Contact structure

Abstract

To provide a contact structure excellent in electric conductivity by preventing poor conduction with a simple structure.SOLUTION: In a contact structure that electrically connects a first terminal and a second terminal, the first terminal and the second terminal are arranged so as to be separated from each other, and a conductive fluid is interposed between the first terminal and the second terminal. Furthermore, the second terminal has a plug shape, contains a conductive fluid, and has a housing portion fixed to the first terminal, and the housing portion has a conductive structure for conducting the first terminal and the conductive fluid, and an opening for inserting the second terminal.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a contact structure of a contact terminal that electrically connects a plurality of electronic devices to each other. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventional , electric In sub-devices, spring contacts are used to electrically connect patterns on a circuit board with conductive materials, etc., attached to the housing of the electronic device. Spring contacts are known to have a structure in which the upper and lower surfaces of a piezoelectric transformer element are sandwiched between lead terminals with spring properties, thereby simultaneously connecting and holding the electrodes (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Specifically, an upper spring portion that conducts with the upper lead terminal faces a lower spring portion that conducts with the lower lead terminal, and the piezoelectric transformer element is placed between the two spring portions, with the upper spring portion in contact with the upper surface of the piezoelectric transformer element and the lower spring portion in contact with the lower surface. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 11-74580 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, the spring contacts described in Patent Document 1 are structured so that each spring part follows the vibrations generated in the piezoelectric transformer element. However, since the piezoelectric transformer element is sandwiched between the upper and lower spring parts, there is a risk that when strong vibrations or impacts are applied from the outside depending on the strength of the spring elastic force, a load that physically destroys the piezoelectric transformer element may be applied. Furthermore, there is a risk that the contact surfaces between the piezoelectric transformer element and both spring parts may be worn away by friction, resulting in problems such as contact failure and reduced contact reliability. The present invention was made in consideration of the above problems through extensive research by the inventors, and has an object to provide a contact structure that prevents conduction defects and has excellent electrical conductivity. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The contact structure of the present invention is a contact structure for electrically connecting a first terminal and a second terminal, and includes a first contact portion disposed in an exposed state within a sealed space, and a second contact portion disposed in the sealed space and spaced apart from the first contact portion; a housing portion that houses a conductive fluid and is fixed to the first terminal; , and the enclosed space has the above the contact portion is filled with a conductive fluid, and the first contact portion and the second contact portion are connected via the conductive fluid; The second terminal has a fitting groove around the second contact portion into which the peripheral end of the accommodating portion fits, and the second terminal is disposed in a predetermined position by fitting the peripheral end of the accommodating portion into the fitting groove. It is characterized by:

[0006] In addition, in the contact structure of the present invention, the second terminal has a plug shape. ,above The accommodating portion has a conductive structure for electrically connecting the first terminal and the conductive fluid, and an opening for inserting the second terminal.

[0007] The contact structure of the present invention is characterized in that the second terminal is not in contact with the accommodating portion.

[0008] The contact structure of the present invention is characterized by having a leakage prevention portion for preventing leakage of the conductive fluid from the accommodating portion.

[0009] Furthermore, the contact structure of the present invention is characterized in that the first terminal has a plurality of contacts, the accommodating portion accommodates the conductive fluid separately so that each of the plurality of contacts can be electrically connected, and each of the contacts can be electrically connected to a different second terminal via the conductive fluid.

[0011] The contact structure of the present invention is characterized in that the conductive fluid is a liquid metal. MaIn addition, the contact structure of the present invention is characterized in that the second terminal has a step that makes the second contact portion protrude from the surrounding area. The contact structure of the present invention is characterized by including a packing that covers the step in the circumferential direction and is in close contact with the inner circumferential surface of the accommodating portion. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to the present invention, it is possible to obtain a contact structure with excellent electrical conductivity by preventing conduction defects with a simple structure. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a contact structure according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a conductive state of the contact structure according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a conductive fluid contained in an insulating container. [Figure 4] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating examples of a leak prevention portion. [Figure 5] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating other examples of contact structures. [Figure 6] 10A and 10B are diagrams showing an example of conducting fixed contacts on a plane. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] The contact structure of the present invention will be described below. Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a contact structure 1 according to this embodiment. The contact structure 1 is composed of a fixed terminal 2 as a first terminal, a plug terminal 4 as a second terminal, and a conductive fluid 6. The contact structure 1 is structured so that the fixed terminal 2 and the plug terminal 4 are electrically connected by separating the fixed terminal 2 from the plug terminal 4 and bringing both the fixed terminal 2 and the plug terminal 4 into contact with the conductive fluid 6.

[0015] The fixed terminal 2 is mounted on a printed wiring board or the like and has a substantially planar fixed contact 2a. The plug terminal 4 is held in an insulating housing 5 or the like so that the contact is exposed. The plug terminal 4 is connected to a lead wire or the like of an electronic device.

[0016] The conductive fluid 6 is made of a liquid metal such as mercury, gallium, cesium, rubidium, or galinstan, an alloy that becomes liquid at room temperature and contains a liquid metal such as an amalgam alloy, a conductive paste such as silver paste, or a powdered metal such as iron powder consisting of particles with a diameter of 10 μm or less, and is contained in an insulating container 8.

[0017] The insulating accommodating portion 8 has a shape that allows electrical conduction between the fixed terminal 2 and the plug terminal 4 via the conductive fluid 6. For example, the insulating accommodating portion 8 has a cylindrical shape with a bottom and a conductive bottom that allows electrical conduction between the conductive fluid 6 and the fixed contact 2a. The insulating accommodating portion 8 also has a peripheral wall made of an insulating material, and an open end 8a functions as a socket into which the plug terminal 4 is inserted.

[0018] The insulating accommodating portion 8 may have a notch or a hole in its bottom, for example, to expose the fixed contact 2a inside the insulating accommodating portion 8 and bring it into contact with the conductive fluid 6. Alternatively, the fixed contact 2a may form the bottom of the insulating accommodating portion 8. For example, if the peripheral wall of the insulating accommodating portion 8 is erected directly on the surface of the fixed terminal 2 so as to surround the fixed contact 2a, the fixed contact 2a will function as the bottom of the insulating accommodating portion 8. Of course, the bottom of the insulating accommodating portion 8 may be formed from a conductive material that can be electrically connected to the fixed contact 2a, and the fixed contact 2a and the conductive fluid 6 may be electrically connected via the bottom.

[0019] The width and depth of the insulating accommodating portion 8 are set so that the inner circumferential surface and the bottom are spaced apart from the plug terminal 4. That is, the width is set to be wider than the width (diameter) of the plug terminal 4, and the depth is set to be longer than the longitudinal length of the plug terminal 4, so that the insulating accommodating portion 8 is kept in a non-contact state with the plug terminal 4.

[0020] The operation of the contact structure 1 of the present invention will now be described. When the fixed terminal 2 is in a state of being electrically connected to the conductive fluid 6, while the plug terminal 4 is in a position away from the conductive fluid 6, it is in an OFF state of not being electrically connected. The switch is turned on when the plug terminal 4 is moved and inserted into the insulating accommodating portion 8. That is, as shown in Fig. 2, when the plug terminal 4 is inserted into the conductive fluid 6 through the open end 8a of the insulating accommodating portion 8, the plug terminal 4 and the fixed terminal 2 are electrically connected via the conductive fluid 6, and the switch is turned on.

[0021] At this time, since the plug terminal 4 is spaced apart from the inner surface and bottom of the insulating accommodating portion 8, even if the plug terminal 4 swings due to external vibration or impact, it will not come into contact with the surrounding area, and therefore the plug terminal 4 will not be damaged, preventing poor conductivity and maintaining excellent electrical conductivity. Furthermore, since the plug terminal 4 is inserted into the conductive fluid 6, the contact surface that contributes to conduction can be made wide, so even if foreign matter or the like adheres to part of the surface of the plug terminal 4, other contact parts will function, preventing poor conduction.

[0022] Furthermore, since the fixed terminal 2 does not come into contact with the plug terminal 4, there is no wear of the fixed contact 2a due to friction with the plug terminal 4. This also prevents poor electrical continuity and maintains excellent electrical continuity.

[0023] The amount of conductive fluid 6 contained in the insulating accommodating portion 8 is not particularly limited, but it is considered preferable to have as much as possible in order to increase the contact area with the plug terminal 4. Therefore, compared to the case where the conductive fluid 6 is contained up to about half the depth of the insulating accommodating portion 8 as shown in Fig. 3(a) when the plug terminal 4 is inserted, it is considered that the contact area between the plug terminal 4 and the conductive fluid 6 is larger and more stable electrical conductivity can be obtained if the conductive fluid 6 is contained almost to the fullest extent, with the liquid level reaching the open end of the insulating accommodating portion 8 as shown in Fig. 3(b).

[0024] Furthermore, a leakage prevention part for preventing liquid leakage may be provided to prevent leakage of the conductive fluid 6 from the open end 8a of the insulating accommodating part 8. If the leakage prevention part is provided on the plug terminal 4 side, a leakage prevention state is achieved by inserting the plug terminal 4 into the conductive fluid 6. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the leak prevention part 10. The leak prevention part 10 may be, for example, a lid-shaped part that covers the upper part of the opening end 8a to close the opening as shown in FIG. 4(a), or may be a part that functions as a plug that fits tightly against the inner peripheral surface of the insulating accommodating part 8 to close the opening as shown in FIG. 4(b).

[0025] The leak prevention portion may be arranged by fitting it in advance into a midway portion of the insulating accommodating portion 8 or near the open end 8a. In this case, a hole or the like for inserting the plug terminal 4 is provided in the center of the leak prevention portion. Alternatively, if a chrysanthemum-shaped hole with cuts formed radially from the center is provided, the plug terminal 4 can be inserted without being pressed against the leak prevention portion due to vibration or impact from the outside, thereby reducing the load on the plug terminal 4.

[0026] It is preferable that the leak prevention portion 10 be formed from an insulating material with high airtightness, sealability, or airtightness, such as inorganic solid insulating materials such as mica, ceramics, and glass (soda-lime glass, lead glass, borosilicate glass, silica glass, etc.), synthetic resin-based materials (natural resins such as shellac and rosin, thermoplastic resins such as polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, and polyester, thermosetting resins such as phenolic resin, melamine resin, epoxy resin, and silicone resin), and rubber-based materials (natural rubber, butyl rubber, ethylene propylene rubber, silicone rubber, etc.).

[0027] It is also desirable to determine the amount of conductive fluid 6 to be contained in accordance with temperature changes in the usage environment, etc. In other words, if the opening is sealed with the leak prevention part 10, the conductive fluid 6 may expand due to high temperatures and burst the insulating containing part 8, so it is desirable to determine the amount to be contained in consideration of the effects of expansion.

[0028] Furthermore, although the above description has been given taking the example of connecting one plug terminal 4 to the fixed terminal 2, if the fixed terminal 2 has multiple fixed contacts 2a, 2b, different plug terminals 4a, 4b can be connected to each of the fixed contacts 2a, 2b as shown in Fig. 5. In this case, to prevent short-circuit failures, the insulating housing 8 is partitioned into spaces for housing conductive fluids 6 for each of the fixed contacts 2a, 2b. Furthermore, the plug terminal 4a is inserted into the conductive fluid 6 that can be connected to the fixed contact 2a, and the plug terminal 4b is inserted into the conductive fluid 6 that can be connected to the fixed contact 2b. This allows each of the fixed contacts 2a, 2b to be connected to the plug terminal 4a or the plug terminal 4b.

[0029] In addition to electrical continuity between the fixed terminal 2 and the plug terminal 4, electrical continuity may also be established between fixed terminals 20, 22, each having planar fixed contacts 20a, 20b. For example, as shown in FIG. 6(a), the insulating housing 8 is installed on the fixed terminal 20 so that the fixed contact 20a is electrically connected to the conductive fluid 6. The conductive fluid 6 is accommodated in the insulating housing 8 so that the liquid level is located at the open end. The fixed terminal 22 is disposed so that the fixed contact 22a faces the conductive fluid 6 and closes the open end of the insulating housing 8. This brings the fixed contact 22a into contact with the conductive fluid 6, allowing electrical continuity between the fixed contacts 20a, 20b via the conductive fluid 6.

[0030] 6(b), a fitting groove 24 into which the peripheral end of the insulating accommodating portion 8 fits may be provided around the fixed contact 22a of the fixed terminal 22, and the insulating accommodating portion 8 may be fitted to dispose the fixed terminal 22 in a predetermined position. In this way, the fixed contact 22a enters the insulating accommodating portion 8, so that the amount of conductive fluid 6 to be accommodated in advance in the insulating accommodating portion 8 can be reduced. Furthermore, since the insulating accommodating portion 8 fits into the fitting groove 24, alignment when conducting the fixed contact 22a with the conductive fluid 6 is easy.

[0031] 6(c), a step 26 may be provided in the fixed terminal 22 to make the fixed contact 22a protrude from the surrounding area, allowing the fixed contact 22a to enter the insulating housing portion 8. In this case, a packing may be provided that covers the step 26 in the circumferential direction and can adhere to the inner peripheral surface of the insulating housing portion 8, thereby preventing leakage of the conductive fluid 6. Of course, it goes without saying that the fixed terminal 22 may have both the fitting groove 24 and the step 26, as shown in FIG. 6(d).

[0032] The contact structure 1 described above can be applied to various electronic devices. For example, home appliances as electronic devices include video equipment (display devices) such as televisions and projectors, video equipment (recording and playback devices) such as video tape recorders, DVD recorders, Blue-ray Disc recorders, HDD recorders, DVD players, and Blue-ray Disc players, video equipment (photography devices) such as video cameras and digital cameras, audio equipment (recording and playback devices) such as wire recorders, tape recorders, mini-disc recorders, boomboxes, and IC recorders, audio equipment (playback devices) such as analog players, CD players, amplifiers, and radios, audio equipment (reproduction devices) such as speakers and headphones, white goods, and information appliances.

[0033] Electrical appliances including white goods include washing machines, vacuum cleaners, irons, sewing machines, futon dryers, lint removers, clothes dryers, hanger steamers, trouser presses, shoe dryers, towel heaters, sewing irons, oven ranges and microwaves, rice cookers, mixers and food processors, gas ranges and stoves, toasters, induction cookers, hot plates and grills, bread makers and baking equipment, tabletop cooking utensils, water boilers, deep fryers, electric pressure cookers and electric stew pots, fish roasters, steam cookers, soup makers and soy milk makers, Rice cake makers, dry food makers, refrigerators and freezers, kettles and pots, coffee makers, water purifiers, dishwashers, dish dryers, carbonated water makers, water conditioners, tea makers, food waste disposal machines, capsule tea machines, towel steamers and warmers, heaters, air purifiers, air conditioners, humidifiers, dehumidifiers, electric fans, ion generators, circulators, bathroom dryers, cooling fans, hair dryers, hair irons, electric hair clippers, electric shavers, hot curlers, facial massagers, microscopes, electric toothbrushes, oral irrigators, stain cleaners, Arco checkers, breath checkers, hair removal devices, light hair removal devices, laser hair removal devices, high frequency hair removal devices, electric callus removers, desk stands, entrance lighting, ceiling lighting, interior stands, spotlights, sliding lights, ceiling fans, chandeliers, facility and outdoor lighting, bathroom lighting, downlights, black lights, bracket lights, footlights, garden lights, guide lights, massage equipment, healthcare and measurement, heated toilet seats, electric and low frequency therapy devices, hearing aids, electronic cigarettes, inhalers, nasal washers, oxygen air chargers, Includes home ultraviolet therapy devices, heat therapy devices, light bulbs and fluorescent lamps, LED light bulbs, straight tube fluorescent lamps, compact fluorescent lamps, incandescent lamps, circular fluorescent lamps (FCL), LED fluorescent lamps, round slim fluorescent lamps (FHC), compact fluorescent lamps, halogen light bulbs, starters (glow bulbs), double circular fluorescent lamps (FHD), miniature bulbs, electronic starters, HID lamps, slim bulb base fluorescent lamps (EFC), slim rectangular fluorescent lamps (FHG), heat-retaining light bulbs, telephones and fax machines, telephones, fax machines, combined fax machines, additional handsets, LED light bulbs with motion sensors, and general light bulb types (LED light bulbs).

[0034] Information appliances include personal computers, displays, keyboards, mice, printers, 3D printers, tablets, USB memory sticks, external hard drives, card readers, fax machines, mobile phones, smartphones, portable games, home game consoles, and educational toys. [Explanation of symbols]

[0035] 1...contact structure, 2...fixed terminal, 4...plug terminal, 6...conductive fluid, 8...insulating housing portion, 10...leak prevention portion.

Claims

1. A contact structure that electrically connects a first terminal and a second terminal, a first contact portion disposed exposed within the sealed space; a second contact portion exposed in the sealed space and disposed spaced apart from the first contact portion; a housing portion that houses a conductive fluid and is fixed to the first terminal; the sealed space is filled with the conductive fluid, and the first contact portion and the second contact portion are connected via the conductive fluid; the second terminal has a fitting groove around the second contact portion into which a peripheral end of the accommodating portion fits, A contact structure characterized in that the peripheral end of the accommodating portion is fitted into the fitting groove to dispose the second terminal in a predetermined position.

2. the second terminal has a plug shape, 2. The contact structure according to claim 1, wherein the accommodating portion has a conductive structure for electrically connecting the first terminal and the conductive fluid, and an opening for inserting the second terminal.

3. 3. The contact structure according to claim 2, wherein the second terminal is not in contact with the housing portion.

4. 4. A contact structure according to claim 2, further comprising a leakage prevention portion for preventing leakage of said conductive fluid from said container portion.

5. the first terminal has a plurality of contacts; the container contains the conductive fluid separately so that each of the plurality of contacts can be electrically connected; 5. The contact structure according to claim 2, wherein each of the contacts can be electrically connected to a different second terminal via the conductive fluid.

6. 6. A contact structure according to claim 1, wherein the conductive fluid is a liquid metal.

7. 2. The contact structure according to claim 1, wherein the second terminal has a step that causes the second contact portion to protrude from the surrounding area.

8. 8. The contact structure according to claim 7, further comprising a packing that covers the step in the circumferential direction and is in close contact with the inner circumferential surface of the accommodating portion.

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