Servo jack

Abstract

This modular jack provides a simple configuration that prevents modular plugs from becoming stuck inside the modular jack. [Solution] The modular jack 1 comprises a plug body 4 having a cable 3, a mating contact provided on the plug body 4, a latch portion 8 provided on the plug body 4 that elastically deforms to rotate toward the plug body 4 with one end as a pivot point, and a lever portion 9 provided on the latch portion 8, to which a plug 2 is electrically connected and into which the plug 2 is inserted, a contact 14 that connects to the mating contact, and a shell 15 that can lock the latch portion 8 so that the plug 2 inserted into the housing 13 does not come out of the housing 13, and the shell 15 has a flip-up prevention portion 27 that prevents the latch portion 8 from rotating away from the plug body 4 so that the latch portion 8 cannot be locked with the shell 15.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a modular jack, and particularly to a modular jack to which a modular plug used for a LAN (local area network) cable is connected.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 below discloses a modular jack to which a telecommunication plug is electrically connected. This modular jack includes an insulating housing having a plug accommodation opening into which a telecommunication plug is inserted. On both side walls of the insulating housing, a pair of lip portions extending inward are formed. When a telecommunication plug is attached to a modular jack having such a configuration, with the telecommunication plug inserted into the plug accommodation opening of the insulating housing, the latch arm of the telecommunication plug is locked to the pair of lip portions of the insulating housing. Thereby, the telecommunication plug is prevented from coming out of the insulating housing.

Prior Art Document

Patent Document

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In conventional modular jacks, when a telecommunications plug is attached to an insulating housing, the latch arm of the telecommunications plug is locked to the rear end of a pair of lip portions. If the telecommunications plug is forcibly pulled out of the insulating housing while the latch arm is locked to the lip portion, the latch arm may ride up onto the lip portion. In other words, the lip portion of the insulating housing may get stuck between the latch arm of the telecommunications plug and the body of the telecommunications plug. In this state, the latch arm cannot be operated, and the telecommunications plug cannot be removed from the insulating housing.

[0005] Reducing the weight of electronic devices such as laptops that use modular jacks is desirable from the standpoint of making them easier to carry. Reducing the weight of electronic devices can be achieved, for example, by improving the configuration of the modular jack. Thus, reducing the weight of modular jacks is desirable.

[0006] The problem that this invention aims to solve is to provide a modular jack that can prevent a modular plug from becoming stuck in the modular jack, with a simple configuration. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The inventors of this invention believe that the above problem can be solved by providing a modular jack in which a modular plug is locked, with a configuration that prevents the locking portion of the modular plug from springing up excessively. Based on this, they have invented the following new modular jack.

[0008] (1) The modular jack according to the present invention is a modular jack to which a modular plug is electrically connected, the modular jack having a plug body having a cable, a mating contact provided on the plug body, a latch portion provided on the plug body that elastically deforms to rotate toward the plug body with one end as a pivot point, and a lever portion provided on the latch portion, the modular jack comprising: a housing into which the modular plug is inserted, a contact provided on the housing and connected to the mating contact, and a shell provided on the housing so as to cover the outer surface of the housing and capable of locking the latch portion so that the modular plug inserted into the housing does not come out of the housing, the shell having a flip-up prevention portion that prevents the latch portion from rotating away from the plug body so as to prevent the latch portion from locking with the shell.

[0009] (2) In (1) above, it is preferable that the latch portion is not in contact with the anti-flip portion when the latch portion is in a state in which it can be locked to the shell, and that the anti-flip portion is prevented from rotating away from the plug body so that the latch portion cannot be locked to the shell when it comes into contact with the anti-flip portion.

[0010] (3) In (2) above, the shell has a shell body having a hole that causes the latch portion and the lever portion to protrude outward, and a bounce-up prevention portion provided on the shell body that can lock the latch portion, and it is preferable that the bounce-up prevention portion is arranged to cross the hole.

[0011] (4) In (1) above, it is preferable that the latch portion is in contact with the anti-flip portion so as not to rotate away from the plug body when the latch portion is in a state in which the latch portion can be locked to the shell.

[0012] (5) In the above (4), the shell has a shell body having a hole into which the latch portion can be locked, and a flip-up prevention portion provided on the shell body, wherein the hole causes the latch portion and the lever portion to protrude outward, and the flip-up prevention portion is arranged to cross the hole. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] The present invention provides a modular jack in which a modular plug is locked, with a configuration that prevents the locking portion of the modular plug from springing up excessively. Therefore, it is possible to provide a modular jack with a simple configuration that can prevent the modular plug from becoming stuck in the modular jack. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0014] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view showing the usage state of a modular jack according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the usage state of a modular jack according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] This is a perspective view showing a modular jack according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and is shown as viewed from the front. [Figure 4] This is a perspective view showing a modular jack according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and is shown as viewed from the rear. [Figure 5] This is an exploded perspective view showing a modular jack according to the first embodiment of the present invention, viewed from above. [Figure 6] This is an exploded perspective view showing a modular jack according to the first embodiment of the present invention, viewed from below. [Figure 7] This is a right side view showing the shell of a modular jack according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] This is a plan view showing the shell of a modular jack according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9]It is a front view showing the housing of the modular jack according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] It is a rear view showing the housing of the modular jack according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] It is a plan view showing the housing of the modular jack according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] It is a perspective view showing the modular plug connected to the modular jack according to the first embodiment of the present invention, showing the state seen from above. [Figure 13] It is a perspective view showing the modular plug connected to the modular jack according to the first embodiment of the present invention, showing the state seen from below. [Figure 14] It is a right side view showing the modular plug connected to the modular jack according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 15] It is a perspective view showing the usage state of the modular jack according to the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 16] It is a longitudinal sectional view showing the usage state of the modular jack according to the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 17] It is a perspective view showing the modular jack according to the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 18] It is an exploded perspective view showing the modular jack according to the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 19] It is a front view showing the shell of the modular jack according to the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 20] It is a right side view showing the shell of the modular jack according to the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 21] It is a plan view showing the shell of the modular jack according to the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 22] It is a bottom view showing the shell of the modular jack according to the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 23] It is a perspective view showing the usage state of the modular jack according to the third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 24]This is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the usage state of a modular jack according to the third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 25] This is a perspective view showing a modular jack according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 26] This is an exploded perspective view showing a modular jack according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 27] This is a front view showing the shell of a modular jack according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 28] This is a right side view showing the shell of a modular jack according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 29] This is a plan view showing the shell of a modular jack according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 30] This is a perspective view showing the usage state of a modular jack according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 31] This is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the usage state of a modular jack according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 32] This is a perspective view showing a modular jack according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 33] This is an exploded perspective view showing a modular jack according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 34] This is a front view showing the shell of a modular jack according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 35] This is a plan view showing the shell of a modular jack according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 36] This is a bottom view showing the shell of a modular jack according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0015] Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0016] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, a modular plug 2 is electrically connected to the modular jack 1 according to the first embodiment. The modular plug 2 is detachably attached to the modular jack 1. As shown in Figures 12 to 14, the modular plug 2 is a conventionally known plug typically used in LAN (local area network) cables, and comprises a plug body 4 having a cable 3, a mating contact 5 provided on the plug body 4, and a locking lever 6 provided on the plug body 4. In this specification, the direction in which the modular plug 2 is inserted into or removed from the modular jack 1 is defined as the front-to-back direction, the up-and-down direction, and the direction perpendicular to the front-to-back direction is defined as the left-to-right direction. Furthermore, regarding the front-to-back direction, the side of the modular jack 1 into which the modular plug 2 is inserted is defined as the front, and the opposite side is defined as the rear.

[0017] The plug body 4 is roughly rectangular in shape and is attached to the end of the cable 3. The cable 3 is inserted into the plug body 4 through its front wall. Multiple grooves 7 that open outward are formed at the corners between the bottom wall and the rear wall of the plug body 4. In the illustrated example, the plug body 4 has eight grooves 7. The multiple grooves 7 are arranged side by side in the left-right direction. A plate-shaped mating contact 5 is provided in each groove 7. When the mating contact 5 is provided in the groove 7, the mating contact 5 is exposed to the outside through the opening of the groove 7.

[0018] A lock lever 6 is provided at the rear end of the plug body 4. In the illustrated example, the lock lever 6 has a latch portion 8 provided on the plug body 4 and a lever portion 9 provided on the latch portion 8. The latch portion 8 has a mounting piece 10 and an extension piece 11. The mounting piece 10 is a roughly rectangular block shape and is located on the rear side of the latch portion 8. The mounting piece 10 is provided with a roughly rectangular plate-shaped extension piece 11. The extension piece 11 is bifurcated and opens forward, extending diagonally forward and upward from the mounting piece 10. The extension piece 11 elastically deforms so as to rotate downward with the rear end provided on the mounting piece 10 as a pivot point. The vertical length of the bifurcated portion of the extension piece 11 increases from the rear end to the front end. The front surface of the bifurcated portion of the extension piece 11 is the front surface of the latch portion 8 and is a latch surface 12 that can be locked to the shell 15, which will be described later. A roughly rectangular plate-shaped lever portion 9 is provided on the extension piece 11 of the latch portion 8. The lever portion 9 extends diagonally forward and upward from the latch portion 8. The lever portion 9 is located between the bifurcated portions of the extension piece 11 and extends forward beyond the front surface of the latch portion 8.

[0019] A lock lever 6 with this configuration is provided on the plug body 4. Specifically, the lock lever 6 is provided on the plug body 4 by fixing the mounting piece 10 to the rear end of the plug body 4. When the lock lever 6 is provided on the plug body 4, the extension piece 11 and the lever portion 9 extend diagonally forward and upward from the mounting piece 10 and are located above the plug body 4. A gap is formed between the extension piece 11 and the plug body 4, and between the lever portion 9 and the plug body 4. Therefore, the latch portion 8 can be elastically deformed to rotate toward the plug body 4 with the rear end provided on the plug body 4 as a pivot point. Since the lever portion 9 is provided on the latch portion 8 as described above, it can rotate together with the latch portion 8.

[0020] With the lock lever 6 attached to the plug body 4, the lock lever 6 can be elastically deformed to rotate toward the plug body 4, using the rear end provided on the plug body 4 as a pivot point. Specifically, when the lever portion 9 is pushed downward, the lock lever 6 elastically deforms to rotate downward due to the aforementioned configuration. When the operation of the lever portion 9 is stopped after the lock lever 6 has rotated, the lock lever 6 automatically returns to its original position by springing upward due to the biasing force.

[0021] In the first embodiment, the mounting piece 10 and the extension piece 11 may be integrally formed or separate. The latch portion 8 and the lever portion 9 may be integrally formed or separate. The lock lever 6 and the plug body 4 may be integrally formed or separate.

[0022] As shown in Figures 1 to 6, the modular jack 1 according to the first embodiment comprises a housing 13 into which a modular plug 2 is inserted, a plurality of contacts 14 provided in the housing 13, and a shell 15 covering the housing 13. As mentioned above, a modular plug 2 of a LAN cable is connected to the modular jack 1. In this case, the modular jack 1 is typically attached to an electronic device such as a laptop computer.

[0023] As shown in Figures 1 to 6 and Figures 9 to 11, the housing 13 is substantially rectangular and has a plug receiving recess 16 that opens to the front. The housing 13 is, for example, a rectangular tube that opens to the front. A notched lever insertion hole 17 that opens to the front is formed in the upper wall of the housing 13. The lever insertion hole 17 penetrates the upper wall of the housing 13 in the vertical direction. Multiple through holes 18 are formed in the lower wall of the housing 13. In the illustrated example, the lower wall of the housing 13 has eight through holes 18. The through holes 18 are substantially rectangular in shape with the front-to-back direction as the longitudinal direction and penetrate the lower wall of the housing 13 in the vertical direction. Multiple through holes 18 are arranged side by side in the left-to-right direction. Multiple contact insertion holes 19 are formed in the rear wall of the housing 13. In the illustrated example, the rear wall of the housing 13 has eight contact insertion holes 19. The contact insertion holes 19 penetrate the rear wall of the housing 13 in the front-to-back direction. Multiple contact insertion holes 19 are arranged side by side in the left-right direction.

[0024] A groove-shaped first recess 20 opening outward is formed in the left wall and the right wall of the housing 13. The first recess 20 in the left wall of the housing 13 is a substantially rectangular groove opening to the left and extending in the front-rear direction. The rear end of the first recess 20 in the left wall of the housing 13 is closed. That is, the first recess 20 has an inner surface 21 located on the rear side. The front end of the first recess 20 in the left wall of the housing 13 is open forward. The first recess 20 in the right wall of the housing 13 is a substantially rectangular groove opening to the right and extending in the front-rear direction. The rear end of the first recess 20 in the right wall of the housing 13 is closed. That is, the first recess 20 has an inner surface 21 located on the rear side. The front end of the first recess 20 in the right wall of the housing 13 is open forward.

[0025] A groove-shaped second recess 22, opening outward, is formed in the left wall and the right wall of the housing 13. The second recess 22 in the left wall of the housing 13 is a substantially rectangular groove that opens to the left and extends in the front-rear direction. The front end of the second recess 22 in the left wall of the housing 13 is closed by a bulge 23 formed in the left wall of the housing 13. The bulge 23 bulges to the left from the left wall of the housing 13. An insertion hole 24 that opens to the rear is formed in the bulge 23. This insertion hole 24 communicates with the second recess 22 in the left wall of the housing 13. That is, the front end of the inner surface of the second recess 22 is part of the inner surface of the insertion hole 24. The rear end of the second recess 22 in the left wall of the housing 13 opens to the rear. The second recess 22 in the right wall of the housing 13 is a substantially rectangular groove that opens to the right and extends in the front-rear direction. The front end of the second recess 22 on the right wall of the housing 13 is closed by a bulge 23 formed on the right wall of the housing 13. The bulge 23 protrudes to the right from the right wall of the housing 13. An insertion hole 24 opening to the rear is formed in the bulge 23. This insertion hole 24 communicates with the second recess 22 on the right wall of the housing 13. That is, the front end of the inner surface of the second recess 22 is part of the inner surface of the insertion hole 24. The rear end of the second recess 22 on the right wall of the housing 13 opens to the rear.

[0026] The lower wall of the housing 13 extends rearward from the rear wall of the housing 13, and multiple partition plates 25 are provided in this extended portion. The partition plates 25 are roughly rectangular in shape and are erected on the lower wall of the housing 13. The multiple partition plates 25 are arranged in parallel in the left-right direction. Between adjacent partition plates 25, 25 are contact insertion holes 19 formed in the rear wall of the housing 13. The lower part of the left wall and the lower part of the right wall of the housing 13 extend rearward from the rear wall of the housing 13. The first recess 20 described above is located in the upper part of the left wall and the upper part of the right wall of the housing 13, and the second recess 22 described above is located in the lower part of the left wall and the lower part of the right wall of the housing 13.

[0027] As shown in Figures 1 to 6, the contact 14 is an elongated plate shape with its longitudinal direction in the front-to-back direction, and is formed by bending a plate material. In the illustrated example, the modular jack 1 has eight contacts 14. The contacts 14 are placed on the lower wall of the housing 13, passing through contact insertion holes 19 formed in the rear wall of the housing 13. When the contacts 14 are placed on the housing 13, the front part of the contact 14 is located within the plug housing recess 16 of the housing 13 and is exposed to the outside through a through hole 18 formed in the lower wall of the housing 13. When the contacts 14 are placed on the housing 13, the rear part of the contact 14 protrudes rearward from the rear wall of the housing 13 and is located between adjacent partition plates 25, 25. Multiple contacts 14 are arranged in parallel in the left-to-right direction. In this way, multiple contacts 14 are provided in the housing 13.

[0028] As shown in Figures 1 to 8, the shell 15 is a roughly rectangular groove that opens downwards and extends in the front-rear direction. The front end of the shell 15 opens forward, and the rear end of the shell 15 opens rearward. The latch portion 8 of the lock lever 6 can be locked onto the shell 15 when the modular plug 2 is connected to the modular jack 1. In the illustrated example, the shell 15 is made of metal and has a shell body 26 that covers the housing 13 and an anti-flip portion 27 provided on the shell body 26.

[0029] The shell body 26 is a roughly rectangular groove that opens downwards and extends in the front-rear direction. The front end of the shell body 26 opens forward, and the rear end of the shell body 26 opens rearward. The lower part of the left wall of the shell body 26 extends further rearward than the upper part of the left wall of the shell body 26. The rear end of the lower part of the left wall of the shell body 26 is bent inward. The front end of the lower part of the left wall of the shell body 26 is located further rearward than the front end of the upper part of the left wall of the shell body 26. The lower part of the right wall of the shell body 26 extends further rearward than the upper part of the right wall of the shell body 26. The rear end of the lower part of the right wall of the shell body 26 is bent inward. The front end of the lower part of the right wall of the shell body 26 is located further rearward than the front end of the upper part of the right wall of the shell body 26. The lower end of the left wall and the lower end of the right wall of the shell body 26 are bent inward. As a result, mounting portions 28 for the housing 13 are formed at the lower end of the left wall and the lower end of the right wall of the shell body 26.

[0030] Through holes 29 and claw portions 30 are formed in the left wall and the right wall of the shell body 26. A through hole 29, which is roughly rectangular in side view, is formed at the upper rear end of the left wall of the shell body 26. The through hole 29 penetrates the left wall of the shell body 26 in the left-right direction. A claw portion 30 is formed on the inner surface of the through hole 29. The claw portion 30 is plate-shaped and extends diagonally rearward from the front end of the inner surface of the through hole 29 toward the inside of the shell body 26. A through hole 29, which is roughly rectangular in side view, is formed at the upper rear end of the right wall of the shell body 26. The through hole 29 penetrates the right wall of the shell body 26 in the left-right direction. A claw portion 30 is formed on the inner surface of the through hole 29. The claw portion 30 is plate-shaped and extends diagonally rearward from the front end of the inner surface of the through hole 29 toward the inside of the shell body 26. Insertion pieces 31 are formed on the left wall and the right wall of the shell body 26, which are inserted into insertion holes 24 provided in the housing 13. An insertion piece 31 is formed on the lower front end of the left wall of the shell body 26. The insertion piece 31 is plate-shaped and extends forward from the lower front end of the left wall of the shell body 26. An insertion piece 31 is formed on the lower front end of the right wall of the shell body 26. The insertion piece 31 is plate-shaped and extends forward from the lower front end of the right wall of the shell body 26.

[0031] The shell body 26 has a hole 32 through which the latch portion 8 and the lever portion 9 protrude outward from the shell body 26. The hole 32 is a notch that opens forward and is formed in the upper wall of the shell body 26. The hole 32 is substantially rectangular in plan view and penetrates the upper wall of the shell body 26 in the vertical direction. In the illustrated example, the hole 32 has a first hole 33 through which the lever portion 9 protrudes and a pair of second holes 34, 34 through which the latch portion 8 protrudes. The first hole 33 is a notch that is substantially rectangular in plan view with the front-to-back direction as its longitudinal direction and opens forward. Of the pair of second holes 34, 34, one second hole 34 is located to the left of the first hole 33, and the other second hole 34 is located to the right of the first hole 33. The second hole 34 located on the left and the second hole 34 located on the right are substantially rectangular in plan view with the front-to-back direction as their longitudinal direction. The length of the second hole 34 in the front-to-back direction is shorter than the length of the first hole 33 in the front-to-back direction. The second hole 34 located on the left and the second hole 34 located on the right are continuous with the first hole 33. That is, the second hole 34 located on the left protrudes to the left from the first hole 33, and the second hole 34 located on the right protrudes to the right from the first hole 33.

[0032] The shell body 26 is provided with a pair of left and right anti-flip sections 27, 27 that restrict the latch section 8 and lever section 9 from protruding outward more than necessary. In the illustrated example, the anti-flip section 27 is plate-shaped with its longitudinal direction in the front-to-back direction and is erected on the upper wall of the shell body 26. Of the pair of left and right anti-flip sections 27, 27, the left anti-flip section 27 is provided to bridge the space between the part of the upper wall of the shell body 26 in front of the second hole 34 and the part of the upper wall of the shell body 26 behind the second hole 34. The left anti-flip section 27 has a notched contact section 35 that opens downward toward the hole 32. Of the pair of left and right anti-flip sections 27, 27, the right anti-flip section 27 is provided to bridge the space between the part of the upper wall of the shell body 26 in front of the second hole 34 and the part of the upper wall of the shell body 26 behind the second hole 34. The anti-bounce portion 27 located on the right side has a notched contact portion 35 that opens downward toward the hole 32. In this way, the anti-bounce portion 27 is positioned to cross the hole 32. In the illustrated example, the anti-bounce portion 27 is formed by bending a part of the shell body 26 upward, but it is not limited to this and may be a separate component from the shell body 26.

[0033] The shell 15 is provided on the housing 13 so as to cover the outer surface of the housing 13. In the illustrated example, the shell 15 is attached to the housing 13 by inserting the housing 13 into the shell 15. To attach the shell 15 to the housing 13, first, the rear end of the lower wall of the housing 13 is placed on the mounting portion 28 of the shell 15. With the rear end of the housing 13 placed on the mounting portion 28 of the shell 15, the insertion piece 31 located on the left side is inserted into the front end of the second recess 22 located on the left side, and the insertion piece 31 located on the right side is inserted into the front end of the second recess 22 located on the right side.

[0034] With the rear end of the housing 13 resting on the mounting portion 28 of the shell 15, the shell 15 is moved forward relative to the housing 13. As a result, the insertion piece 31 located on the left side moves forward within the second recess 22 located on the left side and is then inserted into the insertion hole 24 located on the left side, and the insertion piece 31 located on the right side moves forward within the second recess 22 located on the right side and is then inserted into the insertion hole 24 located on the right side. When the shell 15 is moved forward relative to the housing 13, the claw portion 30 located on the left side elastically deforms and overcomes the rear end of the left wall of the housing 13 before being inserted into the first recess 20 located on the left side, and the claw portion 30 located on the right side elastically deforms and overcomes the rear end of the right wall of the housing 13 before being inserted into the first recess 20 located on the right side.

[0035] In this way, by moving the shell 15 forward relative to the housing 13, the shell 15 is attached to the outside of the housing 13. When the shell 15 is attached to the housing 13, the hole 32 of the shell 15 is located above the lever insertion hole 17 formed in the upper wall of the housing 13. When attempting to move the housing 13 forward relative to the shell 15 while the shell 15 is attached to the housing 13, the claw portion 30 on the left side contacts the inner surface 21 located behind the first recess 20 on the left side, and the claw portion 30 on the right side contacts the inner surface 21 located behind the first recess 20 on the right side. This prevents the housing 13 from coming off the shell 15. To attach the shell 15 to the housing 13, the housing 13 may be moved backward relative to the shell 15.

[0036] As described above, the modular jack 1 is assembled by providing multiple contacts 14 on the housing 13 and a shell 15 on the housing 13. The modular plug 2 is connected to the modular jack 1 as previously mentioned. To connect the modular plug 2 to the modular jack 1, the plug body 4 is inserted into the plug housing recess 16 of the housing 13. When the modular plug 2 is connected to the modular jack 1, the mating contact 5 of the modular plug 2 is in contact with the contact 14 of the modular jack 1. Therefore, the contact 14 of the modular jack 1 is connected to the mating contact 5 of the modular plug 2.

[0037] When the plug body 4 is inserted into the plug housing recess 16, the lock lever 6 is inserted from the front into the lever insertion hole 17 formed in the upper wall of the housing 13. When the plug body 4 is inserted into the plug housing recess 16, the lever portion 9 is inserted from the front into the first hole 33 of the hole 32 formed in the upper wall of the shell 15. When the plug body 4 is inserted into the plug housing recess 16, the extension piece 11 of the latch portion 8 passes under the upper wall of the shell body 26 while contacting the upper wall of the shell body 26, and then reaches the second hole 34. The extension piece 11 of the latch portion 8, while elastically deforming, rotates downward together with the lever portion 9 to approach the plug body 4 while in contact with the upper wall of the shell body 26. The extension piece 11 of the latch portion 8 maintains its downward elastic deformation while in contact with the upper wall of the shell body 26. When the extension piece 11 of the latch portion 8 reaches the second hole 34, it rotates upward due to a biasing force to move away from the plug body 4.

[0038] When the extension piece 11 of the latch portion 8 rotates upward, a portion of the tip of the extension piece 11 of the latch portion 8 protrudes upward through the second hole 34. At this time, the tip of the extension piece 11 of the latch portion 8 is not in contact with the anti-flip portion 27. Specifically, a gap 36 is formed between the tip of the extension piece 11 of the latch portion 8 and the upper inner surface of the contact portion 35 of the anti-flip portion 27. The vertical length, which is the depth of the notched contact portion 35 of the anti-flip portion 27, is greater than the protrusion length when the tip of the extension piece 11 of the latch portion 8 is protruding from the second hole 34. When the tip of the extension piece 11 of the latch portion 8 is not in contact with the anti-flip portion 27, the latch portion 8 can be locked to the anti-flip portion 27. In other words, when the tip of the extension piece 11 of the latch portion 8 is not in contact with the anti-flip portion 27, the latch surface 12 of the extension piece 11 of the latch portion 8 faces the front inner surface of the contact portion 35 of the anti-flip portion 27 at a distance from it in the front and rear directions. As a result, the anti-flip portion 27 maintains a state in which the lock lever 6 can be locked to the shell 15, while restricting the lock lever 6 from rotating upward so as to move away from the plug body 4.

[0039] The modular plug 2, inserted into the modular jack 1 in this manner, can be removed from the modular jack 1 by operating the lock lever 6. To remove the modular plug 2 from the modular jack 1, push the lever portion 9 downwards to rotate the lock lever 6 downwards, and then move the modular plug 2 forward. When the lock lever 6 is rotated downwards, the extension piece 11 of the latch portion 8 moves below the upper wall of the shell body 26. In this state, moving the modular plug 2 forward allows it to be removed from the modular jack 1.

[0040] If an attempt is made to pull out the modular plug 2 from the modular jack 1 without operating the lock lever 6, the latch surface 12 of the extension piece 11 of the latch part 8 will come into contact with the front inner surface of the contact portion 35 of the anti-flip-up part 27, while the extension piece 11 of the latch part 8 rotates upward. As soon as the extension piece 11 of the latch part 8 begins to rotate upward, the tip of the extension piece 11 of the latch part 8 will come into contact with the upper inner surface of the contact portion 35 of the anti-flip-up part 27. Therefore, when the tip of the extension piece 11 of the latch part 8 is in contact with the upper inner surface of the contact portion 35 of the anti-flip-up part 27, the latch surface 12 of the extension piece 11 of the latch part 8 is in contact with the front inner surface of the contact portion 35 of the anti-flip-up part 27. In other words, the latch part 8 is locked to the anti-flip-up part 27. In this way, the anti-flip-up section 27 prevents the upper wall of the shell body 26 from getting stuck between the extension piece 11 of the latch section 8 and the plug body 4, thus preventing a situation where the latch section 8 cannot be locked to the shell 15. As a result, the anti-flip-up section 27 prevents the latch section 8 from rotating upward so that it moves away from the plug body 4, which would prevent it from being locked to the shell 15. The latch section 8 is not in contact with the anti-flip-up section 27 when it is in a state where it can be locked to the shell 15. From this state, the extension piece 11 of the latch section 8 rotates upward so that the latch section 8 comes into contact with the anti-flip-up section 27, which prevents the latch section 8 from rotating upward so that it moves away from the plug body 4, which would prevent it from being locked to the shell 15.

[0041] If an attempt is made to pull out the modular plug 2 from the modular jack 1 without operating the lock lever 6, the latch portion 8 will engage with the shell 15. In the illustrated example, the latch surface 12 of the extension piece 11 of the latch portion 8 contacts the front inner surface of the contact portion 35 of the anti-flip portion 27. Therefore, with the lock lever 6 engaged with the shell 15, the modular plug 2 inserted into the housing 13 cannot be removed from the housing 13.

[0042] In the modular jack 1 of the first embodiment, the shell 15 has a spring-up prevention part 27 that can restrict the lock lever 6 from rotating too far away from the plug body 4 from its original position before elastic deformation when the modular plug 2 is connected to the modular jack 1. This prevents the lock lever 6 from becoming unusable. Therefore, the modular jack 1 of the first embodiment can prevent the modular plug 2 from becoming stuck in the modular jack 1 with a simple configuration.

[0043] In the case of the modular jack 1 of the first embodiment, the upward rotation of the lock lever 6 can be prevented by the anti-flip portion 27 of the shell 15. Therefore, the modular jack 1 of the first embodiment does not affect the assembly position accuracy compared to the case where the upward rotation of the lock lever 6 is prevented by a component provided on the electronic device to which the modular jack is attached.

[0044] In the modular jack 1 of the first embodiment, the anti-flip portion 27 is positioned to cross the hole portion 32. Therefore, according to the modular jack 1 of the first embodiment, the anti-flip portion 27 can be made simpler in configuration.

[0045] Next, a modular jack 1a according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 15 to 22. Note that components having the same reference numerals as those used in the above embodiment may not be described further below, as they perform the same function. The modular jack 1a according to the second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in the configuration of the anti-flip section 27.

[0046] Of the pair of left and right anti-bounce sections 27, 27, the left anti-bounce section 27 is plate-shaped with its longitudinal direction in the front-to-back direction and is erected on the upper wall of the shell body 26 so as to cross the hole 32 in the front-to-back direction. In the illustrated example, the left anti-bounce section 27 is formed by bending a part of the shell body 26 upward. The upper end of the left anti-bounce section 27 is bent outward. In the illustrated example, the upper end of the left anti-bounce section 27 is bent to the left at approximately a right angle. As a result, the upper end of the contact portion 35 of the left anti-bounce section 27 is bent to the left. That is, the upper inner surface of the contact portion 35 of the left anti-bounce section 27 faces inward, to the right. The right anti-bounce section 27 is plate-shaped with its longitudinal direction in the front-to-back direction and is erected on the upper wall of the shell body 26 so as to cross the hole 32 in the front-to-back direction. In the illustrated example, the right anti-bounce section 27 is formed by bending a part of the shell body 26 upward. The upper end of the anti-flip section 27 located on the right side is bent outward. In the illustrated example, the upper end of the anti-flip section 27 located on the right side is bent to the right at approximately a right angle. As a result, the upper end of the contact section 35 of the anti-flip section 27 located on the right side is bent to the right. In other words, the upper inner surface of the contact section 35 of the anti-flip section 27 located on the right side faces inward, to the left.

[0047] In the modular jack 1a according to the second embodiment, when the modular plug 2 is inserted into the modular jack 1a, the extension piece 11 of the latch portion 8 protrudes outward through the second hole 34. The bent upper end of the anti-flip portion 27 is located above the second hole 34. Therefore, the upper end of the anti-flip portion 27 is located above the extension piece 11 of the latch portion 8. A gap is formed between the upper end of the anti-flip portion 27 and the tip of the extension piece 11 of the latch portion 8. With this configuration, the tip of the extension piece 11 of the latch portion 8 contacts the upper end of the anti-flip portion 27, preventing the extension piece 11 of the latch portion 8 from rotating upward.

[0048] In the case of the modular jack 1a of the second embodiment, the upper end of the anti-flip portion 27 is bent outward. Therefore, according to the modular jack 1a of the second embodiment, the vertical length of the shell 15 can be shortened, making the modular jack 1a more compact.

[0049] Next, a modular jack 1b according to the third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 23 to 29. Note that components having the same reference numerals as those used in the above embodiments will have the same function and will therefore not be described further. The modular jack 1b according to the third embodiment differs from the first embodiment in the configuration of the anti-flip-up section 27.

[0050] Of the pair of left and right anti-bounce sections 27, 27, the left anti-bounce section 27 is plate-shaped with its longitudinal direction in the front-to-back direction and is erected on the upper wall of the shell body 26. The left anti-bounce section 27 is provided to bridge the space between the portion of the upper wall of the shell body 26 in front of the second hole 34 and the portion of the upper wall of the shell body 26 in rear of the second hole 34. The left anti-bounce section 27 has a notched contact portion 35 that opens downward toward the hole 32. The vertical length of the left anti-bounce section 27 is smaller than the vertical length of the left anti-bounce section 27 in the first embodiment. The vertical length of the contact portion 35 of the left anti-bounce section 27 is smaller than the vertical length of the contact portion 35 of the left anti-bounce section 27 in the first embodiment. Of the pair of left and right anti-bounce sections 27, 27, the right-side anti-bounce section 27 is provided to bridge the gap between the portion of the upper wall of the shell body 26 in front of the second hole 34 and the portion of the upper wall of the shell body 26 in rear of the second hole 34. The right-side anti-bounce section 27 has a notched contact portion 35 that opens downward toward the hole 32. The vertical length of the right-side anti-bounce section 27 is smaller than the vertical length of the right-side anti-bounce section in the first embodiment. The vertical length of the contact portion 35 of the right-side anti-bounce section 27 is smaller than the vertical length of the contact portion 35 of the right-side anti-bounce section 27 in the first embodiment.

[0051] Thus, the anti-flipping portion 27 is positioned to cross the hole 32. In the illustrated example, the anti-flipping portion 27 is formed by bending a part of the shell body 26 upward, but it is not limited to this, and may be a separate component from the shell body 26.

[0052] In the modular jack 1b of the third embodiment, the shell 15 has a shell body 26 having a hole 32 into which the latch portion 8 can be locked, and a flip-up prevention portion 27 provided on the shell body 26. The hole 32 allows the latch portion 8 and the lever portion 9 to protrude outward when the latch portion 8 of the lock lever 6 can be locked. When the modular plug 2 is connected to the modular jack 1b, a part of the tip of the extension piece 11 of the latch portion 8 protrudes upward through the second hole 34. At this time, the tip of the extension piece 11 of the latch portion 8 is in contact with the flip-up prevention portion 27. Specifically, the tip of the extension piece 11 of the latch portion 8 is in contact with the upper inner surface of a notched contact portion 35 formed in the flip-up prevention portion 27. When the tip of the extension piece 11 of the latch portion 8 is in contact with the anti-flip portion 27, the extension piece 11 of the latch portion 8 protrudes upward from the second hole 34 to such an extent that the latch surface 12, which is the tip surface of the latch portion 8, can contact the front inner surface of the second hole 34. In other words, when the tip of the extension piece 11 of the latch portion 8 is in contact with the anti-flip portion 27, the latch surface 12 of the extension piece 11 of the latch portion 8 faces the front inner surface of the second hole 34 at a distance from it in the front and rear directions. In this way, the latch portion 8 is in contact with the anti-flip portion 27 so as not to rotate away from the plug body 4 when the latch portion 8 is in a state where it can be locked to the shell 15.

[0053] In the modular jack 1b of the third embodiment, the anti-flip-up part 27 prevents the extended piece 11 of the latch part 8 from going over the upper wall of the shell body 26 when attempting to pull out the modular plug 2 from the modular jack 1b without operating the lock lever 6. This prevents a part of the shell 15 from getting stuck between the lock lever 6 and the plug body 4, and prevents a part of the latch part 8 from getting stuck between the modular jack 1b and the electronic device to which the modular jack 1b is attached. Therefore, the modular jack 1b of the third embodiment can prevent the modular plug 2 from becoming stuck in the modular jack 1b with a simple configuration.

[0054] In the case of the modular jack 1b of the third embodiment, the anti-flip-up part 27 is configured to hold the lock lever 6 in a position closer to the plug body 4 than its original position before elastic deformation. That is, the lock lever 6 is in contact with the anti-flip-up part 27 by a biasing force. Therefore, according to the modular jack 1b of the third embodiment, the height of the lock lever 6 can be reduced when the modular plug 2 is connected to the modular jack 1b, thereby enabling the electronic device to be made more compact.

[0055] Next, a modular jack 1c according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 30 to 36. Note that components having the same reference numerals as those used in the above embodiments have the same function, and therefore their descriptions may be omitted below. The modular jack 1c according to the fourth embodiment differs from the third embodiment in the configuration of the anti-flip portion 27. In the third embodiment, the anti-flip portion 27 was formed by bending a part of the shell body 26 upward, but in the fourth embodiment, the anti-flip portion 27 is formed by folding a part of the shell body 26 back to the outer surface side of the shell body 26.

[0056] Of the pair of left and right anti-flip sections 27, 27, the left anti-flip section 27 is plate-shaped with its longitudinal direction in the front-to-back direction. Before being folded back, the left anti-flip section 27 connects the portion of the upper wall of the shell body 26 in front of the second hole 34 to the portion of the upper wall of the shell body 26 in rear of the second hole 34. The left anti-flip section 27 is folded back to the outside of the shell body 26. In the folded state, the left anti-flip section 27 is located above the left second hole 34. In the folded state of the left anti-flip section 27, the vertical length of the gap between the tip of the left anti-flip section 27 and the upper wall of the shell body 26 is shorter than the vertical length of the gap between the base of the left anti-flip section 27 and the upper wall of the shell body 26. Therefore, the left anti-flip section 27 extends diagonally to the left downwards. The vertical length of the gap between the base end of the anti-bounce portion 27 located on the left side and the upper wall of the shell body 26 is longer than the vertical length of the depth of the notched contact portion 35 located on the left side. Therefore, when the anti-bounce portion 27 located on the left side is folded back, the contact portion 35 opens downward toward the hole 32. In this way, the anti-bounce portion 27 located on the left side is positioned to cross the hole 32.

[0057] Of the pair of anti-flip sections 27, 27 on the left and right, the anti-flip section 27 located on the right is plate-shaped with its longitudinal direction in the front-to-back direction. In its state before being folded back, the anti-flip section 27 located on the right connects the portion of the upper wall of the shell body 26 in front of the second hole 34 to the portion of the upper wall of the shell body 26 in rear of the second hole 34. The anti-flip section 27 located on the right is folded back to the outside of the shell body 26. In its folded state, the anti-flip section 27 located on the right is positioned above the second hole 34 located on the right. In the folded state of the anti-flip section 27 located on the right, the vertical length of the gap between the tip of the anti-flip section 27 located on the right and the upper wall of the shell body 26 is shorter than the vertical length of the gap between the base of the anti-flip section 27 located on the right and the upper wall of the shell body 26. Therefore, the anti-flip section 27 located on the right extends diagonally to the right downwards. The vertical length of the gap between the base end of the anti-bounce portion 27 located on the right side and the upper wall of the shell body 26 is longer than the vertical length of the depth of the notched contact portion 35 located on the right side. Therefore, when the anti-bounce portion 27 located on the right side is folded back, the contact portion 35 opens downward toward the hole 32. In this way, the anti-bounce portion 27 located on the right side is positioned to cross the hole 32.

[0058] In the modular jack 1c according to the fourth embodiment, when the modular plug 2 is inserted into the modular jack 1c, the extension piece 11 of the latch portion 8 is in contact with the upper inner surface of the contact portion 35 of the anti-flip portion 27. When the latch portion 8 is in contact with the anti-flip portion 27, a part of the extension piece 11 of the latch portion 8 protrudes above the upper wall of the shell body 26 through the second hole 34. Therefore, the lock lever 6 is held in a position closer to the plug body 4 than its original position before elastic deformation.

[0059] In the case of the modular jack 1c of the fourth embodiment, the anti-flip portion 27 is a plate-like structure formed by folding a part of the shell body 26 back onto the outer surface of the shell body 26. Therefore, the modular jack 1c of the fourth embodiment allows for a shorter vertical length of the shell 15, making the modular jack 1c more compact. Furthermore, in the modular jack 1c of the fourth embodiment, because the anti-flip portion 27 is folded back, the anti-flip portion 27 does not rub against the electronic device when the modular jack 1c is installed in an electronic device such as a laptop computer. Therefore, no powdery material is generated due to friction between the anti-flip portion 27 and the electronic device.

[0060] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and any modifications or improvements that can achieve the objectives of the present invention are included within the scope of the present invention.

[0061] For example, the configuration of the anti-flip mechanism 27 is not limited to the embodiments described above. The anti-flip mechanism 27 only needs to be configured to prevent the lock lever 6 from rotating upward more than necessary.

[0062] In the first and second embodiments described above, the tip of the extension piece 11 of the latch portion 8 may be in contact with the anti-flip portion 27. That is, when the lock lever 6 is in its original position before elastic deformation, the tip of the extension piece 11 of the latch portion 8 may be in contact with the upper inner surface of the contact portion 35 of the anti-flip portion 27.

[0063] In each of the above embodiments, the modular jacks 1, 1a, 1b, and 1c are arranged so that the lock lever 6 of the modular plug 2 is in the upward position. However, they may also be arranged so that the lock lever 6 of the modular plug 2 is in the downward position. In other words, the modular jacks 1, 1a, 1b, and 1c may be used upside down compared to the above embodiments. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0064] 1 modular jack 2 Modular Plugs 3 Cables 4 Plug body 5. Contact with the other party 8. Latch section 9 Lever section 13 Housing 14 Contact 15 Shells 26 Shell body 27 Anti-flip section 32 Hole

Claims

1. A modular jack to which a modular plug is electrically connected, the modular jack having a plug body with a cable, a mating contact provided on the plug body, a latch portion provided on the plug body that elastically deforms to rotate toward the plug body with one end as a pivot point, and a lever portion provided on the latch portion, The housing into which the modular plug is inserted, A contact provided in the housing and connected to the mating contact, The housing is provided with a shell that covers the outer surface of the housing and that the latch portion can engage to prevent the modular plug inserted into the housing from coming out of the housing, A modular jack, wherein the shell has a flip-up prevention portion that prevents the latch portion from rotating away from the plug body so that it can no longer engage with the shell.

2. In the aforementioned anti-flip-up section, the latch portion is not in contact with the shell when the latch portion is in a state where it can be locked to the shell. The modular jack according to claim 1, wherein the latch portion comes into contact with the anti-flip portion, preventing the latch portion from rotating away from the plug body so that it can no longer engage with the shell.

3. The shell comprises a shell body having holes that allow the latch portion and the lever portion to protrude outward, and a flip-up prevention portion provided on the shell body that can engage with the latch portion. The modular jack according to claim 2, wherein the anti-flip portion is arranged to cross the hole.

4. The modular jack according to claim 1, wherein the latch portion is in contact with the anti-flip portion so as not to rotate away from the plug body when the latch portion is in a state in which it can be locked to the shell.

5. The shell comprises a shell body having a hole into which the latch can be engaged, and the anti-flip portion provided on the shell body, The aforementioned hole allows the latch portion and the lever portion to protrude outward. The modular jack according to claim 4, wherein the anti-flip portion is arranged to cross the hole.

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