] In addition, the shapes and positions of the connector parts described below are the shapes and positions of the connector when viewed from the +Z side as the top side and the -Z side as the bottom side. The +Z side (top side) is the side where the other side connector is located when viewed from the connector in the Z direction, and the -Z side (bottom side) is the side where the connector is located when viewed from the other side connector in the Z direction.

[0065] Furthermore, in this specification, "orthogonal" and "parallel" include the tolerance range generally permissible in the connector field, as well as the state of offset from strict orthogonality and parallelism within a range of less than a few degrees (e.g., 2 to 3 degrees).

[0066] Furthermore, for ease of explanation, the following will refer to the engagement of the connector with the other side connector as "connector engagement", and the state of the connector engaging with the other side connector as "connector engagement state".

[0067] <<Examples of connector structure>>

[0068] Reference Figures 1 to 16 This describes the structure of a connector (hereinafter referred to as connector 10) according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 12 , Figure 13 and Figure 16 The cross-section shown is a cross-section (XZ plane) through the blocking portion 40, which will be described later.

[0069] Connector 10 is Figures 1-5 The socket connector shown is mounted on a substrate (not shown) via the lower end of connector 10. Connector 10 is capable of engaging with [something] in the vertical direction (Z direction). Figure 6 The opposite connector 100, which is shown as a plug connector, is engaged.

[0070] like Figures 1-3 As shown, connector 10 has a frame 11, a housing 20, and multiple contacts 31, 32, and 33. Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, the counterpart connector 100 has a counterpart frame 102, a bottom wall 104, contact retaining portions 106 and 108, and counterpart contacts 111, 112, and 113.

[0071] Frame 11 forms the outer peripheral wall of connector 10, and the opposite-side frame 102 forms the outer peripheral wall of the opposite-side connector 100. Both frame 11 and the opposite-side frame 102 are hollow frames that appear roughly rectangular when viewed from above, and are made of conductive materials such as metal plates. Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, frame 11 surrounds a recessed space located inside it. An opening 10A is provided at the upper end (one end in the Z direction) of frame 11.

[0072] When the connector is mated, such as Figure 7 and Figure 16 As shown, the counterpart connector 100 is inserted into the recessed space located inside the frame 11 from the opening 10A. In the connector mating state, the frame 11 surrounds the counterpart connector 100 circumferentially, and more specifically, the outer peripheral surface of the counterpart frame 102 contacts the inner peripheral surface of the frame 11.

[0073] In connector 10, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, a housing 20 and contacts 31, 32, and 33 are arranged inside the frame 11. On the other hand, in the counterpart connector 100, as... Figure 6 As shown, opposite-side contacts 111, 112, and 113 are arranged on the inner side of the opposite-side frame 102 at positions corresponding to contacts 31, 32, and 33. The opposite-side contacts 111, 112, and 113 are held by convex contact holding portions 106 and 108 protruding from the bottom wall 104.

[0074] Contacts 31, 32, and 33 are terminals used for signal transmission or power supply, such as... Figure 1 and Figure 2 The configuration shown is located inside frame 11. The two contacts 31 and 32 are terminals for high-frequency signal transmission, i.e., RF (Radio Frequency) terminals. High frequency refers to frequency bandwidths above 6 GHz, including frequency bandwidths used for 5G (5th Generation) and similar technologies.

[0075] Contacts 31 and 32 are paired and arranged at different positions in the Y direction; specifically, they are symmetrically arranged with the center of connector 10 as the boundary. Contact 31, arranged on the +Y side, is equivalent to the first terminal, and contact 32, arranged on the -Y side, is equivalent to the second terminal. A pair of contacts 31 and 32 can be arranged at the same position in the X direction, or they can be arranged at different positions.

[0076] like Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, multiple contacts 33 (six in the illustration) are arranged inside the frame 11. The multiple contacts 33 include at least terminals for low-frequency signal transmission and may also include terminals for power supply. Each of the multiple contacts 33 corresponds to a third terminal and is arranged in the Y direction between the first terminal (contact 31) and the second terminal (contact 32). The multiple contacts 33 can be arranged in a regular manner in both the X and Y directions, for example, symmetrically with the center of the connector 10 as the boundary, or they can be arranged randomly.

[0077] In the connector mating state, contacts 31, 32, and 33 make contact with and are electrically connected to the corresponding contacts among the counterpart contacts 111, 112, and 113. For example, contact 31 corresponds to counterpart contact 111, and contact 32 corresponds to counterpart contact 112. Furthermore, each contact 31, 32, and 33, for example, has an arched portion open on the +Z side, and each forms a rod shape with the counterpart contacts 111, 112, and 113. The corresponding counterpart contact is inserted into the inside of the arched portion of each contact, and the two contacts make contact and are electrically connected.

[0078] The housing 20, which maintains the insulation of contacts 31, 32, and 33, is located inside the frame 11, specifically in the recessed space. Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the shell 20, when viewed from above, is roughly rectangular and is divided into several parts.

[0079] Specifically, the housing 20 has a portion forming the central portion in the Y direction (hereinafter referred to as the housing central portion 21) and portions forming the two ends in the Y direction of the housing 20 (hereinafter referred to as the housing ends 22). Figure 10 As shown, the central portion 21 of the housing has a central protrusion (hereinafter referred to as the central protrusion 23) in the X direction and protrusions on both sides of the central protrusion 23 in the X direction (hereinafter referred to as the side protrusions 24). The central protrusion 23 and the two side protrusions 24 extend in the Y direction, and a concave insertion groove 25 is provided between the central protrusion 23 and the side protrusions 24. The contact 33 is inserted into each insertion groove 25 (see reference). Figure 10 ).

[0080] The housing end 22 on the +Y side and the housing end 22 on the -Y side are symmetrical in the Y direction with the center of the connector 10 as the boundary. For example... Figure 1 As shown, each housing end 22 is a protrusion extending in the X direction. (As indicated...) Figure 2As shown, a recess (hereinafter referred to as the embedding recess 26) is provided at the outer end of the housing end 22 in the Y direction, which is recessed inward in the Y direction. The contact 31 is pressed into the embedding recess 26 of the housing end 22 on the +Y side by pressing it inward in the Y direction and embedding it into the embedding recess 26 of the housing end 22 on the -Y side by pressing it inward in the Y direction.

[0081] The central portion 21 and the end portion 22 of the housing are integrated by a portion disposed between them, specifically by an insertion portion 27 described later (see reference). Figure 10 The housing 20 is, for example, a resin molded article, in which a housing 20 having a central housing portion 21 and a housing end portion 22 connected to each other is formed in a single resin molding process.

[0082] In addition, such as Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 10 As shown, connector 10 has a blocking portion 40 on the inner side of frame 11. (As indicated...) Figure 2 As shown, the blocking part 40 is disposed between a pair of contacts 31 and 32 in the Y direction (i.e., the cross direction that intersects with the Z direction).

[0083] More specifically, in the Y direction, a blocking portion 40 is provided between the contact 31 and the plurality of contacts 33 on the +Y side and between the contact 32 and the plurality of contacts 33 on the -Y side. That is, in Figure 1 In the configuration shown in the diagram, two blocking portions 40 are disposed between a pair of contacts 31 and 32 on the inner side of the frame. However, the number of blocking portions 40 is not particularly limited, as long as at least one blocking portion 40 is disposed between a pair of contacts 31 and 32.

[0084] The blocking portion 40 is connected to the ground potential (ground potential). Specifically, a grounding conductive pattern (not shown) is formed on the substrate on which the connector 10 is mounted, and the blocking portion 40 is configured such that its lower end is in contact with the grounding conductive pattern. Furthermore, in the connector mating state, such as Figure 13 As shown, the blocking portion 40 engages with the opposing-side blocking portion 114 of the opposing-side connector 100 to form an electromagnetic shield. This electromagnetic shield suppresses crosstalk (especially high-frequency signals) between a pair of contacts 31 and 32.

[0085] Next, the structure of frame 11 will be described in detail. Frame 11 is conductive, and contacts 31, 32, and 33 are arranged inside frame 11. That is, contacts 31, 32, and 33 are surrounded by the conductive frame 11. Furthermore, frame 11 contacts a grounding conductive pattern (not shown) in the substrate on which connector 10 is mounted, and is connected to the ground potential. Thus, frame 11 provides shielding, blocking external influences (electromagnetic interference) on contacts 31, 32, and 33.

[0086] like Figures 10-12 As shown, frame 11 has side walls 12 and bottom wall 17. Figure 11 As shown, the sidewall 12, viewed from above, forms a rectangle that surrounds the outer surface of the housing 20. Furthermore, in the connector mating state, the inner circumferential surface of the sidewall 12 contacts the outer circumferential surface of the counterpart connector 100 (more specifically, the outer circumferential surface of the counterpart frame 102).

[0087] like Figure 10 and Figure 11 As shown, the sidewall 12 has a pair of long side portions 13 and 14 and a pair of short side portions 15 and 16. The pair of long side portions 13 and 14 are arranged parallel to each other in the X direction and spaced apart, and extend longer in the Y direction. The pair of short side portions 15 and 16 extend in the X direction and connect the long side ends of the pair of long side portions 13 and 14 to each other. The length of each short side portion 15 and 16 is shorter than the length of each long side portion 13 and 14.

[0088] like Figures 10-12 As shown, the various parts of the sidewall 12 (i.e., a pair of long side portions 13, 14 and a pair of short side portions 15, 16) are connected seamlessly and without gaps. That is, the sidewall 12 is seamlessly continuous throughout the entire circumference of the frame 11. The entire circumference of the frame 11 is the entire range of the circumference of the frame 11, which is the direction in which the frame 11 surrounds the recessed space, in other words, the direction along the outer edge of the recessed space.

[0089] like Figure 12 As shown, a pair of long side portions 13, 14 and a pair of short side portions 15, 16 each have an upright portion 51 that rises from the bottom wall 17 and extends toward the +Z side. Furthermore, as... Figure 10 and Figure 12 As shown, a pair of long side portions 13, 14 and a pair of short side portions 15, 16 have a bent portion 52 and a flange portion 53 at their respective upper ends (i.e., the ends on the side where the opening 10A is located in the Z direction).

[0090] The bent portion 52 is continuous with the upright portion 51 and is a portion that bends outward toward the frame 11. The flange portion 53 is continuous with the bent portion 52 and is a flange-shaped portion that extends from the bent portion 52 toward the outside of the frame 11.

[0091] The bent portion 52 and the flange portion 53 are configured in the frame 11 to surround the opening 10A and form a guide portion 54. The guide portion 54 is provided at the end (i.e., the upper end) of the side wall 12 in the Z direction on the side of the opening 10A, and is the portion that guides the opposite connector 100 from the opening 10A toward the inside of the frame 11. By providing the guide portion 54, when the connector is engaged, the opposite connector 100 can be properly guided to the inside of the frame 11 so that the opposite connector 100 is correctly positioned inside the frame 11.

[0092] In addition, such as Figure 10 and Figure 11 As shown, the guide portion 54 is provided on the upper end of the side wall 12 (the end with the opening 10A) covering the entire circumference of the frame 11. Therefore, when the connector is engaged, the other connector 100 can be guided unobstructed to the inside of the frame 11. Specifically, for example, in a structure where the guide portion 54 is interrupted in the circumference of the frame 11, the other connector 100 may get caught at the interrupted portion of the guide portion 54. In contrast, since the guide portion 54 is provided covering the entire circumference of the frame 11, the aforementioned undesirable situation can be avoided when the connector is engaged.

[0093] In addition, such as Figure 10 and Figure 12 As shown, in the bent portion 52 constituting the guide portion 54, the surface facing the inside of the frame 11 is bent into an R shape, i.e., an arc shape. As a result, when the connector is engaged, the other connector 100 can be guided more smoothly to the inside of the frame 11.

[0094] In addition, such as Figure 10 and Figure 12 As shown, the portions of the guide portion 54, which is provided throughout the entire circumference of the frame 11, are positioned at the same location in the Z direction. Specifically, the upper surfaces of the continuous flange portion 53, which is provided throughout the entire circumference of the frame 11, lie on the same plane in the Z direction. In this structure, there are no protrusions or recesses in the guide portion 54, which prevents the opposite connector 100 from getting caught on protrusions or recesses. As a result, when the connectors are engaged, the opposite connector 100 can be guided more appropriately to the inside of the frame 11.

[0095] The frame 11 contacts the outer peripheral surface of the counterpart connector 100 in the connector mating state and can maintain this state well. Specifically, as... Figure 11 As shown, a protruding portion 55 is provided at the center of the Y direction of each of the pair of long side portions 13 and 14 and at the center of the X direction of each of the pair of short side portions 15 and 16. Figure 12As shown, the protruding portion 55 is a portion that protrudes further into the frame 11 than the other portions of the side wall 12 (the portions other than the protruding portion 55). Furthermore, the protruding portion 55 is provided in the upper end of the side wall 12 in the Z direction, and more specifically, it is provided around the junction of the upright portion 51 and the bent portion 52.

[0096] In the connector mating state, such as Figure 8 As shown, the area with the protrusion 55 on the inner circumferential surface of the sidewall 12 contacts the outer circumferential surface of the counterpart connector 100, specifically the outer circumferential surface of the counterpart frame 102. Thus, by providing the protrusion 55 on the sidewall 12, the sidewall 12 can easily contact the counterpart connector 100, resulting in a stable and good maintenance of the connector mating state.

[0097] For example, such as Figure 12 As shown, the protruding portion 55 is formed by pressing the portion of the component constituting the sidewall 12 (specifically, the metal plate M described later) into the inner side of the frame 11 and bending it into an arch shape. Furthermore, the protruding portions 55 provided on each of the long side portions 13 and 14 have a length in the Y direction that is at least 1 / 3 of the length of each of the long side portions 13 and 14, preferably at least 1 / 2. The protruding portions 55 provided on each of the short side portions 15 and 16 have a length in the X direction that is at least 1 / 3 of the length of each of the short side portions 15 and 16, preferably at least 1 / 2.

[0098] The bottom wall 17 of frame 11 extends from the lower end of side wall 12 (the end in the Z direction opposite to opening 10A) toward the inside of frame 11. The bottom wall 17 is composed of a flat plate along the XY plane, as shown below. Figure 10 and Figure 11 As shown, most of it is punched. The bottom wall 17 has: a narrow edge portion 18, which is provided inside the frame 11 to edge the outer edge of the recessed space; and corner portions 19, which exist in the form of generally rectangular fragments at the four corners of the recessed space.

[0099] In addition, such as Figure 11 As shown, a blocking portion 40 is arranged between two adjacent corner portions 19 in the X direction. Two sets of adjacent corner portions 19 are arranged at mutually separated positions in the Y direction, and blocking portions 40 are arranged between two adjacent corner portions 19 on the +Y side and between two adjacent corner portions 19 on the -Y side, respectively.

[0100] Each blocking portion 40 is continuous with a part of the bottom wall 17, specifically with the two adjacent corner portions 19. Furthermore, as... Figure 12As shown, the blocking portion 40 protrudes towards the +Z side from the end of the bottom wall 17, i.e., the frame 11, in the Z direction opposite to the opening 10A. Furthermore, the blocking portion 40 forms a line-symmetrical shape with the center of the frame 11 in the X direction as the boundary. A detailed explanation follows, as... Figure 12 As shown, in the X direction, a fitting portion 41 is provided in the center of the blocking portion 40, and a mounting portion 44 is provided at both ends of the blocking portion 40.

[0101] like Figure 12 As shown, the mounting portion 44 forms an inverted U-shape when viewed from the Y direction, and has an insertion recess 45 formed from the end on the -Z side of the mounting portion 44 toward the +Z side. Figure 12 As shown, the inserted portion 27, which is part of the housing 20, is inserted into the insertion recess 45.

[0102] The inserted portion 27 is located in the Y direction between the central portion 21 and the end portion 22 of the housing, and is arranged symmetrically in two locations with the center of the housing 20 in the X direction as the boundary. Each inserted portion 27 is a columnar protrusion, which is lower in the Z direction than the central portion 21 and the end portion 22 of the housing and has a slight width in the X direction.

[0103] The insertion recess 45 has a depth corresponding to the height of the inserted portion 27, and a width slightly wider than the width of the inserted portion 27. A pair of inner surfaces arranged in the X direction are provided inside the insertion recess 45. Furthermore, as... Figure 12 As shown, a pressing portion 46 protrudes from the inner side of one of the pair of inner sides, closer to the center in the Y direction of the blocking portion 40. When the inserted portion 27 is inserted into the insertion recess 45, the pressing portion 46 is pressed into the inserted portion 27, or more specifically, recessed into the inserted portion 27.

[0104] As described above, the inserted portion 27 is inserted into the insertion recess 45, thereby being mounted on the mounting portion 44. As a result, the housing 20 is supported on the frame 11 inside the frame 11 by the blocking portion 40.

[0105] like Figure 12 As shown, the fitting portion 41 is located between the two mounting portions 44 in the X direction, and has a connecting portion 42 provided at the end of the blocking portion 40 on the -Z side and a pair of protruding pieces 43 protruding from the central portion of the connecting portion 42 in the X direction toward the +Z side.

[0106] The connecting portion 42 extends linearly in the X direction, connecting the two mounting portions 44 to each other. A pair of protruding pieces 43 are arranged in a roughly V-shape when viewed from the Y direction. Each protruding piece 43 is elastic, for example, constructed of a leaf spring, and is capable of elastic deformation by narrowing the spacing between the protruding pieces 43. Furthermore, as... Figure 12As shown, the end of each protruding piece 43 has a contact protrusion 47 that protrudes outward in a mountain shape in the X direction.

[0107] In the connector mating state, such as Figure 13 As shown, the mating portion 41 engages with the opposing-side blocking portion 114 provided on the opposing-side connector. Specifically, a recess (hereinafter referred to as the mating recess 116) is formed at a position corresponding to the mating portion 41 at the center of the opposing-side blocking portion 114 in the X direction. The mating recess 116 has sufficient depth to accommodate the ends (i.e., contact protrusions 47) of both sides of a pair of protrusions 43. Furthermore, the width (length in the X direction) of the mating recess 116 is slightly narrower than the spacing between the protrusions 43, and more precisely, slightly narrower than the spacing at the point before the elastic deformation of each protrusion 43.

[0108] When the connector is mated, such as Figure 13 As shown, the pair of protruding pieces 43 of the fitting portion 41 elastically deform to narrow the gap between them, and then enter the inner side of the fitting recess 116. Thus, the fitting portion 41 engages with the fitting recess 116. With the fitting portion 41 inside the fitting recess 116, the ends of each pair of protruding pieces 43, i.e., the contact protrusions 47, contact the inner surface of the fitting recess 116. Furthermore, it is preferable that a recess corresponding to the curved shape of the contact protrusion 47 is provided on the inner surface of the fitting recess 116 to mate with the contact protrusion 47.

[0109] When the mating portion 41 is engaged with the opposing side blocking portion 114, i.e., when the connector is engaged, the blocking portion 40 and the opposing side blocking portion 114 together constitute an electromagnetic shield. As described above, this electromagnetic shield suppresses crosstalk between the two contacts 31 and 32 used for high-frequency signal transmission.

[0110] In each of the blocking portions 40 on the +Y side and the -Y side, such as Figure 10 and Figure 11 As shown, the fitting portion 41 and the two mounting portions 44 can be arranged at the same position in the Y direction. Furthermore, it is more preferable that the thickness (length in the Y direction) of the fitting portion 41 and the mounting portion 44 is approximately uniform. In other words, in the Y direction, the end faces of the fitting portion 41 and the mounting portions 44 can be located on the same plane. In this case, the blocking portion 40 can be made more compact, and the arrangement space of the blocking portion 40 within the frame 11 can be further reduced.

[0111] Furthermore, to reduce the number of components, the side walls 12, bottom wall 17, and blocking portion 40 of the frame 11 are integrally formed from the same component. Specifically, the side walls 12 and bottom wall 17 of the frame 11 are formed from the same component, specifically from a single metal plate M, and the blocking portion 40 is formed using a portion of the same metal plate M. The material of the metal plate M is not particularly limited; for example, brass, bronze alloys, or stainless steel can be used. Furthermore, the thickness of the metal plate M is not particularly limited; for example, it can be set to 0.06 mm to 0.15 mm.

[0112] For example, such as Figure 14 As shown, the frame 11 of the connector 10 of the present invention can be manufactured by applying a deep drawing process (strictly speaking, a square tube deep drawing process) to a metal plate M. Specifically, the outer edge portion of the metal plate M is clamped and held by a mold or the like, and a pressing tool P, such as a punch, is pressed onto the portion of the metal plate M located inward from the outer edge portion. Thus, as Figure 14 As shown, a cylindrical metal forming product with a drawn bottom is obtained (hereinafter referred to as frame substrate F). The drawn bottom is the innermost (bottom) part of the portion formed by pressing in the metal sheet M during the drawing process.

[0113] An opening is formed on the side pressed by the pressing device P in the frame substrate F (hereinafter referred to as the upper surface side), which becomes opening 10A at the completion point of the frame 11. Furthermore, the square tube portion in the frame substrate F becomes sidewall 12 at the completion point of the frame 11. Additionally, the outer edge portion of the metal sheet M that is clamped during the deep drawing process is retained as a flange-like edge portion on the upper surface side of the frame substrate F, becoming flange portion 53 at the completion point of the frame 11.

[0114] After the deep drawing process, the bottom of the frame substrate F is punched into a specified shape. Thus, the deep-drawn bottom of the frame substrate F retains a portion corresponding to the bottom wall 17 (specifically, the edge portion 18 and the corner portion 19) of the frame 11 and a portion corresponding to the blocking portion 40. During this stage, the portion corresponding to the bottom wall 17 (specifically, the portion corresponding to the corner portion 19) and the portion corresponding to the blocking portion 40 are continuously connected.

[0115] Subsequently, the bottom is bent and deepened at the junction of the portion corresponding to the bottom wall 17 and the portion corresponding to the blocking portion 40. More specifically, the portion of the deepened bottom corresponding to the blocking portion 40 is bent at approximately 90 degrees relative to the portion corresponding to the bottom wall 17 and erected.

[0116] Following the above steps, frame 11 is manufactured from a single metal sheet M. In frame 11 manufactured through the above steps, sidewalls 12 are seamlessly continuous throughout the entire circumference of frame 11. This ensures the strength and shielding properties of frame 11.

[0117] Furthermore, in each part of the side wall 12, the upright portion 51 and the flange portion 53 are seamlessly connected. A bent portion 52 is provided between the upright portion 51 and the flange portion 53, and the bent portion 52 and the flange portion 53 constitute a guide portion 54. Thus, the guide portion 54 can be formed incidentally during the process of manufacturing the frame 11 by deep drawing a metal sheet M.

[0118] As described above, in the connector 10 of the present invention, the guide portion 54 is integrally formed with the sidewall 12 by being constructed from the same component as the sidewall 12 (specifically, the same metal plate M). Therefore, compared to the case where the sidewall 12 and the guide portion 54 are constructed from different components, the number of components is further reduced, thereby lowering the manufacturing cost of the connector 10. In particular, according to the steps described above, the guide portion 54 is formed by bending the upper end of the sidewall 12 outwards towards the frame 11. Therefore, the guide portion 54 can be formed more easily using a portion of the component constituting the sidewall 12.

[0119] Furthermore, in the connector 10 of the present invention, the guide portion 54 is provided throughout the entire circumference of the frame 11. As a result, compared with conventional connectors (such as the connector 1 described in Patent Document 1) that have a portion corresponding to the guide portion 54, the opposite connector 100 can be guided more appropriately to the inside of the frame 11.

[0120] More specifically, the connector 1 described in Patent Document 1 has a frame 3 that is a rectangular frame, such as... Figure 17 and Figure 19 As shown, bent portions 5 are provided at the four corners of the frame 3. The bent portions 5 are formed by bending the upper end of the frame 3 inwards. By providing the bent portions 5, as... Figure 19 As shown, when the connectors are engaged, the opposite connector 2 is more properly guided to the inside of the frame 3.

[0121] However, in the upper part of the frame 3, the bending portion 5 is only provided at the corner, and the part without the bending portion 5 becomes a recess. Therefore, when the connectors are engaged, the opposite connector 2 may hook into the recess in the frame 3. If the opposite connector 2, which is in a state of hooking into the recess, is pressed in forcefully, it may cause the connector 1 or the opposite connector 2 to deform or break.

[0122] In contrast, in the connector 10 of the present invention, the guide portion 54 is provided throughout the entire circumference of the frame 11 at the upper end of the frame 11, and the aforementioned recess is absent. Therefore, when the connector is engaged, the counterpart connector 100 will not hook onto the recess, thus avoiding deformation and damage to the connector 10 or the counterpart connector 100 caused therefrom.

[0123] Furthermore, all portions of the guide portion 54, which is provided throughout the entire circumference of the frame 11 (each portion of the frame 11 in the circumferential direction), are located in the same position in the Z direction. As a result, when the connectors are engaged, the other-side connector 100 is less likely to hook onto the frame 11, and the other-side connector 100 can be more properly guided to the inside of the frame 11.

[0124] <<Other Implementation Methods>>

[0125] The structure of the connector of the present invention has been described above with specific examples. However, the above embodiments are only examples listed for easy understanding of the present invention, and other embodiments may also be considered.

[0126] In the above embodiment, the side wall 12, bottom wall 17, and blocking portion 40 of the frame 11 are integrally formed from the same component, and the blocking portion 40 protrudes from the bottom wall 17 toward the +Z side. That is, in the above embodiment, the blocking portion 40 is continuous with the bottom wall 17, but it is not limited thereto. For example, the blocking portion 40 may also be continuous with the side wall 12, specifically, the blocking portion 40 extends along the X direction from one or both of the pair of long side portions 13, 14 of the side wall 12.

[0127] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, an example of manufacturing a seamless frame 11 by deep drawing was described, but it is not limited to this. Other processing methods can be used as long as a seamless frame 11 can be manufactured. For example, cutting and drawing processes can also be used.

[0128] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, protrusions 55 are provided on a pair of long side portions 13, 14 and a pair of short side portions 15, 16 of the side wall 12 constituting the frame 11. However, this is not a limitation; protrusions 55 may be provided at least at one location on the inner circumferential surface of the side wall 12 of the frame 11. In addition, from the viewpoint of maintaining the connector engagement state well, it is preferable to provide protrusions 55 on a pair of long side portions 13, 14 and a pair of short side portions 15, 16 as described in the above embodiment.

[0129] Furthermore, in the above embodiments, the sidewalls 12 of the frame 11 are seamlessly continuous (i.e., without seams or gaps) throughout the entire circumference of the frame 11, but this is not a limitation. For example, the sidewalls 12 of the frame 11 with minute seams can also be formed by welding the ends of strip-shaped metal plates together after bending them into cylindrical shapes.

[0130] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the sidewall 12 and the guide portion 54 are seamlessly connected, but this is not a limitation. For example, the sidewall 12 and the guide portion 54 can be joined together by welding or the like after they are formed from different components.

[0131] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the sidewall 12 of the frame 11 is rectangular when viewed from above. However, the shape of the sidewall 12 when viewed from above can also be other than rectangular, such as a circle, ellipse, rhombus, trapezoid, parallelogram, or polygon other than quadrilateral.

Claims

1. A connector comprising a frame having an opening and capable of fitting a mating connector from the opening into the inside of the frame, characterized in that, The framework has: bottom wall, A sidewall extends in the mating direction of the connector and the counterpart connector, surrounding the counterpart connector in the mating state with the connector; as well as A guide portion, disposed in the side wall at the end located on the opening side in the mating direction, guides the opposite connector toward the inside of the frame. The blocking portion is continuous with a part of the bottom wall. The sidewalls are continuous throughout the entire circumference of the frame. The guide portion is provided at the end of the side wall located on the opening side, covering the entire circumference of the frame; The upper end of the sidewall has a protruding portion whose inner circumferential surface protrudes further inward into the frame than other portions of the sidewall. When the counterpart connector is engaged with the connector, the area on the inner circumferential surface of the sidewall containing the protruding portion contacts the outer circumferential surface of the counterpart frame having the counterpart connector, and the blocking portion engages with the counterpart blocking portion of the counterpart connector to form electromagnetic shielding. The sidewall, the bottom wall, and the blocking portion are formed by the same component and are integrated.

2. The connector according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sidewalls are seamlessly continuous throughout the entire circumference of the frame. The guide portion is constructed from the same component as the sidewall and is integrated with the sidewall.

3. The connector according to claim 2, characterized in that, The guide portion is formed by bending the end of the sidewall located on the opening side toward the outside of the frame.

4. The connector according to claim 2, characterized in that, The sidewall and the guide portion are made of the same metal plate.

5. The connector according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The guide portion includes: a bent portion continuous with a portion of the sidewall extending along the fitting direction; and a flange portion extending from the bent portion toward the outside of the frame. The opening is surrounded by the flange portion.

6. The connector according to claim 5, characterized in that, In the bent portion, the surface facing the inside of the frame is curved into an arc shape.

7. The connector according to claim 1, characterized in that, The portions of the guide portion, which are arranged throughout the entire circumference of the frame, are positioned at the same location in the fitting direction.

8. The connector according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sidewall has a pair of long side portions spaced apart from each other and a pair of short side portions connecting the ends of the pair of long side portions to each other. The protrusion is provided on each of the pair of long side portions and on each of the pair of short side portions.

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