Waterproof connector and probe device

Abstract

To enable efficient manufacturing of waterproof connectors by automated production equipment.SOLUTION: A waterproof connector 10 is fitted to a mating connector 40 in the first direction. A first case 11 has an opening 11a. A waterproof member 13 is arranged at the edge of the opening 11a. A substrate 14 is provided with a first contact 14c exposed through the opening 11a and used for electrical connection with the mating connector 40. A conductive wire 15 is soldered to the substrate 14 so as to be electrically connected to the first contact 14c. A second case 12 is coupled to the first case 11 in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and defines a housing space 16 that houses parts of the substrate 14 and the conductive wire 15. The first case 11 has an inclined surface 11b extending obliquely when viewed from a third direction orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction, and the opening 11a is formed in the inclined surface 11b.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a waterproof connector and a probe device including the waterproof connector. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses an electronic device having a connector that is fitted to a mating connector in a first direction. The connector has conductive pins exposed through an opening that opens in the first direction. The electronic device has a circuit board, an upper case, a lower case, and a waterproof member. The circuit board is electrically connected to the conductive pins. The upper case and the lower case are coupled in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction so as to define a space that accommodates the connector and the circuit board. The waterproof member is disposed between the upper case and the lower case. Such connectors are generally manufactured using automated production equipment. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2013-089878 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT EMBODIMENT It is an object of the present invention to enable efficient manufacture of waterproof connectors by automated production equipment. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] One aspect of the present invention to achieve the above object is a waterproof connector that is mated with a mating connector in a first direction, a first case having an opening; A waterproof member disposed on an edge of the opening; a substrate on which contacts are arranged, the contacts being exposed through the opening and adapted for electrical connection with the mating connector; a conductive line soldered to the substrate so as to be electrically connected to the contact; a second case coupled to the first case in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and defining a space for accommodating the substrate and a portion of the conductive line; It is equipped with The first case has an inclined surface that extends obliquely when viewed from a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction, and the opening is formed in the inclined surface.

[0006] One aspect of the present invention to achieve the above object is a probe apparatus, comprising: a sensor including at least one element; The above waterproof connector, It is equipped with The conductive wires electrically connect the contacts and the sensor.

[0007] As described above, in the configuration described in Patent Document 1, a connector member having conductive pins and a circuit board electrically connected to the conductive pins are sandwiched between an upper case and a lower case. The opening of the connector member where the conductive pins are exposed opens forward, corresponding to the first direction. Furthermore, a waterproof sealant is attached around the opening so as to straddle the upper case and the lower case.

[0008] When this configuration is assembled using automated production equipment, the process of clamping the connector member and the circuit board between the upper case and the lower case can be performed by accessing from above and below. However, at least the process of attaching the sealant requires access from the front and back. In addition, the sealant must be attached to the connector member without compromising its waterproofness, and the upper case and the lower case must be clamped together without compromising the waterproofness of the connector member to which the sealant is attached, which makes it difficult to manage the positioning accuracy.

[0009] On the other hand, in the configuration according to the above aspect, the contacts for electrical connection with the mating connector are provided on the board and exposed through an opening formed only in the first case. Therefore, the waterproof connector can be assembled by accessing only from the second direction. This fact contributes greatly to the simplification of the automated production equipment used for manufacturing.

[0010] In addition, not only can the number of parts required for assembly be reduced compared to the configuration described in Patent Document 1, but when providing the waterproofing member, only the positional relationship with the opening formed in the first case needs to be considered. Therefore, it is easy to manage the positioning accuracy. In particular, when the waterproofing member is integrally molded with the first case, the number of parts required for assembly can be further reduced, making it even easier to manage the positioning accuracy. As a result, it is possible to efficiently manufacture waterproof connectors using automated production equipment.

[0011] Furthermore, the first case has an inclined surface formed along the first direction so that the dimension in the second direction becomes smaller, and the opening is located on the inclined surface, so that the first case can be smoothly mated with the mating connector. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] 1 illustrates an external view of a waterproof connector according to an embodiment, as viewed from the upper right front. [Diagram 2] This shows an example of the waterproof connector in Figure 1 as seen from the bottom left rear. [Diagram 3] 2 is an exploded perspective view illustrating components of the waterproof connector of FIG. 1. [Figure 4] 2 is an exploded perspective view illustrating components of the waterproof connector of FIG. 1. [Diagram 5] 1 illustrates an external appearance of a probe apparatus according to an embodiment; [Figure 6] 6 illustrates a state in which the probe device of FIG. 5 is attached to the fingertip of a subject. [Figure 7] 2 illustrates an example of the external appearance of the waterproof connector in FIG. 1 as viewed from above. [Figure 8] 8 illustrates a cross section taken along line VIII-VIII in FIG. 7 and seen in the direction of the arrows. [Figure 9] 2 illustrates a method for assembling the waterproof connector of FIG. 1; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] An example of an embodiment will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the accompanying drawings, an arrow F indicates the forward direction of the illustrated structure. An arrow B indicates the rearward direction of the illustrated structure. An arrow U indicates the upward direction of the illustrated structure. An arrow D indicates the downward direction of the illustrated structure. An arrow R indicates the rightward direction of the illustrated structure. An arrow L indicates the leftward direction of the illustrated structure. These directional expressions are used for convenience of explanation and do not limit the posture or direction of the illustrated structure in an actual use state.

[0014] The term "front-rear direction" as used herein means a direction along the above-mentioned front and rear directions. The term "up-down direction" as used herein means a direction along the above-mentioned top and bottom directions. The term "left-right direction" as used herein means a direction along the above-mentioned left and right directions.

[0015] Fig. 1 illustrates an example of the external appearance of a waterproof connector 10 according to an embodiment, as viewed from the front, upper right. Fig. 2 illustrates an example of the external appearance of the waterproof connector 10, as viewed from the rear, lower left. The waterproof connector 10 is a male connector configured to mate with a female mating connector arranged at the front. That is, the waterproof connector 10 is mated with the mating connector in the forward direction. The forward direction is an example of a first direction.

[0016] The waterproof connector 10 includes a first case 11 and a second case 12. The first case 11 includes an opening 11a. The first case 11 and the second case 12 are joined in the up-down direction. The up-down direction is an example of the second direction.

[0017] 1, the waterproof connector 10 includes a waterproof member 13. The waterproof member 13 is disposed on the edge of the opening 11a of the first case 11. The waterproof member 13 may be made of elastic rubber, elastomer resin, or the like. When the waterproof member 13 is made of elastomer resin, the first case 11 and the waterproof member 13 may be integrally molded by two-color molding.

[0018] As illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, the waterproof connector 10 includes a substrate 14. The substrate 14 has a first main surface 14a and a second main surface 14b. The term "main surface of the substrate" used in this specification means the surface having the largest area among multiple surfaces constituting the substrate. The first main surface 14a and the second main surface 14b have the same area and face in opposite directions.

[0019] A plurality of first contacts 14c are disposed on the first main surface 14a of the substrate 14. Each of the first contacts 14c is made of a conductive material. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the plurality of first contacts 14c are exposed through the opening 11a of the first case 11.

[0020] 4, a plurality of second contacts 14d are disposed on the second main surface 14b of the substrate 14. Each of the second contacts 14d is formed of a conductive material. Each of the second contacts 14d is electrically connected to a corresponding one of the plurality of first contacts 14c through a circuit formed on the substrate 14.

[0021] The waterproof connector 10 includes a plurality of conductive wires 15. The tip of each of the conductive wires 15 is soldered to a corresponding one of the plurality of second contacts 14d, so that each of the conductive wires 15 is electrically connected to a corresponding one of the plurality of first contacts 14c.

[0022] 5 illustrates an external view of a probe device 20 according to an embodiment. The probe device 20 includes an optical sensor 21. The other ends of the conductive wires 15 can be connected to the probe device 20 so as to electrically connect the optical sensor 21 and the first contacts 14c.

[0023] The probe device 20 includes a support 22. The optical sensor 21 includes a light emitting unit 211 and a light receiving unit 212. The support 22 supports the light emitting unit 211 and the light receiving unit 212. As illustrated in Fig. 6, the probe device 20 is configured to be worn on a fingertip 30 of a subject in order to acquire biological information of the subject through the optical sensor 21. Specifically, the support 22 is wrapped around the fingertip 30 so that the light emitting unit 211 and the light receiving unit 212 are disposed at positions facing each other with the fingertip 30 in between.

[0024] In this example, the biological information acquired is a percutaneous arterial oxygen saturation (SpO2) and a pulse rate. The probe device 20 may include a sensor for acquiring other biological information in addition to or instead of the optical sensor 21. Examples of the other biological information include blood pressure, blood glucose level, and body temperature.

[0025] Fig. 7 illustrates an external view of the waterproof connector 10 as viewed from above. Fig. 8 illustrates a cross section of the waterproof connector 10 as viewed from the direction of the arrows along line VIII-VIII in Fig. 7.

[0026] The first case 11 and the second case 12 are configured to be joined together to define an accommodation space 16. The accommodation space 16 is configured to accommodate the substrate 14 and a portion of each conductive wire 15. In other words, the remaining portions of each conductive wire 15 connected to the substrate 14 are pulled out from the first case 11 and the second case 12 which define the accommodation space 16.

[0027] 1 and 3, the first case 11 has an inclined surface 11b. The inclined surface 11b extends obliquely when viewed from the left-right direction. The left-right direction is an example of a third direction. More specifically, the inclined surface 11b is formed such that the vertical dimension of the first case 11 decreases toward the front end of the waterproof connector 10. The opening 11a is disposed on the inclined surface 11b so as to open forward and obliquely upward.

[0028] 8, the mating connector 40 includes mating contacts 41. The mating contacts 41 are made of a conductive material. When the waterproof connector 10 is mated with the mating connector 40, the mating contacts 41 provided on the mating connector 40 enter the opening 11a from the front and come into contact with the first contacts 14c. This allows electrical connection between the mating connector 40 and each conductive wire 15.

[0029] 4 and 9, a method for assembling the waterproof connector 10 will be described. First, the first case 11 is placed with its upper surface facing downward (STEP 1). That is, the first case 11 is placed with its inside facing upward.

[0030] Next, the substrate 14 is placed at a predetermined position inside the first case 11 (STEP 2). Specifically, the substrate 14 is placed with the first main surface 14a facing downward and the second main surface 14b facing upward. As a result, the first contacts 14c are placed so as to face the opening 11a of the first case 11. The second contacts 14d face upward.

[0031] Thereafter, the conductive wires 15 are soldered to the second contacts 14d (STEP 3).

[0032] Next, second case 12, with its inside facing downward, is joined to first case 11 from above (STEP 4). As a result, housing space 16 for housing substrate 14 and parts of each conductive wire 15 is defined.

[0033] Finally, the first case 11 and the second case 12 are welded together to be inseparable (STEP 5), thereby obtaining the waterproof connector 10 in the state illustrated in Figures 1 and 2.

[0034] The advantages of the configuration according to this embodiment will be explained through a comparison with the configuration described in Patent Document 1.

[0035] As described above, in the configuration described in Patent Document 1, a connector member having conductive pins and a circuit board electrically connected to the conductive pins are sandwiched between an upper case and a lower case. The opening of the connector member where the conductive pins are exposed opens forward, corresponding to the first direction. Furthermore, a waterproof sealant is attached around the opening so as to straddle the upper case and the lower case.

[0036] When this configuration is assembled using automated production equipment, the process of clamping the connector member and the circuit board between the upper case and the lower case can be performed by accessing from above and below. However, at least the process of attaching the sealant requires access from the front and back. In addition, the sealant must be attached to the connector member without compromising its waterproofness, and the upper case and the lower case must be clamped together without compromising the waterproofness of the connector member to which the sealant is attached, which makes it difficult to manage the positioning accuracy.

[0037] On the other hand, in the configuration according to this embodiment, the first contacts 14c for contacting the contacts of the mating connector 40 are provided on the substrate 14, and the first contacts 14c are exposed through the openings 11a formed only in the first case 11. Therefore, as described with reference to Figures 4 and 9, the waterproof connector 10 can be assembled simply by accessing from above and below. This fact contributes greatly to the simplification of automated production equipment for manufacturing.

[0038] In addition, not only can the number of parts used for assembly be reduced compared to the configuration described in Patent Document 1, but when providing the waterproofing member 13, only the positional relationship with the opening 11a formed in the first case 11 needs to be considered. This makes it easier to manage positioning accuracy. In particular, when the waterproofing member 13 is integrally molded with the first case 11, the number of parts used for assembly can be further reduced, making it easier to manage positioning accuracy. As a result, it becomes possible to efficiently manufacture waterproof connectors using automated production equipment.

[0039] Furthermore, the first case 11 has an inclined surface 11b formed so that the dimension in the up-down direction decreases toward the mating direction with the mating connector 40, and the opening 11a opens at the inclined surface 11b. Therefore, as illustrated in Fig. 8, mating with the mating connector 40 and entry of the mating contacts 41 into the opening 11a can be smoothly performed.

[0040] 4 and 8, in this embodiment, the multiple second contacts 14d to be soldered to the multiple conductive wires 15 can be provided only on the second main surface 14b of the substrate 14. In other words, the multiple conductive wires 15 can be soldered only to the second main surface 14b side of the substrate 14 that faces the second case 12.

[0041] According to this configuration, First Case 11 In the step of placing the substrate 14 from above inside the package 14 (STEP 2 in FIG. 9), the second main surface 14b faces upward. A plurality of conductive wires 15 are soldered to the second main surface 14b (STEP 3 in FIG. 9). Second Case 12 From above First Case 11 (STEP 4 in FIG. 9). In other words, the automatic production equipment can be designed so that the waterproof connector 10 can be assembled simply by accessing it from above. Therefore, the manufacturing efficiency of the waterproof connector 10 by the automatic production equipment can be improved.

[0042] As illustrated in FIG. 4, the first case 11 can have a support portion 11c that supports the substrate 14 from the side of the first main surface 14a.

[0043] According to this configuration, since the supporting portion 11c supports the substrate 14 from below when the conductive wires 15 are soldered from above to the second main surface 14b of the substrate 14, it is possible to suppress bending of the substrate 14 caused by an external force applied during soldering. This prevents the management related to the positioning accuracy of the soldering from becoming complicated, and makes it possible to more efficiently manufacture the waterproof connector 10 using automated production equipment.

[0044] 3 and 4, the first case 11 may have a first engagement portion 11d. On the other hand, the second case 12 may have a second engagement portion 12a. In this example, the second engagement portion 12a is a protrusion formed on the side of the second case 12. On the other hand, the first engagement portion 11d is a recess facing inward in the left-right direction on the side of the first case 11. However, the relationship between the protrusion and the recess may be reversed.

[0045] The first engagement portion 11d and the second engagement portion 12a are configured to render the first case 11 and the second case 12 temporarily inseparable by engaging with each other during the process in which the second case 12 is joined to the first case 11 (STEP 4 in FIG. 9).

[0046] With this configuration, it is possible to prevent misalignment between the first case 11 and the second case 12 until the subsequent welding process (STEP 5 in FIG. 9) of the first case 11 and the second case 12 is performed. Since the management of the positioning accuracy of the first case 11 and the second case 12 until the welding is completed is prevented from becoming complicated, the manufacturing of the waterproof connector 10 by the automated production equipment can be made more efficient.

[0047] Therefore, the waterproof connector 10 obtained by the configuration according to this example has an appearance in which the first case 11 and the second case 12 are welded together with the first engaging portion 11d and the second engaging portion 12a engaged with each other.

[0048] 1 to 8, the waterproof connector 10 may include a coating 17. The coating 17 has electrical insulation properties and elasticity. The coating 17 partially covers the multiple conductive wires 15. Specifically, the coating 17 includes a portion located inside the accommodating space 16 and a portion located outside the accommodating space 16. That is, the coating 17 is sandwiched between the first case 11 and the second case 12 while undergoing elastic deformation.

[0049] According to this configuration, it is possible to provide an appropriate waterproofing to the portion where the conductive wire 15 is led out from the housing space 16 partitioned by the first case 11 and the second case 12.

[0050] The above-described embodiment is merely an example for facilitating understanding of the present invention. The configurations according to the above-described embodiment may be appropriately modified or improved without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

[0051] In the above embodiment, a plurality of first contacts 14c and a plurality of second contacts 14d are provided on the substrate 14 to correspond to the plurality of conductive lines 15. However, the number of first contacts 14c, the number of second contacts 14d, the number of conductive lines 15, and the relationship between them can be determined appropriately. The number of first contacts 14c, the number of second contacts 14d, and the number of conductive lines 15 do not necessarily have to be the same. [Explanation of symbols]

[0052] 10: waterproof connector, 11: first case, 11a: opening, 11b: inclined surface, 11c: support portion, 11d: first engagement portion, 12: second case, 12a: second engagement portion, 13: waterproof member, 14: substrate, 14a: first main surface, 14b: second main surface, 14c: first contact, 15: conductive wire, 16: accommodation space, 17: coating, 20: probe device, 21: optical sensor, 40: mating connector, D: downward direction, F: forward direction (mating direction), L: left direction, U: upward direction, R: right direction

Claims

1. A waterproof connector that is mated with a mating connector in a first direction, a first case having an opening; A waterproof member disposed on an edge of the opening; a substrate having a first main surface and a second main surface facing in opposite directions; a first contact disposed on the first main surface and exposed through the opening for electrical connection with the mating connector; a second contact disposed on the second main surface and electrically connected to the first contact through a circuit formed on the substrate; a conductive wire soldered to the second contact; a second case coupled to the first case from a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and defining a space for accommodating the substrate and a portion of the conductive line; Equipped with the first case has an inclined surface extending obliquely when viewed from a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction, and the opening is formed on the inclined surface; The second main surface faces the second direction and faces the second case in its entirety. Waterproof connector.

2. The first case includes a support portion that supports the substrate from the first main surface side. The waterproof connector according to claim 1.

3. The first case includes a first engagement portion, the second case includes a second engagement portion that engages with the first engagement portion, The first case and the second case are welded together, The first engaging portion and the second engaging portion are configured to temporarily make the first case and the second case inseparable before welding.

3. The waterproof connector according to claim 1 or 2.

4. a coating that partially covers the conductive wire and has elasticity; The coating is sandwiched between the first case and the second case. The waterproof connector according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. a sensor including at least one element; The waterproof connector according to any one of claims 1 to 4, Equipped with the conductive wire electrically connects the second contact and the sensor; Probe device.

Images