electrical connectors

Abstract

To obtain an electric connector with a compact size, which can prevent the generation of an electric short circuit of contacts and is adopted to a connection of a power supply line.SOLUTION: A receptacle connector (1) is constructed comprising: a connector housing (30) having fitting concave parts (53a, 53b, and 53c) receiving a fitting projection part of a plug connector (7) which becomes a fitting mating; and three pairs of front and rear contact members (50 and 60). The first and second pair of contact members (50 and 60) comprise: first and second lead parts (51 and 61) provided in a manner to be exposed to a front side and a rear side lower part of the connector housing; first and second contact parts (56 and 66) extending along an inner surface in a longitudinal direction in the fitting concave part; and first and second intermediate parts provided by connecting the lead parts and the contact parts. The first contact part and the second part are positioned so as to be opposite to each other in the fitting component part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an electrical connector used for electrical connection, and more particularly to an electrical connector suitable for transmitting large amounts of electrical signals and power from a power source, and having a small, compact configuration. [Background technology]

[0002] Electrical connectors are used to transmit electrical signals and power. Because connectors for transmitting electrical signals often transmit small signal power, there is a trend toward miniaturization by arranging multiple contacts at a small pitch. On the other hand, connectors used to transmit large-capacity electrical signals, such as power from a power source, require relatively large contacts corresponding to the magnitude of the transmitted signal or power. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a board-connecting connector that includes multiple signal contacts arranged at a small pitch and a pair of relatively wide power contacts, enabling connection and transmission of signals and power from a power source.

[0003] In a connector, power contacts used to transmit power from a power source must transmit a large amount of power, and therefore must be larger in size than signal contacts used to transmit general electrical signals. Furthermore, at least one pair of power transmission lines is required to supply power, and power contacts are also provided in pairs. For example, the electrical connector disclosed in Patent Document 1 has a pair of power contacts 22ai provided adjacent to each other on the front and rear side walls of the connector housing. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6428781 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] For both signal and power contacts, shorting between adjacent contacts is a problem that must be avoided. Shorting between power contacts in particular can easily lead to major problems, such as large currents flowing throughout the entire power line, so careful design is required to prevent foreign objects from getting caught and causing shorts between adjacent contacts when the male and female connectors are mated. One possible solution to prevent shorts caused by foreign objects getting caught is to install an insulating wall between adjacent contacts, but this requires increasing the dimension in the contact arrangement direction (pitch direction), which can lead to an increase in the size of the connector.

[0006] The present invention has been made in consideration of these problems, and aims to provide an electrical connector that can be used to connect large capacity power lines, such as power supply connectors, that can prevent electrical shorts from occurring between adjacent contacts, and that can be made small and compact. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to achieve the above object, an electrical connector according to the present invention is an electrical connector that is mated and connected to a mating connector, The aforementioned An upwardly opening connector is provided to receive the mating projection of the mating connector. Multiple an insulating connector housing having a mating recess; A pair of fitting recesses is disposed in each of the plurality of fitting recesses. held by the connector housing Multiple pairs and a contact member. The pair of contact members arranged in each of the plurality of fitting recesses is composed of a first contact member and a second contact member, and in each of the plurality of fitting recesses,The first contact member comprises a first lead portion extending in the front-rear direction at a lower portion on the front side of the connector housing in the front-rear direction and exposed on the lower surface, a first contact portion extending along one inner surface of the fitting recess in the left-right direction, and a first intermediate portion connecting the first lead portion and the first contact portion, and the second contact member comprises a second lead portion extending in the front-rear direction at a lower portion on the rear side of the connector housing in the front-rear direction and exposed on the lower surface, a second contact portion extending along the other inner surface of the fitting recess in the left-right direction, and a second intermediate portion connecting the second lead portion and the second contact portion. do. Furthermore, the first and second contact members are made from long, conductive plate members, the first and second lead portions are formed so that their plate surfaces extend parallel to the underside of the connector housing, the first and second intermediate portions are composed of a first bent surface portion having a plate surface connected to the first and second lead portions and extending in the up-down and left-right directions, and a second bent surface portion bent laterally from the first bent surface portion and extending in the up-down and front-rear directions, and the first and second contact portions are formed by connecting to the second bent surface portion and extending in the up-down and front-rear directions, The first contact portion and the second contact portion are positioned opposite each other in the mating recess.

[0009] Furthermore, in the above electrical connector, preferably, the first contact portion is located at the front side of one of the inner surfaces in the left-right direction within the mating recess, and the second contact portion is located at the rear side of the other inner surface in the left-right direction within the mating recess, and the first contact portion and the second contact portion are located diagonally opposite each other in the front-to-back direction within the mating recess.

[0011] Furthermore, in the above electrical connector, preferably, the multiple mating recesses are arranged in a row in the left-right direction on the connector housing, the multiple first lead portions of the multiple pairs of contacts are arranged in a row in the left-right direction on the lower front side of the connector housing, and the multiple second lead portions of the multiple pairs of contacts are arranged in a row in the left-right direction on the lower rear side of the connector housing.

[0012] Furthermore, in the above electrical connector, preferably, the connector housing is composed of a fixed housing that is fixedly held, and a movable housing that is located above the fixed housing and is movable relative to the fixed housing, the mating recess is provided so as to open upward in the movable housing, the first lead portion is attached to the lower front side of the fixed housing, extending in the front-to-rear direction and exposed on the underside, the second lead portion is attached to the lower rear side of the fixed housing, extending in the front-to-rear direction and exposed on the underside, the first contact portion extends along one of the inner surfaces of the mating recess in the left-to-right direction and is attached to the movable housing, and the second contact portion extends along the other inner surface of the mating recess in the left-to-right direction and is attached to the movable housing, and first and second elastic portions that are elastically deformable are provided in the first and second intermediate portions, and the movable housing is movable relative to the fixed housing due to elastic deformation of the first and second elastic portions.

[0013] In the above electrical connector, preferably, the contact members are respectively set so that power from a power source can be transmitted via the pair of contact members, and are used to connect a power source line. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] According to the electrical connector of the present invention, the first lead portion extends in the front-rear direction from the lower front side of the connector housing and is exposed on the lower surface, and the second lead portion extends in the front-rear direction from the lower rear side of the connector housing and is exposed on the lower surface. The first and second lead portions, which extend separately from the front and rear of the connector housing, and the first and second contact portions, which are connected via the first and second intermediate portions, are positioned opposite each other in the mating recess. Therefore, even if a foreign object gets caught when this electrical connector is mated with a mating connector, there is no risk of the first and second contact portions being short-circuited by the foreign object. Furthermore, relatively large contact members can be used, making this an electrical connector for connecting power lines. Furthermore, by providing the lead portions of a pair of contact members (first and second contact members) extending in the front-rear direction from the lower surface of the connector housing and arranging the contact portions opposite each other in the mating recess, the electrical connector can be easily made smaller and more compact.

[0015] In the above electrical connector, it is preferable that the first and second contact members are made from a long plate made of a conductive material, the first and second lead portions are formed so that their plate surfaces extend parallel to the lower surface, the first and second intermediate portions are composed of a first bent surface portion having plate surfaces connected to the first and second lead portions and extending in the up-down and left-right directions, and a second bent surface portion bent laterally from the first bent surface portion and extending in the up-down and front-rear directions, and the first and second contact portions are formed by connecting to the second bent surface portion and extending in the up-down and front-rear directions. With this configuration, the first and second contact portions can be positioned so that they face each other on the left and right inner surfaces of the mating recess via the first and second bent surface portions, relative to the first and second leads extending parallel to the lower surface, and the contact members can be easily made from a long plate.

[0016] In the electrical connector, it is preferable that the first contact portion is located at the front of one of the inner surfaces of the mating recess in the left-right direction, the second contact portion is located at the rear of the other inner surface of the mating recess in the left-right direction, and the first and second contact portions are positioned diagonally opposite each other in the front-to-rear direction within the mating recess. In this way, the first and second contact portions can be placed diagonally opposite each other rather than directly opposite each other, thereby increasing the distance between them and more reliably preventing short circuits during mating connection.

[0017] In the electrical connector, it is preferable that a plurality of pairs of contact members are provided, a plurality of the fitting recesses are provided in the connector housing, and the first and second contact portions of the plurality of pairs of contact members are provided in each of the plurality of fitting recesses. With this configuration, when a large number of pairs of contact members are required, the contact members can be compactly arranged in rows on the left and right, making the electrical connector small and compact.

[0018] Further, in the above electrical connector, the connector housing is composed of a fixed housing that is fixedly held, and a movable housing that is located above the fixed housing and is movable relative to the fixed housing, the mating recess is provided on the movable housing so as to open upward, the first lead portion is attached to a lower front part of the fixed housing so as to extend in the front-rear direction and be exposed on the lower surface, the second lead portion is attached to a lower rear part of the fixed housing so as to extend in the front-rear direction and be exposed on the lower surface, the first contact portion extends along one inner surface of the mating recess in the left-right direction and is attached to the movable housing, and the second contact portion extends along the other inner surface of the mating recess in the left-right direction and is attached to the movable housing, and It is preferable that the second intermediate portion is provided with first and second elastic portions that are elastically deformable, and that the movable housing is movable relative to the fixed housing due to elastic deformation of the first and second elastic portions. By configuring in this way, a floating structure can be easily achieved.

[0019] In addition, in the above electrical connector, it is preferable that the contact members are each set so that power from a power source can be transmitted through the pair of contact members, and that the electrical connector is used to connect a power source line, thereby obtaining a power source connector. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0020] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a receptacle connector (electrical connector) according to one embodiment of the present invention, viewed obliquely from above, showing a state in which the receptacle connector is mated and connected to a mating plug connector. [Figure 2] 10 is a perspective view of the receptacle connector mated with a mating plug connector, as viewed obliquely from below. FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 3(A) is a perspective view of the receptacle connector as seen obliquely from above, and FIG. 3(B) is a perspective view of the receptacle connector as seen obliquely from below. [Figure 4] 4(A) is a plan view of the receptacle connector, FIG. 4(B) is a front view of the receptacle connector, and FIG. 4(C) is a side view of the receptacle connector. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the receptacle connector. [Figure 6] FIG. 6(A) is a side cross-sectional view of the receptacle connector, and FIG. 6(B) is a side view showing a pair of front and rear contact members that make up the receptacle connector. [Figure 7] Figure 7(A) is an oblique view showing all contact members used in the receptacle connector, Figure 7(B) is an oblique view showing only one front contact member, and Figure 7(C) is an oblique view showing only one rear contact member. [Figure 8] FIG. 8(A) is a perspective view of the plug connector as seen obliquely from above, and FIG. 8(B) is a perspective view of the plug connector as seen obliquely from below. [Figure 9] Figure 9(A) is a plan view of the plug connector, Figure 9(B) is a front view of the plug connector, Figure 9(C) is a bottom view of the plug connector, Figure 9(D) is a right side view of the plug connector, and Figure 9(E) is a left side view of the plug connector. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the plug connector. [Figure 11] FIG. 11(A) is a perspective view showing all plug contact members used in the plug connector, and FIG. 11(B) is a perspective view showing only one plug contact member. [Figure 12] 10 is a perspective view showing the receptacle connector and the mating plug connector immediately before mating connection. FIG. [Figure 13] 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the state immediately before the receptacle connector is mated and connected to a mating plug connector. FIG. [Figure 14] 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the receptacle connector and the mating plug connector mated and connected state. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021] A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. First, referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the overall configuration of a receptacle connector 1 as an electrical connector according to the present invention and a plug connector 7 as a mating connector will be roughly described. Figs. 1 and 2 show the receptacle connector 1 and plug connector 7 mated and connected. For ease of explanation, in the following description, the front-rear, left-right, and up-down directions will be described as front (F), back (B), right (R), left (L), up (U), and down (D), as indicated by arrows in Figs. 1 and 2. The claims also use these directions to define the configuration. However, the electrical connector that is the subject of the present invention may have different directions depending on its usage, etc. These directions are not specific and are provided for convenience of explanation only.

[0022] The receptacle connector 1 and plug connector 7 according to this embodiment are used to connect power lines (electric power supply lines). One power line is made up of a pair of lines, and this connector is provided with three pairs of contacts so that three pairs of power lines can be connected. Note that the connector according to the present invention is not limited to connecting power lines and may also be used for connecting signal lines, but due to its configuration, it is suitable for connecting power lines and signal lines with large transmission capacity.

[0023] 3, the receptacle connector 1 has a fixed housing 10, a movable housing 30, three pairs of contact members 50, 60 (three pairs consisting of a front contact member 50 and a rear contact member 60) provided across both housings, and a pair of left and right fixing metal fittings 20 attached to the fixed housing 10. As also shown in FIG. 8, the plug connector 7 has a plug connector housing 70, three pairs of plug contact members 80 attached thereto, and a pair of left and right fixing metal fittings 90.

[0024] The detailed configuration of the receptacle connector 1 will be described below with reference to FIGS. 3 to 7. The fixed housing 10 is made of insulating resin and has left and right side walls 11, 11, which are walls that stand upright on the left and right and extend in the front-to-rear direction, and a flat bottom wall 12 that connects the lower parts of the left and right side walls 11, 11 and extends left and right on the lower surface. As shown in FIG. 3(B), positioning protrusions 13, 13 are formed on the underside of the bottom wall 12. Mounting grooves 11a are formed on the front and rear outer surfaces and the top surface of the left and right side walls 11, and front and rear legs 21, 21 are press-fitted into these mounting grooves 11a to attach a fixing bracket 20, which has an inverted U-shape in side view, to the fixed housing 10. A rectangular holding recess 11b that is open at the top is formed in the front-to-rear center of each of the left and right side walls 11. When the fixing bracket 20 is attached to the left and right side walls 11, a middle portion 22 of the fixing bracket 20 covers the holding recess 11b from above, forming a rectangular holding space 15. Mounting portions 23 are exposed on the bottom surface of the lower ends of the front and rear legs 21, respectively, and the mounting portions 23 can be soldered to an attachment pattern on the board to fix the connector to the board.

[0025] 6A, the movable housing 30 is also made of insulating resin and has a front wall 31 located at the front side and having a front internal space 31a that is open downward and extends laterally, a rear wall 32 located at the rear side and having a rear internal space 32a that is open downward and extends laterally, and left and right side walls 33, 33 connecting the front wall 31 and the rear wall 32 at their left and right ends. Furthermore, the movable housing 30 has two partition walls 36, 36 that divide a vertically extending rectangular space 35 surrounded by the front wall 31, the rear wall 32, and the left and right side walls 33, 33 into three first to third mating spaces 35a, 35b, 35c, and a retaining portion 37 provided at the bottom of the rectangular space 35 and extending laterally. The first to third mating spaces 35a, 35b, 35c are basically identical in shape, but the first mating space 35a has a space 35d for preventing incorrect insertion. Further, rectangular pillar-shaped movement restricting protrusions 37, 37 protruding outward in the left-right direction are provided on the outer surfaces of the left and right side walls 33, 33, respectively.

[0026] The movable housing 30 is positioned above the fixed housing 10, and three pairs of contact members 50, 60, a total of six, are attached across both housings 10, 30 as shown in Figure 7(A). A front contact member 50 located on the front side is paired with a rear contact member 60 located on the rear side facing it in the front-to-rear direction, so a total of three pairs of front and rear contact members 50, 60 are attached. Each pair of front and rear contact members 50, 60 is shown in Figures 6(B), 7(B) and (C). These front and rear contact members 50, 60 have the same shape and are arranged symmetrically in the front-to-rear direction. These front and rear contact members 50, 60 are made up of lead portions 51, 61 that are surface-mounted on a substrate (not shown) and fixed contact members that bend from the inner ends of the lead portions 51, 61 and extend upward. The movable-side press-fit portions 55, 65 are connected to the movable-side press-fit portions 55, 65 and extend upward on the same plane. As shown in the figure, the elastic portions 53, 63 are divided into two by opening grooves 53a, 63a extending in the longitudinal direction, making them prone to elastic deformation. The bending portions 54, 64 are composed of a first bending surface portion 54a, 64a which is connected to the lower end of the elastic portion 53, 63 and has a plate surface extending in the up-down and left-right directions, and a second bending surface portion 54b, 64b which is bent laterally from the first bending surface portion 54a, 64a and has a plate surface extending in the up-down and front-to-back directions, and the second bending surface portion 54b, 64b is connected to the movable side press-fit portion 55, 65.

[0027] These front and rear contact members 50, 60 are first attached to the movable housing 30 by press-fitting the movable-side press-fit portions 55, 65 into the retaining grooves 37a provided in the retaining portion 37 from the underside of the movable housing 30. In this state, as shown in FIG. 6A, the elastic portion 53 of the front contact member 50 is positioned within the front internal space 31a of the front wall portion 31, and the elastic portion 63 of the rear contact member 60 is positioned within the rear internal space 32a of the rear wall portion 32. Also, as shown in FIG. 5, the contact portions 56, 66 of the three pairs of front and rear contact members 50, 60 protrude into the first to third fitting spaces 35a, 35b, 35c. As a result, the three pairs of front and rear contact members 50, 60 are attached to the movable housing 30 in the arrangement shown in FIG. 7A. 5, in each of the first to third fitting spaces 35a, 35b, and 35c, the contact portion 56 of the front contact member 50 is positioned on the front side along the left inner wall surface, and the contact portion 66 of the rear contact member 60 is positioned on the rear side along the right inner wall surface. In this way, in each of the first to third fitting spaces 35a, 35b, and 35c, the front and rear contact portions 56, 66 are offset from each other in the front to back direction and diagonally face each other, and are positioned apart from each other with a space between them.

[0028] Next, the movable housing 30, to which the front and rear contact members 50, 60 have been attached in this manner, is attached to the fixed housing 10 from above. At this time, the fixed-side press-fit portions 52, 62 are press-fit into the front and rear retaining grooves (not shown) on the bottom wall 12 of the fixed housing 10. That is, the movable-side press-fit portions 55, 65 of the front and rear contact members 50, 60 are press-fit into the retaining portions 37 to attach them to the movable housing 30, and the fixed-side press-fit portions 52, 62 are press-fit into the bottom wall 12 to attach them to the fixed housing 10. As a result, the movable housing 30 is connected to the fixed housing 10 via the front and rear contact members 50, 60. At this time, the movement-restricting protrusions 37, 37 protruding outward to the left and right from the left and right side walls 33, 33 of the movable housing 30 fit into the retaining recesses 11b of the fixed housing 10. In this state, the fixing metal fittings 20 are attached to the left and right side walls 11 , and the middle portions 22 cover the holding recesses 11 b from above, holding the movement restricting protrusions 37 within the holding spaces 15 .

[0029] In the receptacle connector 1 configured in this manner, the movable housing 30 is connected to the fixed housing 10 via the front and rear contact members 50, 60, and the elastic deformation of the elastic portions 53, 63 allows the movable housing 30 to move forward and backward, left and right, and up and down relative to the fixed housing 10. In other words, the movable housing 30 is in a floating state relative to the fixed housing 10. The floating movement in the up and down and front and back directions is limited to the amount that the movement restricting protrusion 37 can move within the retention space 15, preventing excessive floating movement that would cause the elastic portions 53, 63 to deform beyond the allowable amount of elastic deformation. Floating movement in the left and right direction is restricted by the left and right side walls 33, 33 of the movable housing 30 being sandwiched between the left and right side walls 11, 11 of the fixed housing 10.

[0030] The receptacle connector 1 having the above configuration is provided with a surface mount connector as follows on a substrate (not shown). First, the positioning projections 13 are inserted into the positioning holes in the circuit board to determine the mounting position. Then, the mount portion 23 of the fixing bracket 20 is soldered to the mounting pattern on the circuit board, and the lead portions 51, 61 of the front and rear contact members 50, 60 are soldered to the wiring pattern on the circuit board, and the receptacle connector 1 is surface mounted on the circuit board.

[0031] Next, the plug connector 7 will be described with reference to Figures 8 to 11. The plug connector 7 is composed of a plug housing 70 made of an insulating material, three pairs of plug contact members 80 attached inside the plug housing 70 in the arrangement shown in Figure 11(A), and a pair of left and right fixing metal fittings 90, 90 attached inside the plug housing 70. The plug housing 70 has a rectangular base 71, a pair of positioning protrusions 72, 72 provided on the underside of the base 71, and three first to third fitting protrusions 73, 74, 75 that are aligned on the left and right and protrude upward above the base 71. These three first to third mating protrusions 73, 74, 75 correspond to the three first to third mating spaces 35a, 35b, 35c formed in the movable housing 30 of the receptacle connector 1, and are designed to be fitted into the first to third mating spaces 35a, 35b, 35c when the receptacle connector 1 and the plug connector 7 are mated and connected. To prevent the insertion direction from being incorrect, a mis-insertion prevention protrusion 73a is formed on the first mating protrusion 73. The mis-insertion prevention protrusion 73a fits into the mis-insertion prevention space 35d formed in the first mating space 35a, ensuring that the first mating protrusion 73 is properly fitted into the first mating space 35a.

[0032] Three pairs of plug contact members 80 mounted in the plug housing 70 in the arrangement shown in Fig. 11(A) are each configured as shown in Fig. 11(B). Each plug contact member 80 is formed from a single metal plate as shown in the figure and has a lead portion 81 exposed on the underside of the plug housing 70, a leg portion 82 connected to the lead portion 81, a press-fit portion 83 connected to the leg portion 82, an elastic portion 84 extending from the press-fit portion 83, and a contact portion 85 formed at the tip of the elastic portion 84. Each plug contact 80 is inserted from the underside into an insertion hole formed in the plug housing 70, and the press-fit portion 83 is press-fit into the retaining hole to be fixed and held. In this fixed and held state, the lead portions 81 are lined up and exposed on the underside of the plug housing 70, and the contact portions 85 are exposed on the left and right side surfaces of the first to third mating protrusions 73, 74, and 75.

[0033] 8 and 9, three lead portions 81 are located on the front side and three on the rear side of the underside of plug housing 70, extending in the front-to-rear direction. As shown in the enlarged view of FIG. 10, contact portions 85 are located on the side surfaces of first to third mating protrusions 73, 74, and 75, respectively, shifted from each other in the front-to-rear direction. This allows each contact portion 85 to come into contact with contact portions 56 and 66 of receptacle connector 1 and be electrically connected when receptacle connector 1 and plug connector 7 are mated and connected. Fixing bracket 90 is fixed to plug housing 70, and mounting portion 91 located on the underside thereof is exposed from the underside.

[0034] The plug connector 7 configured as described above is surface-mounted on a substrate (not shown) as follows: First, the positioning protrusions 72 are inserted into the positioning holes of the substrate to determine the mounting position. Then, the mounting portion 91 of the fixing bracket 90 is solder-bonded to the mounting pattern of the substrate, and the lead portion 81 of the plug contact member 80 is solder-bonded to the wiring pattern of the substrate, thereby surface-mounting the plug connector 7 on the substrate.

[0035] 12 to 14, the mating connection between the receptacle connector 1 and the plug connector 7 described above will be described below. As shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, the first to third mating projections 73, 74, 75 of the plug connector 7 are mated with the first to third mating projections 73, 74, 75 of the receptacle connector 1. 14, the first to third mating protrusions 73, 74, 75 are inserted into the first to third mating spaces 35a, 35b, 35c, respectively, thereby mating and connecting the two connectors 1, 7. As a result, the contact portions 56, 66 of the receptacle connector 1 come into contact with the corresponding contact portions 85 of the plug connector 7, and are electrically connected.

[0036] At this time, in each of the first to third mating spaces 35a, 35b, 35c, the front and rear contact portions 56, 66 are offset from each other in the front to back direction and are diagonally opposed to each other with a space between them, so even if dust or foreign matter gets caught when the first to third mating protrusions 73, 74, 75 are fitted into the first to third mating spaces 35a, 35b, 35c, respectively, there is no risk of a short circuit occurring between the front and rear contact portions 56, 66. Also, at this time, in the receptacle connector 1, the movable housing 30 is floatingly supported relative to the fixed housing 10 by the elastic portions 53, 63 of the front and rear contact members 50, 60, so that any misalignment that occurs when the two connectors 1, 7 are mated and connected can be absorbed.

[0037] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the present invention. For example, in the above-described embodiment, three pairs of lines are connected via the receptacle connector 1 and the plug connector 7, the receptacle connector 1 has three pairs of front and rear contact members 50, 60, and the plug connector 7 also has three corresponding pairs of plug contact members 80. However, the receptacle connector 1 may have only one pair of the front and rear contact members 50, 60 and the plug contact members 80, or may have two or four or more pairs. Furthermore, the receptacle connector 1 has a floating configuration using contact members having elastic portions 53, 63. However, a connector without a floating function, in which contact members without elastic portions are provided in a single housing, may also be used. Specifically, the fixed housing 10 and the movable housing 30 may be integrated into a single housing, and contact members without elastic portions may be provided in the single housing. [Explanation of symbols]

[0038] 1 Receptacle Connector 7 Plug Connector 10 Fixed housing 11 Left or right side wall 15 holding space 30 movable housing 31 Front wall 31a Front internal space 32 Rear wall part 32a Rear internal space 35a, 35b, 35c 1st to 3rd fitting space 37 Regulating protrusion 50 Front contact member 60 rear contact member 51, 61 lead portion 53, 63 Elastic portion 54, 64 Bending portion 56, 66 Contact section 70 Plug housing 73, 74, 75 First to third mating projections 80 Plug contact

Claims

1. An electrical connector that is mated and connected to a mating connector, The connector is configured to include an insulating connector housing having a plurality of mating recesses that open upward and receive mating protrusions of the mating connector, and a plurality of pairs of contact members that are arranged in pairs in the plurality of mating recesses and are held by the connector housing, the pair of contact members arranged in each of the plurality of fitting recesses is composed of a first contact member and a second contact member, In each of the plurality of fitting recesses, the first contact member includes a first lead portion extending in the front-rear direction at a lower portion of the front side of the connector housing in the front-rear direction and exposed on the lower surface side, a first contact portion extending along one of the inner surfaces in the left-right direction of the fitting recess, and a first intermediate portion connecting the first lead portion and the first contact portion, the second contact member includes a second lead portion extending in the front-rear direction at a lower portion of the rear side of the connector housing in the front-rear direction and exposed on the underside, a second contact portion extending along the other inner surface in the left-right direction of the fitting recess, and a second intermediate portion connecting the second lead portion and the second contact portion, the first and second contact members are made of a long plate material made of a conductive material, the first and second lead portions are formed so that their plate surfaces extend parallel to the lower surface of the connector housing, the first and second intermediate portions are composed of a first bent surface portion having a plate surface that is connected to the first and second lead portions and extends in the up-down and left-right directions, and a second bent surface portion that is bent laterally from the first bent surface portion and extends in the up-down and front-rear directions, and the first and second contact portions are formed by connecting to the second bent surface portion and extending in the up-down and front-rear directions, The electrical connector is characterized in that the first contact portion and the second contact portion are positioned opposite each other within the mating recess.

2. the first contact portion is provided at a front side of one of the inner surfaces in the left-right direction within the fitting recess, and the second contact portion is provided at a rear side of the other inner surface in the left-right direction within the fitting recess, 2. The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the first contact portion and the second contact portion are positioned diagonally opposite each other in the front-rear direction within the mating recess.

3. The plurality of fitting recesses are provided side by side in the left-right direction on the connector housing, The first lead portions of the contacts in the pairs are arranged side by side in the left-right direction at a lower portion of the front side of the connector housing, 3. The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the second lead portions of the contacts in the contact pairs are arranged side by side in the left-right direction at a lower rear portion of the connector housing.

4. The connector housing is composed of a fixed housing that is fixedly held, and a movable housing that is located above the fixed housing and is movable relative to the fixed housing, and the fitting recess is provided in the movable housing so as to open upward, the first lead portion is attached to a lower portion of a front side of the fixed housing, extending in a front-rear direction and exposed on a lower surface side thereof, and the second lead portion is attached to a lower portion of a rear side of the fixed housing, extending in a front-rear direction and exposed on a lower surface side thereof, the first contact portion extends along one inner surface of the fitting recess in the left-right direction and is attached to the movable housing, and the second contact portion extends along the other inner surface of the fitting recess in the left-right direction and is attached to the movable housing, An electrical connector as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the first and second intermediate portions are provided with first and second elastic portions that are elastically deformable, and the movable housing is movable relative to the fixed housing due to the elastic deformation of the first and second elastic portions.

5. An electrical connector as described in any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the contact members are each set so that power from a power source can be transmitted through the pair of contact members, and the electrical connector is used to connect a power supply line.

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