Connector device and heat dissipation structure for connector device

Abstract

To provide a new heat dissipation structure for suppressing the temperature rise of a card housed in a card connector, and a connector device suitable for this heat dissipation structure. [Solution] The heat dissipation structure 10 comprises a substrate 12, a connector device 14, and a heat dissipation member 16. Through-holes 22 are formed in the substrate 12. The connector device 14 comprises a card connector 30 and a metal bracket 60. The card connector 30 houses a card 80 and is mounted on the substrate 12 in the vertical direction (Z direction). The card connector 30 comprises a shell 38. The shell 38 has an upper plate portion 41. The bracket 60 has terminals 64 and a cover portion 61. The terminals 64 are soldered to the through-holes 22 of the substrate 12. The cover portion 61 of the bracket 60 is connected to the upper plate portion 41 of the shell 38. The heat dissipation member 16 is connected to the cover portion 61.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a heat dissipation structure for suppressing the temperature rise of a card housed in a card connector.

Background Art

[0002] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a card connector that houses a memory card (card).

[0003] Referring to FIG. 15, the card connector 90 of Patent Document 1 includes a housing 92 and a shield cover (shell) 94. The shell 94 is attached to the housing 92, thereby forming a housing portion 96. The housing portion 96 houses the inserted card 98.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] As the data transfer speed of the card increases, the amount of heat generated by the card increases and the temperature of the card rises. An excessive rise in the temperature of the card causes various problems.

[0006] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a new heat dissipation structure for suppressing the temperature rise of a card housed in a card connector and a connector device suitable for this heat dissipation structure.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] As a first heat dissipation structure, the present invention is a heat dissipation structure configured to suppress the temperature rise of the card, The heat dissipation structure comprises a substrate, a connector device, and a heat dissipation member. The aforementioned substrate has through holes formed in it. The connector device comprises a card connector and a metal bracket. The card connector houses the card and is mounted on the circuit board in the vertical direction. The aforementioned card connector is equipped with a shell, The aforementioned shell has an upper plate portion, The bracket has terminals and a cover portion. The terminals are soldered to the through-holes of the circuit board. The cover portion of the bracket is connected to the upper plate portion of the shell, The heat dissipation member is connected to the cover portion. To provide a heat dissipation structure.

[0008] The present invention provides a first connector device, A connector device configured to suppress the temperature rise of the card, The connector device comprises a card connector and a metal bracket. The card connector is mounted on the circuit board in the vertical direction and accommodates the card. The aforementioned card connector is equipped with a shell, The aforementioned shell has an upper plate portion, The bracket has terminals and a cover portion. The terminals are soldered to through-holes formed in the substrate. The cover portion of the bracket is connected to the upper plate portion of the shell. We provide connector devices.

[0009] The present invention provides a second connector device, which is a first connector device, The upper plate portion of the shell has through holes formed therein. The through hole is located at a portion other than the edge of the upper plate portion in a horizontal plane orthogonal to the vertical direction, and penetrates the upper plate portion in the vertical direction. The cover portion of the bracket covers the through hole. When the connector device is viewed from above, the through hole cannot be visually recognized. A connector device is provided.

[0010] The present invention is a first or second connector device as a third connector device, The card connector includes signal terminals. The signal terminals have a surface mounting portion. The bracket has a shielding portion and a connecting portion. The shielding portion covers the surface mounting portion. The connecting portion is soldered to a through hole formed in the substrate. The connecting portion extends downward from the shielding portion. A connector device is provided.

[0011] The present invention is a first or second connector device as a fourth connector device, The card connector includes signal terminals. The signal terminals have a surface mounting portion. The shell has a shielding portion and a connecting portion. The shielding portion covers the surface mounting portion. The connecting portion is connected to the substrate. The connecting portion extends downward from the shielding portion. The connector device includes the shell having the shielding portion and the connecting portion instead of the bracket having the terminal and the cover portion. A connector device is provided.

[0012] The present invention is a first or second connector device as a fifth connector device, The card connector includes signal terminals. The signal terminal has a surface mounting portion, The shell has a shielding portion and a connecting portion, The shielding portion covers the surface mounting portion, The connecting portion is connected to the substrate, The connecting portion extends downward from the shielding portion A connector device is provided.

Advantages of the Invention

[0013] According to the heat dissipation structure of the present invention, the heat generated in the card is transmitted to the heat dissipation member through the upper plate portion of the shell and the cover portion of the bracket. According to this first heat conduction path, the upper plate portion and the cover portion can be brought into contact over a wide area, and the cover portion and the heat dissipation member can be brought into contact over a wide area. Therefore, the heat conduction performance can be improved. In addition, the metal bracket increases the heat capacity of the connector device, thereby suppressing the temperature rise of the entire connector device including the card. Further, the heat generated in the card is transmitted to the substrate through the terminals of the bracket soldered to the through holes in addition to the first heat conduction path. By connecting the terminals of the bracket to the substrate by through holes instead of surface mounting, a second heat conduction path with low thermal resistance can be reliably formed, and the heat conduction performance can be improved. As described above, according to the present invention, a new heat dissipation structure for suppressing the temperature rise of the card housed in the card connector can be provided.

[0014] The connector device of the present invention includes a shell and a bracket that form a part of the heat dissipation structure of the present invention. By simply connecting the connector device of the present invention to a heat dissipation member and soldering the terminals of the connector device of the present invention to the through holes of the substrate, the heat dissipation structure of the present invention can be formed. That is, according to the present invention, a connector device suitable for a new heat dissipation structure for suppressing the temperature rise of the card housed in the card connector can be provided.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0015] [Figure 1]This is a perspective view showing a heat dissipation structure according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view showing the heat dissipation structure. The outlines of the heat conductive sheets attached to the shell and the heat conductive sheets attached to the brackets are drawn with dashed lines. [Figure 3] Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the connector device with a heat dissipation structure. The outlines of the signal terminals and the circuit board of the connector device are partially drawn with dashed lines. [Figure 4] This is a front view showing the heat dissipation structure of Figure 1. The hidden contours of the bracket terminals and the hidden through-holes on the circuit board are drawn with dashed lines. [Figure 5] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view partially showing the heat dissipation structure along the VV line. The top of the heatsink is not depicted. The hidden contours of the bracket connection and the hidden through-holes in the substrate are shown with dashed lines. [Figure 6] Figure 4 is a schematic front view showing the heat dissipation structure. Heat conduction paths are depicted with dashed lines. [Figure 7] Figure 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the heat dissipation structure along the line VII-VII. The heat conduction path is depicted with dashed lines. [Figure 8] Figure 3 is a top view showing the connector device. The positions of the hidden pass-through holes and surrounding holes of the card connector, and the positions of the surface-mount parts of the hidden signal terminals are indicated by dashed lines. [Figure 9] Figure 8 is a top view showing the card connector of the connector device. The positions of the hidden signal terminals and the window formed in the shell of the second modified card connector are partially indicated by dashed lines. [Figure 10] This is a top view showing a first modified example of the connector device shown in Figure 8. The positions of the hidden pass-through holes and surrounding holes of the card connector are indicated by dashed lines. [Figure 11] Figure 10 is a perspective view showing the bracket of the connector device. [Figure 12] This is a top view showing a second modified example of the connector device in Figure 8. The positions of the surface-mount parts of the hidden signal terminals are indicated by dashed lines. [Figure 13]Figure 12 is a top view showing the card connector of the connector device. [Figure 14] Figure 8 is a perspective view showing a third modified example of the connector device. A portion of the circuit board outline and the location of the surface-mount parts of the hidden signal terminals are indicated by dashed lines. [Figure 15] This is a perspective view showing the card connector of Patent Document 1. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0016] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the heat dissipation structure 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises a substrate 12, a connector device 14, and a heat dissipation member 16. The substrate 12, the connector device 14, and the heat dissipation member 16 are stacked vertically and fixed to each other, thereby assembling the heat dissipation structure 10.

[0017] In this embodiment, the vertical direction is the Z direction. In this embodiment, "up" is the +Z direction and "down" is the -Z direction. Terms such as vertical direction do not indicate an absolute positional relationship with respect to the ground, but merely indicate the relative direction when the substrate 12, connector device 14, and heat dissipation member 16 are defined as being arranged vertically.

[0018] Referring to Figure 2, the substrate 12 in this embodiment is a circuit board on which various conductive patterns are formed. The illustrated substrate 12 is part of an actual circuit board connected to a control circuit (not shown), and has a rectangular flat plate shape perpendicular to the vertical direction. Numerous through-holes 22 are formed in the substrate 12, and numerous conductive pads 28 made of conductor material are provided. Each of the through-holes 22 penetrates the substrate 12 in the vertical direction and is grounded to the ground pattern (not shown) of the substrate 12. Each of the conductive pads 28 is formed on the upper surface of the substrate 12. At least one of the conductive pads 28 is electrically connected to the control circuit via a conductor (not shown) made of conductor material. At least one of the other conductive pads 28 is grounded to the ground pattern of the substrate 12.

[0019] The through-hole 22 of this embodiment includes six side through-holes (through-holes) 24 and two rear through-holes (through-holes) 26. The six through-holes 24 are divided into two rows of three through-holes 24 each in the lateral direction perpendicular to the vertical direction. In this embodiment, the lateral direction is the Y direction. The three through-holes 24 in each row are aligned along the front-to-back direction, perpendicular to both the vertical and lateral directions. The two through-holes 26 are located at the rear end of the substrate 12 and are aligned in the lateral direction. In this embodiment, the front-to-back direction is the X direction. In this embodiment, "front" is the +X direction and "rear" is the -X direction.

[0020] The substrate 12 of this embodiment has the structure described above. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. As long as one or more through-holes 24 are formed in the substrate 12, the structure of the substrate 12 is not particularly limited.

[0021] The connector device 14 of this embodiment comprises a card connector 30, a flexible thermal conductive sheet 50 made of a thermal conductive material, and a metal bracket 60. The card connector 30 is mounted on the substrate 12 in the vertical direction and accommodates the card 80. That is, when the connector device 14 is in use, the card connector 30 is mounted on the substrate 12 in the vertical direction and accommodates the card 80. The card 80 is a memory card such as a microSD® card and stores various data. The data stored on the card 80 is transferred between the card connector 30 and a control circuit (not shown) via the substrate 12.

[0022] Generally, the data transfer speed of memory cards is gradually increasing with technological advancements. As the data transfer speed of card 80 increases, the amount of heat generated by card 80 increases, causing its temperature to rise. Excessive temperature increases in card 80 can cause various problems.

[0023] As described below, the heat dissipation structure 10 of this embodiment has a novel structure for suppressing the temperature rise of the card 80 housed in the card connector 30. That is, the heat dissipation structure 10 of this embodiment is configured to suppress the temperature rise of the card 80. Furthermore, the connector device 14 of this embodiment is configured to suppress the temperature rise of the card 80. For example, the connector device 14 of this embodiment is connected to a heat dissipation member 16. Heat generated inside the card connector 30 (i.e., heat generated in the connector device 14) is efficiently transferred to the heat dissipation member 16. The heat transferred to the heat dissipation member 16 is efficiently radiated to the outside from the heat dissipation member 16.

[0024] More specifically, referring to Figure 2 in conjunction with Figure 5, the heat dissipation member 16 of this embodiment comprises a flexible thermal conductive sheet 17 made of a thermal conductive material and a metal heat sink 18. The thermal conductive sheet 17 of this embodiment is a thin rectangular sheet. The thermal conductive sheet 17 is located between the upper surface of the connector device 14 and the lower surface of the heat sink 18, and is in close contact with the upper surface of the connector device 14 and the lower surface of the heat sink 18. According to this embodiment, because a flexible thermal conductive sheet 17 is provided, even if there are irregularities on the upper surface of the connector device 14 or the lower surface of the heat sink 18, the connector device 14 and the heat sink 18 can be in close contact over a wide area via the thermal conductive sheet 17.

[0025] The heat generated in the card 80 (i.e., the heat generated in the connector device 14) is transferred to the heat sink 18 via the thermal conductive sheet 17. The heat sink 18 in this embodiment has a large volume and therefore a large heat capacity. In addition, the heat sink 18 has a number of heat sinks 19. The heat sinks 19 are spaced apart from each other in the lateral direction. Each of the heat sinks 19 has a rectangular flat plate shape in a vertical plane (XZ plane) perpendicular to the lateral direction, and as a result, the heat sink 18 has a wide heat dissipation surface.

[0026] The heat dissipation member 16 of this embodiment has the structure described above, and can efficiently receive heat from the connector device 14 and efficiently radiate the heat transferred from the connector device 14 into the air. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the heat conductive sheet 17 may be provided as needed. That is, the heat dissipation member 16 may consist only of the heat sink 18. If the heat conductive sheet 17 is not provided, the heat sink 18 may be directly connected to the upper surface of the connector device 14. In this case, the heat sink 18 may be bonded to the connector device 14 with a paste-like heat conductive material instead of the heat conductive sheet 17. Furthermore, the heat dissipation member 16 may further consist of other members in addition to the members described above.

[0027] According to this embodiment, the heat generated in the card 80 is radiated into the air from the heat sink 18. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the heat sink 18 may be in contact with a cooling device (not shown). The heat dissipation member 16 may include various components such as a metal housing, a shield plate made of a metal plate, a heat pipe, a vapor chamber, or a copper foil sheet in place of or in addition to the heat sink 18.

[0028] The connector device 14 of this embodiment will now be described.

[0029] Referring to Figure 3, the connector device 14 of this embodiment comprises only a card connector 30, a thermal conductive sheet 50, and a bracket 60. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the connector device 14 may further comprise other components in addition to the components described above.

[0030] The thermal conductive sheet 50 in this embodiment is a thin, rectangular sheet. Referring to Figure 3 in conjunction with Figure 5, the thermal conductive sheet 50 is positioned between the upper surface of the card connector 30 and the lower surface of the bracket 60, and is in close contact with both the upper surface of the card connector 30 and the lower surface of the bracket 60. According to this embodiment, because a flexible thermal conductive sheet 50 is provided, even if there are irregularities on the upper surface of the card connector 30 or the lower surface of the bracket 60, the card connector 30 and the bracket 60 can be in close contact over a wide area via the thermal conductive sheet 50.

[0031] The heat generated in the card 80 (i.e., the heat generated in the card connector 30) is efficiently transferred to the bracket 60 via the thermal conductive sheet 50. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the thermal conductive sheet 50 may be provided as needed. That is, the connector device 14 may consist only of the card connector 30 and the bracket 60. If the thermal conductive sheet 50 is not provided, the bracket 60 may be directly connected to the upper surface of the card connector 30. In this case, the bracket 60 may be bonded to the upper surface of the card connector 30 with a paste-like thermal conductive material.

[0032] Referring to Figure 5 in conjunction with Figures 2 and 3, the card connector 30 of this embodiment comprises a housing 34 made of an insulator, a plurality of signal terminals 35 made of metal plates, and a shell 38 made of a metal plate. The housing 34 is located at the bottom of the card connector 30. The shell 38 covers the housing 34 from above, thereby forming a housing portion 32 in the card connector 30. The housing portion 32 is a space located between the housing 34 and the shell 38 in the vertical direction. The housing portion 32 opens to the front. When the connector device 14 is used, the card 80 is inserted into the housing portion 32 from the front and housed inside the housing portion 32. The card 80 housed in the housing portion 32 is covered from above by the shell 38.

[0033] Referring to Figure 5 in conjunction with Figure 3, the signal terminals 35 are held in the housing 34 and are arranged laterally. Each of the signal terminals 35 has a contact 36 and a surface mount portion 37. The surface mount portion 37 is located at the rear end of the card connector 30 and is arranged laterally. Referring to Figure 5, when the connector device 14 is mounted on the substrate 12, each of the surface mount portions 37 is fixed and connected to the conductive pads 28 of the substrate 12 by soldering. That is, the connector device 14 (card connector 30) mounted on the substrate 12 is fixed and connected to the substrate 12. When the card 80 is placed in the housing portion 32, each of the contacts 36 is pressed against and makes contact with the electrodes (not shown) of the card 80. As a result, the card 80 and the control circuit (not shown) are electrically connected to each other.

[0034] The card connector 30 of this embodiment has the structure described above. The lower end of the card connector 30 that connects to the substrate 12, including parts not shown, is surface-mounted to the substrate 12. Therefore, the card connector 30 can be fixed to the substrate 12 without forming through-holes 22 that occupy a larger area than the conductive pads 28 in the substrate 12. However, the structure of the card connector 30 of the present invention is not particularly limited as long as the card connector 30 includes a shell 38 that covers the contained card 80. For example, the card connector 30 may further include other members in addition to the above-described members. The card connector 30 may be partially inserted into and connected to the through-holes 22.

[0035] Referring to Figure 3, the shell 38 of this embodiment is formed by bending a single metal plate. That is, the shell 38 is a single bent metal plate. The shell 38 has an upper plate portion 41, two side plate portions 42, a rear plate portion 43, and five connecting portions 48. The upper plate portion 41, the side plate portions 42, the rear plate portion 43, and the connecting portions 48 are each parts of a single metal plate.

[0036] The upper plate portion 41 is located at the upper end of the shell 38 and, as a whole, has a rectangular flat plate shape perpendicular to the vertical direction. That is, the upper surface of the upper plate portion 41 extends along a horizontal plane (XY plane) perpendicular to the vertical direction. The middle part of the upper surface of the upper plate portion 41 in the horizontal plane is a flat surface without irregularities or holes. Both sides of the upper plate portion 41 in the lateral direction are bent downward, thereby forming two side plate portions 42. Each of the side plate portions 42 as a whole extends along a vertical plane (XZ plane). Each of the side plate portions 42 extends partially downward and is fixed and connected to the conductive pads 28 of the substrate 12 by soldering. The rear end of the upper plate portion 41 is also bent downward, thereby forming a rear plate portion 43. The rear plate portion 43 as a whole extends along an orthogonal plane (YZ plane) perpendicular to the front-rear direction.

[0037] In this embodiment, the shell 38 has a shielding portion 46 in addition to the portion described above. The shielding portion 46 in this embodiment consists of the rear end of the upper plate portion 41 and the rear plate portion 43. There is no visible boundary between the shielding portion 46 and the front portion of the upper plate portion 41. The connecting portions 48 are provided on the rear plate portion 43 of the shielding portion 46 and are arranged along the lateral direction. Each of the connecting portions 48 extends downward from the shielding portion 46. More specifically, each of the connecting portions 48 extends straight downward from the lower end of the rear plate portion 43 of the shielding portion 46.

[0038] Each of the connection parts 48 is connected to the substrate 12. More specifically, when the connector device 14 is fixed to the substrate 12, the lower end of each connection part 48 is either in contact with the conductive pad 28 of the substrate 12 or positioned directly above the conductive pad 28 at a small distance. Each of the connection parts 48 arranged in this manner is fixed to the conductive pad 28 by soldering and grounded. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. Each of the connection parts 48 may also be soldered to a through-hole 22 formed in the substrate 12.

[0039] The shell 38 of this embodiment has the structure described above. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the shielding portion 46 and the connecting portion 48 may be provided as needed. The number of connecting portions 48 may be one or more. A visible boundary may be provided between the shielding portion 46 and the front part of the upper plate portion 41. In addition to the above-described portion, the shell 38 may further include other portions. Furthermore, the shell 38 may be formed by joining multiple members together.

[0040] Referring to Figure 3 in conjunction with Figure 2, the bracket 60 of this embodiment is formed by bending a single metal plate. That is, the bracket 60 is a single bent metal plate. The bracket 60 has a cover portion 61, two side plate portions 62, a rear plate portion 63, six terminals 64, and two connecting portions 68. Each of the cover portion 61, side plate portions 62, rear plate portion 63, terminals 64, and connecting portions 68 is a part of a single metal plate.

[0041] The cover portion 61 is located at the upper end of the bracket 60 and, as a whole, has a rectangular flat plate shape extending along a horizontal plane. That is, the upper and lower surfaces of the upper plate portion 41 each extend along a horizontal plane. The intermediate portions of the upper and lower surfaces of the cover portion 61 in the horizontal plane are flat surfaces without irregularities or holes. Both sides of the cover portion 61 in the lateral direction are bent downward, thereby forming two side plate portions 62. Each of the side plate portions 62 as a whole extends along a vertical plane (XZ plane). The rear end of the cover portion 61 is also bent downward, thereby forming a rear plate portion 63. The rear plate portion 43 as a whole extends along an orthogonal plane (YZ plane).

[0042] In this embodiment, the bracket 60 has a shielding portion 66 in addition to the portion described above. The shielding portion 66 in this embodiment consists of the rear end of the cover portion 61 and the rear plate portion 63. There is no visible boundary between the shielding portion 66 and the front portion of the cover portion 61. The connecting portions 68 are provided on the rear plate portion 63 of the shielding portion 66 and are arranged along the lateral direction. Each of the connecting portions 68 extends downward from the shielding portion 66. More specifically, each of the connecting portions 68 extends straight downward from the lower end of the rear plate portion 63 of the shielding portion 66.

[0043] Each of the connection parts 68 is soldered to a through-hole 26 formed in the substrate 12. More specifically, referring to Figures 5 and 7, when the connector device 14 is fixed to the substrate 12, the lower end of each connection part 68 is inserted into the through-hole 26 of the substrate 12. The lower end of each connection part 68 is fixed to the through-hole 26 by solder 88 that fills the through-hole 26. In other words, each of the connection parts 68 is soldered to the through-hole 26 of the substrate 12 when the connector device 14 is in use.

[0044] Referring to Figures 2, 3, and 6, each of the side plate portions 62 extends downward from the lateral end of the cover portion 61. Referring to Figures 2 and 3, the six terminals 64 are divided laterally into two rows, each consisting of three terminals 64. The two rows of terminals 64 are provided corresponding to the two side plate portions 62. The three terminals 64 in each row are arranged along the front-to-back direction and extend downward from the corresponding side plate portion 62. More specifically, each of the terminals 64 in each row extends straight downward from the lower end of the side plate portion 62.

[0045] Referring to Figures 3, 4, and 6, each of the terminals 64 is soldered to a through-hole 24 formed in the substrate 12. More specifically, referring to Figures 4 and 6, when the connector device 14 is fixed to the substrate 12, the lower end of each terminal 64 is inserted into the through-hole 24 of the substrate 12. The lower end of each terminal 64 is fixed to the through-hole 24 by solder 88 that fills the through-hole 24.

[0046] Referring to Figure 3, the thermal conductive sheet 50 is connected to the upper plate portion 41 of the shell 38. More specifically, the thermal conductive sheet 50 is bonded to the upper surface of the front part of the upper plate portion 41. On the other hand, the thermal conductive sheet 50 is not connected to the shielding portion 46. In other words, the rear end of the upper plate portion 41 that is not bonded to the thermal conductive sheet 50 is the shielding portion 46. Referring to Figure 3 in conjunction with Figure 5, the thermal conductive sheet 50 is connected to the cover portion 61 of the bracket 60. More specifically, the thermal conductive sheet 50 is bonded to the lower surface of the cover portion 61.

[0047] As described above, the cover portion 61 of the bracket 60 in this embodiment is indirectly connected to the upper plate portion 41 of the shell 38 via the thermal conductive sheet 50. According to this embodiment, since a flexible thermal conductive sheet 50 is provided, even if there are irregularities on the upper surface of the upper plate portion 41 or the lower surface of the cover portion 61, the upper plate portion 41 and the cover portion 61 can be tightly attached over a wide area via the thermal conductive sheet 50. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the cover portion 61 may be directly connected to the upper plate portion 41 without the thermal conductive sheet 50. That is, the cover portion 61 of the bracket 60 only needs to be connected to the upper plate portion 41 of the shell 38.

[0048] In this embodiment, the lower end (connection end) of the bracket 60 that connects to the substrate 12 is not surface-mounted to the substrate 12, but is soldered to the through-hole 22 of the substrate 12. Considering manufacturing tolerances and assembly tolerances, it is difficult to accurately position the bracket 60, which is attached to the shell 38 from above, in the vertical direction relative to the substrate 12. In other words, it is difficult to surface-mount the connection end of the bracket 60 in this embodiment to the substrate 12. On the other hand, in this embodiment, by simply extending the connection end of the bracket 60, the connection end can be easily inserted into the through-hole 22 of the substrate 12 and soldered. Furthermore, by soldering the connection end of the bracket 60 to the through-hole 22, the connector device 14 can be firmly fixed to the substrate 12.

[0049] The bracket 60 of this embodiment has the structure described above. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the shielding portion 66 and the connecting portion 68 may be provided as needed. The connecting portion 68 may be surface-mounted on the substrate 12. The number of connecting portions 68 may be one or more. A visible boundary may be provided between the shielding portion 66 and the front part of the cover portion 61. In addition to the parts described above, the bracket 60 may further include other parts. The bracket 60 may also be formed by joining a plurality of members together.

[0050] The main heat conduction paths of this embodiment will be described below.

[0051] Referring to Figures 6 and 7, the heat dissipation member 16 is connected to the cover portion 61 of the bracket 60 when the connector device 14 is in use. Referring to Figure 6, when the connector device 14 is in use, each of the terminals 64 of the bracket 60 is soldered to the through-hole 24 of the circuit board 12.

[0052] Referring to Figures 6 and 7, according to the heat dissipation structure 10 of this embodiment, most of the heat generated in the card 80 is transferred to the upper plate portion 41 of the shell 38. The heat transferred to the upper plate portion 41 is then transferred to the heat dissipation member 16 via the cover portion 61 of the bracket 60. This first heat conduction path TP1 allows the upper plate portion 41 and the cover portion 61 to be in contact over a wide area, and also allows the cover portion 61 and the heat dissipation member 16 to be in contact over a wide area. As a result, heat conduction performance can be improved. In addition, the metal bracket 60 increases the heat capacity of the connector device 14, thereby suppressing the temperature rise of the entire connector device 14, including the card 80.

[0053] Furthermore, the heat generated in the card 80 is transferred to the substrate 12 not only through the first heat conduction path TP1, but also through the terminals 64 of the bracket 60 soldered to the through-holes 24. According to this embodiment, by connecting the terminals 64 of the bracket 60 to the substrate 12 with solder 88 that fills the through-holes 24, rather than surface mounting the terminals 64 to the substrate 12, the terminals 64 can be reliably connected to the substrate 12, and the thermal resistance between the terminals 64 and the substrate 12 can be reduced. In other words, according to this embodiment, a second heat conduction path TP2 with low thermal resistance can be reliably formed, and the heat conduction performance can be improved.

[0054] As described above, this embodiment provides a new heat dissipation structure 10 for suppressing the temperature rise of the card 80 housed in the card connector 30.

[0055] The connector device 14 of this embodiment includes a shell 38 and a bracket 60 that constitute part of the heat dissipation structure 10 of this embodiment. The heat dissipation structure 10 of this embodiment can be formed simply by connecting the connector device 14 of this embodiment to the heat dissipation member 16 and soldering the terminals 64 of the connector device 14 of this embodiment to the through-holes 24 of the substrate 12. In other words, according to this embodiment, it is possible to provide a connector device 14 suitable for a new heat dissipation structure 10 for suppressing the temperature rise of the card 80 housed in the card connector 30.

[0056] Referring to Figure 7, according to this embodiment, the heat generated in the card 80 is transferred to the substrate 12 not only through the first and second heat conduction paths TP1 and TP2, but also through the connection portion 68 of the bracket 60 soldered to the through-hole 26. By connecting the connection portion 68 of the bracket 60 to the substrate 12 with solder 88 that fills the through-hole 26, rather than surface mounting the bracket 60 to the substrate 12, the connection portion 68 can be reliably connected to the substrate 12, and the thermal resistance between the connection portion 68 and the substrate 12 can be reduced. In other words, according to this embodiment, a third heat conduction path TP3 with low thermal resistance can be reliably formed, thereby further improving the heat conduction performance.

[0057] Referring to Figure 3, according to this embodiment, the thermal conductivity can be easily improved by making the terminals 64 and connecting portions 68 of the bracket 60 wider. Furthermore, the thermal conductivity can be easily improved by increasing the number of terminals 64 and connecting portions 68.

[0058] The connector device 14 of this embodiment will be described in more detail below.

[0059] Referring to Figure 9 in conjunction with Figure 3, the upper plate portion 41 of the shell 38 may have numerous windows 416 formed therein for purposes such as visually inspecting the signal terminals 35. Each of the windows 416 is formed to penetrate the upper plate portion 41 in the vertical direction. As a result, the windows 416 reduce the electromagnetic shielding function of the shell 38. In addition, forming the windows 416 reduces the bonding area between the upper plate portion 41 and the thermal conductive sheet 50. This may result in a decrease in thermal conductivity.

[0060] On the other hand, in this embodiment, no window portion 416 is formed at all in the upper plate portion 41 of the shell 38. This structure can prevent a certain degree of deterioration in the electromagnetic shielding function of the shell 38. In addition, since holes are not formed in most of the upper plate portion 41, the bonding area between the upper plate portion 41 and the heat conductive sheet 50 can be increased by bonding a large area heat conductive sheet 50 to the upper plate portion 41.

[0061] Referring to Figure 9, although the upper plate portion 41 of the shell 38 in this embodiment does not have a window portion 416, it has three through holes 414 and eight peripheral holes 418. Each of the peripheral holes 418 is located at the edge of the upper plate portion 41 in the horizontal plane and only partially penetrates the upper plate portion 41 in the vertical direction. Also, each of the peripheral holes 418 is small in size. The peripheral holes 418 formed as described above have little effect on the electromagnetic shielding function of the shell 38. Therefore, unless there is a particular reason, there is no need to block the peripheral holes 418. On the other hand, each of the through holes 414 is located in a part of the upper plate portion 41 other than the edge in the horizontal plane (i.e., the middle part) and penetrates the upper plate portion 41 in the vertical direction. Also, each of the through holes 414 is large in size.

[0062] The through-holes 414 in the shell 38 are necessary for the card connector 30 to function and are difficult to block. For example, one of the through-holes 414 is provided with an elastically deformable spring piece 412. The spring piece 412 is a necessary part for properly receiving and ejecting the card 80 (see Figure 1). The tip of the spring piece 412 moves upward beyond the upper surface of the upper plate portion 41 as the spring piece 412 elastically deforms. If the through-holes 414 were blocked, the tip of the spring piece 412 would not be able to move upward, and the card 80 would not be able to be properly received and ejected.

[0063] On the other hand, referring to Figure 3, the thermal conductive sheet 50 in this embodiment is bonded to the middle portion of the upper plate portion 41 of the shell 38 where the through holes 414 are not formed. Referring to Figure 3 in conjunction with Figures 5 and 8, according to the above arrangement, the lower surface of the bracket 60 attached to the shell 38 via the thermal conductive sheet 50 is located above the spring piece 412, separated from the upper plate portion 41 of the shell 38 by the thickness of the thermal conductive sheet 50. Therefore, the tip of the spring piece 412 can move by the required amount. In other words, according to this embodiment, the bracket 60 can cover all of the through holes 414 from above without affecting the function of the spring piece 412.

[0064] Referring to Figure 8, as described above, the cover portion 61 of the bracket 60 in this embodiment covers the through hole 414. The through hole 414 cannot be seen when the connector device 14 is viewed from above. Referring to Figure 2, this arrangement allows the heat conductive sheet 17 to be bonded to the cover portion 61 over a wide area. Also, the cover portion 61 in this embodiment has almost no holes. Therefore, the bonding area between the bracket 60 and the heat conductive sheet 17 can be increased. In other words, according to this embodiment, by attaching the bracket 60 to the shell 38, the heat conduction area between the connector device 14 and the heat dissipation member 16 can be increased. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the structure of the connector device 14 can be modified as needed.

[0065] For example, comparing Figure 10 with Figure 8, the connector device 14A according to the first modification is equipped with a bracket 60A that is different from the bracket 60 of the connector device 14. The bracket 60A is provided with a protrusion 612 that is not provided on the bracket 60. The protrusion 612 is formed so as to cover the spring piece 412 of the shell 38 from above.

[0066] Referring to Figure 11, the protrusion 612 protrudes upward from the cover portion 61. Inside the protrusion 612, an upward-protruding space (not shown) is formed. Referring to Figure 10, with this structure, the tip of the spring piece 412 can move by the required amount without providing the heat conductive sheet 50. That is, with this modified example, the bracket 60A can be directly connected to the shell 38 by welding without providing the heat conductive sheet 50.

[0067] Referring to Figures 3 and 9, the shielding portion 46 of the shell 38 in this embodiment covers the surface mount portion 37 of the signal terminal 35 from above and behind. This arrangement effectively shields against various electromagnetic noises, such as electromagnetic noise radiated from the surface mount portion 37. Furthermore, the connection portion 48, which is grounded to the conductive pad 28 of the substrate 12, effectively reduces electromagnetic noise. In addition, an additional heat conduction path TPA can be formed via the connection portion 48. The shielding portion 46 and connection portion 48 in this embodiment have the above-described structure. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the shielding portion 46 may cover the surface mount portion 37 only from above. That is, the shielding portion 46 only needs to cover the surface mount portion 37 of the signal terminal 35. Also, as mentioned above, the shielding portion 46 and connection portion 48 may be provided as needed.

[0068] Referring to Figures 3 and 5, the shielding portion 66 of the bracket 60 in this embodiment covers the shielding portion 46 and connection portion 48 of the shell 38 from above and rear, and also covers the surface mount portion 37 of the signal terminal 35 from above and rear. This arrangement allows for more effective shielding of electromagnetic noise radiated from the surface mount portion 37. Furthermore, the connection portion 68, which is grounded to the through-hole 26 of the substrate 12, can further effectively reduce electromagnetic noise. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the shielding portion 66 may cover the surface mount portion 37 only from above. That is, the shielding portion 66 only needs to cover the surface mount portion 37 of the signal terminal 35. Also, if the shielding portion 46 and connection portion 48 of the shell 38 can sufficiently shield and reduce electromagnetic noise, the shielding portion 66 and connection portion 68 of the bracket 60 do not need to be provided.

[0069] This embodiment can be modified in various ways in addition to the various modifications already described. Two modifications are described below.

[0070] Comparing Figures 12 and 13 with Figures 8 and 9, the connector device 14B according to the second modification is equipped with a card connector 30B that is different from the card connector 30 of the connector device 14. Except for this difference, the connector device 14B has a similar structure to the connector device 14. The card connector 30B is equipped with a shell 38B that is different from the shell 38 of the card connector 30. Except for this difference, the card connector 30B has a similar structure to the card connector 30.

[0071] Shell 38B has an upper plate portion 41B that is different from the upper plate portion 41 of shell 38, but does not have the shielding portion 46 and connection portion 48 that are provided on shell 38. The surface mount portion 37 of the signal terminal 35 of card connector 30B is exposed to the outside of shell 38. However, the shielding portion 66 of bracket 60 in this modified example covers the surface mount portion 37 of the signal terminal 35. Therefore, electromagnetic noise radiated from the surface mount portion 37 can be effectively shielded. In addition, electromagnetic noise can be effectively reduced by the connection portion 68 which is grounded to the through-hole 26 of the substrate 12.

[0072] Comparing Figure 14 with Figure 3, the connector device 14C according to the third modification has the same card connector 30 as connector device 14, but does not have the thermal conductive sheet 50 and bracket 60 of connector device 14. In other words, connector device 14C has only the card connector 30.

[0073] Referring to Figure 14, the shielding portion 46 of the shell 38 in this modified example covers the surface mount portion 37 of the signal terminal 35. This arrangement effectively shields electromagnetic noise radiated from the surface mount portion 37. Furthermore, the connection portion 48, which is grounded to the conductive pad 28 of the substrate 12, effectively reduces electromagnetic noise. In addition, an additional heat conduction path TPA can be formed via the connection portion 48.

[0074] Referring to Figure 14 in conjunction with Figure 2, the connector device 14C can be connected to the heat sink 18 via a thermal conductive sheet 17. More specifically, the thermal conductive sheet 17 can be easily adhered to the flat, non-porous middle portion of the upper plate portion 41 of the shell 38. That is, the connector device 14C has a shell 38 having a shielding portion 46 and a connecting portion 48 instead of a bracket 60 having terminals 64 and a cover portion 61. According to this modification, a connector device 14C suitable for a new heat dissipation structure 10 for suppressing the temperature rise of the card 80 housed in the card connector 30 can be provided.

[0075] Although the best embodiment of the present invention has been described above, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the embodiment can be modified without departing from the spirit of the invention, and such embodiments fall within the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0076] 10 Heat dissipation structure 12 circuit boards 14, 14A, 14B, 14C Connector Device 16 Heat dissipation components 17 Thermal conductive sheet 18 Heatsink 19 Heat sink 22 through-holes 24 Side through-holes (through-holes) 26 Rear through-hole (through-hole) 28 conductive pads 30,30B card connector 32 Storage Unit 34 Housing 35 Signal terminals 36 contacts 37 Surface Mount Parts 38,38B shell 41, 41B Upper plate section 412 Spring piece 414 Passing hole 416 Window section 418 Peripheral holes 42 Side plate part 43 Rear plate part 46 Shielding part 48 Connection part 50 Thermal conductive sheets 60, 60A bracket 61 Cover section 612 Convex part 62 Side plate part 63 Rear plate part 64 terminals 66 Shielding part 68 Connection part TP1, TP2, TP3 Heat conduction paths 80 cards 88 Handa

Claims

1. A heat dissipation structure configured to suppress the temperature rise of the card, The heat dissipation structure comprises a substrate, a connector device, and a heat dissipation member. The aforementioned substrate has through holes formed in it. The connector device comprises a card connector and a metal bracket. The card connector houses the card and is mounted on the circuit board in the vertical direction. The aforementioned card connector is equipped with a shell, The aforementioned shell has an upper plate portion, The bracket has terminals and a cover portion. The terminals are soldered to the through-holes of the circuit board. The cover portion of the bracket is connected to the upper plate portion of the shell, The heat dissipation member is connected to the cover portion. Heat dissipation structure.

2. A connector device configured to suppress the temperature rise of the card, The connector device comprises a card connector and a metal bracket. The card connector is mounted on the circuit board in the vertical direction and accommodates the card. The aforementioned card connector is equipped with a shell, The aforementioned shell has an upper plate portion, The bracket has terminals and a cover portion. The terminals are soldered to through-holes formed in the substrate. The cover portion of the bracket is connected to the upper plate portion of the shell. Connector device.

3. A connector device according to claim 2, The upper plate portion of the shell has through holes formed therein. The through hole is located in a horizontal plane perpendicular to the vertical direction, at a location other than the edge of the upper plate portion, and penetrates the upper plate portion in the vertical direction. The cover portion of the bracket covers the through hole, When the connector device is viewed from above, the through hole cannot be seen. Connector device.

4. A connector device according to claim 2 or claim 3, The aforementioned card connector is equipped with signal terminals, The aforementioned signal terminal has a surface mount portion, The bracket has a shielding portion and a connecting portion. The shielding portion covers the surface mount portion, The aforementioned connection portion is soldered to a through-hole formed in the substrate. The connecting portion extends downward from the shielding portion. Connector device.

5. A connector device according to claim 2 or claim 3, The aforementioned card connector is equipped with signal terminals, The aforementioned signal terminal has a surface mount portion, The aforementioned shell has a shielding portion and a connecting portion. The shielding portion covers the surface mount portion, The aforementioned connection part is connected to the substrate, The aforementioned connecting portion extends downward from the shielding portion, The connector device comprises a shell having a shielding portion and a connecting portion, instead of the bracket having the terminals and the cover portion. Connector device.

6. A connector device according to claim 2 or claim 3, The aforementioned card connector is equipped with signal terminals, The aforementioned signal terminal has a surface mount portion, The aforementioned shell has a shielding portion and a connecting portion. The shielding portion covers the surface mount portion, The aforementioned connection part is connected to the substrate, The connecting portion extends downward from the shielding portion. Connector device.

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