Connector and manufacturing method thereof

Abstract

To narrow the intervals between protrusions to which a plurality of terminals are attached, to facilitate manufacturing, enable miniaturization, and increase reliability. [Solution] Each comprises a half body portion including a connector body and a plurality of terminals attached to the connector body, body end portions connected to both ends of the connector body of each half body portion, and reinforcing metal fittings attached to the body end portions, each half body portion being a member in which the connector body and a plurality of terminals are integrated by a first insert molding, and the body end portions being a member in which both ends of the connector body of each half body portion and reinforcing metal fittings are integrated by a second insert molding, and the terminals arranged side by side in the longitudinal direction of the connector body are arranged so that the orientations of adjacent terminals are opposite to each other in the width direction of the connector body.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a connector And its manufacturing method This is regarding. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, connectors such as board-to-board connectors have been used to electrically connect a pair of parallel circuit boards. Such connectors are attached to the opposing surfaces of the pair of circuit boards, and are fitted together to provide electrical continuity (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a conventional connector.

[0004] In the figure, reference numeral 811 denotes a housing of a connector to be mounted on a circuit board (not shown), and has a pair of elongated protrusions 812 extending in the longitudinal direction. A plurality of terminals 861 are attached to the protrusions 812 in a line in the longitudinal direction of the connector.

[0005] When the connector is mated with a mating connector (not shown), the protrusions 812 are inserted into a pair of grooves formed in a mating housing of the mating connector, so that the terminals 861 come into contact with mating terminals (not shown) mounted in line in the grooves, and are electrically connected. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] JP 2001-126789 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] However, in the conventional connector, since the terminals 861 are formed integrally with the housing 811, when the connector is made smaller, the interval between the protrusions 812 becomes narrower and the pitch of the terminals 861 becomes narrower, making manufacturing difficult. Usually, the terminals 861 are integrated with the pair of protrusions 812 of the housing 811 by a molding method called overmolding or insert molding, so that when the interval between the protrusions 812 becomes narrower and the pitch of the terminals 861 becomes narrower, it becomes difficult to accurately arrange a large number of terminals 861 in positions corresponding to the pair of protrusions 812 in the mold for the housing 811.

[0008] The object of this invention is to provide a connector which solves the problems of the conventional connectors, which can narrow the distance between the protrusions to which multiple terminals are attached, which is easy to manufacture, can be miniaturized, and is highly reliable. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] To this end, the connectors each include a half body portion including a connector body and a plurality of terminals attached to the connector body, body end portions connected to both ends of the connector body of each half body portion, and reinforcing metal fittings attached to the body end portions, each half body portion being a member in which the connector body and the plurality of terminals are integrated by a first insert molding, the body end portions being a member in which both ends of the connector body of each half body portion and the reinforcing metal fittings are integrated by a second insert molding, and both ends of the connector body of each half body portion are covered by the body end portions, At least a portion of the outer surface of the main body end is covered by the reinforcing metal fitting; The terminals arranged side by side in the longitudinal direction of the connector body are arranged such that adjacent terminals are oriented in opposite directions to each other in the width direction of the connector body.

[0010] In another connector, each of the terminals further includes a tail portion for connection to a substrate, and the terminals are arranged such that adjacent tail portions extend in opposite directions relative to one another in the width direction of the connector body.

[0011] In still other connectors, the left and right halves are further spaced apart from each other.

[0012] A connector pair includes a connector according to the present disclosure and a mating connector that mates with the connector. A method for manufacturing a connector, each of which comprises half-body portions including a connector body and a plurality of terminals attached to the connector body, body end portions connected to both ends of the connector body of each half-body portion, and reinforcing metal fittings attached to the body end portions, and the terminals arranged side by side in the longitudinal direction of the connector body are arranged so that adjacent terminals face in opposite directions relative to the width direction of the connector body, the method comprising the steps of: manufacturing each half-body portion in which the connector body and a plurality of terminals are integrated by a first insert molding; and manufacturing each body end portion integrated with both ends of the connector body of each half-body portion and the reinforcing metal fittings by a second insert molding. Both ends of the connector body of each half body are covered by each body end, and at least a part of the outer surface of each body end is covered by the reinforcing metal fitting. and producing the above compound. Effect of the Invention

[0013] According to the present disclosure, the connector can narrow the spacing between the protrusions having multiple terminals attached thereto, making it easier to manufacture, enabling miniaturization, and improving reliability. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a first connector in the embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the first connector in the embodiment. [Diagram 3] 2 is a perspective view of a left half of the first connector according to the embodiment. FIG. [Figure 4] 11 is a perspective view showing a step of manufacturing the left half body of the first connector in the embodiment. FIG. [Diagram 5] 1A and 1B are two-view diagrams showing a first step of manufacturing a first protruding end portion of a first connector in the present embodiment, where (a) is a top view and (b) is a bottom view. [Figure 6]10A and 10B are two-view diagrams showing a second step of manufacturing the first protruding end portion of the first connector in the present embodiment, where (a) is a top view and (b) is a bottom view. [Figure 7] 6A and 6B are enlarged views showing the main parts of the first and second steps of manufacturing the first protruding end portion of the first connector in this embodiment, where (a) is an enlarged view of part E in FIG. 5 and (b) is an enlarged view of part F in FIG. [Figure 8] 6A and 6B are cross-sectional views of the first and second steps of manufacturing the first protruding end of the first connector in this embodiment, where (a) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 5, (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB in FIG. 5, (c) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line CC in FIG. 6, and (d) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line DD in FIG. 6. [Figure 9] 1 is a perspective view seen from the first connector side, showing a state immediately before the first connector and the second connector in the embodiment are mated with each other. FIG. [Figure 10] 13 is an exploded view of the left half of a modified first connector according to the embodiment. FIG. [Figure 11] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a conventional connector. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0015] Hereinafter, the embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0016] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first connector in the present embodiment, FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the first connector in the present embodiment, and FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a left half of the first connector in the present embodiment.

[0017] In the figure, 1 denotes a first connector which is one of a pair of board-to-board connectors which are connectors in this embodiment. The first connector 1 is a surface-mount connector which is mounted on the surface of a first board which is a board not shown as a mounting member, and is fitted with a second connector 101 which is a mating connector which will be described later. The second connector 101 is the other of the pair of board-to-board connectors, and is a surface-mount connector which is mounted on the surface of a second board which is a board not shown as a mounting member.

[0018] In addition, the first connector 1 and the second connector 101 in this embodiment are preferably used to electrically connect the first board and the second board as substrates, but can also be used to electrically connect other members. The first board and the second board are, for example, printed circuit boards, flexible flat cables (FFC), flexible circuit boards (FPC), etc. used in electronic devices, but may be any type of board.

[0019] In addition, in this embodiment, expressions indicating directions such as up, down, left, right, front, and back used to explain the configuration and operation of each part of the first connector 1 and the second connector 101 are relative rather than absolute, and are appropriate when each part of the first connector 1 and the second connector 101 is in the position shown in the figure, but if the position changes, they should be interpreted differently in accordance with the change in position.

[0020] The first connector 1 is configured by connecting a pair of left and right half parts, that is, a left half part 10A and a right half part 10B, with a first reinforcing metal fitting 51 as a reinforcing metal fitting and a covering part 16 integrally molded by a molding method called overmolding, outsert molding, or insert molding (hereinafter referred to as "insert molding"). The left half part 10A and the right half part 10B are identical members arranged to face each other on the left and right sides, so that they will be described as a half part 10 when described collectively. The left half part 10A and the right half part 10B each have a substantially gate-shaped shape in a plan view (shape projected onto the XY plane), and the space between the connected left half part 10A and the right half part 10B is an elongated groove part 13 extending in the longitudinal direction (X-axis direction) of the first connector 1. The groove part 13 is a through hole opened on the upper surface and the lower surface of the first connector 1.

[0021] In this embodiment, for convenience of explanation, the first connector 1 is explained as having a pair of half bodies 10, i.e., two half bodies 10 arranged in parallel, but the first connector 1 may have three or more half bodies 10 arranged in parallel. In addition, the half bodies 10 do not necessarily have to have a substantially gate-like shape, and may have any shape as long as both ends in the longitudinal direction can be joined by the first reinforcing metal fitting 51 and the covering portion 16.

[0022] The half body 10 is integrally formed of an insulating material such as synthetic resin, and has a first housing 11 as a connector main body having a substantially gate-shaped shape in a plan view. Each first housing 11 includes a long and narrow strip-shaped bottom plate 17 extending in the longitudinal direction (X-axis direction) of the first housing 11, and a first protrusion 12 as a long and narrow protrusion extending in the longitudinal direction of the first housing 11, which is integrally formed on the upper surface of the bottom plate 17. The first protrusion 12 is a member having a cross section shaped like an upside-down U, and has a curved mating surface 12a located on the upper side (positive Z-axis direction), and an outer side surface 12b and an inner side surface 12c connected to both the left and right sides of the mating surface 12a. The outer side surface 12b and the inner side surface 12c are a pair of flat surfaces that are parallel to each other and face each other, and extend in the longitudinal direction of the first housing 11. Since the dimension in the width direction (Y-axis direction) of the first protrusion 12 is shorter than the dimension in the width direction of the bottom plate portion 17, the bottom plate portion 17 protrudes outward in the width direction from the outer side surface 12b and the inner side surface 12c at the lower end (end on the Z-axis negative side) of the first protrusion 12. The lower surface of the bottom plate portion 17 is the mounting surface 17a of the first housing 11 that faces the surface of the first board.

[0023] A first terminal 61 is disposed on each first protrusion 12. A plurality of the first terminals 61 (32 in the example shown in the figure) are disposed at a predetermined pitch. The first terminals 61 are integrally formed by subjecting a conductive metal plate to processing such as punching and bending, and have a main body 63 extending in the width direction of the first protrusion 12, a tail portion 62 connected to one end of the main body 63, a contact portion 65 extending in the vertical direction and connected to the other end of the main body 63 by bending at approximately 90 degrees, and an upper end portion 64 connected to the upper end of the contact portion 65 by bending at approximately 90 degrees.

[0024] The main body portion 63 is a portion that is embedded in and held by the bottom plate portion 17. The tail portion 62 extends outward in the width direction from the bottom plate portion 17 and is connected by soldering or the like to a connection pad that is connected to a conductive trace of the first board. The conductive trace is typically a signal line. The contact portion 65 is a portion that comes into contact with a second terminal 161 (to be described later) of the second connector 101 when the first connector 1 and the second connector 101 are mated, and preferably includes a contact recess 65a recessed from the surface.

[0025] The first terminal 61 is integrated with the first housing 11 by insert molding. That is, the first housing 11 is molded by filling an insulating material into a cavity of a mold in which the first terminal 61 has been set beforehand. As a result, the first terminal 61 is attached integrally to the first housing 11 with the lower surfaces of the main body portion 63 and the tail portion 62 exposed to the mounting surface 17a of the bottom plate portion 17 and the surfaces of the contact portion 65 and the upper end portion 64 exposed to the outer surface 12b or the inner surface 12c of the first protrusion 12 and the fitting surface 12a.

[0026] In addition, the first terminals 61 attached to each first protrusion 12 are oriented so that the orientations of adjacent first terminals 61 are opposite to each other in the width direction of the first protrusion 12. In the example shown in the figure, the orientation of the first terminal 61 located at the front end (X-axis positive end) of the first terminals 61 attached to the first protrusion 12 of the left half body 10A is oriented so that the tail portion 62 protrudes outward (Y-axis positive side), while the orientation of the first terminal 61 located second from the front end is oriented so that the tail portion 62 protrudes inward (Y-axis negative side). In this way, the first terminals 61 are attached to the first protrusion 12 in an alternating arrangement so that they are oriented in opposite directions, so that the pitch of the tail portions 62 protruding on both sides of the first protrusion 12 is twice the pitch of the first terminals 61. Therefore, connection work by soldering or the like to the connection pads of the first board can be easily performed. In addition, the pitch of the contact portions 65 exposed on the outer surface 12b of the first protrusion 12 and the pitch of the contact portions 65 exposed on the inner surface 12c are also twice the pitch of the first terminals 61.

[0027] It should be noted that the first terminal 61 is a component that is integrated with the first housing 11 by insert molding, and therefore is not separate from the first housing 11. However, for convenience of explanation, it is depicted in FIG. 2 as if it were separate from the first housing 11.

[0028] A first protruding end 18, which is a main body end functioning as a fitting guide, is disposed on both longitudinal ends of the first protruding portion 12. The first protruding end 18 is a member connected to both longitudinal ends of each first protruding portion 12, and is formed to connect the left half body portion 10A and the right half body portion 10B. When the first connector 1 and the second connector 101 are fitted together, the first protruding end 18 functions as an insertion protruding portion to be inserted into a fitting recess 122 of a second protruding end 121 (to be described later) of the second connector 101.

[0029] The first protruding end portion 18 is composed of the extended end portions 14 and embedded portions 15 of the left and right half portions 10 , as well as the covering portion 16 and the first reinforcing metal fitting 51 .

[0030] An extension end 14 extending in the longitudinal direction is integrally connected to both longitudinal ends of the first protrusion 12 of each half body 10, and an embedded portion 15 extending further in the longitudinal direction of the first protrusion 12 is integrally connected to each extension end 14. The extension end 14 extends obliquely inward, and the embedded portion 15 extends in the longitudinal direction from a position offset inward at the tip of the extension end 14, and is located inside the outer surface 12b of the first protrusion 12. That is, the extension end 14 in the left half body 10A extends obliquely to the right (Y-axis negative direction), and the embedded portion 15 extends in the longitudinal direction from a position offset to the right at the tip of the extension end 14. Further, extension end 14 of right half body 10B extends obliquely toward the left (positive direction of the Y-axis), and embedded portion 15 extends in the longitudinal direction from a position offset to the left at the tip of extension end 14.

[0031] At least a part of the extension end 14 and the entire embedded portion 15 of the left and right half body parts 10 are covered with the covering portion 16 formed of an insulating material such as synthetic resin. Specifically, the embedded portions 15 of the left and right half body parts 10 are brought close to each other and covered with the first reinforcing metal fitting 51, and then insert molding is performed to form the covering portion 16. As a result, the extension end portions 14 and embedded portions 15 of the left and right half body parts 10, and the first protruding end portion 18 in which the covering portion 16 and the first reinforcing metal fitting 51 are integrated are formed, and the left and right half body parts 10 are joined together. Incidentally, the covering portion 16 does not necessarily need to cover the entire embedded portion 15, and it is sufficient to cover the embedded portion 15 to an extent sufficient to join the left and right half body parts 10, but it is desirable to cover the entire embedded portion 15 in order to maximize the joining force. It should be noted that the covering portion 16 is a component that is formed so as to be integrated with other components by insert molding, and does not exist independently and apart from other components. However, for convenience of explanation, it is depicted in FIG. 2 as if it exists independently.

[0032] As shown in Fig. 3, the extension end 14 has an upper surface 14a located on the upper side, an outer surface 14b and an inner surface 14c connected to both the left and right sides of the upper surface 14a, and a lower surface 14d located on the lower side. The lower surface 14d is located above the mounting surface 17a, and at least a part of it is covered by the covering portion 16. The upper surface 14a is substantially flush with the fitting surface 12a of the first convex portion 12. The inner surface 14c is a surface that is inclined obliquely toward the inside with respect to the inner surface 12c of the first convex portion 12. The outer surface 14b includes an inclined outer surface 14b1 that is inclined obliquely toward the inside with respect to the outer surface 12b of the first convex portion 12, and a parallel outer surface 14b2 that is substantially parallel to the outer surface 12b of the first convex portion 12. The parallel outer surface 14 b 2 is substantially flush with the outer surface of the covering portion 16 and forms part of the outer surface of the first protruding end portion 18 .

[0033] The embedded portion 15 is a member having an overall shape of a substantially rectangular parallelepiped, and has an upper surface 15a located on the upper side, outer surfaces 15b and inner surfaces 15c on both the left and right sides, a lower surface 15d located on the lower side, and end surfaces 15e at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the first connector 1. The upper surface 15a and the lower surface 15d are planes parallel to each other, and the distance between the upper surface 15a and the lower surface 15d, i.e., the thickness of the embedded portion 15, is thinner than the thickness of the extension end 14 and the first protruding portion 12. The upper surface 15a is located below the mating surface 12a, and the lower surface 15d is located above the mounting surface 17a. The outer surface 15b is a plane substantially parallel to the outer surface 12b of the first protruding portion 12, but is located inside the outer surface 12b, i.e., toward the center in the width direction of the first housing 11. The inner surface 15c includes a parallel inner surface 15c1 that is a plane substantially parallel to the inner surface 12c of the first protrusion 12, and an inclined inner surface 15c2 that is substantially parallel to the inner surface 14c of the extension end 14. Furthermore, the end surface 15e is a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the first connector 1. The embedded portion 15 is entirely covered by the covering portion 16, that is, embedded in the covering portion 16.

[0034] In this way, the extension end 14 extends at an inward incline, and the embedded portion 15 is located inside the outer surface 12b of the first convex portion 12, so that the width (dimension in the Y-axis direction) of the first protruding end 18 can be made smaller than the width of the first connector 1 (the distance between the outer surfaces 12b of the left and right first convex portions 12). If it is not necessary to make the width of the first protruding end 18 smaller than the width of the first connector 1, the extension end 14 does not necessarily have to be inclined at an inward incline, and can be made to extend straight. In addition, the extension end 14 can be omitted by making the embedded portion 15 extend directly from both ends of the first convex portion 12 in the longitudinal direction. In that case, the longitudinal dimension of the first connector 1 can be shortened. Furthermore, when three or more half portions 10 are arranged in parallel, the extension end 14 can be made to extend from both ends of the first convex portion 12 in the longitudinal direction in a Y-shape.

[0035] The first reinforcing metal fitting 51 is a member integrally formed by subjecting a metal plate to processing such as punching and bending, and includes a substantially rectangular upper plate 54 extending in the width direction of the first housing 11, substantially rectangular leg portions 55 connected to both left and right edges of the upper plate 54 and extending downward, and an end wall outer surface covering portion 52 and an end wall inner surface covering portion 53 connected to both front and rear edges of the upper plate 54 and extending downward. A tail portion 52a is connected to the lower end of the end wall outer surface covering portion 52. The width of the end wall outer surface covering portion 52 is greater than the width of the end wall inner surface covering portion 53.

[0036] As described above, the first reinforcing metal fitting 51 is integrated with the covering portion 16 to form the first protruding end portion 18. The upper plate 54 is embedded in the upper surface of the first protruding end portion 18, and the upper surface of the upper plate 54 is flush with the upper surface of the covering portion 16, forming the majority of the upper surface of the first protruding end portion 18. The left and right legs 55 are embedded in the left and right outer surfaces of the first protruding end portion 18, and the outer surfaces of the legs 55 are flush with the outer surface of the covering portion 16, forming the majority of the outer surface of the first protruding end portion 18. Furthermore, the end wall outer surface covering portion 52 and the end wall inner surface covering portion 53 are embedded in the end wall outer surface and end wall inner surface of the first protruding end portion 18, and the outer surfaces of the end wall outer surface covering portion 52 and the end wall inner surface covering portion 53 are flush with the end wall outer surface and end wall inner surface of the covering portion 16, forming the majority of the end wall outer surface and end wall inner surface of the first protruding end portion 18.

[0037] The tail portion 52a is bent at approximately 90 degrees and connected to the lower end of the end wall outer surface covering portion 52, extends outward in the longitudinal direction of the first housing 11, and is connected by soldering or the like to a connection pad connected to a conductive trace of the first board. The conductive trace is typically a power line. If necessary, the lower end of the leg portion 55 can be arranged to approach or abut the surface of the first board. In this case, by connecting the lower end of the leg portion 55 to the connection pad of the first board by soldering or the like, the connection strength of the first reinforcing metal fitting 51 to the first board is improved.

[0038] Next, a method for manufacturing the first connector 1 having the above-mentioned structure will be described.

[0039] Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing one step of manufacturing the left half body part of the first connector in this embodiment, Fig. 5 is a two-sided view showing the first step of manufacturing the first protruding end part of the first connector in this embodiment, Fig. 6 is a two-sided view showing the second step of manufacturing the first protruding end part of the first connector in this embodiment, Fig. 7 is an enlarged view showing the main parts of the first and second steps of manufacturing the first protruding end part of the first connector in this embodiment, Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the first and second steps of manufacturing the first protruding end part of the first connector in this embodiment. In Figs. 5 and 6, (a) is a top view, (b) is a bottom view, in Fig. 7, (a) is an enlarged view of part E in Fig. 5, (b) is an enlarged view of part F in Fig. 6, in Fig. 8, (a) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in Fig. 5, (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB in Fig. 5, (c) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line CC in Fig. 6, and (d) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line DD in Fig. 6.

[0040] The first terminals 61 are members made of a metal plate bent in the thickness direction, and are manufactured by subjecting the metal plate to processes such as punching and bending, and are supplied in a state in which a plurality of them are connected to a flat terminal carrier 68 as a carrier, as shown in Fig. 4. The tip of the tail portion 62 of each first terminal 61 is connected to the terminal carrier 68 via a long and thin connecting arm 68a, and the tail portion 62 is cut off from the connecting arm 68a at a cutting portion 68b, thereby becoming a member as shown in Fig. 2.

[0041] In the process of integrating the first housing 11 by insert molding, the first terminals 61 are supplied in a state in which a plurality of them are connected to a carrier 68 as shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 4 shows an example of manufacturing the left half body 10A. In this case, the first terminal 61 oriented so that the tail portion 62 protrudes outward (toward the positive direction of the Y axis) is connected to the terminal carrier 68 on the right side in Fig. 4, and the first terminal 61 oriented so that the tail portion 62 protrudes inward (toward the negative direction of the Y axis) is connected to the terminal carrier 68 on the left side in Fig. 4, and these are set in a primary molding die (not shown). By holding and operating the terminal carrier 68 to which the plurality of first terminals 61 are connected, the plurality of first terminals 61 can be positioned and set in the molding die at the same time.

[0042] Next, the cavity of the molding die is filled with an insulating material such as synthetic resin in a molten state. That is, the first insert molding is performed. The insulating material may be any type of material, but here it is assumed to be LCP (liquid crystal polymer). In the first insert molding, it is desirable to select the material with emphasis on fluidity. Then, when the filled insulating material is cooled and solidified to form the first housing 11, the molding die is opened, and the left half body part 10A with the terminal carrier 68 still connected to the first terminal 61 as shown in FIG. 4 is taken out. In the same manner, the right half body part 10B with the terminal carrier 68 still connected to the first terminal 61 is also manufactured.

[0043] Next, only the terminal carrier 68 connected to the tail portion 62 protruding inward (the terminal carrier 68 on the left side in FIG. 4) is cut out from the left half body 10A with the terminal carrier 68 still connected to the first terminal 61 as shown in FIG. 4, and the terminal carrier 68 connected to the tail portion 62 protruding outward (the terminal carrier 68 on the right side in FIG. 4) is left as it is. Similarly, only the terminal carrier 68 connected to the tail portion 62 protruding inward is cut out from the right half body 10B with the terminal carrier 68 still connected to the first terminal 61, and the terminal carrier 68 connected to the tail portion 62 protruding outward is left as it is.

[0044] Next, as shown in Fig. 5, the left half 10A and the right half 10B, in which the terminal carrier 68 is connected only to the tail portion 62 protruding outward, are set in a second molding die (not shown) in a state where they face each other. Specifically, the insides of the left and right half 10 face each other, the first housings 11 of the left and right half 10 are parallel to each other, the mounting surfaces 17a of the first housings 11 of the left and right half 10 and the end faces 15e of both ends in the longitudinal direction are flush with each other, and the embedded parts 15 of the left and right half 10 are close to each other but do not contact each other. Note that, as shown in Fig. 7(a), the left and right half 10 facing each other are positioned so that the distance between the parallel inner side surfaces 15c1 of the embedded parts 15 facing each other is a predetermined distance L2, and then set in a second molding die.

[0045] Furthermore, the first reinforcing metal fitting 51 is set in the secondary molding die so as to cover at least a portion of the extended end portions 14 of the left and right half body portions 10 and the entire embedded portion 15. In this case, the first reinforcing metal fitting 51 is set with the tip of its tail portion 52a connected to a metal fitting carrier 58 serving as a carrier. When the tail portion 52a is cut off from the metal fitting carrier 58 at the cutting portion 58b, the first reinforcing metal fitting 51 becomes a member as shown in FIG. Specifically, as shown in Figures 7(a), 8(a) and (b), the first reinforcing bracket 51 is set so that a gap is created between its upper plate 54 and the upper surface 15a of the embedded portion 15, a gap is created between its leg portions 55 and the outer surface 15b of the embedded portion 15, a gap is created between its end wall outer surface covering portion 52 and the end surface 15e of the embedded portion 15, a gap is created between its end wall inner surface covering portion 53 and the inclined inner surface 15c2 of the embedded portion 15, and the lower end of the leg portions 55 is below the lower surface 15d of the embedded portion 15 and at approximately the same height as the mounting surface 17a.

[0046] Next, the cavity of the molding die is filled with an insulating material such as synthetic resin in a molten state. That is, the second insert molding is performed. The insulating material may be any type of material, but here, it is assumed to be LCP, with emphasis on fluidity, as in the first insert molding. In the second insert molding, the insulating material can also be selected with emphasis on strength and melt bonding with the insulating material of the first insert molding. Then, when the filled insulating material is cooled and solidified to form the covering portion 16, the molding die is opened, and the left and right half portions 10, both ends of which in the longitudinal direction are connected by the first protruding end portion 18 as shown in FIG. 6, are taken out.

[0047] In this case, the left and right half body parts 10 are integrated with the covering part 16 in a state where at least a part of the extension end part 14 and the entire embedded part 15 are covered by the covering part 16, and the first reinforcing metal fitting 51 is integrated with the covering part 16 so as to cover at least a part of the outer surface of the covering part 16. Specifically, as shown in Figs. 7(b), 8(c) and (d), etc., the first reinforcing metal fitting 51 has gaps between its upper plate 54, leg part 55, end wall outer surface covering part 52 and end wall inner surface covering part 53 and the upper surface 15a, outer surface 15b, end surface 15e and inclined inner surface 15c2 of the embedded part 15, which are filled with the insulating material of the covering part 16. In addition, the gaps between the parallel inner surfaces 15c1 of the embedded parts 15 facing each other are also filled with the insulating material of the covering part 16. Furthermore, the lower surface 15d of the embedded portion 15 is also filled with the insulating material of the covering portion 16, and the lower surface of the covering portion 16 is substantially flush with the mounting surface 17a. Furthermore, the parallel outer side surface 14b2 of the extension end portion 14 is substantially flush with the outer surface of the covering portion 16 and forms part of the outer surface of the first protruding end portion 18.

[0048] 7(a), there is a gap between the end wall inner surface covering portion 53 of the first reinforcing metal fitting 51 and the inclined inner side surface 15c2 of the embedded portion 15, and the inclined inner side surface 15c2 is inclined, so that the molten insulating material filled in the cavity of the molding die in the second insert molding flows smoothly between the end wall inner surface covering portion 53 and the left and right inclined inner side surfaces 15c2 and between the opposing parallel inner side surfaces 15c1 of the embedded portion 15, filling the cavity without gaps. Furthermore, the space between the end wall inner surface covering portion 53 and the left and right inclined inner side surfaces 15c2 becomes larger, so that the amount of insulating material filled increases.

[0049] As shown in FIG. 7(a), the dimension in the width direction of the first connector 1 at the end wall inner surface covering portion 53 of the first reinforcing metal fitting 51 facing the gap between the parallel inner surfaces 15c1 of the embedded portion 15, i.e., the width L1, is preferably set to be larger than the distance L2 between the parallel inner surfaces 15c1. That is, it is preferably set so that L1>L2. The width of the end wall outer surface covering portion 52 is larger than the width of the end wall inner surface covering portion 53. As a result, the boundary between the parallel inner surface 15c1 of the embedded portion 15 molded by the first insert molding and the covering portion 16 molded by the second insert molding is covered by the end wall outer surface covering portion 52 and the end wall inner surface covering portion 53 when viewed from the front-rear direction (X-axis direction), and therefore is difficult to separate, and therefore the strength of the first protruding end portion 18 is improved.

[0050] Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 7(a), it is preferable that the dimension of the leg 55 of the first reinforcing metal fitting 51 in the longitudinal direction of the first connector 1, that is, the length L3, is set to be greater than the length L4 of the outer side surface 15b of the embedded portion 15. That is, it is preferable that the length L3 is set to be greater than the length L4. It is also preferable that the end of the outer side surface 15b closer to the longitudinal center of the first connector 1 is located closer to both longitudinal ends of the first connector 1 than the end of the leg 55 closer to the longitudinal center of the first connector 1. As a result, the boundary between the outer side surface 15b of the embedded portion 15 molded by the first insert molding and the covering portion 16 molded by the second insert molding is covered by the leg 55 when viewed from the width direction (Y-axis direction), and therefore is difficult to separate, and therefore the strength of the first protruding end 18 is improved.

[0051] Furthermore, when viewed from the top-bottom direction, the front-back direction (longitudinal direction), or the left-right direction (width direction), at least a portion of the embedded portion 15 overlaps any of the upper plate 54, the end wall outer surface covering portion 52, the end wall inner surface covering portion 53, and the leg portion 55 of the first reinforcing metal fitting 51, i.e., the embedded portion 15 is arranged so as to overlap with each other. This improves the strength of the first protruding end portion 18.

[0052] Finally, the remaining terminal carrier 68 and metal fitting carrier 58 are cut away from the left and right half body portions 10 whose both longitudinal ends are joined by the first protruding end portion 18 as shown in Fig. 6. This allows the first connector 1 as shown in Fig. 1 to be obtained.

[0053] Next, the configuration of second connector 101 which constitutes a connector pair together with first connector 1, and the operation of fitting first connector 1 and second connector 101 together will be described.

[0054] FIG. 9 is a perspective view seen from the first connector side, showing a state immediately before the first connector and the second connector are mated in this embodiment.

[0055] The second connector 101 as the mating connector in this embodiment has a second housing 111 as a mating connector main body integrally formed from an insulating material such as synthetic resin. As shown in the figure, the second housing 111 has a roughly rectangular thick plate shape that is roughly a rectangular parallelepiped. A roughly rectangular recess 112 that is surrounded by a periphery and fits with the first housing 11 is formed on the side of the second housing 111 where the first connector 1 is fitted, that is, on the fitting surface 111a side (Z-axis negative direction side). A second protrusion 113 as an island portion that fits with the recessed groove portion 13 is formed integrally with the second housing 111 in the recess 112, and sidewall portions 114 extending parallel to the second protrusion 113 are formed integrally with the second housing 111 on both sides of the second protrusion 113.

[0056] The second protrusion 113 and the side wall 114 protrude upward (Z-axis negative direction) from the bottom surface of the recess 112 and extend in the longitudinal direction of the second connector 101. As a result, on both sides of the second protrusion 113, recessed groove portions 112a which are elongated recesses extending in the longitudinal direction (X-axis direction) of the second connector 101 are formed as part of the recess 112.

[0057] A recessed second terminal accommodating groove cavity 115a is formed on both side surfaces of the second protrusion 113 and on the inner side surface of the side wall portion 114 to accommodate the second terminal 161. A hole-shaped second terminal accommodating hole cavity 115b is formed on the second protrusion 113 and the side wall portion 114 to accommodate the second terminal 161. The second terminal accommodating groove cavity 115a and the second terminal accommodating hole cavity 115b are connected to each other at the bottom surface of the recessed groove portion 112a and integrated with each other, so that the second terminal accommodating groove cavity 115a and the second terminal accommodating hole cavity 115b are described as the second terminal accommodating cavity 115 when describing them collectively. The second terminal accommodating cavities 115 are arranged at a pitch corresponding to the first terminals 61 and in the corresponding number.

[0058] The second terminal 161 is a member integrally formed by subjecting a conductive metal plate to processing such as punching, and includes a main body portion (not shown), a tail portion 162 connected to the lower end of the main body portion, a connecting portion (not shown) extending from the vicinity of the lower end of the main body portion in the width direction (Y-axis direction) of the second connector 101, and a contact portion 165 extending upward (Z-axis negative direction) from the connecting portion. Note that it is preferable that a contact protrusion 165a protruding toward the main body portion is formed near the tip of the contact portion 165.

[0059] The main body is a portion that is press-fitted and held in the second terminal receiving cavity 115b. The tail portion 162 is bent and connected to the lower end of the main body, extends in the width direction of the second housing 111, and is connected by soldering or the like to a connection pad that is connected to a conductive trace of the second board. The conductive trace is typically a signal line. Furthermore, the contact portion 165 is a portion that contacts the first terminal 61 of the first connector 1 when the first connector 1 and the second connector 101 are mated, and preferably, the contact protrusion 165a engages with the contact recess 65a formed in the contact portion 65 of the first terminal 61.

[0060] The second terminal 161 is inserted into the second terminal accommodating cavity 115 from below the second housing 111 and attached to the second housing 111. As a result, the main body of the second terminal 161 is press-fitted and held in the second terminal accommodating hole cavity 115b, the contact portion 165 is accommodated in the second terminal accommodating groove cavity 115a and exposed to the concave groove portion 112a, and the lower surface of the tail portion 162 is exposed to the mounting surface 111b, which serves as the lower surface of the second housing 111.

[0061] Similarly to the first terminals 61, the second terminals 161 attached to each groove 112a are oriented so that the orientations of adjacent ones are opposite to each other in the width direction of the groove 112a. In the example shown in FIG. 9, the orientation of the second terminal 161 located at the front end (end in the positive direction of the X-axis) among the second terminals 161 attached to the groove 112a on the Y-axis positive side is oriented so that the tail portion 162 protrudes in the negative direction of the Y-axis, while the orientation of the second terminal 161 located second from the front end is oriented so that the tail portion 162 protrudes in the positive direction of the Y-axis. In this way, the second terminals 161 are attached to the groove 112a in an alternating arrangement so that they are oriented in the opposite directions, so that the pitch of the tail portions 162 exposed to the mounting surface 111b on both sides of the groove 112a is twice the pitch of the second terminals 161. Therefore, the connection work by soldering or the like to the connection pad of the second board can be easily performed. In addition, the pitch of the contact portions 165 exposed in the recessed groove portion 112a is also twice the pitch of the second terminals 161.

[0062] Further, second protruding ends 121 serving as fitting guides are provided at both longitudinal ends of the second housing 111. Each second protruding end 121 has a fitting recess 122 formed as a part of the recess 112. The fitting recess 122 is a substantially rectangular recess and is connected to both longitudinal ends of each recessed groove 112a. Then, in a state in which the first connector 1 and the second connector 101 are fitted to each other, the first protruding end 18 of the first connector 1 is inserted into the fitting recess 122. Also, a second reinforcing metal fitting 151 serving as a mating reinforcing metal fitting is attached to the second protruding end 121. The second reinforcing metal fitting 151 is integrated with the second housing 111 by insert molding.

[0063] The second reinforcing metal fitting 151 is a member integrally formed by subjecting a metal plate to processes such as punching and bending, and includes a second main body portion 152 extending in the width direction of the second housing 111, side cover portions 153 connected to both left and right ends of the second main body portion 152, contact side portions 154 disposed on the left and right inner walls of the fitting recess 122, and a tail portion 156 connected to the lower end of the second main body portion 152. The tail portion 156 extends outward in the longitudinal direction of the second connector 101, and is connected and fixed by soldering or the like to a connection pad (not shown) exposed on the surface of the second board. It is preferable that the connection pad is connected to a conductive trace, for example, a power line.

[0064] Next, the operation of mating first connector 1 and second connector 101 having the above-mentioned configuration will be described.

[0065] Here, the first connector 1 is surface-mounted on the first board by connecting the tail portion 62 of the first terminal 61 by soldering or the like to a connection pad connected to a conductive trace of the first board (not shown) and connecting the tail portion 52a of the first reinforcing metal fitting 51 by soldering or the like to a connection pad connected to the conductive trace of the first board. Note that the conductive trace connected to the connection pad to which the tail portion 62 of the first terminal 61 is connected is a signal line, and the conductive trace connected to the connection pad to which the tail portion 52a of the first reinforcing metal fitting 51 is connected is a power line.

[0066] Similarly, the second connector 101 is surface-mounted on the second board by connecting tail portion 162 of second terminal 161 by soldering or the like to a connection pad connected to a conductive trace of the second board (not shown) and connecting tail portion 156 of second reinforcing metal fitting 151 by soldering or the like to a connection pad connected to the conductive trace of the second board. Note that the conductive trace connected to the connection pad to which tail portion 162 of second terminal 161 is connected is a signal line, and the conductive trace connected to the connection pad to which tail portion 156 of second reinforcing metal fitting 151 is connected is a power line.

[0067] First, the operator positions the mating surface 12a of the first convex portion 12, which serves as the mating surface of the first housing 11 of the first connector 1, opposite the mating surface 111a of the second housing 111 of the second connector 101.When the position of the first convex portion 12 of the first connector 1 matches the position of the corresponding groove portion 112a of the second connector 101 and the position of the first protruding end portion 18 of the first connector 1 matches the position of the corresponding mating recess 122 of the second connector 101, the alignment of the first connector 1 and the second connector 101 is completed.

[0068] In this state, when the first connector 1 and / or the second connector 101 is moved in a direction approaching the mating side, i.e., in the mating direction, the first convex portion 12 and the first protruding end portion 18 of the first connector 1 are inserted into the recessed groove portion 112a and the mating recess 122 of the second connector 101. This completes the mating of the first connector 1 and the second connector 101. Then, the first terminal 61 and the second terminal 161 are brought into an electrically conductive state.

[0069] Next, a modification of the first connector 1 will be described.

[0070] FIG. 10 is an exploded view of the left half of a modified first connector according to the present embodiment.

[0071] In the modification shown in the figure, the first terminal 61 does not have a main body portion 63, but has a contact portion 65 extending in the vertical direction, a tail portion 62 bent at approximately 90 degrees and connected to the lower end of the contact portion 65, and an upper end portion 64 bent at approximately 90 degrees and connected to the upper end of the contact portion 65. An embedded portion 64a bent at approximately 90 degrees and extending downward is connected to the tip of the upper end portion 64. The embedded portion 64a is a portion that is embedded in the first protrusion 12 downward from the fitting surface 12a.

[0072] In the first terminal 61 shown in Fig. 2 etc., the tail portion 62 extends in the opposite direction to the direction in which the contact portion 65 faces, but in the first terminal 61 of the modified example shown in Fig. 10, the tail portion 62 extends in the same direction as the direction in which the contact portion 65 faces. This facilitates the operation of holding the terminal carrier 68 connected to the tip of the tail portion 62 via the thin connecting arm 68a and setting the multiple first terminals 61 in the primary molding die from both the left and right sides so that they face in opposite directions alternately.

[0073] Other configurations, operations, and effects of the first terminal 61 of the modified example shown in FIG. 10 are similar to those of the first terminal 61 shown in FIG. 2 and so on, and therefore description thereof will be omitted.

[0074] Thus, in the present embodiment, the first connector 1 comprises half-body portions 10 each including a first housing 11 and a plurality of first terminals 61 attached to the first housing 11, first protruding end portions 18 formed at both ends of the first housing 11 by butting the first housings 11 of each half-body portion 10 together, and a first reinforcing bracket 51 attached to the first protruding end portion 18. Each of the first housings 11 is a component integrated with the first terminal 61 by a first insert molding, and includes a first convex portion 12 extending in the longitudinal direction and holding the first terminal 61, an extended end portion 14 connected to both longitudinal ends of the first convex portion 12, and an embedded portion 15 extending from the extended end portion 14, and the first protruding end portion 18 includes a covering portion 16 that covers at least a portion of the extended end portion 14 and the entire embedded portion 15 of each first housing 11, and the covering portion 16 is a component integrated with the extended end portion 14, the embedded portion 15 and the first reinforcing bracket 51 by a second insert molding.

[0075] This makes it possible to narrow the distance between the first protrusions 12 of the first housing 11 to which the multiple first terminals 61 are attached, thereby making it possible to miniaturize the first connector 1. Furthermore, the manufacture of the first connector 1 becomes easier, and the reliability of the first connector 1 is improved.

[0076] Moreover, the first reinforcing metal fitting 51 includes an upper plate 54 extending in the width direction of the first housing 11, a pair of left and right leg portions 55 connected to both left and right side edges of the upper plate 54 and extending downward, and an end wall outer surface covering portion 52 and an end wall inner surface covering portion 53 connected to both front and rear side edges of the upper plate 54 and extending downward, and the embedded portion 15 is disposed so that at least a portion of it overlaps with the upper plate 54, the leg portions 55, the end wall outer surface covering portion 52, and the end wall inner surface covering portion 53 when viewed from the top-bottom, front-back, and left-right directions. As a result, the embedded portion 15 of the left half body portion 10A and the embedded portion 15 of the right half body portion 10B are firmly joined by the covering portion 16 integrated with the first reinforcing metal fitting 51, reliably forming the first protruding end portion 18 and reliably joining the left half body portion 10A and the right half body portion 10B.

[0077] Furthermore, the embedded portion 15 of each first housing 11 extends in the longitudinal direction of the first housing 11 and includes parallel inner sides 15c1 facing the embedded portions 15 of the other first housings 11, and the distance L2 between the mutually facing parallel inner sides 15c1 is smaller than the width L1 of the end wall inner surface covering portion 53 of the first reinforcing metal fitting 51 disposed so as to face the gap between the mutually facing parallel inner sides 15c1. As a result, the boundary between the parallel inner sides 15c1 of the embedded portion 15 molded by the first insert molding and the covering portion 16 molded by the second insert molding overlaps with the end wall inner surface covering portion 53 when viewed from the front-rear direction, making it difficult to separate, and improving the strength of the first protruding end portion 18.

[0078] Furthermore, the end wall inner surface covering portion 53 faces the inclined inner surface 15c2 of the embedded portion 15, which is inclined with respect to the longitudinal direction of the first housing 11, and is connected to each of the opposing parallel inner surfaces 15c1, and is positioned so that there is a gap between the inclined inner surface 15c2.

[0079] Furthermore, the embedded portion 15 of each first housing 11 extends in the longitudinal direction of the first housing 11 and includes an outer side surface 15b facing the leg portion 55 of the first reinforcing metal fitting 51, and the length L4 of the outer side surface 15b is shorter than the length L3 of the leg portion 55. As a result, the boundary between the outer side surface 15b of the embedded portion 15 molded by the first insert molding and the covering portion 16 molded by the second insert molding is covered by the leg portion 55 when viewed from the left and right, making it difficult to separate and improving the strength of the first protruding end portion 18.

[0080] Furthermore, the extension end portions 14 of the first housings 11 extend from both longitudinal ends of the first convex portions 12, inclining toward the inside in the width direction of the first connector 1, and the width of the first protruding end portions 18 is smaller than the width of the first connector 1. In this way, since the width of the first protruding end portions 18 can be made smaller than the width of the first connector 1, it is possible to accommodate a case where the contact side portions 154 are disposed on the left and right inner walls of the mating recess 122 of the second housing 111 into which the first protruding end portions 18 are inserted, and the width inside the mating recess 122 is substantially reduced when the first connector 1 and the second connector 101 are mated.

[0081] It should be noted that the disclosure of this specification describes features related to preferred and exemplary embodiments. Various other embodiments, modifications, and variations within the scope and spirit of the appended claims will naturally occur to those skilled in the art upon reviewing the disclosure of this specification. For example, the staggered arrangement of the terminals does not have to be regular. Also, the arrangement of the terminals does not have to be the same in the left and right halves. Furthermore, the left and right halves do not have to be line-symmetrical. [Industrial Applicability]

[0082] The present disclosure is applicable to connectors. [Explanation of symbols]

[0083] 1 First Connector 10A Left half body 10B Right half of body 11 First Housing 12 First protrusion 12a, 111a mating surface 12b, 14b, 15b outer surface 12c, 14c, 15c inner surface 13, 112a Concave groove part 14 Extension end 14a, 15a top surface 14b1 Slanted outer surface 14b2 Parallel outer surface 14d, 15d bottom surface 15 Buried section 15c1 Parallel inner surface 15c2 Slanted inner surface 15e end face 16 Covering part 17 Bottom plate part 17a, 111b Mounting surface 18 First protruding end 51 First reinforcing bracket 52 End wall outer covering 52a, 62, 156, 162 Tail section 53 End wall inner surface covering 54 Upper Board 55 Legs 58 Metal fitting carrier 58b, 68b cutting section 61 1st terminal 63 Main body 64 Upper end 64a Embedded part 65, 165 Contact 65a Contact recess 68 Terminal Carrier 68a Connecting arm 101 Second Connector 111 Second Housing 112 Recess 113 Second convex part 114 Side wall 115 2nd terminal receiving cavity 115a Second terminal receiving groove cavity 115b Second terminal receiving hole cavity 121 Second protruding end 122 Fitting recess 151 Second Reinforcement Bracket 152 Second body part 153 Lateral cover 154 Contact side 161 2nd terminal 165a Contact protrusion 811 Housing 812 Convex 861 Terminal

Claims

1. (a) half bodies each including a connector body and a plurality of terminals attached to the connector body; (b) a main body end portion connected to each end of the connector main body of each half body portion, and a reinforcing metal fitting attached to the main body end portion; (c) each half portion is a member in which the connector body and a plurality of terminals are integrated by a first insert molding; (d) the main body end portion is a member integrated with both ends of the connector main body of each half body portion and the reinforcing metal fittings by a second insert molding, both ends of the connector main body of each half body portion are covered by the main body end portion, and at least a part of the outer surface of the main body end portion is covered by the reinforcing metal fittings, (e) A connector characterized in that the terminals arranged in line in the longitudinal direction of the connector body are arranged so that the orientations of adjacent terminals are opposite to each other in the width direction of the connector body.

2. 2. The connector according to claim 1, wherein each of the terminals includes a tail portion connected to a substrate, and the terminals are arranged such that the tail portions of adjacent terminals extend in opposite directions relative to one another in the width direction of the connector body.

3. 3. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the left and right half portions are spaced apart from each other.

4. A connector pair comprising the connector according to any one of claims 1 to 3 and a mating connector that mates with the connector.

5. (a) half bodies each including a connector body and a plurality of terminals attached to the connector body; (b) a main body end portion connected to each end of the connector main body of each half body portion, and a reinforcing metal fitting attached to the main body end portion; (c) a method for manufacturing a connector, the terminals arranged side by side in the longitudinal direction of the connector body are arranged such that adjacent terminals are oriented in opposite directions to each other in a width direction of the connector body, (d) manufacturing each half portion in which the connector body and a plurality of terminals are integrated by a first insert molding; (e) manufacturing each body end portion by a second insert molding, the body end portion being integrated with both ends of the connector body of each half body portion and reinforcing metal fittings, wherein both ends of the connector body of each half body portion are covered by each body end portion and at least a portion of the outer surface of each body end portion is covered by the reinforcing metal fittings.

Images