Coaxial connector and connector assembly including coaxial connector

Abstract

To provide a coaxial connector connected to a substrate by a new method other than soldering.SOLUTION: A coaxial connector 14 includes an outer terminal 26 and a center terminal 20. The outer terminal 26 has a protruding part 33 and an end surface 32. The protruding part 33 protrudes forward from the end surface 32 and has a pressing part 36. The pressing part 36 is located at the lower end of the protruding part 33. The center terminal 20 has a contact part 22. In a pre-connection state before the coaxial connector 14 is connected to a substrate 16, the contact part 22 extends forward and downward, and thus at least a part of the contact part 22 is located in front of the end surface 32 and below the pressing part 36. In the connection state (a state of FIG. 8) in which the coaxial connector 14 is fixed to and connected to the substrate 16, the pressing part 36 presses an upper surface 72 of the substrate 16 from above, and the contact part 22 is pressed against and come into contact with a signal line 78 of the substrate 16.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a coaxial connector that is attached to a coaxial cable and connected to a substrate. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses this type of coaxial connector.

[0003] 19, the coaxial connector 90 of Patent Document 1 is fixed to a housing 94. A substrate 96 is provided inside the housing 94. A transmission path (signal line) 98 is formed on the substrate 96. The coaxial connector 90 includes a terminal portion (center terminal) 92. The center terminal 92 is electrically connected to the signal line 98 of the substrate 96. Such an electrical connection is usually made by soldering the center terminal 92 to the signal line 98. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-064588 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] There is a demand for a coaxial connector to be electrically connected to a board without being soldered.

[0006] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a coaxial connector that can be connected to a board by a new method other than soldering. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The present invention provides a first coaxial connector, A coaxial connector attached to a coaxial cable and connected to a substrate, the substrate extends along a horizontal plane, and a signal line is formed on an upper surface of the substrate in a vertical direction perpendicular to the horizontal plane, the signal line extending in a front-rear direction perpendicular to the vertical direction; The coaxial connector includes an outer terminal, a center terminal, and an insulating member, the insulating member insulates the outer terminal and the center terminal from each other, The outer terminal has a receiving portion formed therein, the receiving portion receives the front end of the coaxial cable along a predetermined direction toward the front and downward, The outer terminal has a protrusion and an end surface, The protruding portion protrudes forward from the end surface and has a pressing portion, The holding portion is located at the lower end of the protruding portion, The center terminal has a contact portion and a connection portion, the contact portion and the connection portion are arranged on a straight line extending along the predetermined direction, the contact portion is elastically deformable, the connection portion is connected to the coaxial cable, In a pre-connection state before the coaxial connector is connected to the board, the contact portion extends along the predetermined direction, so that at least a portion of the contact portion is located in front of the end face and below the pressing portion; In a connected state in which the coaxial connector is fixed to and connected to the board, the pressing portion presses the upper surface of the board from above, and at least a part of the contact portion is bent in a direction intersecting the predetermined direction and pressed against the signal line of the board to make contact. A coaxial connector is provided.

[0008] The present invention provides a second coaxial connector, which is the first coaxial connector, A screw hole is formed in the protrusion, a passage hole is formed in the substrate, In the connected state, the protrusion is fixed to the board by a screw that passes through the through hole of the board and is screwed into the screw hole of the protrusion. A coaxial connector is provided.

[0009] The present invention provides a third coaxial connector, which is the first or second coaxial connector, The outer terminal has a mounting hole formed therein, the center terminal is attached to the attachment hole so as to extend along the predetermined direction, The mounting hole has a front hole and a rear hole, the rear hole extends along the predetermined direction, The front hole extends from a front end of the rear hole along the front-rear direction and opens forward. A coaxial connector is provided.

[0010] The present invention provides a fourth coaxial connector, which is the first or second coaxial connector, In the connected state, the portion of the contact portion that is pressed against and in contact with the signal line extends linearly along the signal line. A coaxial connector is provided.

[0011] The present invention provides a fifth coaxial connector, which is the first or second coaxial connector, The protrusion has two side protrusions; the two side protrusions are spaced apart from each other in a lateral direction perpendicular to both the front-rear direction and the up-down direction, and are fixed to the board in the connected state; The contact portion is located between the two side protrusions in the lateral direction. A coaxial connector is provided.

[0012] The present invention provides a sixth coaxial connector, which is the first or second coaxial connector, The center terminal has a main portion, The main portion extends from the connection portion to the contact portion along the predetermined direction. A coaxial connector is provided.

[0013] The present invention provides a first connector assembly including a first coaxial connector, a plate, and a fixing member, In the connected state, the fixing member fixes the protrusion and the plate to each other such that the substrate is sandwiched between the protrusion and the plate in the vertical direction. A connector assembly is provided.

[0014] The present invention provides a second connector assembly comprising a first connector assembly, A screw hole is formed in the protrusion, The plate has a fixing hole formed therein, a passage hole is formed in the substrate, the fixing member is a screw, In the connected state, the protrusion and the plate are fixed to each other by a screw that passes through the fixing hole of the plate and the through hole of the substrate and is screwed into the screw hole of the protrusion. A connector assembly is provided.

[0015] The present invention provides a third connector assembly comprising a second coaxial connector, a plate, and a fixing member, In the connected state, the fixing member fixes the protrusion and the plate to each other such that the substrate is sandwiched between the protrusion and the plate in the vertical direction. A connector assembly is provided.

[0016] The present invention provides a fourth connector assembly, which is the third connector assembly, The plate has a fixing hole formed therein, the fixing member is the screw, In the connected state, the protrusion and the plate are fixed to each other by the screw that passes through the fixing hole of the plate and the through hole of the substrate and is screwed into the screw hole of the protrusion. A connector assembly is provided. [Effects of the Invention]

[0017] According to the present invention, the contact portion of the center terminal in the pre-connection state extends downward beyond the retaining portion. Furthermore, the upper surface of the board is pressed down from above by the retaining portion in the connected state. This structure allows the signal line of the board in the connected state to be positioned at the same vertical position as the retaining portion, so that the contact portion is pressed against the signal line while flexing, thereby making contact. In other words, the present invention provides a coaxial connector that can be connected to a board using a new method other than soldering. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] The present invention relates to a coaxial cable connector assembly, a coaxial connector for a substrate, and a coaxial cable for a printed circuit board. [Figure 2] 2 is a front view of the coaxial connector of the connector assembly of FIG. 1, with the outline of a hidden screw hole drawn in dashed lines. [Figure 3] 3 is a cross-sectional view of the coaxial connector taken along line III-III of FIG. 2. The outline of the coaxial cable is schematically depicted by a dashed line. [Figure 4] This is a perspective view showing the structure of Figure 1. The connector assembly of the structure is in a connected state in which the coaxial connector is connected to the substrate. The outline of the coaxial cable is schematically drawn with a dashed line. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a top view showing the structure of FIG. 4. [Figure 6] 5 is a side view showing the structure of Fig. 4. The outlines of recesses that are not provided in this embodiment are drawn with dashed lines. [Figure 7]5 is a front view of the structure of FIG. 4, with hidden screw holes, fixing holes, and through holes outlined in dashed lines. [Figure 8] 8 is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of Fig. 7 taken along line VIII-VIII, with cross sections of the coaxial cable and the mating connector schematically drawn with dashed lines. [Figure 9] 9 is a cross-sectional view showing a part (a part surrounded by a two-dot chain line A) of the structure of FIG. 8. The outline of the contact part of the central terminal in the pre-connection state is drawn with a dashed line. The outline of the additional part of the central terminal is drawn with a one-dot chain line. [Figure 10] This is an exploded perspective view showing a first modified example of the structure of Figure 1. The connector assembly of the structure is in a pre-connection state before the coaxial connector is connected to the board. The outline of the coaxial cable is schematically drawn with a dashed line. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a front view showing the coaxial connector of the connector assembly of FIG. 10. [Figure 12] 12 is a cross-sectional view of the coaxial connector taken along line XII-XII of FIG. 11, showing an enlarged view of a portion of the coaxial connector (enclosed by a dashed line). [Figure 13] This is a cross-sectional view of the structure of Figure 10. The cross-section shown corresponds to the cross-section of Figure 12. The connector assembly of the structure is in a connected state where the coaxial connector is connected to the substrate. A portion of the structure (encircled by a dashed line) is drawn in an enlarged scale. [Figure 14] 10 is an exploded perspective view showing a second modified example of the structure of FIG. 1. The connector assembly of the structure is in a pre-connection state before the coaxial connector is connected to the board. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is an exploded perspective view showing the coaxial connector of the connector assembly of FIG. [Figure 16] 15 is a top view of the structure of FIG. 14, showing the connector assembly of the structure in a connected state with the coaxial connector connected to the substrate. [Figure 17] 17 is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of Fig. 16 taken along line XVII-XVII, with a portion of the structure (enclosed by a dashed line) drawn on an enlarged scale. [Figure 18]18 is a cross-sectional view showing the coaxial connector of the connector assembly of FIG. 17. The coaxial connector is in a pre-connection state before being connected to a board. A part of the coaxial connector (the part surrounded by a dashed line) is drawn in an enlarged manner. [Figure 19] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a coaxial connector, a housing, and a substrate disclosed in Patent Document 1. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] As shown in FIG. 1, a structure 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a connector assembly 12 and a substrate 16. The structure 10 of this embodiment is an antenna structure. However, the present invention is not limited to this and can be applied to various structures. Furthermore, the structure 10 may further include other members in addition to the members described above.

[0020] The connector assembly 12 of this embodiment includes a coaxial connector 14, a metal plate 40, and two metal fixing members (screws) 60. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the connector assembly 12 may include only the coaxial connector 14. On the other hand, the connector assembly 12 may further include other members in addition to the above-mentioned members.

[0021] 1 and 4, the substrate 16 of this embodiment extends along a horizontal plane. The coaxial connector 14 is connected to the substrate 16. That is, the connector assembly 12 is connected to the substrate 16. More specifically, the connector assembly 12 is connected to the rear end of the substrate 16 in the front-to-rear direction parallel to the horizontal plane.

[0022] The horizontal plane in this embodiment is the XY plane, and the front-to-rear direction in this embodiment is the X direction. In this embodiment, "forward" is the +X direction, and "rear" is the -X direction. Terms such as horizontal plane and front-to-rear direction do not indicate absolute positional relationships with respect to the ground, but merely indicate relative positional relationships when the plane on which the board 16 extends when it is not bent at all is defined as the horizontal plane, and the position of the connector assembly 12 with respect to this board 16 is defined as the front.

[0023] The substrate 16 of this embodiment will now be described.

[0024] Referring to FIG. 1, the substrate 16 of this embodiment is a flexible substrate and includes a base 70 formed from a thin film-like insulator. The substrate 16 includes only the base 70, excluding various conductive patterns formed on the base 70. The substrate 16 formed in this manner is flexible and can be flexibly placed in a narrow space inside a device (not shown). However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the substrate 16 may be a thick, rigid circuit board that is difficult to bend.

[0025] The substrate 16 has an upper surface 72 and a lower surface 74 in the vertical direction perpendicular to the horizontal plane. The upper surface 72 and the lower surface 74 are located at the upper end and the lower end, respectively, of the base body 70. In this embodiment, the vertical direction is the Z direction. In this embodiment, "upper" is the +Z direction, and "lower" is the -Z direction.

[0026] Two through holes 76 are formed in the substrate 16. Each of the through holes 76 penetrates the substrate 16 in the up-down direction. Each of the through holes 76 has a circular shape in the horizontal plane. As will be described later, the through holes 76 formed in this manner are used when screwing the coaxial connector 14 to the substrate 16. The two through holes 76 are spaced apart from each other in the lateral direction, which is perpendicular to both the front-rear direction and the up-down direction, and are located at the same position as each other in the front-rear direction. The lateral direction in this embodiment is the Y direction.

[0027] The through holes 76 in this embodiment are formed as described above. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the shape of each of the through holes 76 is not particularly limited. Furthermore, the number of through holes 76 may be one, or may be three or more. When the number of through holes 76 is three or more, two of the through holes 76 may be spaced apart from each other in the lateral direction or may be located at the same position as each other in the front-rear direction.

[0028] A signal line 78, which is a conductive pattern, is formed on the upper surface 72 of the substrate 16. The signal line 78 extends in the front-rear direction, which is perpendicular to the up-down direction, and is located between the two through holes 76 in the horizontal direction. A ground layer (not shown), which is a conductive pattern, is formed on the lower surface 74 of the substrate 16 so as to cover the entire lower surface 74.

[0029] The signal line 78 is connected, for example, to an antenna formed at the front end (not shown) of the substrate 16. The coaxial connector 14 connected to the substrate 16 transmits a signal to the antenna via the signal line 78. The transmitted signal is then transmitted from the antenna. Furthermore, a signal received by the antenna is transmitted to the connector assembly 12 via the signal line 78. The structure 10 of this embodiment is used, for example, as described above. However, the use of the structure 10 of the present invention is not particularly limited.

[0030] The substrate 16 of this embodiment has the above-described structure. However, the structure of the substrate 16 can be modified depending on the application of the structure 10. For example, a ground layer (not shown) may be partially formed on the lower surface 74.

[0031] The coaxial connector 14 of this embodiment will now be described.

[0032] 1 and 4, the coaxial connector 14 of this embodiment is a so-called SMA (Sub Miniature Type A) connector. However, the present invention is not limited to the coaxial connector 14 of this embodiment and can be applied to various coaxial connectors.

[0033] The coaxial connector 14 is attached to a coaxial cable 80 and connected to a substrate 16. The coaxial connector 14 and connector assembly 12 in Fig. 4 are in a connected state in which the coaxial connector 14 is fixed to and connected to the substrate 16. On the other hand, the coaxial connector 14 and connector assembly 12 in Fig. 1 are in a pre-connection state in which the coaxial connector 14 is not yet connected to the substrate 16.

[0034] 3 together with FIGS. 8 and 15, a coaxial cable 80 shown by a dashed line in FIGS. 3 and 8 is a typical coaxial cable, and includes a core wire 84 made of a conductor, an inner insulator 85 made of an insulator and covering the core wire 84, a shield 86 made of a conductor and covering the inner insulator 85, and an outer jacket 87 made of an insulator and covering the shield 86. In this embodiment, the number of core wires 84 is one. However, the structure of coaxial cable 80 in the present invention is not particularly limited.

[0035] 3 together with FIG. 8, the coaxial cable 80 is attached to the rear end of the coaxial connector 14. According to this embodiment, the coaxial cable 80 is attached to the rear end of the coaxial connector 14 via a mating connector 89 attached to the coaxial cable 80. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the coaxial cable 80 may be attached directly to the rear end of the coaxial connector 14.

[0036] 3 together with FIG. 1, the coaxial connector 14 of this embodiment includes a center terminal 20 made of a conductor, an insulating member 25 made of an insulator, and an outer terminal 26 made of a conductor. The coaxial connector 14 of this embodiment includes only the above-mentioned components. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the coaxial connector 14 may further include other components in addition to the above-mentioned components.

[0037] The outer terminal 26 of this embodiment includes a front conductive member 27 and a rear conductive member 28. The front conductive member 27 is combined with the rear conductive member 28 and is located in front of the rear conductive member 28. The front conductive member 27 is in contact with the rear conductive member 28. The outer terminal 26 of this embodiment includes the two members described above. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the structure of the outer terminal 26 can be modified in various ways. For example, the front conductive member 27 and the rear conductive member 28 may be integral members. The outer terminal 26 may further include another member in addition to the front conductive member 27 and the rear conductive member 28.

[0038] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 8 , the outer terminal 26 has a receiving portion 39. In this embodiment, the receiving portion 39 is formed inside the rear conductive member 28. The receiving portion 39 is a space that opens rearward and extends in a predetermined direction toward the front and downward. The receiving portion 39 receives the front end 82 of the coaxial cable 80 in the predetermined direction. According to this embodiment, a mating connector 89 to which the coaxial cable 80 is attached is mated with the receiving portion 39 in the predetermined direction, so that the coaxial cable 80 is indirectly received in the receiving portion 39 via the mating connector 89. The predetermined direction in this embodiment is the mating direction in which the coaxial connector 14 is mated with the mating connector 89. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the coaxial cable 80 may be directly received in the receiving portion 39.

[0039] The predetermined direction in this embodiment is a P direction that intersects obliquely with both the up-down direction and the front-rear direction. In this embodiment, the intersection angle θ between the predetermined direction and the front-rear direction is approximately 10°. However, the intersection angle θ in the present invention is not particularly limited. For example, the intersection angle θ may be 5° or more.

[0040] When the coaxial cable 80 is received in the receiving portion 39, the rear conductive member 28 of the outer terminal 26 is electrically connected to the shield 86 of the coaxial cable 80. The outer terminal 26 and the shield 86, which are connected to each other, have the same ground potential.

[0041] The central terminal 20 of this embodiment extends in a predetermined direction (direction P) and has a main portion 21, a contact portion 22, and a connecting portion 23. The contact portion 22 and the connecting portion 23 are arranged on a single straight line extending in the predetermined direction. Furthermore, the main portion 21, the contact portion 22, and the connecting portion 23 of this embodiment are integrally formed with one another. In other words, the main portion 21, the contact portion 22, and the connecting portion 23 are each part of a single central terminal 20.

[0042] The main portion 21 is located at the middle of the center terminal 20 in a predetermined direction. The connecting portion 23 has a socket shape and extends in a predetermined direction to the main portion 21. The main portion 21 extends in a predetermined direction from the connecting portion 23 to the contact portion 22. The contact portion 22 extends in a predetermined direction from the main portion 21. The center terminal 20 of this embodiment has the above-described parts. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the center terminal 20 may be formed by connecting two separate members. The method of connecting these two members is not particularly limited. For example, the two members may be fixed and connected to each other by methods such as welding or soldering, or may be electrically connected by contacting each other while one pin-shaped member elastically deforms the other socket-shaped member. Furthermore, the center terminal 20 may have other parts in addition to the above-described parts.

[0043] In this embodiment, the main portion 21 has a circular shape in a predetermined plane perpendicular to the predetermined direction (direction P). The contact portion 22 is elastically deformable. Specifically, the contact portion 22 in this embodiment has a circular shape that is smaller than that of the main portion 21 in the predetermined plane, and is easily elastically deformed by any force along the predetermined plane. The predetermined plane in this embodiment is a plane that intersects obliquely with the front-rear direction and is parallel to the lateral direction. The center terminal 20 in this embodiment has the shape described above. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the shape of the contact portion 22 in the predetermined plane perpendicular to the predetermined direction may be elliptical or polygonal.

[0044] The connecting portion 23 is connected to the coaxial cable 80. More specifically, when the coaxial cable 80 is received in the receiving portion 39, the connecting portion 23 is electrically connected to the core wire 84 of the coaxial cable 80. The connecting portion 23 may be indirectly connected to the core wire 84 via a pin terminal of the mating connector 89, or may be directly connected to the core wire 84. The center terminal 20 and the core wire 84, which are connected to each other, transmit signals between each other.

[0045] In this embodiment, the insulating member 25 surrounds the main portion 21 of the center terminal 20 in a predetermined plane perpendicular to the predetermined direction (direction P). The outer terminal 26 surrounds the connection portion 23 at a distance in the predetermined plane. The outer terminal 26 also surrounds the main portion 21 in the predetermined plane via the insulating member 25. That is, the insulating member 25 is located between the center terminal 20 and the outer terminal 26 in the predetermined plane, and insulates the outer terminal 26 and the center terminal 20 from each other.

[0046] As described above, the center terminal 20 of this embodiment is covered with the insulating member 25. The center terminal 20 and the insulating member 25 extend straight along the predetermined direction (direction P). The front conductive member 27 has a mounting hole 272 that extends straight along the predetermined direction. That is, the outer terminal 26 of this embodiment has a mounting hole 272. The mounting hole 272 opens forward and backward from the front conductive member 27. According to this structure, the coaxial connector 14 can be assembled as follows: First, the center terminal 20 and the rear conductive member 28 are connected to the coaxial cable 80. Next, the center terminal 20 and the insulating member 25 are inserted into the mounting hole 272 along the predetermined direction. The inserted center terminal 20 is received and attached in the mounting hole 272 so as to extend along the predetermined direction.

[0047] The above-described assembly method makes it easy to assemble the coaxial connector 14. In particular, the center terminal 20 and the insulating member 25 have a point-symmetric structure on a predetermined plane perpendicular to the predetermined direction (direction P), making it easy to assemble the coaxial connector 14. However, as long as the center terminal 20 has a contact portion 22 that extends along the predetermined direction, the structure of the center terminal 20 can be modified as needed.

[0048] The center terminal 20, the insulating member 25, and the outer terminal 26 of this embodiment are arranged as described above. In the center terminal 20 of this embodiment, the main portion 21 is a portion covered by the insulating member 25, and the contact portion 22 and the connection portion 23 are portions exposed from the insulating member 25. However, the structures and arrangements of the center terminal 20, the insulating member 25, and the outer terminal 26 are not particularly limited.

[0049] 1 to 3, outer terminal 26 has protrusion 33 and end face 32. In this embodiment, end face 32 is the front surface of front conductive member 27 and is a rectangular plane parallel to the vertical plane (YZ plane). Protrusion 33 is located in the middle of end face 32 in the up-down direction and extends across the entire end face 32 in the horizontal direction.

[0050] The protrusion 33 protrudes forward from the end face 32. More specifically, the protrusion 33 in this embodiment has an intermediate protrusion 34 and two side protrusions 35. The intermediate protrusion 34 is located in the middle of the protrusion 33 in the lateral direction and protrudes forward from the end face 32. The two side protrusions 35 are located on both sides of the intermediate protrusion 34 in the lateral direction. Each of the side protrusions 35 protrudes forward from the end of the protrusion 33 in the lateral direction beyond the front end of the intermediate protrusion 34. In other words, the two side protrusions 35 are separated from each other in the lateral direction and protrude forward from the end face 32.

[0051] The protrusion 33 in this embodiment has the above-described structure, but the present invention is not limited to this, and various modifications are possible to the structure of the protrusion 33. For example, the intermediate protrusion 34 and the side protrusions 35 may be provided as needed.

[0052] The two side protrusions 35 in this embodiment have mirror-symmetric shapes with respect to an orthogonal plane (XZ plane). That is, the two side protrusions 35 are located at the same position in the up-down direction. Each of the protrusions 33 has a flat plate shape parallel to the horizontal plane, and has upper and lower surfaces parallel to the horizontal plane. The number of side protrusions 35 in this embodiment is two. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the number of side protrusions 35 may be one, or three or more.

[0053] 1 and 2, two screw holes 37 are formed in the protrusion 33 in this embodiment. In this embodiment, the two screw holes 37 are formed in each of the side protrusions 35. In this embodiment, each of the screw holes 37 penetrates the side protrusion 35 in the up-down direction. The screw holes 37 are provided at positions corresponding to the passage holes 76 of the substrate 16 in the horizontal plane. That is, the two screw holes 37 are separated from each other in the lateral direction and are at the same position as each other in the front-to-back direction. In this embodiment, the number of screw holes 37 is two. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, when the number of side protrusions 35 is one, the number of screw holes 37 may be one. Furthermore, when the number of side protrusions 35 is three or more, the number of screw holes 37 may be three or more. Each of the screw holes 37 may be a hole with a ceiling.

[0054] The protruding portion 33 has a pressing portion 36. The pressing portion 36 is located at the lower end of the protruding portion 33. In this embodiment, the pressing portion 36 is a plane parallel to a horizontal plane including the lower surfaces of the intermediate protruding portion 34 and the side protruding portions 35.

[0055] 1 to 3, the outer terminal 26 of this embodiment has a central hole 38. The central hole 38 is a hole formed at the lower end of the intermediate protrusion 34. The central hole 38 is located at the middle of the intermediate protrusion 34 in the lateral direction and has a semicircular shape in the YZ plane. That is, the central hole 38 is recessed upward from the lower end of the intermediate protrusion 34 and opens downward. The central hole 38 also extends forward along the front-to-rear direction from the front end of the mounting hole 272 and opens forward. The two side protrusions 35 are located on both sides of the end face 32 in the lateral direction, with the central hole 38 between them. The contact portion 22 of the center terminal 20 passes through the central hole 38 and protrudes forward beyond the front end of the intermediate protrusion 34.

[0056] In this embodiment, the end face 32, the pressing portion 36, and the contact portion 22 are arranged as follows. In the pre-connection state, the contact portion 22 extends along a predetermined direction (direction P), so that at least a portion of the contact portion 22 is located in front of the end face 32 and below the pressing portion 36. More specifically, according to this embodiment, in the pre-connection state, the front end of the contact portion 22 is located in front of the end face 32 and below the pressing portion 36. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, in the pre-connection state, the entire contact portion 22 may be located in front of the end face 32, or below the pressing portion 36.

[0057] The plate 40 and the fixing member 60 of this embodiment will be described below in this order.

[0058] 1, the plate 40 of this embodiment has a rectangular flat plate shape parallel to a horizontal plane. Specifically, the plate 40 has two long sides extending laterally and two short sides extending in the front-to-rear direction on the horizontal plane. The plate 40 has an upper surface and a lower surface parallel to the horizontal plane.

[0059] The plate 40 has a pressed portion 42. As will be described later, the pressed portion 42 is a portion that is pressed against the substrate 16 in the connected state (see FIG. 7). According to this embodiment, the entire upper surface of the plate 40 functions as the pressed portion 42.

[0060] Two fixing holes 44 are formed in the plate 40 of this embodiment. Each of the fixing holes 44 penetrates the plate 40 in the up-down direction. Each of the fixing holes 44 has a circular shape in the horizontal plane. The fixing holes 44 are provided at positions corresponding to the passage holes 76 of the substrate 16 in the horizontal plane. In other words, the two fixing holes 44 are spaced apart from each other in the lateral direction and are in the same position as each other in the front-to-rear direction.

[0061] The plate 40 of this embodiment has the structure described above. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the shape of each of the fixing holes 44 is not particularly limited. Furthermore, the number of fixing holes 44 may be one, or may be three or more.

[0062] The two fixing members 60 in this embodiment have the same shape. More specifically, each of the fixing members 60 in this embodiment is a screw 60. That is, each of the fixing members 60 has a head 62 and a threaded portion 64 on which a screw (not shown) is threaded. The fixing members 60 are provided corresponding to the respective through holes 76 of the substrate 16. That is, the number of fixing members 60 in this embodiment is two. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the number of fixing members 60 may be one. Furthermore, three or more fixing members 60 having different shapes may be provided.

[0063] 1 together with FIG. 4, the connector assembly 12 and the coaxial connector 14 of this embodiment are connected to the substrate 16 by the connection method described below. However, the connection method described below is merely an example and can be modified as needed.

[0064] First, the coaxial connector 14, the board 16, and the plate 40 are arranged in this order from above, with the screw hole 37 of the coaxial connector 14, the passing hole 76 of the board 16, and the fixing hole 44 of the plate 40 being aligned in the same position on the horizontal plane. Next, the fixing members 60 are screwed into the screw holes 37 through the fixing holes 44 and the passing holes 76.

[0065] 4, 6, and 7, as a result of the above-described screwing, the board 16 is sandwiched between the protrusion 33 and the plate 40 of the coaxial connector 14 in the vertical direction. That is, the protrusion 33 is pressed against the board 16 from above, and the plate 40 is pressed against the board 16 from below. At this time, the connector assembly 12 and the coaxial connector 14 are in a connected state (the state shown in FIGS. 4 to 9). That is, in the connected state, the fixing member 60 fixes the protrusion 33 and the plate 40 to each other such that the board 16 is sandwiched between the protrusion 33 and the plate 40 in the vertical direction.

[0066] 8, in the connected state, the plate 40 is positioned below the substrate 16. In the connected state, the head 62 of the fixing member 60 is pressed against the lower surface of the plate 40, which is parallel to the horizontal plane, and presses the plate 40 upward. The upper surface of the plate 40, which is parallel to the horizontal plane and presses the substrate 16 against the retaining portion 36 of the protruding portion 33, which is parallel to the horizontal plane. As a result, even if the substrate 16 is a flexible substrate that easily bends, it is sandwiched between the protruding portion 33 and the plate 40 while maintaining a state of extending parallel to the horizontal plane. In particular, the pressed portion 42 of the plate 40 is pressed against the contact region of the substrate 16 located below the contact portion 22 of the center terminal 20, supporting the contact region from below. The contact region of the substrate 16 supported in this manner does not bend even when a force is applied from above.

[0067] 5 and 7, the contact portion 22 of the center terminal 20 is located directly above the signal line 78 of the circuit board 16 in the connected state. Referring to FIG. 8, in the connected state, the pressing portion 36 presses the upper surface 72 of the circuit board 16 from above, and the contact portion 22 is pressed against and contacts the signal line 78 of the circuit board 16. Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, according to this embodiment, the front portion of the contact portion 22 is bent in the front-rear direction intersecting the predetermined direction (direction P) and is pressed against and contacts the signal line 78. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the entire contact portion 22 may be bent in a direction intersecting the predetermined direction and is pressed against and contacts the signal line 78. That is, in the connected state, at least a portion of the contact portion 22 may be bent in a direction intersecting the predetermined direction and is pressed against and contacts the signal line 78.

[0068] 3, the contact portion 22 of the center terminal 20 in the pre-connection state extends downward beyond the retaining portion 36. Referring to FIG. 8, the upper surface 72 of the board 16 is pressed from above by the retaining portion 36 in the connected state. This structure allows the signal line 78 of the board 16 in the connected state to be positioned at the same vertical position as the retaining portion 36, thereby pressing the contact portion 22 against the signal line 78. Pressed against the signal line 78, the contact portion 22 elastically deforms, bending upward. The restoring force generated by the elastic deformation presses the contact portion 22 against the signal line 78, which is supported so as not to bend, from above, ensuring reliable contact. In other words, this embodiment provides a coaxial connector 14 that can be connected to the board 16 by a new method other than soldering.

[0069] According to this embodiment, in the connected state, the portion of the contact portion 22 that is pressed against and in contact with the signal line 78 extends linearly along the signal line 78. In particular, according to this embodiment, in the connected state, the portion of the contact portion 22 that is pressed against and in contact with the signal line 78 extends linearly along the front-rear direction. The contact portion 22 that has been elastically deformed in this manner more reliably contacts the signal line 78. According to this embodiment, the area in which the contact portion 22 and the signal line 78 contact each other can be enlarged. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, only the front end of the contact portion 22 may be in contact with the signal line 78.

[0070] Even if the center terminal 20 is arranged so that it extends entirely along the front-rear direction and only the contact portion 22 is bent downward, it would appear that the coaxial connector 14 can be connected to the board 16 in the same manner as in this embodiment. However, in this case, when the contact portion 22 hits the upper surface 72 of the board 16, the center terminal 20 is susceptible to a rotational force about an axis parallel to the front-rear direction. This rotational force may cause the center terminal 20 to rotate, resulting in the contact portion 22 not making proper contact with the signal line 78. In contrast, according to this embodiment, the entire center terminal 20, including the contact portion 22, extends along the predetermined direction (direction P). With this structure, the contact portion 22 makes sufficient contact with the signal line 78 without being subjected to the rotational force.

[0071] As described above, in this embodiment, the intersection angle θ between the predetermined direction (direction P) and the front-rear direction is equal to or greater than 5°, and is approximately 10°. This intersection angle θ allows the front end of the contact portion 22 to slide over the contact portion 22, overcoming frictional force, when the contact portion 22 comes into contact with the signal wire 78. Furthermore, only the front portion of the contact portion 22 can contact the signal wire 78 with sufficient contact force. Therefore, according to this embodiment, it is not necessary to solder the center terminal 20 to the substrate 16. However, the contact portion 22 may be soldered to the signal wire 78 after the contact portion 22 comes into contact with the signal wire 78 as described above.

[0072] Referring to FIG. 7 , according to this embodiment, the two side protrusions 35 are fixed to the board 16 in the connected state. Furthermore, the contact portion 22 is located between the two side protrusions 35 in the horizontal direction. With this structure, the contact portion 22 stably contacts the signal line 78. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, if the board 16 is a circuit board that is not easily flexible, only one side protrusion 35 with a screw hole 37 formed therein may be provided. In this case, the side protrusion 35 may be located near the contact portion 22 in the horizontal direction. In this case, only one passing hole 76 may be formed in the board 16, and only one fixing hole 44 may be formed in the plate 40.

[0073] According to this embodiment, in the connected state, the protrusion 33 is fixed to the board 16 by the screw 60 that passes through the through hole 76 of the board 16 and is screwed into the screw hole 37 of the protrusion 33. More specifically, in the connected state, the protrusion 33 and the plate 40 are fixed to each other by the screw 60 that passes through the fixing hole 44 of the plate 40 and the through hole 76 of the board 16 and is screwed into the screw hole 37 of the protrusion 33. That is, according to this embodiment, by screwing the fixing member 60, which is the screw 60, into the side protrusion 35 to press the plate 40 against the board 16, the pressed portion 42 can be stably pressed against the board 16 in a simple manner.

[0074] The above-described connection method can further improve the contact reliability between the center terminal 20 and the signal wire 78. In addition, it can suppress bending of the portion of the substrate 16 located between the contact portion 22 and the signal wire 78, thereby improving the contact reliability between the contact portion 22 and the signal wire 78. Furthermore, the coaxial connector 14 and the plate 40 can be separated from the substrate 16 simply by removing the screws 60. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the method of connecting the connector assembly 12 to the substrate 16 can be modified in various ways, as described below.

[0075] Each of the side protrusions 35 may have a pressing portion 36, but may not have a screw hole 37. In this case, the coaxial connector 14 may have two fixed portions in addition to the side protrusions 35. Each of the fixed portions may have a screw hole 37, but may not have a pressing portion 36.

[0076] Each of the fixing members 60 does not have to be a screw 60. For example, each of the fixing members 60 may be a hook pin provided on the protruding portion 33. Each of the hook pins may extend downward from the retaining portion 36. In this case, each of the hook pins may pass through the through hole 76 and be fixed to the fixing hole 44.

[0077] 4, each of the fixing members 60 may be a clamp. Each of the clamps may sandwich the plate 40, the substrate 16, and the coaxial connector 14 from above and below to fix them to one another. In this case, it is not necessary to form a screw hole 37 in each of the side protrusions 35. Also, in this case, for example, the coaxial connector 14 may have, in addition to the side protrusions 35, two fixed portions that do not have screw holes 37 and do not have pressing portions 36. In this case, each of the clamps may sandwich the plate 40, the substrate 16, and the fixed portions from above and below to fix them to one another.

[0078] 8 together with FIG. 4, according to this embodiment, the intermediate protrusion 34 is provided, which more reliably prevents the signal line 78 of the substrate 16 from bending. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, if the substrate 16 is a circuit board that is difficult to bend, there is no need to provide the intermediate protrusion 34.

[0079] If the substrate 16 is a circuit board that is not flexible, there is no need to provide the plate 40. In this case, the connector assembly 12 may include only the coaxial connector 14 and the two fixing members 60.

[0080] 6, if the substrate 16 is a circuit board that is difficult to bend, the substrate 16 may be press-fitted into the recess 322 to be fixed to the coaxial connector 14. The recess 322 may be formed in a portion of the outer terminal 26 that is located below the retaining portion 36. The recess 322 may also extend across the entire end face 32 in the lateral direction and be recessed rearward. In this case, the side protrusions 35, the plate 40, and the fixing member 60 do not need to be provided. In other words, the connector assembly 12 may include only the coaxial connector 14.

[0081] 8, in a connected state, the outer terminal 26 is grounded to a ground layer (not shown) on the lower surface 74 of the substrate 16 via the protrusion 33, the fixing member 60, and the plate 40. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the method of grounding the outer terminal 26 to the ground layer can be modified as necessary.

[0082] In addition to the various modifications already described, this embodiment can be further modified in various ways.

[0083] 9, the center terminal 20 may have an additional portion 24. The additional portion 24 may extend upward and forward from the front end of the contact portion 22 so as to intersect with the contact portion 22 in both the pre-connection state and the connected state.

[0084] Comparing FIG. 10 with FIG. 1, a structure 10A according to the first modification includes a connector assembly 12A different from the connector assembly 12 of the structure 10, and the same substrate 16 as the structure 10. The connector assembly 12A includes a coaxial connector 14A different from the coaxial connector 14 of the connector assembly 12, and also includes the same plate 40 and two fixing members 60 as the connector assembly 12. Like the coaxial connector 14, the coaxial connector 14A is attached to a coaxial cable 80 and connected to the substrate 16. That is, the structure 10A of this modification is the same as the structure 10 except for the coaxial connector 14A. In particular, the substrate 16 and coaxial cable 80 of this modification are the same as the substrate 16 and coaxial cable 80 of the above-described embodiment, respectively.

[0085] The following describes the coaxial connector 14A, focusing on the differences from the coaxial connector 14.

[0086] Referring to FIG. 12, a coaxial connector 14A includes a central terminal 20A made of a conductor, an insulating member 25A made of an insulator, and an outer terminal 26A made of a conductor.

[0087] The central terminal 20A has a main portion 21A, a contact portion 22A, and a connecting portion 23. Comparing FIG. 12 with FIG. 3, the main portion 21A is shorter than the main portion 21 of the central terminal 20, and the contact portion 22A is shorter than the contact portion 22 of the central terminal 20. Except for this difference, the central terminal 20A has the same structure as the central terminal 20 and is arranged in the same manner as the central terminal 20. For example, the contact portion 22A and the connecting portion 23 are arranged on a single straight line extending along a predetermined direction (direction P). The main portion 21A is a portion covered with an insulating member 25A. The contact portion 22A is elastically deformable. The connecting portion 23 is connected to the coaxial cable 80. The main portion 21A extends along the predetermined direction from the connecting portion 23 to the contact portion 22A.

[0088] The insulating member 25A is shorter than the insulating member 25. Except for this difference, the insulating member 25A has the same structure as the insulating member 25 and is disposed in the same manner as the insulating member 25. For example, the insulating member 25A insulates the outer terminal 26A and the center terminal 20A from each other.

[0089] 12, outer terminal 26A includes a front conductive member 27A and a rear conductive member 28. Comparing FIG. 12 with FIG. 3, outer terminal 26A has the same structure as outer terminal 26, except that the shape of front conductive member 27A is slightly different from that of front conductive member 27, and is disposed in the same manner as outer terminal 26. For example, front conductive member 27A is combined with rear conductive member 28 and is located in front of rear conductive member 28. Front conductive member 27A is in contact with rear conductive member 28. A receiving portion 39 is formed in outer terminal 26A. Receiving portion 39 receives a front end 82 of coaxial cable 80 in a predetermined direction (direction P) extending forward and downward.

[0090] 12, an attachment hole 272A is formed in the outer terminal 26A. The attachment hole 272A opens forward and backward from the front conductive member 27A. The center terminal 20A is received in and attached to the attachment hole 272A so as to extend in a predetermined direction (direction P).

[0091] 10 and 11, outer terminal 26A has protrusion 33A and end surface 32. Comparing FIGS. 10 and 11 with FIGS. 1 and 2, the size of protrusion 33A in the vertical direction is slightly smaller than the size of protrusion 33. Apart from this difference, protrusion 33A has the same structure as protrusion 33 and is disposed in the same manner as protrusion 33.

[0092] For example, referring to FIG. 10, the protrusion 33A protrudes forward from the end face 32 and has a retaining portion 36. The retaining portion 36 is located at the lower end of the protrusion 33A. The protrusion 33A also has an intermediate protrusion 34A and two side protrusions 35A. The intermediate protrusion 34A is located in the middle of the protrusion 33A in the lateral direction and protrudes forward from the end face 32. The two side protrusions 35A are spaced apart from each other in the lateral direction, with the intermediate protrusion 34A sandwiched between them, and protrude forward from the end face 32. Two screw holes 37A are formed in the protrusion 33A. The two screw holes 37A are formed in each of the side protrusions 35A.

[0093] 10 to 12, a center hole 38A is formed in the outer terminal 26A. Comparing FIG. 11 with FIG. 2, the size of the center hole 38A in the vertical direction is slightly smaller than the size of the center hole 38. Apart from this difference, the center hole 38A has the same structure and is disposed in the same manner as the center hole 38. For example, the center hole 38A is recessed upward from the lower end of the intermediate protrusion 34A and opens downward. Comparing FIG. 12 with FIG. 3, the center hole 38A extends forward in the front-to-rear direction from the front end of the mounting hole 272A and opens forward. Unlike the contact portion 22 of the center terminal 20, the contact portion 22A of the center terminal 20A extends to the front end of the center hole 38A without exceeding the center hole 38A.

[0094] 12 together with FIG. 11, in a pre-connection state before the coaxial connector 14A is connected to the board 16, the contact portion 22A of the center terminal 20A extends along a predetermined direction (direction P), so that at least a portion of the contact portion 22A is located in front of the end face 32 and below the pressing portion 36. Referring to FIG. 13, in a connected state in which the coaxial connector 14A is fixed to and connected to the board 16, the pressing portion 36 presses against the upper surface 72 of the board 16 from above, and at least a portion of the contact portion 22A is bent in a direction intersecting the predetermined direction and pressed against and contacts the signal line 78 of the board 16. According to this modification, as with the above-described embodiment, it is possible to provide a coaxial connector 14A that can be connected to the board 16 by a new method other than soldering.

[0095] According to this modification, the coaxial connector 14A is connected to the board 16 in the same manner as in the above-described embodiment. For example, in the connected state, the portion of the contact portion 22A that is pressed against and in contact with the signal line 78 extends linearly along the signal line 78. Also, in the connected state, the protrusion 33A is fixed to the board 16 by a screw 60 that passes through a through hole 76 (see FIG. 10) in the board 16 and is screwed into a screw hole 37 (see FIG. 10) in the protrusion 33A. That is, the two side protrusions 35A are fixed to the board 16 in the connected state. The contact portion 22 is located between the two side protrusions 35A fixed in this manner in the horizontal direction.

[0096] Comparing FIG. 12 with FIG. 3, the mounting hole 272A of this modification differs from the mounting hole 272 in that it has a front hole 274A and a rear hole 276A. The front hole 274A and the rear hole 276A extend in directions that intersect with each other. More specifically, like the mounting hole 272, the rear hole 276A extends along the predetermined direction (direction P) and opens rearward from the front conductive member 27A. The rear hole 276A is completely surrounded by the front conductive member 27A of the outer terminal 26A in a predetermined plane perpendicular to the predetermined direction. Meanwhile, the front hole 274A extends forward from the front end of the rear hole 276A in the front-to-rear direction and opens forward from the front conductive member 27A. The front hole 274A is completely surrounded by the front conductive member 27A of the outer terminal 26A in the YZ plane.

[0097] 8, when the coaxial connector 14 according to the embodiment described above is in a connected state, the main portion 21 of the center terminal 20, covered with the insulating member 25, is completely surrounded by the outer terminal 26 at ground potential in a predetermined plane perpendicular to the predetermined direction (direction P), thereby providing a predetermined characteristic impedance. Meanwhile, the contact portion 22 of the center terminal 20 protrudes outward from the outer terminal 26. With this structure, the characteristic impedance of the contact portion 22 may vary significantly relative to the characteristic impedance of the main portion 21. In other words, the characteristic impedance of the contact portion 22 may not match the characteristic impedance of the main portion 21.

[0098] On the other hand, referring to FIG. 13 , the insulating member 25A does not extend beyond the rear end of the front hole 274A. Therefore, the main portion 21A of the center terminal 20A, covered by the insulating member 25A, does not extend beyond the rear end of the front hole 274A. That is, when the coaxial connector 14A is in a connected state, the contact portion 22A of the center terminal 20A is exposed to the outside from the front end of the insulating member 25A and extends in the front-to-rear direction inside the front hole 274A. As a result, the contact portion 22A is completely surrounded by the outer terminal 26A, which has ground potential, in the YZ plane. With this structure, the contact portion 22A has a predetermined characteristic impedance similar to that of the main portion 21A. That is, this modification makes it easy to reduce mismatch in characteristic impedance.

[0099] Additionally, the contact portion 22A does not extend beyond the front end of the center hole 38A. As a result, when the coaxial connector 14A is in a connected state, the portion of the contact portion 22A exposed through the front hole 274A is surrounded in the YZ plane by a ground layer (not shown) formed on the inner wall surface of the center hole 38A and the underside 74 of the substrate 16. This structure more reliably reduces mismatch in characteristic impedance. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the contact portion 22A may extend forward beyond the front end of the center hole 38A.

[0100] 13 with FIG. 8, as can be seen from the above description, connector assembly 12A is connected to board 16 in the same manner as connector assembly 12. For example, in the connected state, fixing member 60 fixes protrusion 33A and plate 40 to each other such that board 16 is sandwiched between protrusion 33A and plate 40 in the vertical direction. Also, in the connected state, protrusion 33A and plate 40 are fixed to each other by screws 60 that pass through fixing holes 44 (see FIG. 10) of plate 40 and through holes 76 (see FIG. 10) of board 16 and are screwed into screw holes 37A (see FIG. 10) of protrusion 33A.

[0101] Comparing Figure 14 with Figure 1, structure 10B according to the second modification includes a connector assembly 12B that is different from connector assembly 12 of structure 10, and a substrate 16 that has the same structure as substrate 16 of structure 10. Connector assembly 12B includes a coaxial connector 14B and a plate 40B that are different from coaxial connector 14 and plate 40, respectively, of connector assembly 12, and also includes two fixing members 60 that have the same structure as fixing member 60 of connector assembly 12. Like coaxial connector 14, coaxial connector 14B is attached to coaxial cable 80 and connected to substrate 16.

[0102] 15, the coaxial connector 14B includes a center terminal 20B made of a conductor, an insulating member 25B made of an insulator, and an outer terminal 26B made of a conductor. Referring to FIG. 15 together with FIGS. 14 and 18, the center terminal 20B, the insulating member 25B, and the outer terminal 26B are combined with each other as described below, thereby assembling the coaxial connector 14B.

[0103] The assembled coaxial connector 14B will now be described.

[0104] Referring to FIG. 15, the center terminal 20B has a main portion 21B, a contact portion 22B, and a connecting portion 23B. The contact portion 22B and the connecting portion 23B are arranged on a straight line extending in a predetermined direction (direction P). The contact portion 22B is elastically deformable. Referring to FIG. 18, the connecting portion 23B is connected to the coaxial cable 80. An insulating member 25B is attached to the center terminal 20B and insulates the outer terminal 26B and the center terminal 20B from each other. The main portion 21B is covered by the insulating member 25B and extends forward and downward in a predetermined direction from the connecting portion 23B to the contact portion 22B.

[0105] 14 and 15, outer terminal 26B includes a front conductive member 27B and a rear conductive member 28B. Referring to FIG. 18, front conductive member 27B is combined with rear conductive member 28B and is located in front of rear conductive member 28B. Front conductive member 27B is in contact with rear conductive member 28B. A receiving portion 39B is formed in outer terminal 26B. Receiving portion 39B receives a front end 82 of coaxial cable 80 in a predetermined direction (direction P) extending forward and downward.

[0106] An attachment hole 272B is formed in the outer terminal 26B. The attachment hole 272B is formed in the front conductive member 27B. The center terminal 20B is received in and attached to the attachment hole 272B so as to extend in a predetermined direction.

[0107] The mounting hole 272B has a front hole 274B and a rear hole 276B. The front hole 274B and the rear hole 276B extend in directions that intersect with each other. Specifically, the rear hole 276B extends along a predetermined direction (direction P) and opens rearward from the front conductive member 27B. The rear hole 276B is completely surrounded by the front conductive member 27B of the outer terminal 26B in a predetermined plane perpendicular to the predetermined direction. On the other hand, the front hole 274B extends forward from the front end of the rear hole 276B along the front-to-rear direction and opens forward from the front conductive member 27B. The front hole 274B is completely surrounded by the front conductive member 27B of the outer terminal 26B in the YZ plane.

[0108] 14, outer terminal 26B has a protruding portion 33B and an end surface 32B. Protruding portion 33B protrudes forward from end surface 32B and has a pressing portion 36B. Pressing portion 36B is located at the lower end of protruding portion 33B.

[0109] More specifically, the protrusion 33B has an intermediate protrusion 34B and two side protrusions 35B. The intermediate protrusion 34B is located in the middle of the protrusion 33B in the lateral direction and protrudes forward from the end face 32B. The two side protrusions 35B are spaced apart from each other in the lateral direction, sandwiching the intermediate protrusion 34B therebetween, and protrude forward from the end face 32B. Two screw holes 37B are formed in the protrusion 33B. The two screw holes 37B are respectively formed in the side protrusions 35B.

[0110] 14 and 18, a center hole 38B is formed in the outer terminal 26B. The center hole 38B is recessed upward from the lower end of the intermediate protrusion 34B and opens downward. The center hole 38B extends forward in the front-to-rear direction from the front end of the front hole 274B and opens forward. The contact portion 22B of the center terminal 20B extends to the front end of the center hole 38B without exceeding the center hole 38B.

[0111] 15 in conjunction with FIG. 18, the coaxial connector 14B is assembled as follows: However, the following assembly method is merely an example and can be modified as necessary.

[0112] First, the center terminal 20B is inserted into the insulating member 25B. Next, the front end 82 of the coaxial cable 80 is inserted into the rear part of the receiving portion 39B of the rear conductive member 28B. At this time, the core 84 of the coaxial cable 80 is connected to the connecting portion 23B of the center terminal 20B, and the shield 86 of the coaxial cable 80 is connected to the rear conductive member 28B.

[0113] Next, the rear conductive member 28B and the coaxial cable 80 are fixed to each other using the tube 18B. The tube 18B is made of a material that shrinks and hardens when heated, and has a cylindrical shape in its initial state. The tube 18B is attached to the rear conductive member 28B and the coaxial cable 80 so as to surround the rear of the rear conductive member 28B and the front of the coaxial cable 80. Next, the tube 18B is heated to shrink and harden. As a result, the rear conductive member 28B and the coaxial cable 80 are fixed to each other.

[0114] Next, rear conductive member 28B is attached to the rear portion of front conductive member 27B to surround the rear portion of front conductive member 27B in a predetermined plane perpendicular to the predetermined direction (direction P). At this time, center terminal 20B, together with insulating member 25B, is inserted into rear hole 276B of mounting hole 272B formed in front conductive member 27B.

[0115] The coaxial connector 14B assembled as described above is fixed to the coaxial cable 80 and cannot be separated from the coaxial cable 80 unless the tube 18B is damaged.

[0116] 1, coaxial connector 14B has the same structure as coaxial connector 14 in a pre-connection state (the state in FIGS. 14 and 18) before being connected to substrate 16. For example, referring to FIG. 14 together with FIG. 18, in the pre-connection state, contact portion 22B of center terminal 20B extends along a predetermined direction (direction P), so that at least a portion of contact portion 22B is located in front of end face 32B and below retaining portion 36B.

[0117] 14 with FIG. 1, the coaxial connector 14B can be connected to the substrate 16 using the plate 40B and the fixing member 60, similar to the coaxial connector 14. The plate 40B will be described below.

[0118] 14, plate 40B has a flat plate shape parallel to the horizontal plane. Specifically, plate 40B has a main body portion 41B and two arm portions 46B. Main body portion 41B has a rectangular flat plate shape in the horizontal plane, with two long sides extending laterally and two short sides extending in the front-rear direction.

[0119] The two arms 46B include a first arm 462B and a second arm 464B. The first arm 462B extends rearward from the lateral end of the front long side of the main body 41B. The rear end of the first arm 462B protrudes laterally inward. The second arm 464B protrudes slightly laterally outward from the lateral end of the rear long side of the main body 41B and then extends rearward. The rear end of the second arm 464B protrudes laterally inward. The rear ends of the first arm 462B and the second arm 464B extend toward each other in the lateral direction.

[0120] The plate 40B has a pressed portion 42B. Two fixing holes 44B are formed in the plate 40B. The pressed portion 42B is part of the upper surface of the plate 40B. Each of the fixing holes 44B passes through the plate 40B in the up-down direction.

[0121] Referring to FIG. 14 in conjunction with FIG. 17, the connector assembly 12B and the coaxial connector 14B are connected to the substrate 16 by a connection method that will be described below.

[0122] First, the coaxial connector 14B, the substrate 16, and the plate 40B are arranged in this order from above, with the screw hole 37B of the coaxial connector 14B, the passing hole 76 of the substrate 16, and the fixing hole 44B of the plate 40B being aligned in the same position on the horizontal plane. Next, the fixing members 60 are screwed into the screw hole 37B through the fixing hole 44B and the passing hole 76.

[0123] As a result of the above-described screwing, the connector assembly 12B and the coaxial connector 14B are fixed to and connected to the board 16, resulting in a connected state (the state shown in FIGS. 16 and 17). In the connected state, the pressing portion 36B of the protrusion 33B presses the upper surface 72 of the board 16 from above, and at least a portion of the contact portion 22B of the center terminal 20B is bent in a direction intersecting the predetermined direction (direction P) and is pressed against and contacts the signal line 78 of the board 16. This modification provides a coaxial connector 14B that can be connected to the board 16 by a new method other than soldering.

[0124] According to this modification, in the connected state, the portion of the contact portion 22B that is pressed against and in contact with the signal line 78 extends linearly along the signal line 78. The contact portion 22B that has been elastically deformed in this manner comes into contact with the signal line 78 more reliably.

[0125] According to this modification, the two side protrusions 35B are fixed to the substrate 16 in the connected state. Furthermore, the contact portion 22B is located between the two side protrusions 35B in the horizontal direction. With this structure, the contact portion 22B is in stable contact with the signal line 78.

[0126] Each of the fixing members 60 in this modified example is a screw 60. According to this modified example, in the connected state, the protrusion 33B is fixed to the board 16 by the screw 60 that passes through the through hole 76 of the board 16 and is screwed into the screw hole 37B of the protrusion 33B. The coaxial connector 14B can be reliably fixed to the board 16 by the simple method described above.

[0127] 17 with FIG. 8, as can be seen from the above description, connector assembly 12B is connected to board 16 in the same manner as connector assembly 12. For example, in the connected state, fixing member 60 fixes protrusion 33B and plate 40B to each other such that board 16 is sandwiched between protrusion 33B and plate 40B in the vertical direction. Also, in the connected state, protrusion 33B and plate 40B are fixed to each other by screws 60 that pass through fixing holes 44B (see FIG. 14) of plate 40B and through holes 76 (see FIG. 14) of board 16 and are screwed into screw holes 37B (see FIG. 14) of protrusion 33B.

[0128] 17, in this modified example, the contact portion 22B of the center terminal 20B is exposed from the front end of the insulating member 25B and extends in the front-rear direction inside the front hole 274B. This structure makes it easier to reduce mismatch in characteristic impedance between the main portion 21B and the contact portion 22B. In addition, the contact portion 22B in this modified example does not extend beyond the front end of the center hole 38B. This structure more reliably reduces mismatch in characteristic impedance.

[0129] 16 together with Fig. 8, in the connected state, outer terminal 26B of this modified example is grounded to the ground layer (not shown) on the lower surface 74 of substrate 16 via protrusion 33B, fixing member 60, and plate 40B, similar to outer terminal 26. In addition, in the connected state, outer terminal 26B is grounded to the ground layer only via plate 40B. [Explanation of symbols]

[0130] 10, 10A, 10B Structure 12, 12A, 12B Connector Assembly 14, 14A, 14B coaxial connectors 16 boards 18B tube 20,20A,20B center terminal 21, 21A, 21B Main section 22,22A,22B Contact part 23,23B Connection part 24 Additional part 25,25A,25B Insulating member 26,26A,26B Outer terminal 27,27A,27B Front conductive member 272,272A,272B Mounting hole 274A,274B Front hole 276A,276B Rear hole 28,28B Rear conductive member 32,32B End face 322 Recess 33,33A,33B Protrusion 34,34A,34B Intermediate protrusion 35,35A,35B Side protrusion 36,36B Restraining part 37,37A,37B Screw hole 38,38A,38B Center hole 39,39B Receiving part 40,40B Plate 41B Body part 42,42B Pressed part 44,44B Fixing hole 46B Arm part 462B First arm part 464B Second arm part 60 Fixing member (screw) 62 Head 64 Screw part 70 Substrate 72 Upper surface 74 Lower surface 76 Through hole 78 Signal wire 80 Coaxial cable 82 Front end 84 Core wire 85 Inner insulator 86 Shield 87 Outer jacket 89 Mate connector

Claims

1. A coaxial connector attached to a coaxial cable and connected to a substrate, the substrate extends along a horizontal plane, and a signal line is formed on an upper surface of the substrate in a vertical direction perpendicular to the horizontal plane, the signal line extending in a front-rear direction perpendicular to the vertical direction; The coaxial connector includes an outer terminal, a center terminal, and an insulating member, the insulating member insulates the outer terminal and the center terminal from each other, The outer terminal has a receiving portion formed therein, the receiving portion receives the front end of the coaxial cable along a predetermined direction toward the front and downward, The outer terminal has a protrusion and an end surface, The protruding portion protrudes forward from the end surface and has a pressing portion, The holding portion is located at the lower end of the protruding portion, The center terminal has a contact portion and a connection portion, the contact portion and the connection portion are arranged on a single straight line extending along the predetermined direction, the contact portion is elastically deformable, the connection portion is connected to the coaxial cable, In a pre-connection state before the coaxial connector is connected to the board, the contact portion extends along the predetermined direction, so that at least a portion of the contact portion is located in front of the end face and below the pressing portion; In a connected state in which the coaxial connector is fixed to and connected to the board, the pressing portion presses the upper surface of the board from above, and at least a part of the contact portion is bent in a direction intersecting the predetermined direction and pressed against the signal line of the board to make contact. Coaxial connector.

2. 2. The coaxial connector according to claim 1, A screw hole is formed in the protrusion, a passage hole is formed in the substrate, In the connected state, the protrusion is fixed to the board by a screw that passes through the through hole of the board and is screwed into the screw hole of the protrusion. Coaxial connector.

3. 3. The coaxial connector according to claim 1, The outer terminal has a mounting hole formed therein, the center terminal is attached to the attachment hole so as to extend along the predetermined direction, The mounting hole has a front hole and a rear hole, the rear hole extends along the predetermined direction, The front hole extends from a front end of the rear hole along the front-rear direction and opens forward. Coaxial connector.

4. 3. The coaxial connector according to claim 1, In the connected state, the portion of the contact portion that is pressed against and in contact with the signal line extends linearly along the signal line. Coaxial connector.

5. 3. The coaxial connector according to claim 1, The protrusion has two side protrusions; the two side protrusions are spaced apart from each other in a lateral direction perpendicular to both the front-rear direction and the up-down direction, and are fixed to the board in the connected state; The contact portion is located between the two side protrusions in the lateral direction. Coaxial connector.

6. 3. The coaxial connector according to claim 1, The center terminal has a main portion, The main portion extends from the connection portion to the contact portion along the predetermined direction. Coaxial connector.

7. A connector assembly comprising the coaxial connector of claim 1, a plate, and a fixing member, In the connected state, the fixing member fixes the protrusion and the plate to each other such that the substrate is sandwiched between the protrusion and the plate in the vertical direction. Connector assembly.

8. 8. The connector assembly of claim 7, A screw hole is formed in the protrusion, The plate has a fixing hole formed therein, a passage hole is formed in the substrate, the fixing member is a screw, In the connected state, the protrusion and the plate are fixed to each other by a screw that passes through the fixing hole of the plate and the through hole of the substrate and is screwed into the screw hole of the protrusion. Connector assembly.

9. A connector assembly comprising the coaxial connector of claim 2, a plate, and a fixing member, In the connected state, the fixing member fixes the protrusion and the plate to each other such that the substrate is sandwiched between the protrusion and the plate in the vertical direction. Connector assembly.

10. 10. The connector assembly of claim 9, The plate has a fixing hole formed therein, the fixing member is the screw, In the connected state, the protrusion and the plate are fixed to each other by the screw that passes through the fixing hole of the plate and the through hole of the substrate and is screwed into the screw hole of the protrusion. Connector assembly.

Images