Coaxial electrical connector and electrical connector assembly

Abstract

A coaxial electrical connector and connector assembly are provided that can effectively prevent the connector from becoming large in size in the connecting direction. [Solution] The elastic body 70 can apply an elastic force to the forward pressing portion 56 and the rearward pressing portion 61A to bring the coupling member 50 to a neutral position between the forward position and the rearward position, and the coupling member 50 has an intermediate protrusion 51 protruding from the inner surface of the coupling member 50, and a front space 53 is formed between the intermediate protrusion 51 and the outer surface of the shell member 10 in front of it, and a rear space 55 is formed between the intermediate protrusion 51 and the outer surface of the shell member 10 behind it, and the ball member 80 is restricted from moving in the front-to-rear direction by the inner peripheral edge of the hole portion 11, but is movable in the radial direction of the connector 1, and can be engaged with an engaging portion 152A-1 provided on the mating connector 2 by a part of it that protrudes radially inward from the hole portion 11.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a coaxial electrical connector and an electrical connector assembly including the coaxial electrical connector. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a coaxial electrical connector that has an axis extending in the front-to-rear direction and is mated with a mating connector with this axis as the connection direction. Here, the direction of mating connection toward the mating connector is the "forward" direction, and the direction of removal from the mating connector is the "rear" direction. The coaxial electrical connector is mated with the mating connector by being inserted onto it.

[0003] The coaxial electrical connector of Patent Document 1 includes a tubular member, an outer contact and an insulating spacer held on the inner circumferential surface of the tubular member, and a male contact held in the insulating spacer. An inner sleeve, a compression spring, and a fixed cylindrical portion are fitted onto the tubular member, and an outer sleeve is fitted onto these members. A receiving cylindrical portion is fitted into the front end of the outer sleeve.

[0004] A plurality of ball receiving holes are formed in the circumferential direction at the front end of the tubular member, and an engaging ball is received in each ball receiving hole. The ball receiving holes are formed to penetrate the tubular member in the radial direction and extend in the front-rear direction. Therefore, the engaging ball is movable in the radial direction and the front-rear direction. Furthermore, a portion of the engaging ball protrudes radially inward from the ball receiving hole.

[0005] When the coaxial electrical connector starts to connect to the mating connector, the rear end of the mating connector abuts against the protruding portion of the engaging ball (see Fig. 3 of Patent Document 1). Next, the protruding portion of the engaging ball is pressed by the rear end of the mating connector, causing the engaging ball to move rearward within the ball receiving hole while compressing the compression spring (see Fig. 4 of Patent Document 1).

[0006] The engaging ball is then pushed by the outer peripheral surface of the mating connector and moves radially outward (see FIG. 5 of Patent Document 1), and is further pushed by the inner sleeve by the elastic force of the compression spring and moves forward within the ball receiving hole (see FIG. 6 of Patent Document 1).The engaging ball is then pushed by the inner peripheral surface of the outer sleeve and moves radially inward, and while supported by the inner peripheral surface, the part of the engaging ball protruding from the ball receiving hole engages with the engaging recess of the mating connector (see FIG. 6 of Patent Document 1).In this way, the connectors are mated and connected.

[0007] Furthermore, when the coaxial electrical connector is pulled backward to remove the connector, the outer sleeve moves backward, creating a space radially outward from the engaging ball. At this time, the engaging ball receives a force having a radially outward component from the edge of the engaging recess of the mating connector, causing it to move radially outward (see Figure 7 of Patent Document 1). As a result, the engaging ball and the engaging recess are disengaged, and the coaxial electrical connector can be removed from the mating connector by simply pulling backward (see Figure 8 of Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0008] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-228212 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0009] As described above, in the coaxial electrical connector of Patent Document 1, when the connectors are inserted or removed, the engaging balls move within the ball receiving holes not only in the radial direction but also in the front-to-rear direction (the direction in which the connectors are connected). Therefore, in the coaxial electrical connector, the ball receiving holes are formed with dimensions corresponding to the movement distance of the engaging balls in the front-to-rear direction. Making the ball receiving holes extend in the front-to-rear direction in this way may result in an increase in the size of the coaxial electrical connector in the front-to-rear direction.

[0010] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a coaxial electrical connector and a connector assembly that can effectively avoid an increase in size in the connector connecting direction. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] (1) The coaxial electrical connector of the present invention is a coaxial electrical connector having an axis extending in the front-to-rear direction and mated and connected to a mating connector toward the front, and comprises a shell member having a cylindrical shape extending in the front-to-rear direction and having at least one hole penetrating in the radial direction, an outer conductor, a dielectric, and a center conductor provided within the shell member, a coupling member inserted into the shell member and movable relative to the shell member in the front-to-rear direction between an advanced position and a retracted position, and a ball member accommodated in the hole.

[0012] In the present invention, such a coaxial electrical connector comprises an elastic body that is accommodated in an accommodation space formed between the outer peripheral surface of the shell member and the inner peripheral surface of the coupling member at a position different from the ball member in the front-to-rear direction and is stretchable in the front-to-rear direction; a front support portion that is provided on the shell member and is capable of supporting the elastic body from the front, and a rear support portion that is capable of supporting the elastic body from the rear; and a front pressing portion that is provided on the coupling member and is capable of pressing the elastic body from the front, and a rear pressing portion that is capable of pressing the elastic body from the rear, wherein the elastic body is capable of applying an elastic force to the front pressing portion and the rear pressing portion to bring the coupling member to a neutral position between the advanced position and the retracted position, and the coupling member has a protrusion that protrudes from the inner peripheral surface of the coupling member, and a front space is formed between the outer peripheral surface of the shell member and the protrusion in front of the protrusion, and A rear space is formed between the protrusion and the outer peripheral surface of the shell member behind it, and the ball member is restricted from moving in the front-to-rear direction by the inner edge or inner surface of the hole portion, but is movable radially, and a part of the hole protruding radially inward can be engaged with a locking portion provided on the mating connector, and when the coupling member is in a neutral position, the protrusion is positioned corresponding to the ball member in the front-to-rear direction and restricts the movement of the ball member radially outward, when the coupling member is in an advanced position, the rear space is positioned corresponding to the ball member in the front-to-rear direction and allows the ball member to move radially outward, and when the coupling member is in a retracted position, the front space is positioned corresponding to the ball member in the front-to-rear direction and allows the ball member to move radially outward.

[0013] In the present invention, when connecting a coaxial electrical connector to a mating connector, the coaxial electrical connector is moved forward while the coupling member of the coaxial electrical connector is held with fingers or the like to mate with the mating connector. When the mating operation begins, the rear end of the mating connector first abuts from the front against a portion of the ball member (the portion protruding radially inward from the hole). At this time, the coupling member is in a neutral position, so that the ball member's movement in the front-to-rear direction is restricted by the inner edge or inner surface of the hole, and its movement in the radially outward direction is restricted by the protrusion of the coupling member. Therefore, while the rear end of the mating connector remains in abutment against the ball member, the coupling member moves forward relative to the shell member to the advanced position. At this time, the elastic body is supported from the front by the front support portion and pressed from the rear by the rear pressing portion, and is therefore in a compressed state.

[0014] When the coupling member is brought to the advanced position, the rear space formed between the coupling member and the shell member is positioned to correspond to the ball member in the front-rear direction. Therefore, the rear space allows the ball member to move radially outward. The ball member is then pushed by the rear end of the mating connector and moves radially outward, allowing the coaxial electrical connector to advance. When the coaxial electrical connector advances further and reaches the correct mating position, the ball member is positioned to correspond to the locking portion of the mating connector in the front-rear direction. As a result, the ball member moves radially inward, with a portion of it protruding from the hole. The protruding portion of the ball member then engages with the locking portion in the front-rear direction.

[0015] Next, when the fingers are released from the coupling member, the compressed state of the elastic body is released, and the coupling member moves rearward due to the elastic force of the elastic body and returns to the neutral position. When the coupling member returns to the neutral position, the protrusion of the coupling member restricts the radial outward movement of the ball member. As a result, the protrusion of the ball member and the locking portion remain locked together, completing the mating and connection operation of the connectors.

[0016] Furthermore, when the coaxial electrical connector is to be removed from the mating connector, the coupling member of the coaxial electrical connector is pinched with fingers or the like and the coaxial electrical connector is pulled backward. In the mated connection state, the protruding portion of the ball member and the locking portion are locked as described above. Therefore, when the removal operation is initiated, the coupling member first moves backward relative to the shell member to the retracted position. When the coupling member is brought to the retracted position, the front space formed between the coupling member and the shell member is positioned corresponding to the ball member in the front-to-rear direction, allowing the ball member to move radially outward. Then, when the ball member moves radially outward based on the force pulling the coaxial electrical connector backward, the locked state between the ball member and the locking portion is released, allowing the coaxial electrical connector to move further backward. Therefore, by simply pulling the coaxial electrical connector backward, the coaxial electrical connector is removed from the mating connector.

[0017] In this way, in the present invention, the ball members move only in the radial direction, not in the front-rear direction, during the mating and removal operations of the connectors. Therefore, it is not necessary to form the holes with elongated shapes in the front-rear direction to allow the ball members to move in the front-rear direction, as in the conventional case. Therefore, compared to the conventional case, it is possible to effectively avoid an increase in the size of the shell member and, in turn, the coaxial electrical connector in the front-rear direction.

[0018] (2) In the invention of (1), when the coupling member is in a neutral position, the rear surfaces of the front support portion and the front pressing portion are at the same position in the front-to-back direction and each rear surface is in contact with the elastic body from the front, and the front surfaces of the rear support portion and the rear pressing portion are at the same position in the front-to-back direction and each front surface is in contact with the elastic body from the rear.

[0019] In this configuration, when the coupling member is in the neutral position, the rear surfaces of both the front support portion and the front pressing portion contact the elastic body from the front, and the front surfaces of both the rear support portion and the rear pressing portion contact the elastic body from the rear. Therefore, the elastic body is supported from the front and rear with a sufficiently large contact area, so that the coupling member can be well maintained in the neutral position.

[0020] (3) In the invention of (1) or (2), the shell member may have an abutment portion protruding from the outer peripheral surface of the shell member within the range of the accommodation space in the front-to-rear direction, and the abutment portion may abut from the front against the rear part of the elastic body pressed by the rear pressing portion when the coupling member is in the forward position, and may abut from the rear against the front part of the elastic body pressed by the front pressing portion when the coupling member is in the backward position.

[0021] In this way, the abutting portion abuts the rear portion of the elastic body in the forward position and the front portion of the elastic body in the retracted position, so that the amount of compression of the elastic body in the front-to-rear direction, and therefore the amount of movement of the coupling member, can be kept within a predetermined range, thereby reducing the operating range of the connector in the front-to-rear direction when inserting or removing the connector.

[0022] (4) In any one of the inventions (1) to (3), the rear pressing portion may be provided on a member that is fitted onto the shell member and attached to the coupling member from behind.

[0023] (5) In any of the inventions (1) to (4), the front end of the shell member may be located at the same position as or further rearward than the front end of the coupling member when the coupling member is in the neutral position. With this configuration, the front end of the shell member is located within the range of the coupling member in the front-rear direction when the coupling member is in the neutral position, thereby more effectively preventing the coaxial electrical connector from becoming large in size in the front-rear direction.

[0024] (6) An electrical connector assembly according to the present invention comprises a coaxial electrical connector according to any one of (1) to (5) and a mating connector that is mated with the coaxial electrical connector. [Effects of the Invention]

[0025] The present invention can provide a coaxial electrical connector and a connector assembly that can effectively prevent the connector from becoming large in size in the connecting direction. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0026] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of an electrical connector assembly according to an embodiment, showing a state before the connectors are mated and connected to each other, as viewed obliquely from the front. FIG. [Figure 2] 1 is a perspective view of an electrical connector assembly according to an embodiment, showing a state before the connectors are mated and connected to each other, as viewed obliquely from behind. FIG. [Figure 3] 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of an embodiment of an electrical connector assembly taken along a plane including an axis, showing a state before the connectors are mated and connected to each other. FIG. [Figure 4] 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the electrical connector assembly of the embodiment, taken along a plane including an axis, illustrating a state in which the connectors are in the process of being mated and connected to each other. [Figure 5] 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the electrical connector assembly of the embodiment, taken along a plane including an axis, illustrating a state in which the connectors are in the process of being mated and connected to each other. [Figure 6] 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the electrical connector assembly of the embodiment, taken along a plane including an axis, illustrating a state in which the connectors are in the process of being mated and connected to each other. [Figure 7] 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the electrical connector assembly of the embodiment, taken along a plane including an axis, illustrating a state in which the connectors are in the process of being mated and connected to each other. [Figure 8] 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the electrical connector assembly of the embodiment, taken along a plane including an axis, showing the mated and connected state of the connectors. FIG. [Figure 9] 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the electrical connector assembly of the embodiment, taken along a plane including an axis, illustrating a state in which the connectors are being extracted from each other. [Figure 10] 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the electrical connector assembly of the embodiment, taken along a plane including an axis, illustrating a state in which the connectors are being extracted from each other. [Figure 11] 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the electrical connector assembly of the embodiment, taken along a plane including an axis, illustrating a state in which the connectors are being extracted from each other. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view taken along a plane including an axis of a coaxial electrical connector according to a modified example of the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0027] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0028] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the electrical connector assembly of this embodiment includes a coaxial electrical connector 1 (hereinafter referred to as "connector 1") and a mating connector 2, which is a mating coaxial electrical connector with which connector 1 is mated. Connector 1 is mated with mating connector 2 facing forward (X1 direction), with the mating direction being the front-to-rear direction (X-axis direction). In this embodiment, connector 1 is connected to the front end portion of a cable (not shown) extending in the front-to-rear direction. Furthermore, mating connector 2 is attached to the housing (not shown) of the electronic device by screwing. Note that the Y-axis and Z-axis directions shown in Figures 1 and 2 are examples of radial directions of connector 1.

[0029] 1 to 3, the connector 1 has a connector main body 1A, a cable attachment portion 1B for attaching a cable to the connector main body 1A, and an interposition ring 130 (see FIG. 3) and an interposition washer 140 (see FIG. 3) that are interposed between the connector main body 1A and the cable attachment portion 1B. The connector main body 1A, the cable attachment portion 1B, the interposition ring 130, and the interposition washer 140 have the same axis that extends in the front-to-rear direction, and are arranged concentrically on that axis.

[0030] As shown in FIG. 3, the connector body 1A has a shell member 10, an outer conductor 20, a dielectric 30, a center conductor 40, a coupling member 50, a rear pressing member 60, an elastic body 70, and a ball member 80.

[0031] The shell member 10 is a metal member having a generally cylindrical shape extending in the front-rear direction. As shown in Fig. 3, the shell member 10 has a front tubular portion 10A forming a front portion, a middle tubular portion 10B forming a middle portion in the front-rear direction, and a rear tubular portion 10C forming a rear portion. The middle tubular portion 10B is formed with a larger outer diameter than the front tubular portion 10A. The rear tubular portion 10C is also formed with a larger outer diameter than the front tubular portion 10A and the middle tubular portion 10B. A thread groove (not shown) for attaching the cable attachment portion 1B is formed on the inner circumferential surface of the rear portion of the rear tubular portion 10C.

[0032] The front portion of the front tubular portion 10A, specifically the portion located forward of the positioning portion 13 described below, forms an outer fitting portion 10A-1 for fitting with the mating connector 2. The outer fitting portion 10A-1 has a plurality of holes 11 formed therein that penetrate the outer fitting portion 10A-1 in the radial direction. The holes 11 are formed at equal intervals at a plurality of positions in the circumferential direction of the front tubular portion 10A. Each hole 11 accommodates a ball member 80. The hole 11 forms a substantially truncated conical space that narrows radially inward, and the inner surface of the hole 11 is substantially tapered.

[0033] The internal space of the shell member 10 has three spaces that communicate with each other in the front-rear direction, specifically, a front internal space 10D, a middle internal space 10E, and a rear internal space 10F. The front internal space 10D is formed in a range extending from the front end position of the front tubular portion 10A to the middle position of the middle tubular portion 10B in the front-rear direction. In the front internal space 10D, the space that forms the internal space of the outer fitting portion 10A-1 is formed as a receiving space 10D-1 for receiving a part of the mating connector 2 from the front. The middle internal space 10E is located rearward of the front internal space 10D and is formed in a range extending from the rear end position of the middle internal space 10E to the rear end position of the rear tubular portion 10C in the front-rear direction.

[0034] The intermediate internal space 10E is formed to be larger in the radial direction than the front internal space 10D. The rear internal space 10F is formed to be larger in the radial direction than the front internal space 10D and the intermediate internal space 10E. A step 12 is formed on the inner circumferential surface of the shell member 10 at the boundary position between the front internal space 10D and the intermediate internal space 10E, in other words, at the rear end position of the front internal space 10D. Furthermore, the inner circumferential surface of the shell member 10 is tapered in a range corresponding to the front portion of the rear internal space 10F, sloping radially outward as it extends rearward.

[0035] 3, the front internal space 10D accommodates the outer conductor 20, the dielectric 30, and the center conductor 40. The middle internal space 10E accommodates the interposed ring 130 and the interposed washer 140. The rear internal space 10F accommodates a portion of the cable attachment portion 1B.

[0036] The front tubular portion 10A is provided with a positioning portion 13 that protrudes from the inner peripheral surface at a central position in the front-rear direction and extends over the entire circumference. The positioning portion 13 positions the outer conductor 20 and the dielectric 30 in the front-rear direction by abutting against them. A small protrusion 13A that protrudes radially inward further than the other portions is formed at the rear of the positioning portion 13.

[0037] The outer peripheral surface of the shell member 10 is provided with a front support portion 14, a rear support portion 15, and an abutment portion 16. The front support portion 14 is a portion that can support the elastic body 70 from the front, and the rear support portion 15 is a portion that can support the elastic body 70 from the rear. As will be described later, the abutment portion 16 is a portion that can abut from the front or rear against the elastic body 70 in a maximally compressed state as the coupling member 50 moves in the front-to-rear direction (see, for example, Figures 5 and 9).

[0038] As shown in FIG. 3 , the front support portion 14 protrudes from the outer peripheral surface of the shell member 10 at a position within the range of the positioning portion 13 in the front-rear direction and extends over the entire circumferential direction. The rear support portion 15 is formed at the front end of the intermediate tubular portion 10B, rearward of the front support portion 14 and the abutment portion 16, and forms a step at the boundary with the front tubular portion 10A. The abutment portion 16 is located between the front support portion 14 and the rear support portion 15 in the front-rear direction, protrudes from the outer peripheral surface of the shell member 10, and extends over the entire circumferential direction. In this embodiment, the abutment portion 16 is provided at a central position between the front support portion 14 and the rear support portion 15 in the front-rear direction. Therefore, the distance between the front support portion 14 and the abutment portion 16 and the distance between the rear support portion 15 and the abutment portion 16 in the front-rear direction are equal.

[0039] As shown in Fig. 3, the outer conductor 20 is a substantially cylindrical metal member extending in the front-rear direction and is housed in the front internal space 10D of the shell member 10. The outer conductor 20 has a rear portion 21 formed to be thick in the radial direction, and a front portion 22 extending forward from the rear portion 21 and formed to be thinner in the radial direction than the rear portion 21. The rear portion 21 is located within the range of the positioning portion 13 of the shell member 10 in the front-rear direction, and its rear surface contacts the front surface of the small protrusion 13A from the front. The front portion 22 is located within the receiving space 10D-1 of the shell member 10 in the front-rear direction.

[0040] 3, the dielectric 30 is a substantially cylindrical member made of an electrical insulating material such as resin that extends in the front-rear direction, and is housed in the front internal space 10D of the shell member 10 while being held by the shell member 10 and the outer conductor 20. The dielectric 30 has a rear portion 31 that is located rearward of the positioning portion 13 of the shell member 10, and a front portion 32 that extends forward from the rear portion 31. The front portion 32 is formed to be smaller in the radial direction than the rear portion 31.

[0041] The rear portion 31 is press-fitted and held by the inner peripheral surface of the shell member 10. The front portion 32 is press-fitted and held by the inner peripheral surface of the small protrusion 13A of the shell member 10 and the inner peripheral surface of the outer conductor 20. The dielectric 30 is positioned in the front-to-rear direction by contacting the positioning portion 13 and the outer conductor 20 from behind with multiple steps formed on the outer peripheral surface. The rear end face of the rear portion 31 is located at the same position as the rear end of the front internal space 10D in the front-to-rear direction. A portion of the front portion 32 extends into the receiving space 10D-1 and forms an internal fitting portion 32A for fitting with the mating connector 2. The internal space of the internal fitting portion 32A is formed radially larger than the internal space of the rest of the dielectric 30 and forms part of the receiving space 10D-1.

[0042] The central conductor 40 is a metal member extending in the front-rear direction, and is housed in the internal space of the dielectric 30 while being held by the dielectric 30. The central conductor 40 has a connecting portion 41 provided at the rear end, a pin-shaped male contact portion 42 provided at the front end, and a linking portion 43 provided at an intermediate position and linking the connecting portion 41 and the contact portion 42. The connecting portion 41 is hollow, and the contact portion 42 and the linking portion 43 are solid.

[0043] The connecting portion 41 is adapted to be connected to a core wire (not shown) of a cable inserted from the rear. The contact portion 42 is housed in an extending state in the internal space of the inner fitting portion 32A of the dielectric 30 and is capable of contacting a mating center conductor 170 provided in the mating connector 2 (see FIG. 8). The connecting portion 41 and the linking portion 43 are press-fitted and held by the inner peripheral surface of the dielectric 30. The central conductor 40 is positioned in the front-rear direction by a step formed on the outer peripheral surface of the linking portion 43 coming into contact with a step formed on the inner peripheral surface of the dielectric 30 from the rear. The rear end of the connecting portion 41 is located at the same position as the rear end of the front internal space 10D in the front-rear direction.

[0044] The coupling member 50 is a metal member having a generally cylindrical shape that extends in the front-rear direction, and is fitted onto the shell member 10. The coupling member 50 is movable in the front-rear direction relative to the shell member 10 between a forward position (see FIGS. 5 to 7) and a backward position (see FIGS. 9 to 11). The coupling member 50 is located in a neutral position (see FIGS. 3 and 8) when not receiving an external force.

[0045] 3, when the coupling member 50 is in the neutral position, the front end of the coupling member 50 is located at the same position as the front end of the shell member 10 in the front-rear direction. In other words, the front end of the shell member 10 is located within the range of the coupling member 50 in the front-rear direction, which more effectively prevents the connector 1 from becoming large in the front-rear direction. In this embodiment, the front ends of the coupling member 50 and the shell member 10 are located at the same position. However, instead, when the coupling member is in the neutral position, the front end of the shell member may be located rearward of the front end of the coupling member.

[0046] The front portion of the coupling member 50 is formed with an intermediate protrusion 51, a front protrusion 52, and a rear protrusion 54, which protrude from the inner peripheral surface and extend over the entire circumferential direction. As shown in FIG. 3, the intermediate protrusion 51 protrudes so that its dimension in the front-to-rear direction decreases as it extends radially inward, and its cross section perpendicular to the circumferential direction is generally trapezoidal. The front surface of the intermediate protrusion 51 forms an inclined surface that slopes rearward as it extends radially inward. The rear surface of the intermediate protrusion 51 forms an inclined surface that slopes forward as it extends radially inward.

[0047] As shown in FIG. 3, the front protrusion 52 is located in front of and spaced apart from the intermediate protrusion 51, and forms part of the front end of the coupling member 50. The front protrusion 52 protrudes radially inward by a distance slightly greater than that of the intermediate protrusion 51, and its protruding top surface is located at approximately the same position in the radial direction as the outer circumferential surface of the shell member 10. As shown in FIG. 3, the front protrusion 52 protrudes such that its dimension in the front-to-rear direction decreases as it extends radially inward, and its cross section perpendicular to the circumferential direction is approximately trapezoidal. The front surface of the front protrusion 52 forms a surface perpendicular to the front-to-rear direction, and the rear surface of the front protrusion 52 forms an inclined surface that slopes forward as it extends radially inward.

[0048] A front space 53 is formed between the intermediate protrusion 51 and the front protrusion 52 in the front-rear direction and between the inner peripheral surface of the coupling member 50 and the outer peripheral surface of the shell member 10 in the radial direction.

[0049] As shown in Fig. 3, the rear protrusion 54 is located rearward of and spaced apart from the intermediate protrusion 51. The rear protrusion 54 protrudes radially inward by a slightly greater amount than the intermediate protrusion 51, and the protruding top surface is located at approximately the same position in the radial direction as the outer circumferential surface of the shell member 10. As shown in Fig. 3, the rear protrusion 54 protrudes such that its dimension in the front-to-rear direction decreases as it extends radially inward, and its cross section perpendicular to the circumferential direction is approximately trapezoidal. The front surface of the rear protrusion 54 forms an inclined surface that slopes rearward as it extends radially inward, and the rear surface of the rear protrusion 54 forms a surface perpendicular to the front-to-rear direction.

[0050] A rear space 55 is formed between the intermediate protrusion 51 and the rear protrusion 54 in the front-rear direction and between the inner peripheral surface of the coupling member 50 and the outer peripheral surface of the shell member 10 in the radial direction.

[0051] The coupling member 50 has a stepped forward pressing portion 56 formed on its inner circumferential surface at the boundary between the front and rear portions, with the inner circumferential surface of the rear portion positioned radially outward relative to the inner circumferential surface of the front portion. In other words, the interior space of the rear portion of the coupling member 50 is larger in the radial direction than the interior space of the front portion. As shown in FIG. 3, when the coupling member 50 is in the neutral position, the rear surface of the front pressing portion 56 is flush with the rear surface of the front support portion 14 of the shell member 10 in the front-to-rear direction. At this time, the rear surface of the front pressing portion 56 and the rear surface of the front support portion 14 contact the elastic body 70 from the front and support the elastic body 70. Furthermore, when the coupling member 50 is in the retracted position, the front pressing portion 56 is positioned rearward of the front support portion 14 and presses the elastic body 70 from the front (see FIGS. 9 to 11).

[0052] As shown in FIG. 3, the rear end portion of the coupling member 50 protrudes radially outward beyond the outer circumferential surface of the other portion of the coupling member 50, and is formed to be thicker in the radial direction than the other portion.

[0053] The rear pressing member 60 is a metal member that is fitted onto the shell member 10 and is attached by being inserted into the rear end of the coupling member 50 from the rear. The rear pressing member 60 has a cylindrical tubular portion 61 that extends in the front-rear direction and a protruding portion 62 that protrudes radially outward at the rear end of the tubular portion 61. The tubular portion 61, excluding the rear end, is press-fit into the rear end of the coupling member 50, and is positioned radially between the rear end of the coupling member 50 and the shell member 10. The rear pressing member 60 attached to the coupling member 50 in this manner is movable in the front-rear direction together with the coupling member 50. In other words, the rear pressing member 60 is also movable in the front-rear direction relative to the shell member 10.

[0054] The front end of the cylindrical portion 61 forms a rear pressing portion 61A that can press the elastic body 70 from behind. As shown in Fig. 3, when the coupling member 50 is in the neutral position, the front surface of the rear pressing portion 61A is located at the same position in the front-to-rear direction as the front surface of the rear support portion 15 of the shell member 10. At this time, the front surfaces of the rear pressing portion 61A and the rear support portion 15 come into contact with the elastic body 70 from behind and support the elastic body 70. Furthermore, when the coupling member 50 is in the forward position, the rear pressing portion 61A is located forward of the rear support portion 15 and presses the elastic body 70 from behind (see Figs. 5 to 7).

[0055] In this embodiment, as described above, when the coupling member 50 is in the neutral position, the rear surfaces of both the front support portion 14 and the front pressing portion 56 come into contact with the elastic body 70 from the front, and the front surfaces of both the rear support portion 15 and the rear pressing portion 61A come into contact with the elastic body 70 from the rear. Therefore, the elastic body 70 is supported from the front and rear with a sufficiently large contact area, so that the coupling member 50 can be well maintained in the neutral position.

[0056] 3, an accommodation space 10G for accommodating the elastic body 70 is formed between the rear portion of the coupling member 50 and the rear portion of the front tubular portion 10A of the shell member 10 in the radial direction. When the coupling member 50 is in the neutral position, the accommodation space 10G is formed between the front support portion 14 and the front pressing portion 56 and the rear support portion 15 and the rear pressing portion 61A in the front-rear direction.

[0057] The elastic body 70 has a spring member 71 that can expand and contract in the front-rear direction, a front ring 72 provided in front of the spring member 71, and a rear ring 73 provided behind the spring member 71. The spring member 71 is formed, for example, of a coil spring with an axis extending in the front-rear direction. The outer diameter of the spring member 71 is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the rear portion of the coupling member 50. The inner diameter of the spring member 71 is also slightly larger than the outer diameter of the abutting portion 16 of the shell member 10. Therefore, the spring member 71 does not interfere with the abutting portion 16 in the front-rear direction, allowing for smooth expansion and contraction.

[0058] The front ring 72 and the rear ring 73 are configured, for example, as C-rings made of metal plate. The outer diameters of the front ring 72 and the rear ring 73 are slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the rear portion of the coupling member 50. The inner diameters of the front ring 72 and the rear ring 73 are slightly larger than the outer peripheral surface of the shell member 10 and smaller than the inner diameter of the spring member 71. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 3, when the coupling member 50 is in the neutral position, the front surface of the front ring 72 is supported from the front by the rear surface of the front support portion 14 and the rear surface of the front pressing portion 56, and the rear surface of the rear ring 73 is supported from the rear by the front surface of the rear support portion 15 and the front surface of the rear pressing portion 61A.

[0059] The ball member 80 is configured as, for example, a metal sphere and is housed in the hole 11 of the shell member 10. The outer diameter of the ball member 80 is larger than the inner diameter of the radially inner opening of the hole 11, i.e., the opening formed on the inner circumferential surface of the shell member 10, and smaller than the inner diameter of the radially outer opening of the hole 11, i.e., the opening formed on the outer circumferential surface of the shell member 10. Because the outer diameter of the ball member 80 is larger than the radially inner opening of the hole 11, the ball member 80 engages with the inner circumferential edge (inner edge) of the opening from the radially outer side and partially protrudes radially inward from the opening. In this state, the movement of the ball member 80 in the front-rear direction and the circumferential direction of the shell member 10 is restricted by the inner circumferential edge of the opening. The portion of the ball member 80 protruding radially inward from the opening is located within the receiving space 10D-1 of the shell member 10. As shown in FIG. 3 , a gap is formed between the ball member 80 and the inner surface of the hole 11.

[0060] 3, when the coupling member 50 is in the neutral position, the ball member 80 is supported from the radially outward direction by the protruding top surface of the intermediate protrusion 51 of the coupling member 50, and its radially outward movement is restricted. When the coupling member 50 is in the advanced position, the ball member 80 is permitted to move radially outward by the rear space 55 of the coupling member 50 (see FIGS. 5 to 7), and when the coupling member 50 is in the retracted position, the ball member 80 is permitted to move radially outward by the front space 53 of the coupling member 50 (see FIGS. 9 to 11).

[0061] The components of the connector main body 1A having such a configuration are first assembled together in the following manner, except for the central conductor 40. The central conductor 40 is attached to the dielectric 30 after being connected to the front end portion of the cable, as will be described later.

[0062] First, the dielectric 30 is attached by inserting and press-fitting it into the shell member 10 from the rear. Next, the outer conductor 20 is inserted from the front onto the front portion 32 of the dielectric 30, and the rear portion 21 of the outer conductor 20 is inserted from the front between the inner circumferential surface of the positioning portion 13 of the shell member 10 and the outer circumferential surface of the front portion 32 of the dielectric 30. The rear portion 21 of the outer conductor 20 is press-fit and held by the inner circumferential surface of the positioning portion 13.

[0063] Next, the rear pressing member 60 is fitted onto the shell member 10 from the front and positioned within the range of the intermediate cylindrical portion 10B in the front-to-rear direction. Next, the spring member 71 is fitted onto the shell member 10 from the front and positioned between the front support portion 14 and the rear support portion 15 in the front-to-rear direction. Furthermore, a front ring 72, which is a C-ring, is attached to the shell member 10 from the radially outer side at a position between the front support portion 14 and the spring member 71 in the front-to-rear direction. Furthermore, a rear ring 73, which is also a C-ring, is attached to the shell member 10 from the radially outer side at a position between the rear support portion 15 and the spring member 71 in the front-to-rear direction.

[0064] Next, the ball members 80 are placed in each hole 11 of the shell member 10 from the radially outer side of the shell member 10. Next, the coupling member 50 is attached to the shell member 10 by being inserted from the front. Furthermore, the cylindrical portion 61 of the rear pressing member 60 is inserted from the rear into the gap between the outer peripheral surface of the intermediate cylindrical portion 10B of the shell member 10 and the inner peripheral surface of the rear end portion of the coupling member 50, and the cylindrical portion 61 is press-fit and held by the rear end portion of the coupling member 50. In this manner, assembly of the connector main body 1A (excluding the center conductor 40) is completed.

[0065] When the connector main body 1A (excluding the center conductor 40) is fully assembled, the front support portion 14 of the shell member 10 and the front pressing portion 56 of the coupling member 50 support the front ring 72 from the front, and the rear support portion 15 of the shell member 10 and the rear pressing portion 61A of the rear pressing member 60 support the rear ring 73 from the rear. Therefore, the front support portion 14 and the front pressing portion 56 support the spring member 71 from the front via the front ring 72, and the rear support portion 15 and the rear pressing portion 61A support the spring member 71 from the rear via the rear ring 73. The spring member 71 maintains the coupling member 50 in the neutral position shown in FIG. 3 in the front-to-rear direction by a reaction force (elastic force) against the supporting forces from the front and rear. In other words, the spring member 71 applies an elastic force to the front pressing portion 56 and the rear pressing portion 61A to bring the coupling member 50 to the neutral position.

[0066] 3, the intermediate protrusion 51 of the coupling member 50 supports the ball member 80 from the radially outer side of the shell member 10, restricting radially outward movement of the ball member 80. The inner peripheral edge of the opening of the hole 11 formed in the inner peripheral surface of the shell member 10 also restricts movement of the ball member 80 in the front-to-rear direction and in the circumferential direction of the shell member 10.

[0067] 3, the cable attachment portion 1B has a clamp 90, a rubber ring 100, a washer 110, and a fastener 120. The clamp 90, rubber ring 100, washer 110, and fastener 120 are arranged adjacent to each other in this order from the front, and are housed in a rear internal space 10F of the shell member 10, except for the rear portion of the fastener 120. The internal spaces of the clamp 90, rubber ring 100, washer 110, and fastener 120 are connected in the front-to-rear direction, allowing the front end portion of the cable (not shown) to be inserted from the rear.

[0068] The clamp 90 is a metal member having a generally cylindrical shape extending in the front-rear direction. The front portion of the clamp 90 has a tapered outer peripheral surface that conforms to the inner peripheral surface of the front portion of the rear cylindrical portion 10C. Specifically, the outer peripheral surface is inclined so that the outer diameter decreases toward the front. The inner peripheral surface of the clamp 90 has a step portion 91 formed at the boundary between the front and rear portions. As a result, the internal space at the rear of the clamp 90 has a larger diameter than the internal space at the front. The clamp 90 is positioned with its front surface in contact with the rear surface of the interposition ring 130.

[0069] Rubber ring 100 is an annular rubber member, and is disposed with its front surface in contact with the rear surface of clamp 90. The inner diameter of rubber ring 100 is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the rear portion of clamp 90. Washer 110 is an annular plate-shaped metal member, and is disposed with its front surface in contact with the rear surface of rubber ring 100. The inner diameter of washer 110 is approximately the same as the inner diameter of the rear portion of clamp 90.

[0070] Fastener 120 is a metal member having a generally cylindrical shape extending in the front-to-rear direction. A screw thread (not shown) is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the front portion of fastener 120. Fastener 120 is attached to shell member 10 by threading the screw thread into a screw groove (not shown) on the inner peripheral surface of shell member 10. As shown in FIG. 3 , when fastener 120 is attached to shell member 10, the front surface of fastener 120 comes into contact with the rear surface of washer 110.

[0071] 3, the interposition ring 130 and the interposition washer 140 are housed in the intermediate internal space 10E of the shell member 10. The interposition ring 130 is a metal member having a circular ring shape, and is formed with an outer diameter that is approximately the same as the inner diameter of the shell member 10 at the position of the intermediate internal space 10E, and its outer peripheral surface is in contact with the inner peripheral surface of the shell member 10. In addition, the front surface of the interposition ring 130 is in contact with the rear surface of the step portion 12 of the shell member 10 and the rear surface of the dielectric 30.

[0072] The intermediate washer 140 is an annular rubber member. As shown in FIG. 3 , the intermediate washer 140 has an outer diameter that is approximately the same as the inner diameter of the intermediate ring 130, and is formed with approximately the same dimensions as the intermediate ring 130 in the front-to-rear direction, and is housed in the internal space of the intermediate ring 130. The front surface of the intermediate washer 140 is in contact with the rear surface of the dielectric 30. The internal diameter of the intermediate washer 140 is slightly smaller than the internal diameter of the connection portion 41 of the central conductor 40. The internal space of the connection portion 41 and the internal space of the cable attachment portion 1B are in communication with each other via the internal space of the intermediate washer 140.

[0073] The cable attachment part 1B is attached to the front end portion of the cable by fitting the fastener 120, washer 110, rubber ring 100, and clamp 90, in that order, onto the front end portion of the cable. At this time, the cable sheath (not shown) is held in the radial direction by the rear portion of the clamp 90, the rubber ring 100, the washer 110, and the inner circumferential surface of the front portion of the fastener 120. Furthermore, the shielding layer (not shown) exposed from the cable sheath is held in the radial direction by the inner circumferential surface of the front portion of the clamp 90. Furthermore, the front end of the cable sheath abuts against the step portion 91 of the clamp 90 from behind, thereby positioning the cable in the front-to-rear direction.

[0074] The front end portion of the cable to which the cable attachment portion 1B is attached is connected to the connector main body 1A in the following manner. First, the core wire exposed at the front end portion of the cable is inserted into the internal space of the connection portion 41 of the center conductor 40 and connected to the connection portion 41 by soldering, crimping, or the like. Next, the interposition ring 130 is inserted from the rear into the intermediate internal space 10E of the shell member 10 and accommodated therein. Next, the interposition washer 140 is inserted from the rear into the internal space of the interposition ring 130 and accommodated therein. Next, the front end portion of the cable to which the center conductor 40 is connected is inserted from the rear into the connector main body 1A (excluding the center conductor 40) together with the cable attachment portion 1B, and the front portion of the fastener 120 is screwed and attached to the rear portion of the shell member 10. At this time, the center conductor 40 is inserted and press-fit into the dielectric 30 from the rear.

[0075] When the cable attachment portion 1B is attached to the connector main body 1A, the front surface of the clamp 90 contacts the interposition ring 130. The interposition ring 130 also contacts the shell member 10 on its outer circumferential surface and front surface. Therefore, the shield layer of the cable is electrically conductive with the shell member 10 via the clamp 90 and the interposition ring 130.

[0076] 3, the mating connector 2 has a mating outer conductor 150, a mating dielectric 160, a mating center conductor 170, and a retaining ring 180. The mating outer conductor 150, the mating dielectric 160, the mating center conductor 170, and the retaining ring 180 have the same axis extending in the front-to-rear direction, and are arranged concentrically on the axis.

[0077] The mating outer conductor 150 is a metal member and has a plate-shaped base 151 extending perpendicularly to the front-rear direction, and a substantially cylindrical tubular portion 152 extending rearward (in the X2 direction) from the rear surface of the base 151.

[0078] 1 and 2, the base 151 is a plate-like portion having a substantially rectangular outer shape when viewed in the front-to-rear direction. At each corner of the base 151, one mounting hole 151A is formed, which is a screw hole that penetrates the base 151 in the front-to-rear direction. In this embodiment, a screw member (not shown) is screwed from behind into the mounting hole 151A and a screw hole (not shown) provided in the housing of the electronic device corresponding to the mounting hole 151A, thereby attaching the mating connector 2 to the housing.

[0079] The rear of the cylindrical portion 152, i.e., the portion located rearward of a positioning protrusion 152B described below, forms a mating outer fitting portion 152A for fitting with the connector 1. The internal space of the mating outer fitting portion 152A is formed as a mating receiving space 153 for receiving a part of the connector 1 from behind.

[0080] The mating outer fitting portion 152A is formed with an annular groove-shaped locking portion 152A-1 that recesses from the outer peripheral surface at a position near the rear end and extends circumferentially. As shown in FIG. 3, the inner surface of the locking portion 152A-1 on the front side (X1 side) forms an inclined surface that slopes forward as it extends radially inward of the mating outer fitting portion 152A. The inner surface of the locking portion 152A-1 on the rear side (X2 side) forms an inclined surface that slopes rearward as it extends radially inward of the mating outer fitting portion 152A. When the connectors are mated and connected, the locking portion 152A-1 is capable of receiving a portion of the ball member 80 of the connector 1 and locking with the portion in the front-rear direction (see FIG. 8).

[0081] As shown in Fig. 3, the cylindrical portion 152 is formed with a positioning protrusion 152B that protrudes from the inner circumferential surface and extends over the entire circumferential direction at a midpoint in the front-rear direction, specifically at the boundary between the front and rear portions. The positioning protrusion 152B is a portion that positions the mating dielectric 160 in the front-rear direction. Also, as shown in Fig. 3, the inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion 152 is formed with a step 152C at a position closer to the front end. As a result, the internal space of the front end portion (the portion forward of the step 152C) of the cylindrical portion 152 is larger in the radial direction than the internal space of the other portions.

[0082] The mating dielectric 160 is a generally cylindrical member extending in the front-rear direction and made of an electrically insulating material such as resin. It has an intermediate cylindrical portion 161 forming the middle portion in the front-rear direction, an inner mating portion 162 extending rearward from the intermediate cylindrical portion 161, and an extending portion 163 extending forward from the intermediate cylindrical portion 161. The intermediate cylindrical portion 161 is housed in the internal space at the front of the cylindrical portion 152. As shown in FIG. 3, the rear end of the intermediate cylindrical portion 161 has a slightly smaller diameter than the other portions, and a step 161A is formed at the boundary between the rear end and the other portions.

[0083] The mating internal fitting portion 162 has a smaller diameter than the intermediate cylindrical portion 161. The mating internal fitting portion 162 is a portion for fitting with the connector 1, and is housed in the internal space of the mating external fitting portion 152A, i.e., the mating receiving space 153. The extending portion 163 extends forward beyond the front surface of the base portion 151, and is located outside the mating outer conductor 150.

[0084] The mating center conductor 170 is a metal member extending in the front-rear direction and is held by the mating dielectric 160. The mating center conductor 170 has a mating connecting portion 171 provided at the front end, a mating contacting portion 172 provided at the rear end, and a mating linking portion 173 provided at an intermediate position and linking the mating connecting portion 171 and the mating contacting portion 172. The mating connecting portion 171 extends forward beyond the front surface of the mating dielectric 160 and is located outside the mating dielectric 160. The mating contacting portion 172 is housed in the internal space of the mating internal fitting portion 162, and the mating linking portion 173 is housed in the internal spaces of the intermediate tubular portion 161 and the extending portion 163.

[0085] The mating connecting portion 171 is solid and can be connected to a corresponding circuit portion (not shown) provided in an electronic device. The mating contact portion 172 is a hollow female contact portion that can receive the contact portion 42 of the center conductor 40 provided in the connector 1 from behind and come into contact with the contact portion 42 (see FIG. 8). The mating coupling portion 173 is solid and is press-fitted into the intermediate tubular portion 161 and the extending portion 163 of the mating dielectric 160. As a result, the mating center conductor 170 is held by the mating dielectric 160.

[0086] 3, an annular groove-shaped end recess 2A that is open toward the front is formed in the mating outer conductor 150 and the mating dielectric 160 by the inner circumferential surface of the front end of the tubular portion 152 and the outer circumferential surface of the front end of the intermediate tubular portion 161 respectively sinking in the radial direction. The retaining ring 180 is an annular member made of metal, and is housed and held in the end recess 2A by being press-fitted from the front.

[0087] The mating connector 2 having such a configuration is assembled as follows. First, the mating dielectric 160 is inserted into the internal space of the mating outer conductor 150 from the front. Next, the retaining ring 180 is inserted onto the mating dielectric 160 from the rear and press-fitted into the end recess 2A from the rear. At this time, the retaining ring 180 abuts from the front against the inner surfaces of the end recess 2A, i.e., the step 152C of the mating outer conductor 150 and the step 161A of the mating dielectric 160. As a result, the step 161A engages with the retaining ring 180 from the rear, preventing the mating dielectric 160 from slipping out of the mating outer conductor 150. Next, the mating center conductor 170 is press-fitted into the mating dielectric 160 from the front and held in place. In this manner, assembly of the mating connector 2 is completed.

[0088] Next, a description will be given of the mating operation of the connector 1 and the mating connector 2. With regard to the movement of the ball members 80 during the mating connection process, the description will be mainly focused on the ball members 80 located on the upper side in FIG.

[0089] First, the front end portion of a cable (not shown) is connected to connector 1, and the mating connector 2 is attached to the housing of the electronic device by screws. Next, as shown in Figures 1 to 3, connector 1 is positioned behind the mating connector 2. Specifically, connector 1 is positioned on the same axis as the mating connector 2 so that receiving space 10D-1 of connector 1 faces mating receiving space 153 of the mating connector 2.

[0090] Next, with the coupling member 50 pinched between the fingers, the connector 1 is moved forward to mate with the mating connector 2. At this time, the mating outer mating portion 152A and the mating inner mating portion 162 of the mating connector 2 are received from the front into the receiving space 10D-1 of the connector 1. Also, the inner mating portion 32A of the connector 1 enters the mating receiving space 153 of the mating connector 2 from the rear.

[0091] When the mating and connecting operation is started, first, as shown in Fig. 4, the rear end of the mating outer fitting portion 152A of the mating connector 2 abuts from the front against a part of the ball member 80 of the connector 1, specifically, the portion protruding from the hole 11 into the receiving space 10D-1. At this time, since the coupling member 50 is in the neutral position, the ball member 80 is restricted from moving in the front-rear direction and in the circumferential direction of the shell member 10 by the inner peripheral edge of the hole 11, and is restricted from moving radially outward by the intermediate protrusion 51 of the coupling member 50. Therefore, as shown in Fig. 5, while the rear end of the mating outer fitting portion 152A remains in abutment against the ball member 80 from the front, the coupling member 50 and the rear pressing member 60 move forward relative to the shell member 10, and the coupling member 50 is brought to the advanced position. At this time, in the elastic body 70, the front ring 72 is supported from the front by the front support portion 14 of the shell member 10, while the rear ring 73 is pressed from the rear by the rear pressing portion 61A of the rear pressing member 60, so that the spring member 71 is in a maximally compressed state.

[0092] 5, when the coupling member 50 is in the forward position, the rear surface of the abutting portion 16 of the coupling member 50 is in contact with the front surface of the rear ring 73 of the elastic body 70, and abuts against the rear ring 73 from the front. Therefore, the amount of compression of the spring member 71 in the front-rear direction, and therefore the amount of forward movement of the coupling member 50, can be kept within a predetermined range. As a result, the operating range of the connector 1 in the front-rear direction when the connectors are mated can be reduced.

[0093] When the coupling member 50 is brought to the forward position, as shown in FIG. 5, the rear space 55 of the coupling member 50 is positioned to correspond to the ball member 80 in the front-rear direction. Specifically, the rear space 55 is positioned to include the ball member 80 in the front-rear direction. Therefore, the rear space 55 allows the ball member 80 to move radially outward. Note that, as shown in FIG. 5, the ball member 80 located on the lower side moves downward due to its own weight at this point, and a portion of the ball member 80 protrudes into the rear space 55. At this time, the ball member 80 does not protrude radially inward.

[0094] Next, as shown in Figure 6, the ball member 80 is pushed by the rear end of the mating outer fitting portion 152A of the mating connector 2 and moves radially outward, allowing the connector 1 to move forward. At this time, the ball member 80 is supported from the radially inner side by the rear end of the mating outer fitting portion 152A and does not protrude radially inward from the hole portion 11. Meanwhile, a portion of the ball member 80 protrudes radially outward from the hole portion 11 and becomes positioned within the rear space 55. Also, at this time, as shown in Figure 6, the contact portion 42 of the connector 1 begins to enter the mating contact portion 172 of the mating connector 2.

[0095] When the connector 1 further advances and reaches the correct mating position, the locking portion 152A-1 of the mating connector 2 is positioned corresponding to the ball member 80 in the front-to-rear direction, as shown in Fig. 7. Specifically, the locking portion 152A-1 is placed in radial communication with the hole 11. As a result, the ball member 80 moves radially inward due to its own weight, and a portion of it protrudes from the hole 11. The protruding portion of the ball member 80 is then received in the locking portion 152A-1 and is locked against the inner surface of the locking portion 152A-1 in the front-to-rear direction.

[0096] 7, in the correct mating position, the contact portion 42 of the connector 1 penetrates deep into the mating contact portion 172 of the mating connector 2 and makes contact with the mating contact portion 172 with radial pressure. As a result, the center conductor 40 and the mating center conductor 170 are electrically connected. Furthermore, the mating outer fitting portion 152A of the mating outer conductor 150 of the mating connector 2 penetrates deep into the receiving space 10D-1 of the connector 1 and makes contact with the outer fitting portion 10A-1 of the shell member 10 and the front portion 22 of the outer conductor 20 with radial pressure. As a result, the shell member 10, the outer conductor 20, and the mating outer conductor 150 are electrically connected.

[0097] Next, when the finger is released from the coupling member 50, the spring member 71 of the elastic body 70 is released from its maximum compression state. As a result, as shown in FIG. 8, the coupling member 50 and the rearward pressing member 60 move rearward due to the elastic force (restoring force) of the spring member 71, and the coupling member 50 returns to its neutral position. This movement of the coupling member 50 and the rearward pressing member 60 is relative to the shell member 10. When the coupling member 50 returns to its neutral position, the intermediate protrusion 51 of the coupling member 50 restricts the radially outward movement of the ball member 80. As a result, the protruding portion of the ball member 80 (the portion protruding radially inward from the hole 11) and the locking portion 152A-1 remain locked together, preventing accidental disconnection of the connectors. In this way, the mating and connecting operation of the connectors is completed.

[0098] Next, the operation of extracting the connectors from each other will be described. When extracting the connector 1 from the mating connector 2, the coupling member 50 of the connector 1 is pinched with the fingers and the connector 1 is pulled rearward. In the mated connection state, as described above, the protruding portion of the ball member 80 and the locking portion 152A-1 are locked. Therefore, when the extraction operation is started, the coupling member 50 and the rear pressing member 60 first move rearward relative to the shell member 10, and the coupling member 50 is brought to the retracted position. As a result, as shown in FIG. 9 , the front space 53 is positioned to correspond to the ball member 80 in the front-rear direction. Specifically, the front space 53 is positioned so as to include the ball member 80 in the front-rear direction. Therefore, the front space 53 allows the ball member 80 to move radially outward.

[0099] Furthermore, when the coupling member 50 is brought to the retracted position, in the elastic body 70, the rear ring 73 is supported from the rear by the rear support portion 15 of the shell member 10, while the front ring 72 is pressed from the front by the front pressing portion 56 of the coupling member 50, so that the spring member 71 is in a maximally compressed state.

[0100] 9, when the coupling member 50 is in the retracted position, the abutting portion 16 of the coupling member 50 is in a state in which the front surface thereof contacts the rear surface of the front ring 72 of the elastic body 70, and abuts against the front ring 72 from behind. Therefore, the amount of compression of the spring member 71 in the front-to-rear direction, and therefore the amount of rearward movement of the coupling member 50, can be kept within a predetermined range. As a result, the operating range of the connector 1 in the front-to-rear direction when the connector is removed can be reduced.

[0101] In this embodiment, the rear inner surface of the locking portion 152A-1 forms an inclined surface that slopes forward as it extends radially inward. Therefore, when the connector 1 is pulled rearward, the protruding portion of the ball member 80 receives a force directed forward and radially outward from the rear inner surface (inclined surface). Then, as shown in FIG. 10, the ball member 80 moves radially outward due to the radially outward force. As a result, the engagement between the ball member 80 and the locking portion 152A-1 is released, allowing the connector 1 to move further rearward. Then, as shown in FIG. 11, by continuing to pull the connector 1 rearward, the connector 1 is removed from the mating connector 2, completing the removal operation.

[0102] As described above, in this embodiment, the ball member 80 moves only in the radial direction relative to the shell member 10 during the mating and connecting operation and the removal operation of the connectors. Therefore, it is not necessary to form the hole with a shape that extends long in the front-rear direction to allow the ball member to move in the front-rear direction as in the conventional case, and therefore it is possible to effectively avoid an increase in the size of the shell member and therefore the connector in the front-rear direction compared to the conventional case.

[0103] In the previously described embodiment, the coupling member 50 was provided with the front protrusion 52 and the rear protrusion 54, but as a modified example, the front protrusion 52 and the rear protrusion 54 can be omitted. Therefore, in this modified example, as shown in FIG. 12 , the front space 53 is open to the front, and the rear space 55 is open to the rear, which is a difference in configuration from the previously described embodiment. In this modified example, as in the previously described embodiment, when the coupling member 50 is in the advanced position, the rear space 55 allows the ball members 80 to move radially outward, and when the coupling member 50 is in the retracted position, the front space 53 allows the ball members 80 to move radially outward.

[0104] In the embodiment described above, the movement of the ball member 80 in the front-rear and circumferential directions is restricted by the inner peripheral edge of the hole portion 11 of the shell member 10. However, as an alternative modification, for example, the movement of the ball member 80 in the front-rear and circumferential directions may be restricted by the inner surface of the hole portion. In this modification, at least a portion of the inner surface of the hole portion is formed in a shape that allows surface contact with the outer surface of the ball member.

[0105] In the embodiment described above, the rear pressing portion 61A is provided on the rear pressing member 60 that is separate from the coupling member 50. However, as a modified example, the rear pressing portion may be provided as part of the coupling member. In this case, the rear pressing portion is provided, for example, on the rear end portion of the coupling member. In this modified example, there is no need to provide a separate member separate from the coupling member in order to provide the rear pressing portion, so the number of parts can be reduced.

[0106] In the above-described embodiment, the coupling member is held with fingers when connecting and unconnecting the connectors, but instead, the coupling member may be held with a jig or the like, for example. [Explanation of symbols]

[0107] 1 connector 2 Mating connector 10 Shell member 10G storage space 11 Hole 14 Front support part 15 Rear support part 16 Contact part 20 outer conductor 30 Dielectric 40 Center conductor 50 Coupling member 51 Intermediate protrusion (protrusion) 53 Front space 55 Rear space 56 Front pressure part 60 Rear pressing member 61A Rear pressing part 70 Elastic Body 80 Ball member 152A-1 Locking part

Claims

1. A coaxial electrical connector having an axis extending in the front-rear direction and mated with a mating connector in a forward direction, a shell member having a cylindrical shape extending in the front-rear direction and having at least one hole penetrating therethrough in the radial direction; an outer conductor, a dielectric, and a central conductor provided within the shell member; a coupling member that is fitted onto the shell member and is movable in the front-rear direction relative to the shell member between an advanced position and a retracted position; a ball member accommodated in the hole; 1. A coaxial electrical connector having: an elastic body that is accommodated in an accommodation space formed between an outer peripheral surface of the shell member and an inner peripheral surface of the coupling member at a position different from the ball member in the front-rear direction and that is expandable and contractible in the front-rear direction; a front support portion provided on the shell member and capable of supporting the elastic body from the front, and a rear support portion provided on the shell member and capable of supporting the elastic body from the rear; a front pressing portion provided on the coupling member and capable of pressing the elastic body from the front, and a rear pressing portion provided on the coupling member and capable of pressing the elastic body from the rear; and the elastic body is capable of applying an elastic force to the front pressing portion and the rear pressing portion so as to bring the coupling member to a neutral position between an advanced position and a retracted position, the coupling member has a protrusion protruding from an inner peripheral surface of the coupling member, forming a front space between the protrusion and the outer peripheral surface of the shell member in front of the protrusion, and forming a rear space between the protrusion and the outer peripheral surface of the shell member in rear of the protrusion, The ball member is restricted in its movement in the front-rear direction by the inner edge or inner surface of the hole portion, and is movable in the radial direction, and a part of the ball member protruding radially inward from the hole portion can be engaged with an engaging portion provided on the mating connector, When the coupling member is in a neutral position, the protrusion is located in a position corresponding to the ball member in the front-rear direction and restricts the movement of the ball member outward in the radial direction, When the coupling member is in the forward position, the rear space is located corresponding to the ball member in the front-rear direction and allows the ball member to move radially outward, When the coupling member is in the retracted position, the front space is positioned corresponding to the ball member in the front-rear direction, and allows the ball member to move radially outward.

1. A coaxial electrical connector comprising:

2. 2. The coaxial electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein when the coupling member is in a neutral position, the rear surfaces of the front support portion and the front pressing portion are in the same position in the fore-and-aft direction and are in contact with the elastic body from the front at their respective rear surfaces, and the front surfaces of the rear support portion and the rear pressing portion are in the same position in the fore-and-aft direction and are in contact with the elastic body from the rear at their respective front surfaces.

3. the shell member has an abutment portion that protrudes from an outer peripheral surface of the shell member within the range of the accommodation space in the front-rear direction, 2. The coaxial electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the abutment portion abuts from the front against the rear portion of the elastic body pressed by the rear pressing portion when the coupling member is in the forward position, and abuts from the rear against the front portion of the elastic body pressed by the front pressing portion when the coupling member is in the retracted position.

4. 2. The coaxial electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the rearward pressing portion is provided on a member that is fitted onto the shell member and attached to the coupling member from behind.

5. 2. The coaxial electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the front end of said shell member is positioned at the same position as or further rearward than the front end of said coupling member when said coupling member is in a neutral position.

6. 6. An electrical connector assembly comprising the coaxial electrical connector according to claim 1 and a mating connector that is mated with the coaxial electrical connector.

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