connector

Abstract

To provide a connector which prevents a terminal from being rolled up even under a strong removal force despite its small size and low profile, can repeatedly perform engagement and disengagement, has a simple structure, and is low in cost and high in reliability.SOLUTION: A connector includes a housing formed of an insulating material and a terminal formed of a conductive material integrated with the housing. The housing includes a protruding portion extending in a longitudinal direction of the connector. The terminal includes a plate portion extending in a vertical direction, the surface thereof being exposed to one side surface of the protruding portion, a counter plate portion extending in the vertical direction, the surface thereof being exposed to the other side surface of the protruding portion, a connecting portion for connecting an upper end of the plate portion and an upper end of the counter plate portion, and a fixing portion connected to a lower end of the plate portion. A stepped portion is formed at the boundary between the surface of the plate portion and the surface of the connecting portion, and the surface of the fixing portion is covered with the insulating material.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to connectors. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, 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 mated with each other to establish electrical continuity. During the mating operation, the contact portions of the terminals are formed with projections and recesses so that the operator can recognize the completion of mating as a click (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] Fig. 13 is a perspective view showing a conventional terminal, in which (a) and (b) are views seen from different angles.

[0004] In the figure, 961 denotes a terminal that is press-fitted into the housing of a plug connector, which is a connector mounted on the surface of a circuit board (not shown), and is used, for example, as a signal terminal for connecting a signal line. Terminal 961 is a metal member that is attached so as to straddle a side wall formed on the housing, and has a side shape roughly resembling a ladle. The portion corresponding to the handle of the ladle is board connection portion 962 that is soldered to the surface of the circuit board. The portion corresponding to the body of the ladle includes first contact portion 965 and second contact portion 966 that extend in the vertical direction, and connection portion 964 that extends in the horizontal direction, and has a U-shaped side shape.

[0005] The first contact portion 965 is a portion that functions as a contact point by coming into contact with a mating terminal (not shown), and its tip portion 967 is formed with locking claws 967a that protrude on both sides. The second contact portion 966 is a portion that produces a clicking sensation, and its surface is formed with protrusions 966b that engage with protrusions of the mating terminal (not shown). The second contact portion 966 is also formed with locking claws 966a that protrude on both sides.

[0006] The terminal 961 is then pressed against the housing (not shown) from above, with the portion corresponding to the dipper body straddling the side wall, and the first contact portion 965 and the second contact portion 966 are inserted into the terminal holding grooves formed on both sides of the side wall. At this time, the locking claw 966a of the second contact portion 966 bites into and locks into the side surface of the terminal holding groove formed on the outer surface of the side wall. The tip portion 967 is pressed into the lower end of the terminal holding groove formed on the inner surface of the side wall, and the locking claw 967a bites into and locks into the side surface of the lower end of the terminal holding groove. This ensures that the terminal 961 is securely attached to the housing. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-300193 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] However, in the conventional connector, when an operator applies a strong removal force to release the mated state with the mating connector, the terminal 961 receives a strong force from the mating terminal in the disengagement direction, causing the first contact portion 965 to be lifted and the tip portion 967 to curl up, which may result in deformation or damage. If the terminal 961 is deformed or damaged in this way, it will be impossible to re-mate the connector with the mating connector and use it again. In other words, the connector will become unusable.

[0009] In particular, in recent years, connectors have become smaller and thinner, and terminals 961 have become finer, so it is extremely difficult to improve the strength of terminals 961 and prevent deformation or damage due to curling up.

[0010] The object of this invention is to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems and provide a connector that is small and low-profile, does not cause terminals to curl up even when a strong removal force is applied, can perform repeated mating and unmating, has a simple structure, is low-cost, and is highly reliable. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] To this end, the connector is provided with a housing made of an insulating material and terminals made of a conductive material that are integrated with the housing, the housing including a protrusion extending in the longitudinal direction of the connector, the terminals including a plate portion extending in the vertical direction and having a surface exposed on one side of the protrusion, an opposing plate portion extending in the vertical direction and having a surface exposed on the other side of the protrusion, a connecting portion connecting the upper end of the plate portion with the upper end of the opposing plate portion, and a fixing portion connected to the lower end of the plate portion, a step portion being formed at the boundary between the surface of the plate portion and the surface of the connecting portion, and the surface of the fixing portion is covered with the insulating material. The fixing portion is thinner than the plate portion, includes a wide portion wider than the plate portion, another step portion is formed at the boundary between the surface of the plate portion and the surface of the fixing portion, and the back surface of the plate portion and the back surface of the fixing portion form the same plane. do.

[0012] For other connectors, A connector comprising a housing made of an insulating material and terminals made of a conductive material integrated with the housing, wherein the housing includes a protrusion extending in the longitudinal direction of the connector, and the terminals include a plate portion extending in the vertical direction and having a surface exposed on one side of the protrusion, an opposing plate portion extending in the vertical direction and having a surface exposed on the other side of the protrusion, a connecting portion connecting an upper end of the plate portion with an upper end of the opposing plate portion, and a fixing portion connected to a lower end of the plate portion, and a step portion is formed at the boundary between the surface of the plate portion and the surface of the connecting portion, The fixing portion includes a wide portion that is wider than the plate portion and gradually increases in width downward, the surface of the fixing portion is covered with the insulating material, and the mating terminal that can be coupled to the terminal is an integrally formed member made of conductive material, and includes an inner contact portion that can come into contact with the surface of the opposing plate portion of the terminal, an outer contact portion that can come into contact with the surface of the plate portion of the terminal, and a protrusion that is connected to one end of the outer contact portion and protrudes toward the inner contact portion, and when the terminal and the mating terminal are coupled, the protrusion engages with a step portion of the terminal. .

[0015] In still another connector, the widened portion further has a width that gradually increases downward at least in part.

[0016] In yet another connector, the terminal further includes a board connection portion extending from the lower end of the opposing plate portion toward the outside in the width direction of the connector, and the surface of the opposing plate portion is exposed on the side of the convex portion facing inward in the width direction of the connector, and the surface of the plate portion is exposed on the side of the convex portion facing outward in the width direction of the connector.

[0017] In still another connector, the terminals further include: The winding shape is such that the winding advances from the outer side to the inner side in the width direction of the connector, and then the winding is performed by winding upward and then unwinding, and the plate portion is located near the tip of the winding shape. do.

[0018] A connector pair includes the connector and a mating connector that can be mated with the connector. [Effects of the Invention]

[0019] According to the present disclosure, the connector can be compact and low-profile, yet can be repeatedly mated and unmated without the terminals curling up even when a strong removal force is applied. Furthermore, the structure can be simplified, costs can be reduced, and reliability can be improved. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0020] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which a first connector and a second connector are mated in the first embodiment; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a first connector according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the first connector according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] 4A and 4B are four-sided views of the first connector in the first embodiment, where (a) is a top view, (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in (a), (c) is a side view, and (d) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB in (a). [Figure 5] 3A to 3C are three-view diagrams of a first terminal according to a first embodiment, in which (a) is a perspective view, (b) is a front view, and (c) is a side view. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a second connector according to the first embodiment. [Figure 7] 3A to 3C are three-view diagrams of the second connector according to the first embodiment, in which (a) is a top view, (b) is a side view, and (c) is a cross-sectional view taken along the arrow CC in (a). [Figure 8] 3A to 3C are three-view diagrams showing a state in which the first connector and the second connector are mated in the first embodiment, where (a) is a top view, (b) is a side view, and (c) is a cross-sectional view taken along the arrow DD in (a). [Figure 9] 4(a) is a cross-sectional side view of the first connector and the second connector in a mated state according to the first embodiment, taken along the line AA in FIG. 4(a). FIG. [Figure 10] 10A to 10C are three-view diagrams of a first terminal according to a second embodiment, in which (a) is a perspective view, (b) is a front view, and (c) is a side view. [Figure 11] 10A to 10C are three-view diagrams of a first terminal according to a third embodiment, in which (a) is a perspective view, (b) is a front view, and (c) is a side view. [Figure 12] 10A and 10B are two-sided views of a first terminal according to a third embodiment, where (a) is a rear view and (b) is a perspective view seen from a different angle. [Figure 13] 1A and 1B are perspective views showing a conventional terminal, in which (a) and (b) are views seen from different angles. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0022] Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which the first connector and the second connector according to the first embodiment are mated, Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the first connector according to the first embodiment, Fig. 3 is an exploded view of the first connector according to the first embodiment, Fig. 4 is a four-sided view of the first connector according to the first embodiment, and Fig. 5 is a three-sided view of the first terminal according to the first embodiment. In Fig. 4, (a) is a top view, (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in (a), (c) is a side view, and (d) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB in (a). In Fig. 5, (a) is a perspective view, (b) is a front view, and (c) is a side view.

[0023] In the drawings, reference numeral 10 denotes a connector in this embodiment, which is a first connector that is one of a pair of board-to-board connectors that make up a connector pair. The first connector 10 is a surface-mount connector that is mounted on the surface of a first substrate, which is a substrate (not shown) that serves as a mounting member, and is mated with a second connector 101 that is the mating connector in the connector pair. The second connector 101 is the other of the pair of board-to-board connectors, which is a surface-mount connector that is mounted on the surface of a second substrate, which is a substrate (not shown) that serves as a mounting member, and is mated with the first connector 10 that is the mating connector in the connector pair.

[0024] In addition, the first connector 10 and the second connector 101 in this embodiment are preferably used to electrically connect a first substrate and a second substrate as substrates, but can also be used to electrically connect other members. The first substrate and the second substrate are, for example, printed circuit boards used in electronic devices, flexible flat cables (FFC), flexible circuit boards (FPC), etc., but may be any type of substrate.

[0025] In this embodiment, the expressions indicating directions such as up, down, left, right, front, and rear used to explain the configuration and operation of each part of the first connector 10 and the second connector 101 are not absolute but relative, and are appropriate when each part of the first connector 10 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.

[0026] The first connector 10 is a so-called plug connector type and includes a first housing 11, which is a connector main body integrally formed from an insulating material such as synthetic resin. As shown in the figure, the first housing 11 has a roughly rectangular thick plate shape that is a roughly rectangular parallelepiped. The side of the first housing 11 that is fitted into the second connector 101, i.e., the mating surface 11a side (the Z-axis positive direction side), is integrally formed with an elongated groove 13 extending in the longitudinal direction of the first housing 11 (the X-axis direction), and a first protrusion 12 that defines the outside of the groove 13 and serves as an elongated protrusion extending in the longitudinal direction of the first housing 11. The first protrusion 12 is formed along both sides of the groove 13 and along both sides of the first housing 11. The first connector 10 has dimensions of, for example, approximately 5.2 mm in length, approximately 1.9 mm in width, and approximately 0.6 mm in thickness, but these dimensions can be changed as appropriate.

[0027] Further, a first terminal 61 is attached to each first protrusion 12. A plurality (e.g., 10) of the first terminals 61 are attached at a predetermined pitch (e.g., about 0.35 mm), and each of the first terminals 61 contacts and conducts with a second terminal 161 provided on the second connector 101. The pitch and number of the first terminals 61 can be changed as appropriate. The side of the recessed groove 13 that is mounted on the first board, i.e., the mounting surface 11b side (Z-axis negative direction side), is closed by a bottom plate 17.

[0028] A first protruding end 22 serving as a mating guide is disposed on each longitudinal end of the first housing 11. The first protruding end 22 is a thick member extending in the width direction (Y-axis direction) of the first housing 11, with both ends connected to both longitudinal ends of each first protrusion 12, and its upper surface has a substantially rectangular shape. When the first connector 10 and the second connector 101 are mated, the first protruding end 22 functions as an insertion convex portion that is inserted into a mating recess 122 of a second protruding end 121 provided on the second connector 101. A first reinforcing metal fitting 51 serving as a reinforcing metal fitting is attached to the first protruding end 22. The first reinforcing metal fitting 51 contacts and is electrically connected to a second reinforcing metal fitting 151 provided on the second connector 101.

[0029] In this embodiment, the first terminal 61 and the first reinforcing metal fitting 51 will be described as components that are integrated with the first housing 11 by overmolding (insert molding). That is, the first housing 11 is molded by filling an insulating material such as synthetic resin into the cavity of a mold in which the first terminal 61 and the first reinforcing metal fitting 51 have been set beforehand. As a result, the first terminal 61 and the first reinforcing metal fitting 51 are integrally attached to the first housing 11 so that at least a portion of them is embedded in the first housing 11. Therefore, although the first terminal 61 and the first reinforcing metal fitting 51 are not separated from the first housing 11, please note that for convenience of explanation, they are depicted in FIG. 3 as if they are separated from each other.

[0030] The first terminal 61 is a member integrally formed by subjecting a conductive metal strip to processes such as punching and bending, and includes a plate portion 65 extending in the vertical direction and functioning as an outer contact portion, an opposing plate portion 66 extending in the vertical direction and facing the plate portion 65 and functioning as an inner contact portion, a connecting portion 64 extending generally in the width direction of the first housing 11 and having both curved ends connected to the upper ends of the plate portion 65 and the opposing plate portion 66, and a board connecting portion 62 extending generally in the width direction of the first housing 11 and having one curved end connected to the lower end of the opposing plate portion 66. A fixing portion 67 is connected to the tip (lower end) of the plate portion 65.

[0031] The fixing portion 67 is formed to be thinner than the plate portion 65. As a result, as shown in FIG. 5, a first step portion 68a is formed as a step portion between the surface 65a of the plate portion 65 and the surface 67a of the fixing portion 67, i.e., at the boundary between them. The surface 65a of the plate portion 65 and the surface 67a of the fixing portion 67 are both flat surfaces extending in the vertical direction. The back surface 65b of the plate portion 65 and the back surface 67b of the fixing portion 67 are also flat surfaces extending in the vertical direction, and since there is no step between them, they form the same plane. Furthermore, a second step portion 68b is formed as a step portion at the boundary between the surface 65a of the plate portion 65 and the surface 64a of the connecting portion 64. The surface 66a and the back surface 66b of the opposing plate portion 66 are both flat surfaces extending in the vertical direction.

[0032] Furthermore, the plate portion 65, the opposing plate portion 66, and the connecting portion 64 are formed to have the same widthwise (X-axis) dimension, but the board connecting portion 62 is formed to have a narrower widthwise dimension over most of its length. The fixing portion 67 includes a wide portion 67c whose widthwise dimension is larger than that of the plate portion 65. The wide portion 67c is formed so as to protrude outward beyond both ends of the plate portion 65 on both widthwise sides, and it is desirable that the widthwise dimension of at least a portion of the wide portion 67c gradually increases downward.

[0033] The elongated strip plate material constituting the first terminal 61 extends from a tip (the outer end in the width direction of the first housing 11) of the board connecting portion 62 located outward from the outer surface 12a, which is one of the side surfaces of the first protrusion 12, to the inner surface 12b, which is the other of the side surfaces of the first protrusion 12, i.e., the inner surface 12b facing inward in the width direction of the first housing 11, then curves approximately 90 degrees, extends from the lower end to the upper end of the opposing plate portion 66, curves approximately 90 degrees at the upper end, becomes a connecting portion 64, extends facing outward in the width direction of the first housing 11, then curves approximately 90 degrees, and is bent so as to extend from the upper end to the lower end of the plate portion 65. That is, the first terminal 61 has a wound shape that is wound from the outer side to the inner side in the width direction of the first housing 11 when viewed in the longitudinal direction of the first housing 11, and is wound upward and unwound.

[0034] As shown in FIG. 4 , when integrated with the first housing 11, the first terminal 61 is almost entirely embedded in the first protrusion 12, with only the surface 65 a of the plate portion 65, the surface 64 a of the connecting portion 64, and the surface 66 a of the opposing plate portion 66 exposed on the outer surface 12 a, the inner surface 12 b, and the mating surface 11 a of the first protrusion 12. Similarly, although the back surface 62 b of the board connecting portion 62 is exposed on the mounting surface 11 b, most of the surface 62 a is covered by the side flange 14 extending from the lower end of the outer surface 12 a of the first protrusion 12 outward in the width direction of the first housing 11. In other words, when viewed from above, the tip of the board connecting portion 62 slightly protrudes from the side flange 14 outward in the width direction of the first housing 11. Therefore, the first terminal 61 is firmly integrated with the first housing 11. The rear surface 62b of the substrate connection portion 62 abuts against the surface of the first substrate (not shown) and is connected by soldering or the like to a connection pad connected to a signal line.

[0035] Furthermore, surface 67a of fixing portion 67 is recessed more inward in the width direction of first housing 11 (or more inward in first protrusion 12) than surface 65a of plate portion 65 to which fixing portion 67 is connected via first step portion 68a, and is therefore generally parallel to surface 65a of plate portion 65. Therefore, surface 67a is covered by covering portion 12c having a generally uniform thickness and formed adjacent to side flange 14 near the lower end of outer surface 12a of first protrusion 12. The outer surface of covering portion 12c is formed to be flush with other portions of outer surface 12a of first protrusion 12. Therefore, when first connector 10 and second connector 101 are mated, even if a force that lifts plate portion 65 upward is applied from second terminal 161 in contact with first terminal 61, fixing portion 67 connected to the tip of plate portion 65 will not be rolled up. Moreover, the fixing portion 67 includes the wide portion 67c, which is wider than the plate portion 65, and is covered by the cover portion 12c, so that the fixing portion 67 is more reliably prevented from rolling up.

[0036] The first reinforcing bracket 51 is a member formed as a single unit by punching, bending, and other processes on a metal plate, and comprises an end wall covering portion 57 as a main body portion that covers the outside of the first protruding end portion 22, and side covering portions 53 connected to both the left and right ends of the end wall covering portion 57.

[0037] The end wall covering portion 57 includes an end wall upper covering portion 57a ​​that extends generally in the width direction of the first housing 11 and covers at least the central portion of the upper surface of the first protruding end portion 22, an end wall inner covering portion 57b that extends downward from the longitudinal inner edge of the first housing 11 at the end wall upper covering portion 57a, an end wall outer covering portion 57c that extends downward from the longitudinal outer edge of the first housing 11 at the end wall upper covering portion 57a, and an end wall substrate connection portion 57d that is bent and connected to the lower end of the end wall outer covering portion 57c and extends longitudinally outward of the first housing 11.

[0038] In addition, the side covering portion 53 includes a connecting arm portion 53b that is bent and connected to both ends of the end wall outer covering portion 57c in the width direction (Y-axis direction) and extends toward the inside of the first housing 11 in the longitudinal direction, a side wall upper covering portion 53a connected to the upper end of the connecting arm portion 53b, a side wall outer covering portion 53c that extends downward from the outer edge of the first housing 11 in the width direction of the side wall upper covering portion 53a, and a side wall substrate connecting portion 53d that is bent and connected to the lower end of the connecting arm portion 53b and extends toward the outside of the first housing 11 in the width direction.

[0039] When integrated with the first housing 11, the first reinforcing bracket 51 is almost entirely embedded in the first protruding end 22, leaving only the surfaces of the end wall covering portion 57 and the side covering portion 53 exposed. The back surfaces of the end wall board connecting portion 57d and the side wall board connecting portion 53d are exposed on the mounting surface 11b. When viewed from above, the tips of the end wall board connecting portion 57d and the side wall board connecting portion 53d protrude slightly from the first protruding end 22 outward in the longitudinal direction and width direction of the first housing 11. The back surfaces of the end wall board connecting portion 57d and the side wall board connecting portion 53d abut against the surface of the first board and are desirably connected by soldering or the like to connection pads connected to power lines or ground lines.

[0040] Next, the configuration of second connector 101 will be described.

[0041] Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the second connector in the first embodiment, and Fig. 7 is a three-view diagram of the second connector in the first embodiment, in which (a) is a top view, (b) is a side view, and (c) is a cross-sectional view taken along the CC arrow in (a).

[0042] In this embodiment, the second connector 101 is a so-called receptacle connector, and has a mating housing, a second housing 111, which is a 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 a roughly rectangular parallelepiped, and on the side where the first connector 10 is fitted, i.e., on the mating surface 111a side (the Z-axis negative direction side), a roughly rectangular recess 112 is formed that is surrounded by a periphery and fits with the first housing 11 of the first connector 10. The second connector 101 has dimensions of, for example, a length (dimension in the X-axis direction) of approximately 6.0 mm, a width (dimension in the Y-axis direction) of approximately 2.0 mm, and a thickness (dimension in the Z-axis direction) of approximately 0.6 mm, but these dimensions can be changed as appropriate.

[0043] A second protrusion 113 serving as a central island that fits into the groove 13 of the first connector 10 is formed integrally with the second housing 111 within the recess 112, and sidewalls 114 extending parallel to the second protrusion 113 are formed integrally with the second housing 111 on both sides (the Y-axis positive and negative sides) of the second protrusion 113. The second protrusion 113 and the sidewalls 114 protrude upward (the Z-axis negative direction) from a bottom plate 118 that defines the bottom surface of the recess 112, and extend in the longitudinal direction (the X-axis direction) of the second housing 111. As a result, grooves 112a, which are elongated recesses extending in the longitudinal direction of the second housing 111, are formed as part of the recess 112 on both sides of the second protrusion 113.

[0044] A second terminal-accommodating inner cavity 115a having a recessed groove shape is formed on both side surfaces of the second protrusion 113. A second terminal-accommodating outer cavity 115b having a recessed groove shape is formed on the inner side surface of the side wall 114. The second terminal-accommodating inner cavity 115a and the second terminal-accommodating outer cavity 115b are connected to each other at the bottom surface of the recessed groove 112a and integrated with each other, so that the second terminal-accommodating inner cavity 115a and the second terminal-accommodating outer cavity 115b will be collectively referred to as the second terminal-accommodating cavity 115. The second terminal-accommodating cavity 115 is formed to penetrate the bottom plate 118 in the plate thickness direction (Z-axis direction).

[0045] In this embodiment, the second terminal-accommodating cavities 115 are formed side by side in the longitudinal direction of the second housing 111, on both sides of the second housing 111 in the width direction (Y-axis direction). Specifically, a plurality of second terminal-accommodating cavities 115 (e.g., 10) are formed on each side of the second protrusion 113 at a predetermined pitch (e.g., approximately 0.35 mm). The pitch and number of the second terminal-accommodating cavities 115 can be changed as appropriate. A plurality of second terminals 161 serving as mating terminals accommodated in each second terminal-accommodating cavities 115 and attached to the second housing 111 are also arranged on each side of the second protrusion 113 at the same pitch.

[0046] The second terminal 161 is a member formed as a single unit by punching, bending, or other processing a conductive metal plate, and comprises a held portion 163, a board connection portion 162 connected to the lower end of the held portion 163, an upper connecting portion 167 connected to the upper end of the held portion 163, an outer contact portion 166 connected to the lower end of the upper connecting portion 167 and facing the held portion 163, a lower connecting portion 164 connected to the lower end of the outer contact portion 166, and an inner connecting portion 165 connected to the end of the lower connecting portion 164 opposite the outer contact portion 166.

[0047] The held portion 163 extends in the fitting direction (Z-axis direction), i.e., in the thickness direction of the second housing 111, and is fitted into and held in the second terminal accommodating outer cavity 115b. The board connection portion 162 is bent and connected to the held portion 163, extends in the left-right direction (Y-axis direction), i.e., outward in the width direction of the second housing 111, and its back surface abuts on the surface of the second board (not shown) and is connected by soldering or the like to a connection pad connected to a signal line. The upper connecting portion 167 is a curved portion that protrudes upward (Z-axis negative direction).

[0048] An outer contact portion 166 extending downward (in the positive direction of the Z axis) is connected to the lower end of the upper connecting portion 167 opposite the held portion 163. The upper connecting portion 167 includes, at its lower end, a protrusion 167b that protrudes inward in the width direction of the second housing 111. The lower connecting portion 164 is a portion having a substantially U-shaped side surface that is connected to the lower end of the outer contact portion 166. Furthermore, an inner contact portion 165a that is curved approximately 180 degrees so as to protrude upward and toward the outer contact portion 166 is connected to the upper end of the inner connecting portion 165.

[0049] The second terminal 161 is inserted into the second terminal-accommodating cavity 115 from the mounting surface 111b, which is the lower surface (the surface facing the positive direction of the Z axis) of the second housing 111. The retained portion 163 is sandwiched from both sides by the side walls of the second terminal-accommodating outer cavity 115b formed on the inner side surface of the side wall portion 114, thereby being fixed to the second housing 111. In this state, i.e., when the second terminal 161 is inserted into the second housing 111, the inner contact portion 165a and the outer contact portion 166 are located on both left and right sides of the recessed groove portion 112a and face each other. The second terminal 161 is a member integrally formed by processing a metal plate, and therefore has a certain degree of elasticity. As is clear from its shape, the distance between the inner contact portion 165a and the outer contact portion 166, which face each other, is elastically variable. That is, when the first terminal 61 of the first connector 10 is inserted between the inner contact portion 165a and the outer contact portion 166, the gap between the inner contact portion 165a and the outer contact portion 166 elastically expands.

[0050] The second terminal 161 may be integrated with the second housing 111 by overmolding (insert molding).

[0051] Further, second protruding ends 121 serving as mating guides are disposed on both longitudinal ends of the second housing 111. Each second protruding end 121 has a mating recess 122 formed as part of the recess 112. The mating recess 122 is a substantially rectangular recess, and is connected to both longitudinal ends of each recessed groove 112a. Then, when the first connector 10 and the second connector 101 are mated, the first protruding end 22 of the first connector 10 is inserted into the mating recess 122.

[0052] Furthermore, the second protruding end portion 121 includes side wall extension portions 121c as side wall portions of the second protruding end portion 121 extending from both longitudinal ends of the side wall portion 114 in the longitudinal direction of the second housing 111, and end wall portions 121b extending in the width direction of the second housing 111 and having both ends connected to the side wall extension portions 121c. In each second protruding end portion 121, the end wall portions 121b and the side wall extension portions 121c connected to both ends form a continuous, approximately U-shaped side wall and define three sides of the approximately rectangular fitting recess 122.

[0053] A second reinforcing metal fitting 151 is attached to the second protruding end 121 as a reinforcing metal fitting to be attached to the second housing 111. The second reinforcing metal fitting 151 is a member formed integrally by subjecting a metal plate to processing such as punching and bending, and includes an end wall cover portion 157 that covers at least a portion of the end wall portion 121b of the second protruding end 121, connecting arms 153 connected to both left and right ends of the end wall cover portion 157, a bottom cover portion 158 that is connected to the end wall cover portion 157 and covers at least a portion of the bottom surface of the fitting recess 122, and an island end cover portion 155 and a pair of left and right contact arms 154 connected to the bottom cover portion 158.

[0054] The second reinforcing bracket 151 may be held by being pressed into the second housing 111, but here, the second reinforcing bracket 151 and the second housing 111 are described as being integrated with other components by overmolding (insert molding).

[0055] The end wall cover portion 157 includes an end wall upper cover portion 157a that extends generally in the width direction of the second housing 111 and covers at least a portion of the upper surface of the end wall portion 121b, and a board connection portion 157c that is bent and connected to the lower end of the portion that extends downward from the outer edge of the end wall upper cover portion 157a, and extends in the front-to-rear direction (X-axis direction), i.e., outward in the longitudinal direction of the second housing 111.

[0056] The end wall upper cover portion 157a is an inclined portion that extends obliquely downward from the upper end of the end wall portion 121b toward the inside of the fitting recess 122, and is accommodated in the upper end vicinity portion of the fitting recess 122 with the outer surface of the inclined portion exposed. Therefore, the upper end vicinity of the inner surface of the longitudinal end side of the second housing 111 in the fitting recess 122 is an inclined surface covered by the end wall upper cover portion 157a. In addition, the back surface of the board connection portion 157c abuts against the surface of the second board, and is desirably connected by soldering or the like to a connection pad that is connected to a power line or a ground line.

[0057] The connecting arms 153 are bent and connected to both ends of the end wall cover portion 157 in the width direction (Y-axis direction), and extend toward the center of the longitudinal direction of the second housing 111. The upper end of each connecting arm 153 is connected to a side wall upper cover portion 153a, and the lower end of each connecting arm 153 is connected to a board connecting portion 153c that extends outward in the width direction of the second housing 111.

[0058] The side wall upper cover portion 153a is configured to cover the vicinity of the upper end of the side wall extension portion 121c. In addition, it is desirable that the back surface of the substrate connection portion 153c abuts against the front surface of the second substrate and be connected by soldering or the like to a connection pad connected to a power line or a ground line.

[0059] When the second reinforcing bracket 151 and the second housing 111 are integrated, the island end cover portion 155 covers at least a portion of the end of the second protrusion 113. Therefore, the end of the second protrusion 113 is reliably protected because it is covered by the integrated island end cover portion 155. Furthermore, at both longitudinal ends of the second reinforcing bracket 151, the end wall cover portion 157 is integrated with the end wall portion 121b and the island end cover portion 155 is integrated with the second protrusion 113, improving the strength of the second reinforcing bracket 151.

[0060] Each of the pair of left and right contact arms 154 is an elongated plate member whose base end is connected to a side edge of the bottom surface of bottom cover 158, and is an elastic piece curved so as to form a generally S-shape when viewed from the front-to-rear direction. Contact arms 154 are curved so as to protrude outward in the width direction of second housing 111, and the vicinity of their tips functions as a spring that is elastically displaceable in the width direction of second housing 111. Furthermore, the curved portion of contact arm 154 near its tip that protrudes toward the center of second housing 111 in the width direction elastically contacts first reinforcing metal fitting 51 of first connector 10 when first connector 10 and second connector 101 are mated and first protruding end 22 is inserted into mating recess 122.

[0061] Next, the operation of mating the first connector 10 and second connector 101 configured as described above will be described.

[0062] Fig. 8 is a three-view diagram showing the first connector and the second connector in the mated state in the first embodiment, and Fig. 9 is a side cross-sectional view showing the first connector and the second connector in the mated state in the first embodiment, which is a cross-sectional view corresponding to the cross-section taken along the line AA in Fig. 4(a). In Fig. 8, (a) is a top view, (b) is a side view, and (c) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line DD in (a).

[0063] Here, the first connector 10 is assumed to be surface-mounted on the first board by connecting the board connection portions 62 of the first terminals 61 by soldering or the like to connection pads connected to conductive traces on the first board (not shown), and by connecting the side wall board connection portions 53d and end wall board connection portions 57d of the first reinforcing bracket 51 by soldering or the like to connection pads connected to the conductive traces on the first board. Note that the conductive traces connected to the connection pads to which the board connection portions 62 of the first terminals 61 are connected are signal lines, and the conductive traces connected to the connection pads to which the side wall board connection portions 53d and end wall board connection portions 57d of the first reinforcing bracket 51 are connected are power lines or ground lines.

[0064] Similarly, the second connector 101 is surface-mounted on the second board by connecting the board connection portions 162 of the second terminals 161 by soldering or the like to connection pads connected to conductive traces on a second board (not shown), and by connecting the board connection portions 153c of the connection arms 153 of the second reinforcing bracket 151 and the board connection portions 157c of the end wall cover portion 157 by soldering or the like to connection pads on the second board. Note that the conductive traces connected to the connection pads to which the board connection portions 162 of the second terminals 161 are connected are signal lines, and the conductive traces connected to the connection pads to which the board connection portions 153c of the connection arms 153 of the second reinforcing bracket 151 and the board connection portions 157c of the end wall cover portion 157 are connected are power lines or ground lines.

[0065] First, the operator positions the mating surface 11a of the first housing 11 of the first connector 10 opposite the mating surface 111a of the second housing 111 of the second connector 101. Then, when the position of the first convex portion 12 of the first connector 10 matches the position of the corresponding concave groove portion 112a of the second connector 101 and the position of the first protruding end portion 22 of the first connector 10 matches the position of the corresponding mating recess 122 of the second connector 101, the alignment of the first connector 10 and the second connector 101 is complete.

[0066] In this state, when the first connector 10 and / or the second connector 101 is moved in a direction approaching the mating side, i.e., in the mating direction (Z-axis direction), the first convex portion 12 and the first protruding end portion 22 of the first connector 10 are inserted into the recessed groove portion 112a and the mating recess 122 of the second connector 101. As a result, as shown in Figures 1, 8 and 9, when the mating of the first connector 10 and the second connector 101 is completed, the first terminal 61 and the second terminal 161 are brought into an electrically conductive state.

[0067] Specifically, the first terminals 61 of the first connector 10 are inserted between the inner contact portions 165a and outer contact portions 166 of the second terminals 161, and the surfaces 66a of the opposing plate portions 66 of the first terminals 61 come into contact with the inner contact portions 165a of the second terminals 161, and the surfaces 65a of the plate portions 65 of the first terminals 61 come into contact with the outer contact portions 166 of the second terminals 161. This establishes electrical continuity between each second terminal 161 and the corresponding first terminals 61. More specifically, the surfaces 66a of the opposing plate portions 66 of the first terminals 61 always come into contact with the inner contact portions 165a of the second terminals 161 and function as contact points, but the surfaces 65a of the plate portions 65 of the first terminals 61 do not necessarily come into contact with the outer contact portions 166 of the second terminals 161 and may not function as contact points. In other words, it is sufficient that the protrusion 167b of the second terminal 161 is engaged or in contact with the second step portion 68b of the first terminal 61, and the plate portion 65 of the first terminal 61 and the outer contact portion 166 of the second terminal 161 do not necessarily have to function as a contact point.

[0068] As a result, the conductive trace coupled to the connection pad on the first substrate to which the substrate connection portion 62 of the first terminal 61 is connected is electrically connected to the conductive trace coupled to the connection pad on the second substrate to which the substrate connection portion 162 of the second terminal 161 is connected. Note that, since the protrusion 167b of the second terminal 161 engages with the second step portion 68b of the first terminal 61, the coupling between the first terminal 61 and the second terminal 161 is ensured, and as a result, the mated state between the first connector 10 and the second connector 101 is reliably maintained.

[0069] Furthermore, the first protruding end 22 is inserted into the fitting recess 122, and the contact arm 154 of the second reinforcing bracket 151 comes into contact with the side wall outer covering portion 53c of the side covering portion 53 of the first reinforcing bracket 51 attached to the first protruding end 22. As a result, electrical continuity is established between the conductive trace coupled to the connection pad on the first board to which the side wall board connecting portion 53d and the end wall board connecting portion 57d of the first reinforcing bracket 51 are connected, and the conductive trace coupled to the connection pad on the second board to which the board connecting portion 153c of the connecting arm 153 of the second reinforcing bracket 151 and the board connecting portion 157c of the end wall cover portion 157 are connected.

[0070] However, because the first connector 10 and the second connector 101 are mounted on the first and second boards, which are large in area, the operator cannot visually check the mating surfaces of the first connector 10 and the second connector 101, and must perform the mating work by feel. This makes it difficult to align them accurately, and the positions of the first connector 10 and the second connector 101 may become misaligned. For example, the second connector 101 may become misaligned in the X-axis or Y-axis direction relative to the first connector 10, causing the first protruding end 22 of the first connector 10 to move out of position with the mating recess 122 of the second connector 101.

[0071] In this state, when the operator moves the first connector 10 and / or the second connector 101 in the mating direction, for example, the first protruding end 22 of the first connector 10 abuts against the end wall portion 121b or the side wall extension portion 121c of the second protruding end 121 of the second connector 101, and the first protruding end 22 and / or the second protruding end 121 is subjected to a strong force. However, as described above, the first reinforcing metal fitting 51 is integrally attached to the first protruding end 22 of the first connector 10, and the second reinforcing metal fitting 151 is integrally attached to the second protruding end 121 of the second connector 101, so the first protruding end 22 and / or the second protruding end 121 have high strength and will not be damaged or broken.

[0072] Next, when disengaging the first connector 10 and the second connector 101 that have been mated with each other, the operator applies a force that moves the first connector 10 and / or the second connector 101 in the disengagement direction (Z-axis direction) that separates them from the mating connector, i.e., a removal force. In this case, the second connector 101 is lifted up relative to the first connector 10 and removed, so that a strong upward (Z-axis positive) removal force is applied to the first terminal 61, in which the second step portion 68b is engaged with the protrusion 167b of the second terminal 161, particularly to the plate portion 65 thereof.

[0073] As clearly shown in Figure 4(d) and other figures, the first terminal 61 has a wound shape that is wound from the outside to the inside in the width direction of the first housing 11 and then wound upward and unwound, and since the plate portion 65 is located near the tip of the wound shape, when a strong upward removal force is applied, a force that causes it to roll up is applied.

[0074] Even if the second step portion 68b does not exist, an upward removal force is applied to the plate portion 65 of the first terminal 61 due to the sliding resistance with the second terminal 161, and a force that causes the first terminal 61 to curl up is applied.

[0075] However, in the present embodiment, fixed portion 67 is connected to the tip (lower end) of plate portion 65, and the surface of fixed portion 67 is covered by cover portion 12c of first housing 11. Therefore, plate portion 65 is securely held by first housing 11 and will not roll up.

[0076] Moreover, the surface 67a of the fixing portion 67 is connected to the surface 65a of the plate portion 65 connected via the first step portion 68a and recessed into the first protrusion 12, so that the fixing portion 67 is embedded in the first protrusion 12 and is firmly held by the first protrusion 12. Therefore, the plate portion 65 is reliably prevented from curling up.

[0077] Furthermore, the fixing portion 67 includes a wide portion 67c that is wider than the plate portion 65, and the wide portion 67c is embedded in the first protrusion 12. In this way, the fixing portion 67 is held even more firmly by the first protrusion 12, so that the plate portion 65 is more reliably prevented from curling up.

[0078] Thus, in this embodiment, the first connector 10 comprises the first housing 11 made of an insulating material, and the first terminal 61 made of a conductive material and integrated with the first housing 11. The first housing 11 includes a first protrusion 12 extending in the longitudinal direction of the first connector 10, and the first terminal 61 includes a plate portion 65 extending in the vertical direction and having a surface 65a exposed on the outer surface 12a, which is one side surface of the first protrusion 12, an opposing plate portion 66 extending in the vertical direction and having a surface 66a exposed on the inner surface 12b, which is the other side surface of the first protrusion 12, a connecting portion 64 connecting the upper end of the plate portion 65 to the upper end of the opposing plate portion 66, and a fixed portion 67 connected to the lower end of the plate portion 65, and a second step portion 68b is formed as a step portion at the boundary between the surface 65a of the plate portion 65 and the surface 64a of the connecting portion 64, and the surface 67a of the fixed portion 67 is covered by the insulating material of the first housing 11.

[0079] As a result, the first connector 10, while being small and low-profile, does not have the first terminals 61 curled up even when a strong removal force is applied, and can be repeatedly mated and released from the second connector 101. Furthermore, the structure of the first connector 10 can be simplified, reducing costs and improving reliability.

[0080] Furthermore, the fixing portion 67 is thinner than the plate portion 65. Therefore, even if the surface of the cover portion 12c of the first housing 11 covering the fixing portion 67 is formed to be flush with the other parts of the outer surface 12a, it is possible to cover the surface 67a of the fixing portion 67 with a sufficient amount of insulating material, and it is possible to reliably prevent the plate portion 65 from curling up.

[0081] Furthermore, a first step 68a is formed as a step at the boundary between the surface 65a of the plate portion 65 and the surface 67a of the fixed portion 67, and the back surface 65b of the plate portion 65 and the back surface 67b of the fixed portion 67 form the same plane. Therefore, the cover portion 12c of the first housing 11 that covers the surface 67a of the fixed portion 67 can be made thicker, and the strength of the cover portion 12c is increased.

[0082] Furthermore, the fixing portion 67 includes a wide portion 67c that is wider than the plate portion 65. This provides an anchor effect in which the wide portion 67c is covered with the insulating material of the first housing 11 and locked.

[0083] Furthermore, at least a portion of the wide portion 67c gradually increases in width as it goes downward, which allows the insulating material of the first housing 11 that covers the wide portion 67c to change shape more gradually, thereby preventing stress concentration and damage to the insulating material.

[0084] Furthermore, the first terminal 61 includes a board connecting portion 62 extending from the lower end of the opposing plate portion 66 toward the outside in the width direction of the first connector 10, and a surface 66a of the opposing plate portion 66 is exposed on an inner surface 12b of the first protrusion 12 facing the inside in the width direction of the first connector 10, and a surface 65a of the plate portion 65 is exposed on an outer surface 12a of the first protrusion 12 facing the outside in the width direction of the first connector 10. Thus, when viewed in the longitudinal direction of the first housing 11, the first terminal 61 has a wound shape that is wound from the outside in the width direction of the first housing 11 to the inside and then wound upward and unwound.

[0085] Next, a second embodiment will be described. Components having the same structure as those in the first embodiment will be assigned the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted. Furthermore, descriptions of the same operations and effects as those in the first embodiment will also be omitted.

[0086] 10 is a three-view diagram of the first terminal in the second embodiment, in which (a) is a perspective view, (b) is a front view, and (c) is a side view.

[0087] In this embodiment, the first terminal 61, as in the first embodiment, is a member formed integrally by punching, bending, and other processes on a conductive metal strip, and has a winding shape that, when viewed in the longitudinal direction of the first housing 11, is wound from the outside to the inside in the width direction of the first housing 11, and then wound upward and unwound.

[0088] The first terminal 61 includes a plate portion 65 extending in the vertical direction and functioning as an outer contact portion, an opposing plate portion 66 extending in the vertical direction and facing the plate portion 65 and functioning as an inner contact portion, a connecting portion 64 extending generally in the width direction of the first housing 11 and having both curved ends connected to the upper ends of the plate portion 65 and the opposing plate portion 66, and a board connecting portion 62 extending generally in the width direction of the first housing 11 and having one curved end connected to the lower end of the opposing plate portion 66. A fixing portion 67 is connected to the tip (lower end) of the plate portion 65.

[0089] However, in the first terminal 61 of this embodiment, the fixed portion 67 is formed to have the same thickness as the plate portion 65, and as a result, there is no first step portion 68a between the surface 65a of the plate portion 65 and the surface 67a of the fixed portion 67, i.e., at the boundary.

[0090] The other basic configuration of the first terminal 61 in this embodiment is the same as that in the first embodiment, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted.

[0091] Furthermore, other basic configurations of the first connector 10 and the second connector 101 in this embodiment are the same as those in the first embodiment, and therefore description thereof will be omitted.

[0092] Furthermore, the operations of mating and releasing the first connector 10 and the second connector 101 in this embodiment, as well as other basic configurations and effects when the first connector 10 and the second connector 101 are mated, are the same as those in the first embodiment, and therefore will not be described here.

[0093] Next, a third embodiment will be described. Components having the same structures as those in the first and second embodiments will be assigned the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted. Furthermore, descriptions of the same operations and effects as those in the first and second embodiments will also be omitted.

[0094] Fig. 11 is a three-sided view of the first terminal in the third embodiment, and Fig. 12 is a two-sided view of the first terminal in the third embodiment. In Fig. 11, (a) is a perspective view, (b) is a front view, and (c) is a side view, and in Fig. 12, (a) is a rear view, and (b) is a perspective view seen from a different angle.

[0095] In the present embodiment, the first terminal 61 is a member integrally formed by punching, bending, and the like from a conductive metal strip, as in the first embodiment, but the winding direction of the wound shape is different. Also, in the first embodiment, the surface 65a of the plate portion 65 is exposed to the outer surface 12a of the first protrusion 12, and the surface 66a of the opposing plate portion 66 is exposed to the inner surface 12b of the first protrusion 12, whereas in the present embodiment, the surface 65a of the plate portion 65 is exposed to the inner surface 12b of the first protrusion 12, and the surface 66a of the opposing plate portion 66 is exposed to the outer surface 12a of the first protrusion 12.

[0096] The elongated strip plate material constituting the first terminal 61 in this embodiment extends from the tip (the outer end in the width direction of the first housing 11) of the board connecting portion 62 located outward from the outer surface 12a of the first protrusion 12 to the outer surface 12a, then curves approximately 90 degrees, then extends from the lower end to the upper end of the opposing plate portion 66, then curves approximately 90 degrees at the upper end, then forms the connecting portion 64, extending toward the inner side in the width direction of the first housing 11, then curves approximately 90 degrees, and is bent so as to extend from the upper end to the lower end of the plate portion 65. That is, the first terminal 61 has a wound shape that is wound from the outer side to the inner side in the width direction of the first housing 11 and then wound upward as it winds.

[0097] As in the first embodiment, a fixed portion 67 is connected to the tip (lower end) of the plate portion 65. As in the first embodiment, the fixed portion 67 is formed to be thinner than the plate portion 65, and a first step portion 68a is formed between a surface 65a of the plate portion 65 and a surface 67a of the fixed portion 67, i.e., at the boundary between them.

[0098] However, in this embodiment, the second step portion 68b is formed not at the boundary between the surface 65a of the plate portion 65 and the surface 64a of the connecting portion 64 but at the boundary between the surface 66a of the opposing plate portion 66 and the surface 64a of the connecting portion 64. The opposing plate portion 66 includes a wide portion 66c that is wider than the opposing plate portion 66. Furthermore, the surface 65a of the plate portion 65 is formed with a recess 65c recessed in the thickness direction. When the first connector 10 and the second connector 101 are mated, the recess 65c comes into contact with the inner contact portion 165a of the second terminal 161 and functions as a contact point. The upper end 65d of the recess 65c is located at the boundary between the surface 65a of the plate portion 65 and the surface 64a of the connecting portion 64 and functions as a second step portion, with which the inner contact portion 165a of the second terminal 161 engages when the first connector 10 and the second connector 101 are disengaged.

[0099] As described above, in the present embodiment, the first terminal 61 includes the board connecting portion 62 extending from the lower end of the opposing plate portion 66 toward the outside in the width direction of the first connector 10, and the surface 66a of the opposing plate portion 66 is exposed on the outer surface 12a of the first protrusion 12 facing the outside in the width direction of the first connector 10, and the surface 65a of the plate portion 65 is exposed on the inner surface 12b of the first protrusion 12 facing the inside in the width direction of the first connector 10. In other words, when viewed in the longitudinal direction of the first housing 11, the first terminal 61 has a wound shape that is wound from the outside in the width direction of the first housing 11 to the inside and then wound upward.

[0100] The other basic configuration of the first terminal 61 in this embodiment is the same as that in the first and second embodiments, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted.

[0101] Furthermore, other basic configurations of the first connector 10 and the second connector 101 in this embodiment are the same as those in the first and second embodiments, and therefore description thereof will be omitted.

[0102] Furthermore, the operations of mating and releasing the first connector 10 and second connector 101 in this embodiment, as well as other basic configurations and effects when the first connector 10 and second connector 101 are mated, are the same as those in the first and second embodiments, and therefore will not be described here.

[0103] It should be noted that the disclosure herein describes features of preferred and exemplary embodiments, and that various other embodiments, modifications, and variations within the scope and spirit of the appended claims will occur to those skilled in the art upon review of the disclosure herein. [Industrial Applicability]

[0104] The present disclosure can be applied to connectors. [Explanation of symbols]

[0105] 10 First Connector 11 First Housing 11a, 111a mating surface 11b, 111b mounting surface 12 First convex part 12a External surface 12b Inside surface 12c Cover 13, 112a Concave groove part 14 Side flange 17, 118 Bottom plate 22 First protruding end 51 First reinforcing bracket 53 Lateral cover 53a Side wall cover part 53b, 153 connecting arm 53c Side wall sheathing 53d Side wall board connection 57 End wall covering 57a End wall overlay 57b End wall inner covering 57c End wall sheathing 57d End wall board connection 61 1st terminal 62, 153c, 157c, 162, 962 PCB connection part 62a, 64a, 65a, 66a, 67a surface 62b, 65b, 66b, 67b back side 64 Connecting part 65 Board part 65c, 112 recess 65d top end 66 Opposing plate 66c, 67c wide part 67 Fixed part 68a First step 68b Second step 101 Second Connector 111 Second Housing 113 Second convex part 114 Side wall 115 Second terminal receiving cavity 115a Second terminal receiving inner cavity 115b Second terminal accommodating outer cavity 121 Second protruding end 121b End wall 121c side wall extension 122 fitting recess 151 Second reinforcing bracket 153a Side wall upper cover 154 Contact arm 155 Island end cover 157 End wall cover 157a End wall upper cover 158 Bottom cover 161 2nd terminal 163 Holding part 164 Lower connection part 165 Inner connection part 165a Inner contact part 166 Outer contact part 167 Upper connection part 167b Protrusion 961 terminal 964 Connection 965 1st contact part 966 2nd contact part 966a, 967a Locking claw 966b protrusion 967 Tip

Claims

1. (a) A connector comprising a housing made of an insulating material and terminals made of a conductive material integral with the housing, (b) the housing includes a protrusion extending in a longitudinal direction of the connector; (c) the terminal includes a plate portion extending in the vertical direction and having a surface exposed on one side surface of the protrusion, an opposing plate portion extending in the vertical direction and having a surface exposed on the other side surface of the protrusion, a connecting portion connecting an upper end of the plate portion with an upper end of the opposing plate portion, and a fixing portion connected to a lower end of the plate portion, (d) a step portion is formed at the boundary between the surface of the plate portion and the surface of the connecting portion, and the surface of the fixing portion is covered with the insulating material; (e) A connector characterized in that the fixing portion is thinner than the plate portion, the fixing portion includes a wide portion that is wider than the plate portion, another step portion is formed at the boundary between the surface of the plate portion and the surface of the fixing portion, and the back surface of the plate portion and the back surface of the fixing portion form the same plane.

2. (a) A connector comprising a housing made of an insulating material and terminals made of a conductive material integrated with the housing, (b) the housing includes a protrusion extending in a longitudinal direction of the connector; (c) the terminal includes a plate portion extending in the vertical direction and having a surface exposed on one side surface of the protrusion, an opposing plate portion extending in the vertical direction and having a surface exposed on the other side surface of the protrusion, a connecting portion connecting an upper end of the plate portion with an upper end of the opposing plate portion, and a fixing portion connected to a lower end of the plate portion, (d) a step portion is formed at the boundary between the surface of the plate portion and the surface of the connecting portion, and the fixing portion includes a wide portion that is wider than the plate portion and whose width gradually increases downward, and the surface of the fixing portion is covered with the insulating material, (e) A connector characterized in that the mating terminal that can be coupled to the terminal is a member made of an integrally formed conductive material and includes an inner contact portion that can come into contact with the surface of the opposing plate portion of the terminal, an outer contact portion that can come into contact with the surface of the plate portion of the terminal, and a protrusion that is connected to one end of the outer contact portion and protrudes toward the inner contact portion, and when the terminal and the mating terminal are coupled, the protrusion engages with a step portion of the terminal.

3. The connector according to claim 1 , wherein the widened portion has a width that gradually increases downward in at least a portion thereof.

4. A connector as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the terminal includes a board connection portion extending from the lower end of the opposing plate portion toward the outside in the width direction of the connector, the surface of the opposing plate portion being exposed on a side of the convex portion facing inward in the width direction of the connector, and the surface of the plate portion being exposed on a side of the convex portion facing outward in the width direction of the connector.

5. The connector described in claim 4, wherein the terminal has a winding shape that is wound from the outside to the inside in the width direction of the connector, and then wound upward and unwound, and the plate portion is located near the tip of the winding shape.

6. A connector pair comprising the connector according to any one of claims 1 to 5 and a mating connector that can be mated with the connector.

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