connector

Abstract

In electronic devices employing a power-superimposed method, this invention provides a connector that stabilizes the electrical characteristics of filters used for merging or separating power and signals, while also being advantageous for saving space on the circuit board. [Solution] The connector 1 comprises a rod-shaped central conductor 10, a cylindrical outer conductor 20, a cylindrical dielectric 30 disposed between the central conductor 10 and the outer conductor 20, a multilayer thin-film filter component 40, and a housing 60 that houses at least the filter component 40. The filter component 40 includes a first filter portion 51 disposed on the outer circumference of the outer conductor 20 and functioning as an inductor, and a second filter portion 52 formed inside the central conductor 10 and functioning as a capacitor. The filter component 40 has alignment holes 43, and the housing 60 has projections 65 into which the holes 43 engage.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a connector.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, in signal transmission such as in-vehicle cameras, as the data amount increases with higher resolution, the signal frequency and speed have been increasing. For example, in the transmission of high-speed signals in in-vehicle cameras, a signal standard for gigabit transmission is adopted. In this case, as a connection form of the wire harness, a signal line corresponding to Point to Point communication is required between an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) including an image processing circuit and the camera. Therefore, as wiring is required for each image sensor of the camera, the wiring and connectors are concentrated on the ECU, which may lead to an increase in the diameter of the wire harness or the enlargement of the entire device. Thus, for example, the adoption of a power superposition method is progressing, in which power is superimposed on a signal line that is a single coaxial cable, and the function of acquiring a signal from the camera and the function of supplying power for driving the camera are combined to reduce the number of wires.

[0003] However, in the power superposition method, it is necessary to provide a filter section for combining or separating power and signals on each of the substrate section of the ECU to which one end of the coaxial cable is connected and the substrate section of the camera to which the other end of the coaxial cable is connected. Therefore, even when the power superposition method is adopted, there is a concern that the mounting area increases on each substrate section.

[0004] On the other hand, for example, it is also conceivable to provide a filter function for combining or separating power and signals in a connector attached to the terminal of the coaxial cable. Patent Document 1 discloses a technique related to a connector with a noise filter in which a multilayer thin film filter is inserted so as to penetrate a connector pin to conduct a desired layer and the connector pin.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 11-329609 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] In the connector disclosed in Patent Document 1, deformation when the filter is pressed onto the connector pins or deformation over time may cause conductivity with layers other than the desired layer, resulting in the filter function failing to manifest and potentially causing a short circuit. Furthermore, if the filter is subjected to stress and deformed when the mating connector is engaged, the electrical characteristics of the filter, such as capacitor capacity, may change, potentially resulting in the inability to obtain the desired characteristics. Moreover, while it is possible to form a shunt-type filter circuit that contacts the connector pins and connects to ground in the signal path, it is not possible to arrange the filter circuits in series, so it can only function as a low-pass filter.

[0007] This invention has been made in view of the problems of the prior art. The object of this invention is to provide a connector that is advantageous for saving space on the circuit board while stabilizing the electrical characteristics of a filter for merging or separating power and signals in electronic equipment employing a power superposition method. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] A connector according to an aspect of the present invention comprises a rod-shaped central conductor, a cylindrical outer conductor arranged coaxially with respect to the central conductor, a cylindrical dielectric disposed between the central conductor and the outer conductor, a multilayer thin-film filter component including a first filter section disposed on the outer circumference of the outer conductor and functioning as an inductor, and a second filter section formed inside the central conductor and functioning as a capacitor, an output wire branching from between the tip of the central conductor and the second filter section and connected to one end of the first filter section, an input / output wire connected to the other end of the first filter section and connected to an external power supply path, and a housing that houses at least a portion of each of the central conductor, the outer conductor, and the dielectric, and the filter component, wherein the filter component has alignment holes and the housing has protrusions into which the holes engage. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, in electronic devices employing a power superimposed method, it is possible to provide a connector that stabilizes the electrical characteristics of a filter for merging or separating power and signals while also being advantageous for saving space on the circuit board. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view of a connector according to one embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a cross-sectional view of the connector cut at section II-II in Figure 1. [Figure 3] This is a cross-sectional view of the connector cut at section III-III in Figure 1. [Figure 4] This is a schematic plan view of a multilayer thin-film filter component. [Figure 5] This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the filter component cut at section VV in Figure 4. [Figure 6] This is a schematic partial cross-sectional view of the filter component corresponding to section VI-VI in Figure 5. [Figure 7A] This is an explanatory diagram showing the procedure for incorporating a multilayer thin-film filter component. [Figure 7B]It is an explanatory diagram showing the procedure for incorporating a multilayer thin-film filter component. [Figure 7C] It is an explanatory diagram showing the procedure for incorporating a multilayer thin-film filter component. [Figure 7D] It is an explanatory diagram showing the procedure for incorporating a multilayer thin-film filter component. [Figure 8] It is a schematic plan view of a filter component according to another embodiment. [Figure 9] It is a schematic plan view of a filter component according to still another embodiment. [Figure 10] It is a schematic plan view of a filter component according to another embodiment. [Figure 11] It is a schematic perspective view of a center conductor and a filter component according to another embodiment. [Figure 12] It is a schematic perspective view of the center conductor of FIG. 11 disassembled. [Figure 13] It is a schematic perspective view of an enlarged main part of the disassembled center conductor. [Figure 14] It is a schematic side cross-sectional view of the center conductor and the filter component shown in FIG. 11. [Figure 15] It is a schematic cross-sectional view of an enlarged main part corresponding to part XV of FIG. 14.

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0011] Hereinafter, the connector according to the present embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the dimensional ratios in the drawings are exaggerated for the convenience of explanation and may differ from the actual ratios.

[0012] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a connector 1 according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the connector 1 cut along line II-II of FIG. 1. The cutting plane in FIG. 2 is perpendicular to the connection direction of the connector 1 and is a virtual plane including a filter component 40 to be described later. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the connector 1 cut along line III-III of FIG. 1. The cutting plane in FIG. 3 is a virtual plane including the central axis of the center conductor 10 to be described later.

[0013] In this embodiment, as an example, the connection direction of connector 1 is defined as the Z direction, and the plane perpendicular to the Z direction is defined as the XY plane. The X direction and the Y direction are perpendicular to each other. Hereinafter, with reference to the connection direction of connector 1, the upstream side in the Z direction, i.e., the side on which connector 1 is mounted on the circuit board of the electronic device, may be referred to as the "rear," and the downstream side in the Z direction, i.e., the side on which connector 1 is mated to the external connector, may be referred to as the "front." For convenience, the electronic device on which connector 1 is installed and the external connector mated to connector 1 are not shown.

[0014] Connector 1 is intended to be used in a signal transmission path employing a power-over-coaxial method. In this embodiment, as an example, connector 1 is used in a signal transmission path in an in-vehicle camera equipped with a camera module and an ECU that performs image processing, etc., where the camera module and the ECU are electrically connected by a single coaxial cable. In this case, connector 1 is installed separately on the camera module and the ECU. That is, a first external connector attached to one end of the coaxial cable is mated to the connector 1 installed on the camera module. A second external connector attached to the other end of the coaxial cable is mated to the connector 1 installed on the ECU.

[0015] Connector 1 is a coaxial connector comprising a central conductor 10, an outer conductor 20, a dielectric 30, a filter component 40, and a housing 60.

[0016] The central conductor 10 is a rod-shaped member with its extension direction in the Z direction. In this embodiment, the central conductor 10 is cylindrical. The front end 10a of the central conductor 10 is electrically connected to the core wire, which is the internal conductor of the coaxial cable, when the external connector is fitted into the connector 1. The rear end 10b of the central conductor 10 is electrically connected to an IC (integrated circuit) on the circuit board of the electronic device on which the connector 1 is installed. Specifically, in the case of a connector 1 installed in an ECU, the rear end 10b is electrically connected to a deserializer IC mounted on the circuit board of the ECU. On the other hand, in the case of a connector 1 installed in a camera module, the rear end 10b is electrically connected to a serializer IC mounted on the circuit board of the camera module.

[0017] In this embodiment, the central conductor 10 is divided into three parts: a front end 10a, a rear end 10b, and an intermediate part 10c which is incorporated into the filter component 40 described later (see Figure 5). When the filter component 40 is assembled to the housing 60, the end face of the front end 10a and the end face of the intermediate part 10c described later are in contact with each other, and the end face of the rear end 10b and the end face of the film layer 53b are in contact with each other. In this case, a front opening 40a into which the front end 10a of the central conductor 10 can be inserted may be formed on the front surface of the filter component 40, and a rear opening 40b into which the rear end 10b of the central conductor 10 can be inserted may be formed on the rear surface of the filter component 40.

[0018] The outer conductor 20 is a cylindrical member that is arranged coaxially with the central conductor 10, with at least a portion of the central conductor 10 passing through it to the inside. In this embodiment, the outer conductor 20 has a cylindrical body 21 and a flange portion 22.

[0019] The cylindrical body 21 is the main body of the outer conductor 20, and in this embodiment, it is cylindrical in shape. The front end of the cylindrical body 21 is electrically connected to the braided shield, which is the outer conductor of the coaxial cable, when the external connector is fitted into the connector 1. A large-diameter cylindrical portion 21a may be formed at the rear end of the cylindrical body 21.

[0020] The flange portion 22 is an annular portion integrated with the rear end of the cylindrical body 21. A portion of the flange portion 22 is electrically connected to the GND (ground) circuit of the electronic device on which the connector 1 is installed. In this embodiment, the inner circumferential surface of the flange portion 22 is continuous with the inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical body 21 and constitutes the inner circumferential surface 24. The outer diameter of the flange portion 22 is larger than the outer diameter of the cylindrical body 21.

[0021] In this embodiment, the outer conductor 20 is divided into a front end portion 20a and a rear end portion 20b (see Figure 3). When the filter component 40 is assembled to the housing 60, the projection 26 (see Figure 5) formed on the rear end portion 20b is fitted into a recess (not shown) formed on the front end portion 20a. In this case, the filter component 40 may have a slit 44 into which the projection 26 of the outer conductor 20 can be inserted.

[0022] The dielectric 30 is a cylindrical member made of ceramics or the like, and is placed between the central conductor 10 and the outer conductor 20. In this embodiment, the dielectric 30 is cylindrical in shape to match the shape of the outer circumferential surface of the central conductor 10 and the shape of the inner circumferential surface 24 of the outer conductor 20. The outer circumferential surface 30a of the dielectric 30 is in close contact with the inner circumferential surface 24 of the outer conductor 20. The inner circumferential surface 30b of the dielectric 30 is in close contact with at least a portion of the outer circumferential surface of the central conductor 10. However, the dielectric 30 has an opening 30c on its front side to expose the tip portion 10a of the central conductor 10.

[0023] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the dielectric 30 is divided into two parts: a front portion 31a on the fitting portion 61 side of the housing 60 and a rear portion 31b on the base portion 62 side of the housing 60 (see Figure 3). When the filter component 40 is assembled to the housing 60, the end face of the front portion 31a on the fitting portion 61 side and the end face of the rear portion 31b on the base portion 62 side are indirectly continuous with the filter component 40 in between.

[0024] Figure 4 is a schematic plan view of a filter component 40 formed in a multilayer thin film. Figure 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the filter component 40 cut along section VV in Figure 4. Figure 6 is an enlarged schematic cross-sectional view of a part of the filter component 40 corresponding to section VI-VI in Figure 5. Figures 4 to 6 show the schematic shapes and arrangements of the first filter section 51 and the second filter section 52.

[0025] The filter component 40 is composed of a first filter section 51 and a second filter section 52.

[0026] The filter component 40 is constructed by laminating three electrically insulating films, for example, a top film layer 53a, a middle film layer 53b, and a bottom film layer 53c. The first filter section 51 and the second filter section 52 are formed or arranged in two conductive layers 54 between these three film layers 53a, 53b, and 53c. The material of the films (film layers 53a, 53b, and 53c) is not particularly limited, but thin, flexible materials such as polyimide or liquid crystal polymer can be used. If a highly dielectric film is used as the material of the films (film layers 53a, 53b, and 53c), the capacitor capacity can be increased and DC cut characteristics can be obtained.

[0027] The first filter section 51 is a filter circuit that functions as an inductor. The first filter section 51 is positioned on the outer circumference of the outer conductor 20, without contact with the outer conductor 20. In this embodiment, the first filter section 51 has a so-called wound shape, where a thin wire, which is a conductor, is wound along the shape of the outer surface 23. One end of the thin wire constituting the first filter section 51 is continuous with the output line 41. The other end of the thin wire constituting the first filter section 51 is continuous with the input / output line 42. In other words, the first filter section 51 has a shunt-type structure branched from the central conductor 10, and can be considered as an inductor that functions as a low-pass filter, assuming that only DC (direct current) is transmitted.

[0028] As an example of the structure of the first filter section 51, the central conductor 10 and the thin wires constituting the first filter section 51 are connected by a single conductor, the extraction wire 41. The extraction wire 41 extends directly outward from the central conductor 10. Specifically, this extraction wire 41 branches off from the central conductor 10 between the tip portion 10a of the central conductor 10 and the second filter section 52. In this embodiment, the extraction wire 41 branches off from the middle portion 10c of the central conductor 10 which is built into the filter component 40.

[0029] First, the thin wires constituting the first filter section 51 are wound along the outer surface 23 with the thin wires remaining in contact with each other, starting from the connection point with the output wire 41, and maintaining a constant position in the Z direction. A spiral coil may be formed by stacking multiple similar thin-film coils on this coil 51a at regular intervals in the Z direction. In other words, in this embodiment, the first filter section 51 is composed of a single-layer coil 51a, but the coil 51a may be increased to two or three layers to form a spiral coil depending on the required inductance value. In this spiral coil, adjacent coils may be connected by a single thin wire at the outermost or innermost circumference. The ends of the thin wires constituting the coil 51a are connected to the input / output wire 42.

[0030] The input / output lines 42 are routed outside the housing 60 by passing through through holes (not shown) formed in the housing 60. The ends of the input / output lines 42 routed outside the housing 60 are electrically connected to IC chips, etc., on the circuit board of the electronic device where the connector 1 is installed. Specifically, in the connector 1 installed in the ECU, the ends of the input / output lines 42 are electrically connected to the power supply path to receive power. In other words, the input / output lines 42 in the ECU function as power input lines. On the other hand, in the connector 1 installed in the camera module, the ends of the input / output lines 42 are electrically connected to the serializer IC mounted on the circuit board of the camera module to supply power for driving the camera module. In other words, the input / output lines 42 in the camera module function as power output lines.

[0031] The second filter section 52 is a filter circuit that functions as a capacitor. The second filter section 52 is formed inside the central conductor 10. In this embodiment, the second filter section 52 is formed or arranged in the intermediate section 10c of the central conductor 10, which is located in the filter component 40. In other words, the second filter section 52 can be considered as a capacitor having a series connection structure in the signal path. Here, in this embodiment, the second filter section 52 functions as a bandpass filter that transmits signals from the low frequency band to the high frequency band.

[0032] Here, the materials of the central conductor 10, outer conductor 20, first filter section 51, output wire 41, and input / output wire 42 are not particularly limited, but aluminum alloy or copper alloy may be used. Furthermore, at least a portion of each of these conductor parts may be made of printed circuit boards or metal plating, or may be manufactured by three-dimensional metal additive manufacturing.

[0033] Furthermore, the filter component 40 has holes 43 for alignment and fixing, and the housing 60 has projections 65 that engage with the holes 43. By engaging (fitting) the projections 65 formed on the housing 60 with the holes 43 formed on the filter component 40, the position of the filter component 40 can be aligned and fixed to the housing 60, thereby suppressing misalignment of the filter component 40. In order for the holes 43 to have alignment and fixing functions, it is preferable that multiple holes 43 (two in the illustrated example) are formed.

[0034] In this embodiment, the projection 65 is formed on the base portion 62 of the housing 60, which will be described later. However, it is not limited to this, and the projection 65 may also be formed on the fitting portion 61 of the housing 60, which will be described later, or on both the fitting portion 61 and the base portion 62.

[0035] In this embodiment, two holes 43 are formed in the filter component 40. However, increasing the number of holes 43 further would allow for more accurate alignment and fixing, and would help to suppress misalignment of the filter component 40. However, increasing the number of holes 43 further would increase the number of steps required to fit the protrusions 65. Therefore, the number of holes 43 to be provided should be determined considering factors such as the ease of installation of the filter component 40.

[0036] The housing 60 is an exterior member formed of synthetic resin or the like, which holds and protects the central conductor 10, outer conductor 20, dielectric 30, and filter component 40. In this embodiment, the housing 60 has a fitting portion 61 and a base portion 62.

[0037] The mating portion 61 is the part into which the external housing constituting the external connector is mated when the external connector is mated to the connector 1. In this embodiment, the mating portion 61 is cylindrical. At least a portion of the central conductor 10, the outer conductor 20, and the dielectric 30, and the filter component 40 are arranged coaxially in the internal space surrounded by the inner circumferential surface 63 of the housing 60. In addition, a recess 61a for accommodating the filter component 40 may be formed in the mating portion 61 (see Figure 3).

[0038] The base portion 62 is integrated with the rear end of the mating portion 61. The base portion 62 is held by the circuit board of the camera module or ECU when the connector 1 is installed on the camera module or ECU. In addition, a cylindrical portion 62a for connecting the mating portion 61 is formed at the front end of the housing 60.

[0039] Furthermore, the housing 60 has an annular partition wall 64 that separates the internal space into a front space S1 and a rear space S2. The front space S1 is the space region into which the conductive parts constituting the external connector are introduced when the external connector is fitted into the connector 1, and it accommodates the respective tip ends of the central conductor 10, the outer conductor 20, and the dielectric 30. The rear space S2 (recess 61a) accommodates the filter component 40. The partition wall 64 also supports the outer conductor 20 by bringing its outer circumferential surface 23 into contact with its inner circumferential surface 64a.

[0040] The base portion 62 of the housing 60 may have a front inner surface 71a and a rear inner surface 71b on its inner circumference 71. The front inner surface 71a is set to have approximately the same diameter as the outer circumference 23 of the outer conductor 20, and when the base portion 62 is coupled to the fitting portion 61, it contacts the cylindrical body 21 and directly holds the cylindrical body 21. The rear inner surface 71b contacts the flange portion 22 and directly holds the flange portion 22. The base portion 62 may also have a locking portion 72 on its cylindrical portion 62a that fits into a part of the fitting portion 61 when the base portion 62 is coupled to the fitting portion 61, thereby preventing it from falling out of the fitting portion 61. In this embodiment, only one locking portion 72 is formed on the base portion 62, but two locking portions 72 may be formed on the base portion 62 to improve the tightness with the fitting portion 61, or other fixing methods may be used. Furthermore, the locking portion 72 may be formed on the fitting portion 61, or it may be formed on both the fitting portion 61 and the base portion 62.

[0041] Furthermore, the housing 60 may have a claw portion 66 on the outer circumference of the mating portion 61 that engages with a part of the external housing constituting the external connector when the external connector is mated to the connector 1, thereby preventing the external connector from falling out of the connector 1.

[0042] Furthermore, the housing 60 may have a through-hole (not shown) that penetrates from the inside to the outside of the connector 1. This through-hole allows the input / output wire 42 to pass through from the first filter portion 51 of the filter component 40 to the outside of the connector 1. The input / output wire 42 routed through the through-hole is not in contact with the housing 60. In other words, the opening diameter of the through-hole is larger than the outer diameter of the input / output wire 42.

[0043] Figures 7A to 7D are explanatory diagrams showing the procedure for incorporating the multilayer thin-film filter component 40 into the housing 60.

[0044] As shown in Figure 7A, when the base portion 62 of the housing 60 is positioned with the cylindrical portion 62a facing upwards, a projection 65 exists on the base portion 62 for aligning and fixing the filter component 40. This projection 65 fits into a hole 43 formed in the multilayer thin film filter component 40, thereby aligning and fixing the position of the filter component 40 with respect to the housing 60 and suppressing misalignment of the filter component 40. Specifically, as shown in Figure 7B, the filter component 40 is placed on the base portion 62, and as shown in Figure 7C, the fitting portion 61 is fixed on the base portion 62 by the locking portion 72, thereby obtaining the connector 1 shown in Figure 7D.

[0045] Next, we will explain the function and effects of connector 1.

[0046] Connector 1 comprises a rod-shaped central conductor 10, a cylindrical outer conductor 20 arranged coaxially with respect to the central conductor 10, and a cylindrical dielectric 30 arranged between the central conductor 10 and the outer conductor 20. Connector 1 also comprises a multilayer thin-film filter component 40 including a first filter section 51 arranged on the outer circumference of the outer conductor 20 and functioning as an inductor, and a second filter section 52 formed inside the central conductor 10 and functioning as a capacitor. Connector 1 includes an output wire 41 that branches from between the tip 10a of the central conductor 10 and the second filter section 52 and is connected to one end of the first filter section 51. Connector 1 also includes an input / output wire 42 connected to the other end of the first filter section 51 and connected to an external power supply path. Connector 1 comprises a housing 60 that houses at least a portion of each of the central conductor 10, the outer conductor 20, and the dielectric 30, and the filter component 40. The filter component 40 has a hole 43 for alignment, and the housing 60 has a projection 65 into which the hole 43 engages.

[0047] Here, as a comparative example, let's consider a typical in-vehicle camera that employs a power-supervised method to electrically connect the camera module and ECU with a single coaxial cable. In this case, the ECU's circuit board has a filter circuit that functions as a capacitor in the signal transmission path between the connector to which the coaxial cable is connected and the deserializer IC. In addition, the ECU's circuit board has a filter circuit that functions as an inductor in the power path electrically connected to the connector to which the coaxial cable is connected. In other words, the ECU's circuit board has two types of filter circuits implemented to merge power into the signal transmission path, and therefore requires mounting area for these filter circuits. On the other hand, the camera module's circuit board has a filter circuit that functions as a capacitor in the signal transmission path between the connector to which the coaxial cable is connected and the serializer IC. In addition, the camera module's circuit board has a filter circuit that functions as an inductor in the power path that is electrically connected to the connector to which the coaxial cable is connected and also supplies power to the serializer IC. In other words, the camera module's circuit board has two types of filter circuits implemented to separate power from the signal transmission path, and therefore requires mounting area for these filter circuits.

[0048] In contrast, the connector 1 according to this embodiment includes a first filter section 51 that functions as an inductor and a second filter section 52 that functions as a capacitor.

[0049] Here, the first filter section 51 is positioned on the outer circumference of the outer conductor 20. One end of the first filter section 51 is connected to an extraction line 41 that branches off from between the tip 10a of the central conductor 10 and the second filter section 52, and the other end of the first filter section 51 is connected to an input / output line 42 that is connected to an external power supply path. Furthermore, the first filter section 51, the extraction line 41, and the input / output line 42 are not in contact with the outer conductor 20. In this case, the first filter section 51 has a shunt-type structure and can function as a low-pass filter. Therefore, the first filter section 51 can replace a filter circuit that functions as an inductor, which was conventionally mounted on the circuit board of electronic equipment such as an ECU or camera module.

[0050] On the other hand, the second filter section 52 is formed inside the central conductor 10. In this case, the second filter section 52 has a series connection structure in the signal path within the connector 1 and can function as a high-pass filter or a band-pass filter. Therefore, the second filter section 52 can replace a filter circuit that functions as a capacitor, which was conventionally mounted on the circuit board of electronic equipment such as an ECU or camera module.

[0051] In other words, if connector 1 is installed on the circuit board of an electronic device such as an ECU as a connector for connecting a coaxial cable, there is no need to implement a filter circuit that functions as an inductor or capacitor on each circuit board. Therefore, connector 1 enables space saving in the mounting area on the circuit board of electronic devices that employ a power superimposed method. For example, considering the circuit board of an ECU or camera module that constitutes an in-vehicle camera, the mounting area of ​​a conventional filter circuit is 100 mm². 2 Since the amount was such that it was unnecessary, using connector 1 eliminates the need for that mounting area.

[0052] Furthermore, by forming the filter component 40 in a multilayer thin film, the filter component 40 having the first filter section 51 and the second filter section 52 can be made thinner.

[0053] Furthermore, a hole 43 is provided in the filter component 40, and a projection 65 is provided in the housing 60. When fixing the filter component 40 by sandwiching it between the fitting portion 61 and the base portion 62 of the housing 60, the projection 65 of the housing 60 is fitted into the hole 43 of the filter component 40. In this way, the position of the filter component 40 can be aligned and fixed to the housing 60, and misalignment of the filter component 40 can be suppressed.

[0054] As described above, according to this embodiment, in electronic equipment employing a power superimposed method, it is possible to provide a connector 1 that stabilizes the electrical characteristics of the filter for merging or separating power and signal, while also being advantageous for saving space on the circuit board.

[0055] In connector 1, the housing 60 may be configured to have a mating portion 61 into which the external housing of the external connector is fitted, and a base portion 62 attached to the rear end of the mating portion 61. The filter component 40 is positioned between the mating portion 61 and the base portion 62, and a projection 65 may be formed on either the mating portion 61 or the base portion 62.

[0056] A hole 43 is provided in the filter component 40, and a projection 65 is provided on the fitting portion 61 or base portion 62 of the housing 60. When fixing the filter component 40 by sandwiching it between the fitting portion 61 and base portion 62 of the housing 60, the projection 65 of the housing 60 is fitted into the hole 43 of the filter component 40. In this way, the position of the filter component 40 can be aligned and fixed to the housing 60, and misalignment of the filter component 40 can be suppressed.

[0057] Furthermore, in connector 1, the filter component 40 may be constructed by laminating a plurality of thin film layers 53a, 53b, and 53c. The first filter section 51 may have a coil section (coil 51a) arranged between the film layers 53a, 53b, and 53c, in which a single conductor is wound along the shape of the outer surface 23 of the outer conductor 20. One end of the coil section (coil 51a) may be continuous with the output wire 41, and the other end of the coil section (coil 51a) may be continuous with the input / output wire 42.

[0058] By forming the coil 51a constituting the first filter section 51 in a thin film form, the filter component 40 having the first filter section 51 and the second filter section 52 can be made thinner.

[0059] [Other embodiments] Next, the structure of a filter component according to another embodiment will be described. Note that components substantially identical to those of the filter component 40 described above are denoted by the same reference numerals and their descriptions are omitted.

[0060] Figure 8 is a schematic plan view of a filter component 40A according to another embodiment.

[0061] A small sub-coil 51b is formed around the alignment and fixing holes 43 provided in the multilayer thin-film filter component 40A. When the film layers 53a, 53b, and 53c constituting the filter component 40A are made of a thin and flexible material, the alignment and fixing holes 43 are prone to distortion, which may make it difficult to fit the holes 43 into the protrusions 65. Therefore, by forming a small sub-coil 51b around the holes 43, distortion of the holes 43 can be efficiently suppressed.

[0062] Furthermore, similar to the case of the main coil 51a, a spiral coil may be formed by arranging multiple similar thin-film coils in a sub-coil 51b so as to be stacked at regular intervals in the Z direction.

[0063] Here, the inductance increases as the number of sub-coils 51b increases, so the number of sub-coils 51b required to meet the necessary inductance should be arranged. By arranging many sub-coils 51b and forming many holes 43 for positioning and fixing the filter component 40, positioning and fixing can be made more accurate, and misalignment can be more easily suppressed. However, fitting the protrusions 65 into the holes 43 can be time-consuming, so the number of holes 43 to be provided should be determined considering ease of installation, etc., and it is not necessarily required to provide the positioning and fixing holes 43 in the center of the sub-coil 51b.

[0064] Furthermore, since the inductance value increases due to the increase in sub-coil 51b, it becomes possible to reduce the number of turns of the main coil 51a, or to reduce the number of layers in the spiral coil which was previously formed by increasing the number of layers to two or three.

[0065] Furthermore, the inductance value can be further increased by forming the projection 65 of the housing 60, which is used to align and fix the multilayer thin-film filter component 40, from a magnetic material such as ferrite.

[0066] In the filter component 40A shown in Figure 8, two holes 43 are formed, and sub-coils 51b are arranged around each of the holes 43. Furthermore, in the filter component 40A, two sub-coils 51b are arranged and connected in series with the main coil 51a. That is, the ends of the sub-coils 51b are connected to other sub-coils 51b or the main coil (coil 51a) via connecting wires 46.

[0067] Figure 9 is a schematic plan view of a filter component 40B according to yet another embodiment.

[0068] In the filter component 40B shown in Figure 9, six holes 43 are formed, and sub-coils 51b are arranged around each of the holes 43. Furthermore, in the filter component 40B, the six sub-coils 51b are arranged and connected in series with the main coil 51a. That is, the ends of the sub-coils 51b are connected to other sub-coils 51b or the main coil (coil 51a) via connecting wires 46.

[0069] Figure 10 is a schematic plan view of a filter component 40C according to another embodiment.

[0070] In the filter component 40C shown in Figure 10, twelve holes 43 are formed, and sub-coils 51b are arranged around each of the holes 43. In addition, the filter component 40C has twelve sub-coils 51b arranged, and these sub-coils 51b are connected in series with the main coil 51a. That is, the ends of the sub-coils 51b are connected to other sub-coils 51b or the main coil (coil 51a) via connecting wires 46.

[0071] In these other embodiments of the connector 1, the filter components 40A, 40B, and 40C may be constructed by laminating a plurality of thin film layers 53a, 53b, and 53c. The first filter section 51 may have a coil section (coil 51a) arranged between the film layers 53a, 53b, and 53c, with a single conductor wound along the shape of the outer circumferential surface 23 of the outer conductor 20. The first filter section 51 may also have a sub-coil section (sub-coil 51b) arranged between the film layers 53a, 53b, and 53c, with a single conductor wound around the hole 43. One end of the coil section (coil 51a) may be continuous with the output line 41, and the other end of the coil section (coil 51a) may be continuous with the input / output line 42. The end of the sub-coil section (sub-coil 51b) may be connected to another sub-coil section (sub-coil 51b) or coil section (coil 51a) via a connecting line 46.

[0072] If the film layers 53a, 53b, and 53c constituting the filter components 40A, 40B, and 40C are made of a thin, flexible material, the alignment and fixing holes 43 are prone to distortion, which can make it difficult to fit the holes 43 into the protrusions 65. Therefore, by forming a small sub-coil 51b around the holes 43, distortion of the holes 43 can be efficiently suppressed. Furthermore, by connecting the sub-coil 51b in series with the main coil 51a, the overall inductance can be increased. Moreover, because the inductance can be increased by the sub-coil 51b, it becomes possible to reduce the number of turns of the main coil 51a, or to reduce the number of layers in a spiral coil that was previously formed with two or three layers.

[0073] Furthermore, in the connector 1 according to these other embodiments, the projection 65 may be formed of a magnetic material.

[0074] The inductance can be further increased by forming the projection 65 of the housing 60, which is used to align and fix the multilayer thin-film filter component 40, from a magnetic material such as ferrite.

[0075] The structure of the central conductor according to another embodiment will be described below. Note that components substantially identical to those of the central conductor 10 described above are denoted by the same reference numerals and their descriptions are omitted.

[0076] Figure 11 is a schematic perspective view of the central conductor 10A and filter component 40D according to another embodiment. Figure 12 is a schematic exploded perspective view of the central conductor 10A from Figure 11. Figure 13 is a schematic perspective view of a magnified view of the main part of the exploded central conductor 10A. Figure 14 is a schematic side cross-sectional view of the central conductor 10A and filter component 40D shown in Figure 11. Figure 15 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the central conductor 10A and filter component 40D corresponding to section XV in Figure 14.

[0077] As shown in Figures 11 to 15, the central conductor 10A is divided into a front end 10a and a rear end 10b. A cylindrical projection 10d is formed on the end face of the front end 10a, and a circular recess 10e into which the projection 10d is fitted is formed on the end face of the rear end 10b. In this case, a second filter section 52 may be formed or arranged on the projection 10d of the front end 10a of the central conductor 10A. Note that if the capacitor function is not required, it is not necessary to provide the second filter section 52, which functions as a capacitor, on the projection 10d of the front end 10a of the central conductor 10A.

[0078] As shown in Figures 12, 13, and 15, a connector 45 is provided at the end of the lead wire 41 of the filter component 40D. By sandwiching this connector 45 between the front end 10a and the rear end 10b of the central conductor 10A, the front end 10a and the rear end 10b are directly connected. In the illustrated example, a groove 10f is formed on the end face of the rear end 10b where the connector 45 is located. However, since the filter component 40D is very thin, it is not necessary to provide a groove 10f as long as the front end 10a and the rear end 10b can be connected. In addition, a through hole 47 into which the central conductor 10 can be inserted may be formed in the central part of the filter component 40D.

[0079] Although this embodiment has been described above, this embodiment is not limited to these, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the gist of this embodiment. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0080] 1 Connector 10 Central conductor 10a Tip 20 Outer conductor 30 Dielectrics 40 filter components 41. Take-off wire 42 input / output lines 43 Hole 46 connecting lines 51 First filter section 51a coil 51b Subcoil 52 Second Filter Section 53a Film layer 53b Film layer 53c film layer 60 cabinets 61 Fitting part 62 Base 65 Protrusion

Claims

1. A rod-shaped central conductor, A cylindrical outer conductor is arranged coaxially with respect to the central conductor, A cylindrical dielectric is disposed between the central conductor and the outer conductor, A multilayer thin-film filter component including a first filter section arranged on the outer circumference of the outer conductor and functioning as an inductor, and a second filter section formed inside the central conductor and functioning as a capacitor, An output wire that branches off from the tip of the central conductor and the second filter section and is connected to one end of the first filter section, An input / output line connected to the other end of the first filter section and connected to an external power supply path, The device comprises at least a portion of the central conductor, the outer conductor, and the dielectric, and a housing for housing the filter component, The aforementioned filter component has a hole for alignment, The housing has a projection formed thereon into which the hole is engaged. connector.

2. The housing is configured to have a fitting portion into which the external housing of the external connector is fitted, and a base portion attached to the rear end of the fitting portion. The filter component is positioned between the fitting portion and the base portion. The projection is formed on either the fitting portion or the base portion. The connector according to claim 1.

3. The aforementioned filter component is constructed by laminating multiple thin film layers, The first filter section is arranged between the layers of the film layer and has a coil section in which a single conductor is wound along the shape of the outer surface of the outer conductor. One end of the coil section is continuous with the output wire, The other end of the coil section is continuous with the input / output line, The connector according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The aforementioned filter component is constructed by laminating multiple thin film layers, The first filter unit is, A coil portion is arranged between the layers of the film layer, and a single conductor is wound along the shape of the outer surface of the outer conductor. It has a sub-coil portion arranged between the layers of the film layer, with a single conductor wound around the hole, One end of the coil section is continuous with the output wire, The other end of the coil section is continuous with the input / output line, The terminal of the sub-coil section is connected to another sub-coil section or coil section via a connecting wire. The connector according to claim 1 or 2.

5. The connector according to claim 4, wherein the projection is formed of a magnetic material.

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