Terminal, terminal unit, and connector

Abstract

A terminal having a cylindrical shape includes a plurality of contact portions that protrude toward a counterpart terminal on a cylindrical surface of the terminal to oppose the counterpart terminal. The plurality of contact portions are elastically deformable in a protruding direction toward the counterpart terminal, and include a first contact portion and a second contact portion arranged at different positions in a cylinder axis direction of the terminal.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to a terminal having a cylindrical shape, a terminal unit using the terminal as an external terminal, and a connector using the terminal unit. Background Technology

[0002] In the prior art, a connector has been proposed that includes a coaxial wire, a cylindrical outer terminal connected to an outer conductor of the coaxial wire, an inner terminal connected to an inner conductor of the coaxial wire, an insulator disposed between the outer terminal and the inner terminal, and a housing for accommodating these components (see, for example, JP2022-083728A).

[0003] In connectors of the above type, in order to improve the reliability of the electrical connection between the outer terminal and the mating terminal, it is conceivable to provide multiple protrusions on the outer peripheral surface of the outer terminal and press the protrusions into contact with the mating terminal.

[0004] However, for example, when an unexpected external force is applied to the wire while the outer terminal and mating terminal are connected, the outer terminal may displace due to the force, tilting relative to the mating terminal. In this case, since some of the aforementioned protrusions separate from the mating terminal, the outer terminal and mating terminal may not be properly electrically connected. Whether the electrical connection between the outer terminal and mating terminal is correct affects the impedance value of the conductive path (and thus the quality of communication via that conductive path). Therefore, it is desirable to improve the reliability of the electrical connection between the connector's outer terminal and mating terminal. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this disclosure is to provide a terminal with excellent electrical connection to mating terminals, a terminal unit using the terminal as an external terminal, and a connector using the terminal unit.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the terminals, terminal units, and connectors according to this disclosure have the following features.

[0007] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, a terminal having a cylindrical shape is provided, the terminal comprising: a plurality of contact portions protruding on the cylindrical surface of the terminal toward a mating terminal to oppose the mating terminal, wherein the plurality of contact portions are elastically deformable in a protruding direction toward the mating terminal, and include a first contact portion and a second contact portion arranged at different positions in the cylindrical axis direction of the terminal.

[0008] According to a second aspect of this disclosure, a terminal unit is provided, comprising: an outer terminal as a terminal according to the first aspect; an inner terminal disposed within a cylinder of the outer terminal; and an insulator disposed between the outer terminal and the inner terminal.

[0009] According to a third aspect of this disclosure, a connector is provided, comprising: a terminal unit according to a second aspect; a coaxial wire electrically connected to the terminal unit; and a housing that accommodates the terminal unit.

[0010] According to the terminal of this disclosure, a plurality of contact portions provided in the terminal protrude toward the mating terminal and resiliently contact the mating terminal when the terminal and the mating terminal are connected. The plurality of contact portions includes first contact portions and second contact portions arranged at different positions in the cylindrical axis direction of the terminal. That is, the plurality of contact portions are distributed in a dispersed manner in the cylindrical axis direction. Therefore, compared to the case where all contact portions are arranged at the same position in the cylindrical axis direction, even when the terminal is tilted relative to the mating terminal, the number of contact portions maintaining contact with the mating terminal can be increased. Specifically, for example, even when the first contact portion arranged on the inner side of the mating terminal is separated from the mating terminal, the second contact portion arranged on the front side of the mating terminal remains in contact with the mating terminal. It can be understood from this specification that, depending on the positional relationship between the terminal and the mating terminal, the cylindrical surface of the terminal provided with the plurality of contact portions can be an outer cylindrical surface or an inner cylindrical surface. In this way, the terminal according to this disclosure is excellent in terms of the reliability of the electrical connection with the mating terminal.

[0011] As another effect of the terminal according to this disclosure, since the multiple contact portions provided in the terminal are distributed in the cylindrical direction, when the terminal is connected to the mating terminal while approaching it, each contact portion sequentially contacts the mating terminal. Therefore, compared to the case where multiple contact portions contact the mating terminal simultaneously, a rapid increase in the force required to bring the terminal close to the mating terminal (the so-called insertion force) can be prevented. As a result, the operability of connecting the terminal and the mating terminal can be improved.

[0012] According to the terminal unit and connector of this disclosure, a plurality of contacts disposed in the outer terminal protrude toward the mating terminal and resiliently contact the mating terminal when the outer terminal and the mating terminal are connected. The plurality of contacts includes first and second contacts arranged at different positions in the cylindrical axis direction of the outer terminal. That is, the plurality of contacts are distributed in the cylindrical axis direction. Therefore, compared to the case where all contacts are arranged at the same position in the cylindrical axis direction, the number of contacts maintaining contact with the mating terminal can be increased even when the outer terminal is tilted relative to the mating terminal. Specifically, for example, even when the first contact arranged on the inner side of the mating terminal is separated from the mating terminal, the second contact arranged on the front side of the mating terminal remains in contact with the mating terminal. Therefore, the terminal unit and connector of this disclosure are excellent in terms of the reliability of the electrical connection between the mating terminal unit and the mating connector.

[0013] The present disclosure has been briefly described above. The details of the disclosure will be further clarified by referring to the accompanying drawings and the following description of the modes for carrying out the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0014] This disclosure can be more fully understood from the accompanying drawings, which are given by way of illustration only and are therefore not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure, and the detailed description given below, wherein:

[0015] Figure 1 This is a side view showing the state in which the female connector is mated to the mating male connector according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0016] Figure 2 It is shown that it is contained in Figure 1 Side view of the female terminal in the female connector shown;

[0017] Figure 3 It is shown that it is contained in Figure 1 The female terminal in the female connector shown and accommodated in Figure 1 A schematic diagram showing the connection status of the male terminal in the male connector;

[0018] Figure 4 It is along Figure 3 A cross-sectional view taken from line AA in the diagram;

[0019] Figure 5 It is along Figure 3 A cross-sectional view taken from line BB in the middle;

[0020] Figure 6 It is when the female terminal is tilted relative to the male terminal. Figure 3 Corresponding diagram;

[0021] Figure 7 It is along Figure 6 The cross-sectional view taken by line CC in the middle; and

[0022] Figure 8 It is along Figure 6 The cross-sectional view of line DD in the diagram. Detailed Implementation

[0023] Example

[0024] The female connector 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Figure 1 As shown, the female housing 6 of the female connector 1 can mate with the male housing 8 of the male connector 2. The female connector 1 is a connector used in the coaxial cable 3 for transmitting high-frequency signals, etc. The male connector 2 is a connector mounted on the circuit board 4 and is also called a printed circuit board (PCB) connector.

[0025] like Figure 1As shown, when the female connector 1 (female housing 6) and the male connector 2 (male housing 8) mate with each other, the female terminal 5 (see figure 8) housed in the female housing 6... Figure 2 and Figure 3 ) and the male terminal 7 housed in the male housing 8 (see Figure 3 The coaxial cable 3 connected to the female terminal 5 and the circuit board 4 connected to the male terminal 7 are electrically connected to each other. Each of the female connector 1 and the male connector 2 has a shielding function to prevent electromagnetic wave leakage caused by the signal transmitted by the coaxial cable 3 and electromagnetic wave intrusion from the outside. Here, the female connector 1 corresponds to "connector" in this disclosure, the female housing 6 corresponds to "housing" in this disclosure, the female terminal 5 corresponds to "terminal unit" in this disclosure, and the coaxial cable 3 corresponds to "coaxial wire" in this disclosure.

[0026] For ease of description, the following text will be as follows: Figures 1 to 8 As shown, "front," "back," "up," "down," "left," "right," "front-back direction," "left-right direction," and "up-down direction" are defined. The "front-back direction," "left-right direction," and "up-down direction" are orthogonal to each other. The front-back direction coincides with the mating direction of the female connector 1 and the male connector 2. The front-back direction corresponds to the "cylinder direction" of this disclosure. Relative to the front-back direction, the front side in the mating direction viewed from the female connector 1 is called the front side, and the back side in the opposite mating direction is called the rear side.

[0027] First, the male connector 2 will be described. For example... Figure 1 As shown, the male connector 2 includes: a male terminal 7 (also see...) Figure 3 The circuit board 4 on which the male terminal 7 is mounted, and the male housing 8 which accommodates the male terminal 7 and is fixed to the circuit board 4. The male housing 8 is a resin molded body. The male terminal 7 is accommodated in a terminal receiving chamber (not shown) provided in the male housing 8.

[0028] like Figure 3 As shown, the male terminal 7 has a shape extending in the front-rear direction and includes an inner male terminal 21 of elongated cylindrical metal, a thick cylindrical insulator 22 covering the outer periphery of the inner male terminal 21, and an outer male terminal 23 of thin cylindrical metal covering the outer periphery of the insulator 22. In this way, the inner male terminal 21 is arranged inside the cylinder of the outer male terminal 23.

[0029] The male inner terminal 21 is electrically connected to a signal processing circuit (not shown) formed on the circuit board 4, and the male outer terminal 23 is electrically connected to a grounding circuit (not shown) formed on the circuit board 4. When the female connector 1 and the male connector 2 mate with each other, the male inner terminal 21 and the male outer terminal 23 are respectively connected to the female inner terminal 11 and the female outer terminal 13 of the female terminal 5 (see...). Figure 3Here, the female inner terminal 11 corresponds to the "inner terminal" of this disclosure, the female outer terminal 13 corresponds to the "terminal" and "outer terminal" of this invention, and the male outer terminal 23 corresponds to the "pairing terminal" of this disclosure.

[0030] Next, female connector 1 will be described. For example... Figure 1 As shown, the female connector 1 includes a female terminal 5, a coaxial cable 3 electrically connected to the female terminal 5, and a female housing 6 for accommodating the female terminal 5. The female housing 6 is a resin molded body. The female terminal 5 is accommodated in a terminal receiving chamber (not shown) disposed in the female housing 6.

[0031] The coaxial cable 3 includes, for example: a rod-shaped conductor core (inner conductor), a cylindrical inner insulator covering the outer periphery of the conductor core, a cylindrical braided conductor covering the outer periphery of the inner insulator (outer conductor), and a cylindrical outer insulator (sheath) covering the outer periphery of the braided conductor (not shown).

[0032] like Figures 2 to 5 As shown, the female terminal 5 has a shape extending in the front-rear direction and includes a thin cylindrical metal inner female terminal 11, a thick cylindrical resin insulator 12 covering the outer periphery of the inner female terminal 11, and a thin cylindrical metal outer male terminal 13 covering the outer periphery of the insulator 12. In this manner, the inner female terminal 11 is arranged inside the cylinder of the outer female terminal 13. The inner female terminal 11 is electrically connected (conductively connected) to the conductor core of the coaxial cable 3, and the outer female terminal 13 is electrically connected (conductively connected) to the braided conductor of the coaxial cable 3.

[0033] More specifically, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the female external terminal 13 has a stepped cylindrical shape, including: a small-diameter portion 14, which constitutes the end portion (front end) of the female external terminal 13; and a large-diameter portion 15, which is located on the base end side (rear side) of the small-diameter portion 14 and has a diameter larger than that of the small-diameter portion 14. On the outer peripheral surface of the female external terminal 13, a plurality of (six in this embodiment) leaf spring portions 16 extending in the front-rear direction in an elongated plate shape to cross the small-diameter portion 14 and the large-diameter portion 15 are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction of the female terminal 5. Each leaf spring portion 16 constitutes a part of the outer peripheral surface of the female external terminal 13.

[0034] Each leaf spring portion 16 has a double-support beam shape, wherein one end in the front-rear direction is connected to the small-diameter portion 14, and the other end in the front-rear direction is connected to the large-diameter portion 15. A slit extending in the front-rear direction is provided between adjacent leaf spring portions 16 in the circumferential direction of the female terminal 5. In other words, each leaf spring portion 16 is capable of elastic deformation in the radial direction of the female terminal 5. Each leaf spring portion 16 is formed by providing slits extending in the front-rear direction at both ends of the width direction (circumferential direction of the female terminal 5) in the region corresponding to the leaf spring portion 16 of the female outer terminal 13. Hereinafter, for ease of description, as... Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, each of the six leaf spring sections 16 can be referred to as leaf spring section 16a, 16b, 16c, 16d, 16e, and 16f.

[0035] like Figures 3 to 5 As shown, the six leaf spring portions 16a to 16f include leaf spring portions 16 each having a first contact portion 17 (and no second contact portion 18) and leaf spring portions 16 each having a second contact portion 18 (and no first contact portion 17). In this example, the first contact portion 17 is provided on each of the four leaf spring portions 16b, 16c, 16e and 16f (see...). Figure 5 ), and the second contact portion 18 is provided on each of the two leaf spring portions 16a and 16d (see Figure 4 ).like Figure 3 and Figure 5 As shown, the first contact portion 17 is a protrusion located at the end side (front end side) (first position) in the front-rear direction of the leaf spring portion 16, and is curved to protrude outward in the radial direction of the female terminal 5. Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the second contact portion 18 is a protrusion located at the base end side (rear end side) (second position) in the front-rear direction of the leaf spring portion 16, and is curved to protrude outward in the radial direction of the female terminal 5. The first contact portion 17 located at the first position of the leaf spring portion 16 is arranged on the front side (inside the male terminal 7) relative to the second contact portion 18 located at the second position of the leaf spring portion 16.

[0036] In this manner, the first contact portion 17 and the second contact portion 18 are arranged at different positions in the cylindrical axis direction (front-back direction) of the female terminal 5, and at different positions in the circumferential direction of the male terminal 5. The number of first contact portions 17 (four) arranged on the inner side of the male terminal 7 relative to the second contact portion 18 is greater than the number of second contact portions 18 (two).

[0037] like Figures 3 to 5As shown, when the female connector 1 and the male connector 2 are properly mated together, that is, when the female terminal 5 and the male terminal 7 are concentrically arranged and connected to each other, the male inner terminal 21 is inserted into the cylinder of the female inner terminal 11, thereby electrically connecting the male inner terminal 21 and the female inner terminal 11 (conductive connection), and the female outer terminal 13 is inserted into the cylinder of the male outer terminal 23, and the first contact portion 17 of each of the four leaf spring portions 16b, 16c, 16e and 16f and the second contact portion 18 of each of the two leaf spring portions 16a and 16d elastically contact the inner peripheral surface of the male outer terminal 23 (press contact), thereby electrically connecting the male outer terminal 23 and the female outer terminal 13 (conductive connection).

[0038] In this manner, in the female external terminal 13, four first contact portions 17 and two second contact portions 18 contact the male external terminal 23. In other words, four portions of the first position of the leaf spring portion 16 and two portions of the second position of the leaf spring portion 16 (a total of six portions) contact the male external terminal 23.

[0039] The following text, as Figures 3 to 5 As shown, with the female terminal 5 and the male terminal 7 arranged concentrically and connected to each other, assuming as Figures 6 to 8 As shown in the example, due to the external force applied to the coaxial cable 3, the female terminal 5, as Figure 6 The white arrow in the image indicates that the surface is tilted relative to the male terminal 7.

[0040] In view of this, such as Figures 6 to 8 As shown in the example, in this embodiment, at the first position of the leaf spring portion 16, such as Figure 8 As shown, the first contact portions 17 of the two leaf spring portions 16c and 16e separate from the male external terminal 23 due to the upward displacement of the female terminal 5, while the first contact portions 17 of the two leaf spring portions 16b and 16f continue to contact the male external terminal 23. Furthermore, the leaf spring portion 16a, which does not have a first contact portion 17, re-contacts the male external terminal 23. At the second position of the leaf spring portion 16, as... Figure 7 As shown, the female terminal 5 moves downward, but the second contact portions 18 of the two leaf spring portions 16a and 16d continue to contact the male external terminal 23. In other words, in the female external terminal 13, three portions in the first position of the leaf spring portion 16 and two portions in the second position of the leaf spring portion 16 (a total of five portions) are in contact with the male external terminal 23.

[0041] In this way, in this embodiment, since the first contact portion 17 and the second contact portion 18 are distributed in the cylindrical direction of the female terminal 5, even when a portion of the plurality of first contact portions 7 arranged on the inner side of the male terminal 7 separates from the male outer terminal 23, the second contact portion 18 arranged on the front side of the male terminal 7 remains in contact with the male outer terminal 23. Therefore, for example, compared to the case where the first contact portion 17 is provided in all six leaf spring portions 16 (and the second contact portion 18 is not provided), even when the female terminal 5 is tilted relative to the male terminal 7, the reduction in the number of portions in contact with the male outer terminal 23 can be reduced. As a result, it is easy to prevent the impedance of the conductive path (grounding circuit) including the female outer terminal 13 and the male outer terminal 23 from deviating greatly from the design value.

[0042] In this embodiment, since the first contact portion 17 and the second contact portion 18 are distributed in the circumferential direction of the female terminal 5, the number of portions in contact with the male outer terminal 23 can be increased even when the female terminal 5 is tilted in various directions of the circumferential direction. When the female terminal 5 is tilted relative to the male terminal 7, it can be considered that the first contact portion 17, which is arranged on the front side (inside the male terminal 7) relative to the second contact portion 18, is easier to separate from the male outer terminal 23 than the second contact portion 18. However, in this embodiment, since the number of first contact portions 17 is greater than the number of second contact units 18, the number of portions in contact with the male outer terminal 23 can be increased even when the female terminal 4 is tilted.

[0043] Functions and effects

[0044] As described above, according to this embodiment, the female connector 1 (connector), female terminal 5 (terminal unit), and female external terminal 13 (terminal) have multiple contact portions (first contact portion 17 and second contact portion 18) protruding toward the mating terminal (male external terminal 23) and elastically contacting the mating terminal 23 when the terminal 13 and the mating terminal 23 are connected. The multiple contact portions include first contact portions 17 and second contact portions 18 arranged at different positions in the cylindrical axis direction of the terminal 13. That is, the multiple contact portions 17 and 18 are distributed dispersedly in the cylindrical axis direction. Therefore, compared to the case where all contact portions are arranged at the same position in the cylindrical axis direction, even when the terminal 13 is tilted relative to the mating terminal 23, the number of contact portions 17 and 18 that maintain contact with the mating terminal 23 can be increased. For example, even when the first contact portion 17 arranged on the inner side of the mating terminal 23 is separated from the mating terminal 23, the second contact portion 18 arranged on the front side of the mating terminal 23 remains in contact with the mating terminal 23. Therefore, the electrical connection between the connector 1, terminal unit 5, and terminal 13 and the mating terminal 23 according to this embodiment has excellent reliability.

[0045] As another effect, since the multiple contacts 17 and 18 provided in the terminal 13 are distributed in the cylindrical direction, when the terminal 13 is connected to the mating terminal 23 near the mating terminal 23, each contact 17 and 18 also sequentially contacts the mating terminal 23. Therefore, compared with the case where multiple contacts 17 and 18 simultaneously contact the mating terminal 23, a rapid increase in the force (so-called insertion force) required to bring the terminal 13 close to the mating terminal 23 can be prevented. As a result, the operability of connecting the terminal 13 and the mating terminal 23 can be improved.

[0046] According to the terminal 13 of this embodiment, the first contact portion 17 and the second contact portion 18 are arranged at different positions in the circumferential direction of the terminal 13. Therefore, the first contact portion 17 and the second contact portion 18 are distributed in the circumferential direction. Therefore, even when the terminal 13 is tilted in various directions in the circumferential direction, the number of contacts 17 and 18 that maintain contact with the mating terminal 23 can be increased.

[0047] According to the terminal 13 of this embodiment, the first contact portion 17 is configured to be arranged on the inside side of the mating terminal 23 relative to the second contact portion 18, and the number of the first contact portions 17 is greater than the number of the second contact portions 18. Therefore, since there are more first contact portions 17 that may separate from the mating terminal 23 when the terminal 13 is tilted relative to the mating terminal 23, it is possible to increase the number of contact portions 17 and 18 that remain in contact with the mating terminal 23 when the terminal 13 is tilted.

[0048] Other aspects

[0049] This disclosure is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications can be made within the scope of this disclosure. For example, this disclosure is not limited to the above embodiments, and appropriate modifications and improvements can be made. Furthermore, as long as the present invention can be implemented, the material, shape, size, quantity, arrangement position, etc. of the components in the above embodiments are freely selected and not limited.

[0050] In the above embodiment, the first contact portion 17 and the second contact portion 18 are arranged at different positions in the circumferential direction of the female terminal 5 (i.e., provided in different leaf spring portions 16), and there is no leaf spring portion 16 that is simultaneously provided with the first contact portion 17 and the second contact portion 18. Instead, there may be more than one leaf spring portion 16 that is provided with both the first contact portion 17 and the second contact portion 18. In other words, there may be more than one pair of first contact portions 17 and second contact portions 18 arranged at the same position in the circumferential direction of the female terminal 5.

[0051] In the above embodiment, the first contact portion 17 and the second contact portion 18 are disposed on the female external terminal 13, while these contact portions are not disposed on the male external terminal 23. Conversely, the first contact portion 17 and the second contact portion 18 may be disposed on the male external terminal 23, and these contact portions may not be disposed on the female external terminal 13. The first contact portion 17 and the second contact portion 18 may be disposed on both the female external terminal 13 and the male external terminal 23.

[0052] In the above embodiment, the number of first contact portions 17 disposed on the inner side of the male terminal 7 relative to the second contact portion 18 is greater than the number of second contact portions 18. Conversely, the number of first contact portions 17 disposed on the inner side of the male terminal 7 relative to the second contact portion 18 may be the same as or less than the number of second contact portions 18.

[0053] Hereinafter, the features of the connector 1, terminal unit 5 and terminal 13 according to the embodiments of the present disclosure are briefly summarized and listed in [1] to [5].

[0054] [1] A terminal (13) having a cylindrical shape, the terminal (13) comprising:

[0055] Multiple contacts (17 and 18) protrude from the cylindrical surface of the terminal toward the mating terminal (23) to oppose the mating terminal (23), wherein

[0056] Multiple contact portions (17 and 18) are elastically deformable in the protruding direction toward the mating terminal (23), and include a first contact portion (17) and a second contact portion (18) arranged at different positions in the cylindrical direction of the terminal (13).

[0057] According to the terminal with the above-described structure [1], a plurality of contact portions provided in the terminal protrude toward the mating terminal and elastically contact the mating terminal when the terminal and the mating terminal are connected. The plurality of contact portions include first contact portions and second contact portions arranged at different positions in the cylindrical axis direction of the terminal. That is, the plurality of contact portions are distributed in the cylindrical axis direction. Therefore, compared with the case where all contact portions are arranged at the same position in the cylindrical axis direction, even when the terminal is tilted relative to the mating terminal, the number of contact portions that maintain contact with the mating terminal can be increased. Specifically, for example, even when the first contact portion arranged on the inner side of the mating terminal is separated from the mating terminal, the second contact portion arranged on the front side of the mating terminal remains in contact with the mating terminal. As can be understood from this specification, the cylindrical surface of the terminal on which the plurality of contact portions are provided can be an outer cylindrical surface or an inner cylindrical surface, depending on the positional relationship between the terminal and the mating terminal. In this way, the terminal having this structure is excellent in terms of the reliability of the electrical connection with the mating terminal.

[0058] As another effect, since the multiple contacts provided in the terminal are distributed in the axial direction, when the terminal is connected to the mating terminal while it is close to the mating terminal, each contact sequentially contacts the mating terminal. Therefore, compared to the case where multiple contacts contact the mating terminal simultaneously, a rapid increase in the force required to bring the terminal close to the mating terminal (the so-called insertion force) can be prevented. As a result, the operability of connecting the terminal and the mating terminal can be improved.

[0059] [2] According to the terminal (13) described in [1], wherein

[0060] The first contact portion (17) and the second contact portion (18) are arranged at different positions in the circumferential direction of the terminal (13).

[0061] According to the terminal structure described above [2], the first contact portion and the second contact portion are arranged at different positions in the circumferential direction of the terminal. Therefore, the first contact portion and the second contact portion are distributed in the circumferential direction. Therefore, even when the terminal is tilted in various directions in the circumferential direction, the number of contact portions that maintain contact with the mating terminal can be increased.

[0062] [3] According to terminal (13) of [1], where

[0063] Multiple contacts (17 and 18) are configured such that when the terminal (13) and the mating terminal (23) are connected to each other, the first contact (17) is arranged on the inside of the mating terminal (23) relative to the second contact (18), and the number of the first contact (17) is greater than the number of the second contact (18).

[0064] According to the terminal with the above-described structure [3], the first contact portion is configured to be arranged on the inside of the mating terminal relative to the second contact portion, and the number of the first contact portions is greater than the number of the second contact portions. Therefore, since the number of the first contact portions that may separate from the mating terminal when the terminal is tilted relative to the mating terminal is large, the number of contact portions that remain in contact with the mating terminal when the terminal is tilted can be increased.

[0065] [4] A terminal unit (5) comprising:

[0066] The terminal (13) according to any one of [1] to [3] is used as the external terminal (13);

[0067] Inner terminal (11), which is arranged inside the outer terminal (13); and

[0068] An insulator (12) is disposed between an outer terminal (13) and an inner terminal (11).

[0069] [5] A connector (1) comprising:

[0070] According to the terminal unit (5) described in [4];

[0071] A coaxial cable (3) electrically connected to a terminal unit (5); and

[0072] The housing (6) houses the terminal unit (5).

[0073] According to the terminal unit of configuration [4] and the connector of configuration [5], multiple contacts provided in the outer terminal protrude toward the mating terminal and elastically contact the mating terminal when the outer terminal and the mating terminal are connected. The multiple contacts include first contacts and second contacts arranged at different positions in the cylindrical axis direction of the outer terminal. That is, the multiple contacts are distributed in the cylindrical axis direction. Therefore, compared with the case where all contacts are arranged at the same position in the cylindrical axis direction, the number of contacts that maintain contact with the mating terminal can be increased even when the outer terminal is tilted relative to the mating terminal. For example, even when the first contact arranged on the inner side of the mating terminal is separated from the mating terminal, the second contact arranged on the front side of the mating terminal remains in contact with the mating terminal. Therefore, the terminal unit and connector of this configuration are excellent in terms of the reliability of the electrical connection between the mating terminal unit and the mating connector.

Claims

1. A terminal having a cylindrical shape, the terminal comprising: Multiple contact portions protrude from the cylindrical surface of the terminal toward the mating terminal to oppose the mating terminal, wherein, The plurality of contact portions are elastically deformable in the protruding direction toward the mating terminal, and include a first contact portion and a second contact portion arranged at different positions in the cylindrical axis direction of the terminal.

2. The terminal according to claim 1, wherein, The first contact portion and the second contact portion are arranged at different positions in the circumferential direction of the terminal.

3. The terminal according to claim 1, wherein, The plurality of contacts are configured such that when the terminal and the mating terminal are connected to each other, the first contact is arranged on the inside of the mating terminal relative to the second contact, and the number of the first contact is greater than the number of the second contact.

4. A terminal unit, comprising: The terminal according to any one of claims 1 to 3 is an external terminal; An inner terminal is disposed inside the outer terminal's sleeve; as well as An insulator disposed between the outer terminal and the inner terminal.

5. A connector, comprising: The terminal unit according to claim 4; A coaxial cable, which is electrically connected to the terminal unit; as well as Housing that houses the terminal unit.

Images