CONNECTORS AND ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT

Abstract

A connector (2) comprising: a first spring structure (21) having a first end (21a) connected to a connecting part (3); a second spring structure (22) having a helical winding wound in the same direction as the first spring structure (21), the second spring structure (22) having a first end (22a) connected to a connecting part (4a); a conductor (23) for electrically connecting the first spring structure (21) and the second spring structure (22); and a bridging capacitor (24) having a first electrode terminal connected to the first spring structure (21) and the conductor (23), and a second electrode terminal which is grounded, wherein each turn of the winding of the first spring structure (21) and each turn of the winding of the second spring structure (22) are insulated from each other and are arranged alternately along the same direction.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a connector and electronic equipment. BACKGROUND TO THE STATE OF THE ART

[0002] A conventional connector that establishes a connection between circuit boards in electronic equipment is, for example, the connector described in Patent Literature 1. In the connector described in Patent Literature 1, a spiral or coiled spring element is arranged in each of two connection objects, and the turns of the two spring elements are arranged alternately in the same direction. Since an electrical connection line is wound around each spring element, the alternating arrangement causes the spring elements to intertwine or entangle with each other due to the elasticity of the springs, thus establishing an electrical connection between the spring elements. As a result, the connection objects are electrically connected.Since the two spring elements intertwine and are brought into the state in which an electrical connection is established between them and thus function as a single spiral connecting element, the two spring elements correspond to an inductor arranged in series. REFERENCE LISTPATENT LITERATURE

[0003] Patent Literature 1: JP-A-Hei 10-247568 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONTECHNICAL PROBLEM

[0004] However, since the filtering performance of a series inductor is low, one problem is that in the case where the connector functions as a series inductor, a filter to prevent electromagnetic interference must be provided separately from the connector.

[0005] The present disclosure is intended to solve the above-mentioned problem, and therefore, it is an object of the present disclosure to realize a connector which can prevent electromagnetic interference without separately disposing a filter, and electronic equipment using this connector. SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM

[0006] A connector according to the present disclosure connects a first object and a second object, and comprises: a first spring structure comprising a spiral winding, the first spring structure having a first end connected to the first object; a second spring structure comprising a spiral winding wound in the same direction as the first spring structure, the second spring structure having a first end connected to the second object; a conductor for electrically connecting a second end of the first spring structure and a second end of the second spring structure;a bypass capacitor having a first electrode terminal connected to the first spring structure and the conductor, and a second electrode terminal grounded, each turn of the winding of the first spring structure and each turn of the winding of the second spring structure being insulated from each other and arranged alternately in the same direction; ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION

[0007] According to the present disclosure, the first spring structure and the second spring structure connect the first object and the second object, and each turn of the winding of the first spring structure and each turn of the winding of the second spring structure are insulated from each other and alternately arranged in the same direction. As a result, negative inductance equivalently occurs due to the mutual inductance formed by the magnetic coupling between the first and second spring structures. For example, although a bypass circuit including a bypass capacitor is arranged in the connector described in Patent Literature 1, parasitic inductance occurring in the bypass circuit cannot be canceled because negative inductance does not occur in the bypass circuit.In the connector according to the present disclosure, since the negative inductance formed by the magnetic coupling between the first and second spring structures cancels the parasitic inductance occurring in the above-mentioned bypass circuit, electromagnetic interference can be prevented without the need for a separate filter. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the structure of electronic equipment according to Embodiment 1; Fig. 2 is a circuit diagram schematically showing a mutual inductance circuit having a parasitic inductance appearing in a first spring structure and a parasitic inductance appearing in a second spring structure; Fig. 3 is a circuit diagram showing a T-type equivalent circuit of the Fig. 2 represents the mutual induction circuit. Fig. Fig. 4 is a circuit diagram schematically showing a main part of an equivalent circuit of a connector according to Embodiment 1; and Fig. 5 is a conceptual diagram schematically showing the structure of electronic equipment according to Embodiment 2. DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS Embodiment 1.

[0008] Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram schematically showing the structure of electronic equipment 1 according to Embodiment 1. In Fig. 1, the electronic equipment 1 has a structure in which a connecting part 3 and a connecting part 4a are connected by a connector 2 according to Embodiment 1. The connecting part 3 is a first object electrically connected to a circuit board 5. The circuit board 5 is located in a casing 6 of the electronic equipment 1. In addition, the casing 6 has a constant potential, for example, a ground potential. The connecting part 4a is a second object, such as an electrode terminal, arranged in the casing 6 of the electronic equipment 1, and a socket 4 is connected to the connecting part 4a. The socket 4 is connected to a cable 7. The connection of the socket 4 to the connecting part 4a establishes an electrical connection of the connecting part 4a to a core wire 8 in the cable 7.

[0009] The connection between the connecting parts 3 and 4a by the connector 2 enables the transmission of signals via the connector 2 between the circuit board 5 and an external device which is connected to the cable 7.

[0010] For example, if the electronic equipment 1 is a high-frequency transmitter, the connector 2 functions as a noise filter that removes electromagnetic interference in a high-frequency band emerging from a circuit on the printed circuit board 5.

[0011] The connector 2 comprises a first spring structure 21, a second spring structure 22, a conductor 23 and a bypass capacitor 24, as shown in Fig. 1. The first spring structure 21 comprises a spiral winding and has a first end 21a connected to the connecting part 3. The second spring structure 22 comprises a spiral winding wound in the same direction as the first spring structure 21 and has a first end 22a connected to the connecting part 4a.

[0012] The first and second spring structures 21 and 22 are formed from conductors. Although Fig. 1 the first spring structure 21 is represented by a white line, and the second spring structure 22 is represented by a black line, the first and second spring structures 21 and 22 are formed of electrical wires made of the same material and having the same dimensions.

[0013] In the first and second spring structures 21 and 22, the outer edges are insulated from each other such that they are not directly electrically connected. For example, non-conductive strips are wrapped around the outer edges of the first and second spring structures 21 and 22.

[0014] The conductor 23 electrically connects a second end 21b of the first spring structure 21 and a second end 22b of the second spring structure 22. The first and second spring structures 21 and 22 are indirectly connected via the conductor 23. Although in Fig. 1, the conductor 23 has a bent portion, the conductor may also be a linear wiring pattern. Instead, the conductor 23 may be a circular or elliptical wiring pattern.

[0015] The bypass capacitor 24 has a first electrode terminal connected to the first spring structure 21 and the conductor 23, and a second electrode terminal that is grounded. The bypass capacitor 24 is connected, for example, via a conductor 25 to a connection point between the second end 21b of the first spring structure 21 and the conductor 23, and is connected to the housing 6 via a conductor 26, as shown in Fig. 1. Since the housing 6 has a ground potential, the second electrode terminal of the bypass capacitor 24 is grounded. Conductors 25 and 26 can be the leading lines of the bypass capacitor 24.

[0016] The first and second spring structures 21 and 22 have a spiral coil shape and are arranged so that the winding axes of the windings are aligned (coaxial). Furthermore, each turn of the winding of the first spring structure 21 and each turn of the winding of the second spring structure 22 are insulated from each other and arranged alternately in the same direction. The arrangement of the first and second spring structures 21 and 22 thus forms a mutual inductance through the magnetic coupling between the first and second spring structures. A negative inductance equivalent to this mutual inductance cancels out a parasitic inductance in the bypass circuit including the bypass capacitor 24.

[0017] Since the windings of the first and second spring structures 21 and 22 are alternately arranged at a constant pitch without being widely spaced from each other, the magnetic coupling between them is large compared to the case where the structures are widely spaced from each other, and the equivalently generated negative inductance is also large compared to the case where the structures are spaced from each other.

[0018] The first and second spring structures 21 and 22 have a spiral coil shape with their turns wound in the same direction and are connected in series via the conductor 23. Therefore, the currents flow through the first and second spring structures 21 and 22 in the same direction. Furthermore, the magnetic fluxes arising inside the first and second spring structures 21 and 22 and resulting from parasitic inductances also have almost the same direction.

[0019] A parasitic inductance arises in the bypass capacitor 24, causing electromagnetic interference. Furthermore, the magnetic coupling between the first and second spring structures 21 and 22 in the connector 2 forms a negative inductance. Specifically, the first and second spring structures 21 and 22 are magnetically coupled to each other, so that the first and second spring structures have a pair of parasitic inductances that cause mutual induction. The above-mentioned parasitic inductances occurring in the first and second spring structures 21 and 22 cancel out the parasitic inductance occurring in the bypass capacitor 24. Therefore, the connector 2 can prevent electromagnetic interference without the need for a separate electromagnetic interference prevention filter.

[0020] Fig. 2 is a circuit diagram schematically showing a mutual induction circuit with a parasitic inductance 100 occurring in the first spring structure 21 and a parasitic inductance 101 occurring in the second spring structure 22. Fig. 3 is a circuit diagram showing a T-type equivalent circuit of the Fig. 2 shown mutual induction circuit. In Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, when a current i1 flows from a node a1 into the parasitic inductance 100 and a current i2 flows from a node a2 into the parasitic inductance 101, a mutual inductance -M is formed between the parasitic inductances 100 and 101.

[0021] In the case that nodes b1 and b2 have a common electrical potential, it can be assumed that the Fig. 2 shown mutual induction circuit which in Fig. 3 is the equivalent circuit. The Fig. The equivalent circuit shown in Figure 3 comprises three inductors 102, 103 and 104 having respective inductances L1+M, L2+M and -M, and is referred to as a T-type equivalent circuit.

[0022] When the number of turns of the first spring structure 21 is N1, the number of turns of the second spring structure 22 is N2, the cross-sectional area of ​​the second spring structure 22 is S2, and the permeability of the vacuum is µ0, the magnitude M of the mutual inductance between the first and second spring structures 21 and 22 can be expressed by the following equation (1). M=μ0×N1×N2×S2

[0023] Fig. Figure 4 is a circuit diagram schematically showing a main part of the equivalent circuit of the connector 2. The Fig. The equivalent circuit shown in Figure 4 has the Fig. 3 shown T-type equivalent circuit, the bypass capacitor 24 and a parasitic inductance 105 in a wire inductance L4. In Fig. 4, the equivalent inductance of inductor 102 is L1+M and the equivalent inductance of inductor 103 is L2+M.

[0024] The bypass capacitor 24 has a capacitor component 24a with a capacitance C and a parasitic inductance 24b with a residual inductance Lp, which is an equivalent series inductance (ESL). The parasitic inductance 105 is Fig. 1 shown conductors 25 and 26.

[0025] The connector 2 has a bridging circuit comprising the conductor 25 and the bridging capacitor 24. In this bridging circuit, the first and second spring structures 21 and 22 are magnetically coupled to each other, so that the inductor 104 with the negative inductance -M is formed, as shown in Fig. 4. More specifically, it can be seen that the inductor 104 is equivalently connected between the inductors 102 and 103 to a series connection point Np.

[0026] It can also be seen that in the bypass circuit, the inductor 104 with the negative inductance -M, the capacitor component 24a and the parasitic inductance 24b are connected in series.

[0027] The wire inductance L4 can be approximately calculated based on the dimensions of conductors 25 and 26 (e.g., their lengths and conductor diameters). The residual inductance Lp can be calculated by measuring the characteristics of the bypass capacitor 24.

[0028] In the connector 2, the negative inductance -M is designed so that the impedances related to the negative inductance -M, the wire inductance L4, and the residual inductance Lp of the bypass capacitor 24 cancel each other out. Consequently, since the impedance of the bypass circuit becomes equivalent to the impedance of only the capacitor component 24a, a design that results in the negative inductance -M being an optimal value can be realized using the aforementioned equation (1).

[0029] Since the bridging path in the bridging circuit of the connector 2 contains substantially no inductance component as mentioned above, a reduction in the bridging performance can be prevented even if the frequency of electromagnetic noise propagating through the spring structures is high.

[0030] To eliminate the parasitic inductance in the bypass circuit, it is conceivable to add an electronic component, such as an inductor. While adding a new electronic component increases the manufacturing cost of the electronic equipment, there is a possibility that a new electronic component may have an electromagnetic effect and interfere with a wire or electronic component on the circuit board 5.

[0031] In contrast, the connector 2 can prevent deterioration of the bridging performance without requiring the addition of a new electronic component on the circuit board 5. By equipping the connector 2 with the noise filter function as described above, the need to mount a noise filter on the circuit board 5 is eliminated, a reduction in the number of layers of the circuit board and a reduction in the number of components on the circuit board are achieved, and the degree of flexibility with which other components can be mounted is improved.

[0032] As explained above, the connector 2 according to Embodiment 1 includes: the first spring structure 21 with the spiral winding, and having the first end 21a connected to the connecting part 3; the second spring structure 22 with the spiral winding wound in the same direction as the first spring structure 21, and having a first end 22a connected to the connecting part 4a; a conductor 23 for electrically connecting the second end 21b of the first spring structure 21 and the second end 22b of the second spring structure 22; and the bypass capacitor 24 having the first electrode terminal connected to the first spring structure 21 and the conductor, and the second electrode terminal grounded, and wherein each turn of the winding of the first spring structure 21 and each turn of the winding of the second spring structure 22 are insulated from each other and arranged alternately along the same direction.As a result, a negative inductance equivalent to the mutual inductance formed by the magnetic coupling between the first and second spring structures 21 and 22 occurs. For example, in the case where a bypass circuit including the bypass capacitor 24 is arranged in the connector described in Patent Literature 1, the inductance formed by the series inductor between the connection objects is small, and the parasitic inductance occurring in the bypass circuit cannot be canceled. In the connector 2, since the negative inductance formed by the magnetic coupling between the first and second spring structures 21 and 22 cancels the parasitic inductance occurring in the above-mentioned bypass circuit, electromagnetic interference can be prevented without the need to separately provide a filter.

[0033] The electronic equipment 1 according to Embodiment 1 includes the connecting part 3, the connecting part 4a, and the connector 2. Since the connector 2 prevents electromagnetic interference without providing a noise filter on the circuit board 5, the electronic equipment 1 can be miniaturized. Embodiment 2.

[0034] Fig. 5 is a schematic diagram showing the structure of the electronic equipment 1A according to Embodiment 2. In Fig. 5, the electronic equipment 1 has a structure in which a connecting part 3 and a connecting part 4a are connected by a connector 2 according to Embodiment 2. The connecting part 3 is a first object electrically connected to a circuit board 5. The circuit board 5 is housed in a casing 6 of the electronic equipment 1A. Furthermore, the casing 6 has a constant potential, such as a ground potential.

[0035] The connecting part 4a is a second object, such as an electrode terminal, arranged in the housing 6 of the electronic equipment 1A, and a socket 4 is connected to the connecting part 4a. The socket 4 is connected to a cable 7. The connection of the socket 4 to the connecting part 4a establishes an electrical connection of the connecting part 4a to a core wire 8 in the cable 7. The connector 2A has a function of preventing electromagnetic interference, similar to the connector 2 according to Embodiment 1.

[0036] The connector 2A comprises a magnetic material, a first spring structure 21, a second spring structure 22, a conductor 23 and a bypass capacitor 24, as shown in Fig. 5. The first spring structure 21 comprises a spiral winding and has a first end 21a connected to the connecting part 3. The second spring structure 22 comprises a spiral winding wound in the same direction as the first spring structure 21 and has a first end 22a connected to the connecting part 4a.

[0037] The magnetic material 9 is arranged within the first and second spring structures 21 and 22, and is in contact with lower parts of the first and second spring structures 21 and 22, as shown in Fig. 5. As a result, a part of the magnetic path of a magnetic flux occurring between the first and second spring structures 21 and 22 can be enclosed within the magnetic material 9. At this time, a magnetic path is formed within the magnetic material 9, through which the magnetic flux MF occurring between the first and second spring structures 21 and 22 passes, as shown by a dashed line in Fig. 5 shown.

[0038] By arranging the magnetic material 9 within the first and second spring structures 21 and 22, the magnetic flux MF can be concentrated on the inside of the magnetic material 9. This can reduce the proportion of the magnetic flux that escapes into the air. Since the above-mentioned equation (1) is related to the magnetic permeability µ rof the magnetic material 9, the mutual inductance value M becomes even larger. The cross-sectional area or the number of turns of each spring structure can be set to a value smaller by an amount corresponding to the increase in the mutual inductance value M.

[0039] By arranging the magnetic material 9 within the first and second spring structures 21 and 22, for example, the length of each of the windings of the first and second spring structures 21 and 22 can be shortened. In particular, the dimensions of the first and second spring structures 21 and 22 required to achieve an inductance -M can be reduced.

[0040] As the magnetic material 9, a ferrite magnetic material is preferably used, which has high magnetic permeability for high-frequency signals of several MHz or more. For example, a ferrite core in which soft magnetic metal powder is dispersed can be used as the magnetic material 9.

[0041] As explained above, the connector 2A according to Embodiment 2 includes the magnetic material 9 disposed within the first and second spring structures 21 and 22. The magnetic material 9 is, for example, a ferrite magnetic material. As a result, in the connector 2A, the cross-sectional area or the number of turns of each of the first and second spring structures 21 and 22 can be set to a smaller value. Furthermore, the electronic equipment 1A that can be miniaturized compared to that of Embodiment 1 can be provided.

[0042] It is understood that a combination of embodiments is possible, that a change may be made to any component in any of the embodiments, or that any component may be omitted from any of the embodiments. INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

[0043] The connector according to the present disclosure can be used, for example, in radio frequency transmitters. LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

[0044] 1 and 1A: Electronic equipment, 2 and 2A: Connector, 3 and 4a: Connecting part, 4: Socket, 5: Printed circuit board, 6: Housing, 7: Cable, 8: Core wire, 9: Magnetic material, 21: First spring structure, 21a, 21b, 22a and 22b: End, 22: Second spring structure, 23, 25 and 26: Conductor, 24: Bypass capacitor, 24a: Capacitor component, 24b, 100, 101 and 105: Parasitic inductance, 102 to 104: Inductor. QUOTES CONTAINED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents submitted by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the convenience of the reader. This list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] JP-A-Hei 10-247568

[0003]

Claims

[1] A connector that connects a first object and a second object, the connector comprising: a first spring structure comprising a spiral coil, the first spring structure having a first end connected to the first object; a second spring structure comprising a spiral coil wound in the same direction as the first spring structure, the second spring structure having a first end connected to the second object; a conductor for electrically connecting a second end of the first spring structure and a second end of the second spring structure; and a bypass capacitor having a first electrode terminal connected to the first spring structure and the conductor, and a second electrode terminal grounded, wherein each turn of the winding of the first spring structure and each turn of the winding of the second spring structure are insulated from each other and arranged alternately in the same direction. [2] The connector of claim 1, wherein the connector includes a magnetic material disposed within the first spring structure and the second spring structure. [3] The connector of claim 2, wherein the magnetic material is a ferrite magnetic material. [4] Electronic equipment, comprising: the first object; the second object; and the connector according to any one of claims 1 to 3 for connecting the first object and the second object.

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