Board-to-board connector and electronic equipment
By designing a board-to-board connector that includes the housing, pins, rigid and flexible parts, the problem of unstable connection during the circuit board assembly process is solved, adaptive error and thermal expansion compensation are achieved, design and development costs are reduced, and connection reliability and flexibility are improved.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202410178259.9
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-02-09
- Publication Date
- 2025-08-12
AI Technical Summary
Existing board-to-board connectors are difficult to adapt to board errors and thermal expansion differences during assembly, resulting in unstable connections and concentrated loads, and high design and development costs.
The board-to-board connector design includes a housing, pins, rigid parts, flexible parts and reinforced sections. By compensating the deformation of the flexible parts and compensating the difference in thermal expansion, adaptive connection is provided, and flexible splicing is achieved through modular connection units to reduce design and development costs.
It realizes a stable connection of adaptive errors and thermal expansion during the circuit board assembly process, reduces connector design and development costs, and improves connection reliability and flexibility.
Smart Images
Figure CN120473759A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present application relates to a connector for circuit board assembly, in particular to a board-to-board connector. The present application also relates to an electronic device assembled using the board-to-board connector. Background Art
[0002] The connection between circuit boards in electronic products is achieved through connectors, which are called board-to-board connectors. Board-to-board connectors are developed based on the specific design requirements of circuit boards.
[0003] The assembly between the terminal and the circuit board by crimping is a solderless connection method, which has the advantages of simple assembly, providing reliable electrical contact surface, and being removable and replaceable.
[0004] Press-fit board-to-board connectors offer a viable solution for circuit board assembly. Summary of the Invention
[0005] One aspect of the present application is to provide a board-to-board connector used between circuit boards to be assembled.
[0006] The board-to-board connectors involved in this application include:
[0007] a housing including opposing first and second ends; and
[0008] A pin provided at the first end and / or the second end, the pin comprising:
[0009] The end to be connected to the circuit board;
[0010] a root section integrated into the housing;
[0011] a rigid portion connected to the end, the rigid portion comprising:
[0012] an engagement section configured to be pressed into and interference fit with one or more holes of the circuit board; and
[0013] a reinforcement section configured to provide stable pressing of the engagement section; and
[0014] A flexible portion is located between the reinforcement section and the root section, the flexible portion being configured to be deformable to allow the rigid section to be displaced relative to the root section.
[0015] In an embodiment of the board-to-board connector, the housing has a support portion configured to be located behind the reinforcement section in a pressing direction, and a space is provided in the support portion to accommodate the flexible portion and allow the flexible portion to deform.
[0016] In an embodiment of the board-to-board connector, the support portion is configured as a sleeve surrounding the flexible portion, and an end surface of the sleeve is configured as a first positioning surface against which the reinforcement section abuts.
[0017] In an embodiment of the board-to-board connector, the flexible portion is configured as an elastic element.
[0018] In an embodiment of a board-to-board connector, the housing is provided with one or more interfaces in its circumference, so that the board-to-board connector becomes a single connection unit that can be spliced with one or more other board-to-board connectors having the same structure.
[0019] In an embodiment of a board-to-board connector, the single connection unit has multiple side surfaces in the circumferential direction of its shell, and a female interface and a male interface are respectively provided on a pair of opposite side surfaces, and the female interface and the male interface are constructed to be interference fit when the two are connected.
[0020] In an embodiment of the board-to-board connector, the terminal end, the engagement section, the reinforcement section, the flexible portion, and the root section are integral, and the length of the root section is consistent with the height of the body of the housing.
[0021] In an embodiment of the board-to-board connector, the engaging section is configured as a crimping terminal, the flexible portion is configured as a spring, and the reinforcing section has a stopper extending into the space and facing a wall of the space to protect the flexible portion.
[0022] In an embodiment of the board-to-board connector, the pins are disposed at the first end and the second end of the housing.
[0023] In an embodiment of a board-to-board connector, the pins are arranged at one of the first end and the second end of the shell, and the shell embeds a cylinder made of conductive material at its other end, and the cylinder has opposite closed and open ends, the closed end is connected to the root section of the aforementioned pins in the shell, and the open end is configured to receive pins of other connectors.
[0024] In an embodiment of the board-to-board connector, the reinforcement section is configured as a pair of shoulders extending laterally, and the shoulders are configured to have a second positioning surface for abutting against an end surface of the open end.
[0025] In an embodiment of a board-to-board connector, the pins of the other connector are press-fitted to the barrel.
[0026] Another aspect of the present application is to provide an electronic device, which includes a housing, and at least a first circuit board and a second circuit board in the housing, wherein the first circuit board and the second circuit board are connected in a direction intersecting the circuit boards by one or more layers of combined connectors, and each layer of the combined connector includes one or more board-to-board connectors according to any of the above embodiments arranged along the extension direction of the circuit board.
[0027] In an embodiment of the electronic device, a plurality of holes are provided on the first circuit board, and each hole of the first circuit board is connected to a corresponding hole of the second circuit board via a single board-to-board connector; wherein a portion of the plurality of holes are conductive holes, and another portion are non-conductive holes.
[0028] In an embodiment of the electronic device, a plurality of holes are provided on the first circuit board, and the plurality of holes include conductive holes connected to the circuit on the first circuit board and / or non-conductive holes not connected to the circuit, and the non-conductive holes have the same structure as the conductive holes.
[0029] The present application provides a connector that is self-adaptive during the use of assembled circuit boards or circuit board assemblies. There is hard interference between the holes of the circuit board and the joint section, and the root section is fixed relative to the housing of the connector. The rigid part is displaceable relative to the root section. The flexible part in the middle can be deformed to allow the displacement of the rigid part, thereby providing error compensation. These errors are caused by various loads. For example, there is a slight misalignment between the corresponding holes of the upper and lower circuit boards or misalignment occurs during use, or the upper and lower circuit boards are not parallel. If the connector is hard-connected between the two, a load will be generated. The deformation of the flexible part can change the position of the rigid part relative to the root section and then relative to the housing, thereby eliminating the load. For another example, the thermal expansion coefficient of the housing made of insulating material is greater than that of the pins made of conductive material. The deformation of the flexible part can compensate for the deformation difference between the two, thereby eliminating the thermal load.
[0030] The present application provides a connector module. A board-to-board connector is used as a single connection unit, and multiple board-to-board connectors are spliced together to form a modular connector that is connected between circuit boards. The present application provides versatility and flexibility for connectors because, based on the number of connection units and the connection method, a variety of modular connectors can be spliced together, with different pin arrangements, which can be applied to various circuit boards. This reduces the design requirements for the connector, shortens the connector development time, and eliminates the need to develop new molds for the connector, further reducing costs.
[0031] During the assembly and use of the modular connector, on the one hand, the flexible parts in each connecting unit adaptively deform to eliminate local stress concentration; on the other hand, the board-to-board connectors are firmly connected to each other in structure, so that the modular connector has a reliable and stable structure.
[0032] The connector provided in this application can be expanded in the longitudinal direction in addition to the transverse direction, so that the circuit boards can have a large spacing of more than 6 mm.
[0033] Other aspects and features of the present application will become apparent from the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood, however, that the drawings are designed for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present application, as reference should be made to the appended claims. It should also be understood that the drawings are intended only to conceptually illustrate the structures and processes described herein and, unless otherwise indicated, are not necessarily drawn to scale. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0034] The present application will be more fully understood by referring to the following detailed description of specific embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which the same reference numerals throughout the drawings refer to the same elements.
[0035] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a first embodiment of a board-to-board connector according to the present application;
[0036] Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the connection between the board-to-board connector and the circuit board according to the first embodiment;
[0037] Figure 3 for Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the board-to-board connector shown in other angles;
[0038] Figure 4 for Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the circuit board shown in other angles;
[0039] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of a second embodiment of a board-to-board connector according to the present application;
[0040] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating the connection between a board-to-board connector and a circuit board according to a second embodiment; and
[0041] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of an electronic device involved in this application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0042] In order to help those skilled in the art to accurately understand the subject matter for which protection is sought in this application, the specific implementation methods of this application are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0043] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a first embodiment of a board-to-board connector according to the present application. The board-to-board connector includes a housing 32 made of an insulating material and pins 34 made of a conductive material. The housing 32 includes a first end 36 and a second end 38. The pins 34 are arranged at the first end 36 and the second end 38. The pins at the first end 36 and the second end 38 have substantially the same structure. Taking the first end above as an example, the pin 34 is composed of multiple parts and / or sections, including an end 39, a rigid portion 40, a flexible portion 42, and a root section 44. The root section 44 is integrated into the housing 32. The end 39 is remote from the housing 32 and is used for connection to a circuit board. The rigid portion 40 is connected to the end 39. The flexible portion 42 is located between the rigid portion 40 and the root section 44. The rigid portion 40 includes a bonding section 46 and a reinforcement section 48. The bonding section 46 is connected to the end 39. The flexible portion 42 is located between the reinforcement section 48 and the root section 44. The joining section 46 is constructed to be pressed into a hole on the circuit board and to have an interference fit therewith. When pressed into the hole, the joining section interferes with the hole and deforms to match the hole, thereby being connected and fixed in the hole. In the illustrated embodiment, the joining section 46 includes one terminal. In other embodiments, the joining section includes multiple terminals to match a corresponding number of holes. The joining section 46 is an elongated member, and the reinforcement section 48 is connected to the joining section 46 to provide a stabilizing thrust for pressing the joining section 46 and prevent it from buckling. The reinforcement section 48 provides reinforcement for the pin 34, while the flexible portion 42 provides structural weakening of the pin 34. The flexible portion 42 is less rigid than the rigid portion 40. The flexible portion 42 is deformable to allow the rigid portion 40 to shift relative to the root section 44. The displacement can be in different directions, achieved by deformation of the flexible portion 42.
[0044] The housing 32 includes a main body 50 and a support portion 52. One support portion 52 is provided at each of the first end 36 and the second end 38. The support portion 52 provides support and positioning for the reinforcement section 48. It is located behind the reinforcement section 48 when the connector is pressed against the circuit board. The support portion 52 also defines a space 54 within it that accommodates the flexible portion 42 and allows it to deform. The flexible portion 42 is constrained within the space 54. The size of the space 54 is designed to provide protection for the flexible portion 42 while allowing it to deform freely within the space 54.
[0045] In the illustrated embodiment, the support portion 52 is constructed as a sleeve 56 that protrudes outward from the body 50 and surrounds the flexible portion 42. The outer dimensions of the sleeve 56 are smaller than those of the body 50. The sleeve 56 can be a cylindrical body with any cross-section, such as a round or square column. The flexible portion 42 is constructed as an elastic element. The end surface of the sleeve 56 forms a first positioning surface 58 against which the reinforcement section 48 can abut. During the press-fitting process of the terminal, or the mating section 46, or during use thereafter, the reinforcement section 48 abuts against the first positioning surface 58, maintaining full or partial contact therewith. The interior of the sleeve 56 defines a space 54 formed by a hole 60. The hole diameter is designed based on various factors, including the positioning of the reinforcement section 48 and the flexibility of the flexible portion 42. The appropriate hole size is required. If the hole is too large and close to the size of the reinforcement section 48, it will hinder the abutment of the moving reinforcement section 48 against the first positioning surface 58. If the hole is too small, while the reinforcement section 48 is effectively positioned, it will hinder the movement of the flexible portion.
[0046] The pins at the second end 38 are constructed identically to the pins at the first end 36 , with their root sections connected to one another.
[0047] Figure 2 Schematic diagram of multiple board-to-board connectors according to the present application connected in a circuit board assembly. The circuit board assembly includes a first circuit board 62 and a second circuit board 64 arranged in a vertical direction. A modular connector 66 is connected between the first circuit board 62 and the second circuit board 64. Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view, Figure 3 The modular connector is shown from another angle, and the details of the connector are omitted for clarity. The modular connector 66 includes nine board-to-board connectors that have the same structure and are connected to each other. Each board-to-board connector is a single connection unit. The shell 32 is provided with interfaces on its circumference to splice with adjacent board-to-board connectors. In the illustrated embodiment, the shell 32 is a square structure with four circumferential sides. An interface is provided on each side. Female interfaces and male interfaces are respectively arranged on opposite sides. Figure 3 Taking the upper right corner board-to-board connector as an example, the housing 32 of a single board-to-board connector includes an upper side 72, a lower side 74, a left side 76, and a right side 78. The upper side 72 and the lower side 74 are respectively provided with a male interface 70 and a female interface 68. The left side 76 and the right side 78 are respectively provided with another pair of male interfaces 70 and female interfaces 68. Thus, Figure 3The male interface 70 on the upper side of the board-to-board connector 11 in the lower left corner is spliced with the female interface 68 on the lower side of the board-to-board connector 21. The female interface 68 on the right side of the board-to-board connector 11 is spliced with the male interface 70 on the left side of the board-to-board connector 12, and so on. More connectors can be connected in the horizontal and vertical directions. Here, the directional terms "up", "down", "left", "right", "horizontal", and "vertical" are based on the accompanying drawings. These terms are relative concepts and can be replaced by other terms indicating orientation or other methods. The female interface 68 and the male interface 70 are constructed to be interference fit with each other. The setting positions of the female interface and the male interface can be interchanged. The shapes of the female interface and the male interface are not limited to the figures.
[0048] The modular connector can be presented in a variety of ways in terms of quantity and structure, so this application provides a flexible connector design solution. Figure 4 A schematic diagram of a circuit board is shown. The circuit board is provided with a plurality of holes arranged in an array and having the same structure. Figure 3 For example, the embodiment corresponds to Figure 3 A modular connector consisting of nine board-to-board connectors. Figure 4 The circuit board is arranged with nine holes, the size and spacing of which are based on the terminal size and housing size of the board-to-board connector. Each hole is connected to a board-to-board connector. These holes can all be used for electrical connection, or some can be used for electrical connection, while the remaining holes are not used for electrical connection. In other words, the remaining holes are idle holes. Although they connect the board-to-board connector, they do not form a circuit. Therefore, some of the multiple holes are conductive holes, while others are non-conductive holes. For example, as shown in the figure, a non-conductive hole 82 is located between two conductive holes 80. All three holes will connect to the board-to-board connector, but the middle non-conductive hole 82 does not participate in the electrical connection.
[0049] The tip 39, the engagement section 46, the reinforcement section 48, the flexible portion 42, and the root section 44 are integrally formed, with the flexible portion 42 positioned within the support portion 52. The flexible portion 42 is configured as a spring. The pins at the first end 36 and the pins at the second end 38 are formed simultaneously. The engagement section 46 is configured as a press-fit terminal. In the illustrated embodiment, the press-fit terminal is a schematically illustrated fisheye terminal. Fisheye terminals of other configurations or other types of press-fit terminals are suitable for use with the board-to-board connector of this application.
[0050] Figure 1-4 An embodiment of the board-to-board connector of the present application is shown, in which the board-to-board connector is extended in a direction along which a circuit board extends. Figure 5-6 An embodiment of the board-to-board connector involved in the present application is shown, in which the board-to-board connector is extended in a direction crossing the circuit board. Figure 5 The board-to-board connector 11 and the board-to-board connector 11' are shown. Figure 1-4 The board-to-board connectors shown in are identical in construction. The construction of the pins on the second end 38' of the board-to-board connector 11' is identical to the construction of the corresponding portion of the board-to-board connector 11. The board-to-board connector 11' is not provided with pins on the first end 36'. Instead, a barrel 84 made of a conductive material is embedded at the first end 36'. The barrel 84 has a closed end 88 and an open end 86 opposite each other. The root section 44' of the pin at the second end 38' extends to connect with the closed end 88. The open end 86 is constructed to receive the pins of the board-to-board connector 11 at the second end 38. In one embodiment, the diameter of the open end 86 is consistent with the aperture of the circuit board, so that the pins interfere with the inner wall of the open end when pressed in and deform to maintain contact with the open end.
[0051] The reinforcement section 48 is constructed as a pair of shoulders 90 extending laterally. The pair of shoulders 90 is constructed as two protrusions, and the reinforcement section 48 has a lateral length larger than that of the other sections. The shoulder 90 has a contact surface 92, which, as described above, can be abutted against the first positioning surface of the support portion to obtain support and positioning during and after pressing in. The shoulder 90 also has a second positioning surface 94 relative to the contact surface 92. The second positioning surface 94 abuts against the end face of the barrel 84 when the board-to-board connector 11 is pressed into the board-to-board connector 11'. When the second positioning surface 94 abuts against the end face of the barrel 84, it indicates that the two connectors are assembled in place, and feedback can be provided to the operator. The reinforcement section 48 also has a stopper 96 extending into the space 54 facing the wall of the space 54 to protect the flexible portion 42.
[0052] Figure 6 The embodiment of the board-to-board connectors 11 and 11' extending in the direction along the circuit board in the form of a double-layer modular connector is shown. The board-to-board connector 11 is connected to the board-to-board connector 12, and then connected to the board-to-board connector 13. Similarly, the board-to-board connector 11' is connected to the board-to-board connector 12', and then connected to the board-to-board connector 13'. The expansion method is the same as Figure 1-4 The same as the embodiment in the figure, on the upper and lower layers, the board-to-board connector 11 connects the board-to-board connector 11', the board-to-board connector 12 connects the board-to-board connector 12', and the board-to-board connector 13 connects the board-to-board connector 13'. Therefore, the present application provides the possibility of expansion of the board-to-board connector in two directions: in the direction extending along the circuit board and in the direction crossing the circuit board. Similarly, when the distance between the first and second circuit boards is relatively large, more connectors with the same structure as the board-to-board connector 11' can be added for expansion.
[0053] The present application also relates to an electronic device 100. The electronic device 100 includes a housing 98 and at least a first circuit board 62 and a second circuit board 64 in the housing 98. The first circuit board 62 and the second circuit board 64 are connected by a modular connector 66. Figure 7 The modular connector 66 includes a plurality of board-to-board connectors according to the present application.
[0054] While specific embodiments of the present application have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the principles of the present application, it will be appreciated that the present application may be embodied in other ways without departing from such principles.
Claims
1. A board-to-board connector, characterized in that include: a housing (32) comprising opposing first and second ends (36 and 38); as well as A pin (34) is provided at the first end (36) and / or the second end (38), the pin (34) comprising: an end (39) to be connected to a circuit board; a root section (44), the root section (44) being integrated into the housing (32); a rigid portion (40) connected to the end (39), the rigid portion (40) comprising: an engagement section (46) configured to be pressed into and interference fit one or more holes in the circuit board; and a reinforcement section (48) configured to provide stable pressing of the engagement section (46); and A flexible portion (42) is located between the reinforcement section (48) and the root section (44), the flexible portion (42) being configured to be deformable to allow the rigid portion (40) to be displaced relative to the root section (44).
2. The board-to-board connector according to claim 1, wherein: The housing (32) has a body (50) and a support portion (52), wherein the support portion (52) is configured to be located behind the reinforcement section (48) in the pressing direction, and a space (54) is provided in the support portion (52) for accommodating the flexible portion (42) and allowing the flexible portion (42) to deform.
3. The board-to-board connector according to claim 2, wherein: The support portion (52) is constructed as a sleeve (56) surrounding the flexible portion (42), and the end surface of the sleeve (56) is constructed as a first positioning surface (58) against which the reinforcement section (48) abuts; the flexible portion (42) is constructed as an elastic element.
4. The board-to-board connector according to claim 1, wherein: The housing (32) is provided with one or more interfaces in the circumferential direction thereof, so that the board-to-board connector becomes a single connection unit that can be spliced with one or more other board-to-board connectors having the same structure.
5. The board-to-board connector according to claim 4, wherein: The single connection unit has a plurality of side surfaces in the circumferential direction of its housing (32), and a female interface (68) and a male interface (70) are respectively provided on a pair of opposite side surfaces. The female interface (68) and the male interface (70) are configured to be interference-fitted when the two are connected.
6. The board-to-board connector according to claim 2 or 3, wherein: The end (39), the joining section (46), the reinforcing section (48), the flexible portion (42), and the root section (44) are integrated; the joining section (46) is constructed as a crimping terminal, the flexible portion (42) is constructed as a spring, and the reinforcing section (48) has a stopper (96) extending into the space (54) and facing the wall of the space (54) to protect the flexible portion (42).
7. The board-to-board connector according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein: The pins (34) are provided at a first end (36) and a second end (38) of the housing (32); or The pins (34) are arranged at one of the first end (36) and the second end (38) of the housing (32), and the housing (32) embeds a cylinder (84) made of conductive material at the other end thereof. The cylinder (84) has opposite closed ends (88) and open ends (86). The closed end (88) is connected to the root section of the aforementioned pins in the housing (32), and the open end (86) is configured to receive pins of other connectors.
8. The board-to-board connector according to claim 7, wherein: The reinforcing section (48) is configured as a pair of shoulders (90) extending laterally, and the shoulders (90) are configured to have a second positioning surface (94) for abutting against the end surface of the open end (86); the pins of the other connector are press-fitted with the barrel (84).
9. An electronic device comprising a housing (98), and at least a first circuit board (62) and a second circuit board (64) within the housing (98), wherein: The first circuit board (62) and the second circuit board (64) are connected in a direction crossing the circuit boards through one or more layers of modular connectors (66), and each layer of modular connectors (66) includes one or more board-to-board connectors according to any one of claims 1 to 8 arranged along an extension direction of the circuit boards.
10. The electronic device according to claim 9, wherein: The first circuit board (62) is provided with a plurality of holes, the plurality of holes including conductive holes (80) connected to the circuit on the first circuit board and / or non-conductive holes (82) not connected to the circuit, the non-conductive holes (82) having the same structure as the conductive holes (80).