Connectors and connector assemblies

Abstract

To provide a connector that can be easily assembled and can reduce manufacturing costs while having a shielding effect.SOLUTION: An internal insulator 17 is fixed inside a first cylindrical portion 13A by press-fitting the internal insulator 17 into the first cylindrical portion 13A together with a second connecting portion 14B such that the second connecting portion 14B of the second conductive shell 14 is sandwiched between the side surface of the internal insulator 17 and the inner surface of the first cylindrical portion 13A of the first conductive shell 13, the second connecting portion 14B contacts the inner surface of the first cylindrical portion 13A, and the second conductive shell 14 is electrically connected to the first conductive shell 13, and a connector contact 15 is surrounded by the first cylindrical portion 13A and the second cylindrical portion.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 13

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a connector, and more particularly to a connector that connects a device-side contact of an electronic device unit such as an in-vehicle camera unit to a mating-side contact of a mating connector. The present invention also relates to a connector assembly including such a connector and an electronic device unit.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, for the purpose of parking support for automobiles and improving safety during driving, the use of in-vehicle cameras for imaging the view around the vehicle and displaying images on a monitor installed on the instrument panel has attracted attention. Furthermore, image data captured by an in-vehicle camera can also be used for sensing applications for advanced driving assistance including automatic braking and prevention of sudden acceleration. Such an in-vehicle camera has an imaging element such as a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) or a CCD (Charge Coupled Device), and the image signal obtained by the imaging element is transmitted to a monitor or a driving assistance device. However, it is susceptible to electromagnetic interference caused by external disturbances such as electromagnetic waves, and there is a risk of deteriorating the image quality.

[0003] Therefore, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses a connector 1 for an in-vehicle camera unit having a shielding effect as a countermeasure against electromagnetic interference, as shown in FIG. 26. The connector 1 is attached to the in-vehicle camera unit 2 and electrically connects the in-vehicle camera unit 2 to a monitor on the driver's seat or the like by fitting it to a mating connector not shown. The in-vehicle camera unit 2 has a resin case 2B in which a lens 2A is fitted to the bottom surface, and a metal case 2C disposed inside the resin case 2B. A printed circuit board 2D is disposed inside the metal case 2C. An imaging element 2E is mounted on one surface of the printed circuit board 2D facing the lens 2A, and external connection terminals 2F are disposed on the other surface of the printed circuit board 2D.

[0004] Connector 1 includes a contact 1A that connects to the external connection terminal 2F of the in-vehicle camera unit 2, an internal insulator 1B that holds the contact 1A, and a metal shell 1C that surrounds the contact 1A. Furthermore, connector 1 includes an external insulator 1D that surrounds the internal insulator 1B and the metal shell 1C, and a metal plate 1E positioned on the lower surface of the external insulator 1D.

[0005] The external insulator 1D of connector 1 is fitted into the resin case 2B of the in-vehicle camera unit 2, and the metal shell 1C of connector 1 is electrically connected to the metal case 2C of the in-vehicle camera unit 2 by a metal plate 1E, thereby providing electromagnetic shielding. Furthermore, a waterproof member 1F is positioned around the outer periphery of the metal shell 1C, and the waterproof member 1F provides waterproofing between the metal shell 1C and the external insulator 1D. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-47369 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0007] In connector 1, as shown in Figure 27, a boss 1G protruding from the upper surface of the internal insulator 1B is passed through a through hole 1H formed in the metal shell 1C, and the head of the boss 1G protruding from the through hole 1H is thermally deformed, thereby fixing the metal plate 1E and the internal insulator 1B to the metal shell 1C with the metal plate 1E sandwiched between the metal shell 1C and the internal insulator 1B. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 28, the metal shell 1C of the connector 1 fixes the external insulator 1D to the metal shell 1C by passing a boss 1J, which is formed to protrude from the lower surface of the external insulator 1D, through a through hole 1K formed in the metal shell 1C, and thermally deforming the head of the boss 1J that protrudes from the through hole 1K, thereby sandwiching the metal shell 1C between the metal plate 1E and the external insulator 1D.

[0008] However, in order to fix the internal insulator 1B, metal plate 1E, and external insulator 1D to the metal shell 1C, the heads of the boss 1G of the internal insulator 1B that protrude from the through hole 1H of the metal shell 1C and the heads of the boss 1J of the external insulator 1D that protrude from the through hole 1K of the metal shell 1C are thermally deformed, which complicates the assembly of the connector 1 and increases the manufacturing cost of the connector 1.

[0009] This invention was made to solve the problems of the conventional methods, and aims to provide a connector that has a shielding effect, can be easily assembled, and reduces manufacturing costs. Furthermore, this invention also aims to provide a connector assembly in which such a connector is connected to an electronic device unit. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] The connector according to this invention is A connector that is mated to a mating connector along the mating direction and connects the equipment-side contacts of an electronic device unit to the mating contacts of the mating connector, Connector contacts extending along the mating direction, An internal insulator that holds the connector contacts, A first conductive shell having a first cylindrical portion extending along the fitting direction and housing an internal insulator, and a first connecting portion connected to one end of the first cylindrical portion, A second conductive shell having a second cylindrical portion extending along the fitting direction and connected to the first cylindrical portion, and a second connecting portion protruding from the second cylindrical portion toward the first cylindrical portion. Equipped with, The connector contact is surrounded by a first cylindrical portion and a second cylindrical portion, and has a first contact portion that connects to the mating contact, a second contact portion that connects to the equipment-side contact, and a retained portion that is positioned between the first contact portion and the second contact portion and held by an internal insulator. The internal insulator is press-fitted into the first cylindrical part together with the second connecting part so that the second connecting part is sandwiched between the side surface of the internal insulator and the inner surface of the first cylindrical part. As a result, the internal insulator is fixed inside the first cylindrical part, and the second connecting part contacts the inner surface of the first cylindrical part, electrically connecting the second conductive shell to the first conductive shell.

[0011] The internal insulator, the first cylindrical portion, and the second cylindrical portion preferably have a substantially rectangular shape when viewed from the fitting direction. In this case, the second conductive shell can be configured to have four second connecting portions that protrude from each of the four sides of the rectangle of the second cylindrical portion along the fitting direction. The second connecting portion preferably has a projection that protrudes toward the side of the internal insulator and bites into the side of the internal insulator when the internal insulator is press-fitted into the first cylindrical portion. The internal insulator is preferably positioned on the side of the internal insulator and has a concave second connection portion housing for accommodating the second connection portion.

[0012] The system may include an external insulator that holds a first conductive shell and has an opening through which a first cylindrical portion passes, and an external conductive shell that is held by the external insulator and electrically connected to a first connection portion of the first conductive shell. It is preferable to include a waterproof member that is continuously arranged along the circumferential direction of the first cylindrical portion and seals the space between the inner circumference of the opening of the external insulator and the outer circumference of the first cylindrical portion. Further, the first conductive shell is preferably made of a drawn metal plate. Furthermore, it is preferable that the space between the internal insulator and the connector contact is sealed by potting.

[0013] The connector assembly according to this invention comprises an electronic device unit and the above-described connector connected to the electronic device unit.

[0014] The electronic device unit has a device-side conductive shell surrounding the device-side contact, and it is preferable that the second cylindrical portion of the second conductive shell is electrically connected to the device-side conductive shell. A relay connector having a relay contact that extends along the fitting direction and connects the second contact portion of the connector contact and the device-side contact to each other, a relay insulator that holds the relay contact, and a relay conductive shell that surrounds the relay contact and connects the second cylindrical portion and the device-side conductive shell to each other, and is arranged to be displaceable with respect to the external insulator can be provided. The external insulator is integrated with the vehicle body, and the electronic device unit can be configured to be an in-vehicle camera unit.

Advantages of the Invention

[0015] According to this invention, the internal insulator is press-fitted into the first cylindrical portion together with the second connection portion so that the second connection portion of the second conductive shell is sandwiched between the side surface of the internal insulator and the inner surface of the first cylindrical portion of the first conductive shell. As a result, the internal insulator is fixed inside the first cylindrical portion, the second connection portion contacts the inner surface of the first cylindrical portion, and the second conductive shell is electrically connected to the first conductive shell. Therefore, although it has a simple structure, it has a shielding effect, can be easily assembled, and can reduce the manufacturing cost.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0016] [Figure 1] ​It is a perspective view of the connector according to the embodiment, seen from obliquely above. [Figure 2] It is a perspective view of the connector according to the embodiment, seen from obliquely below. [Figure 3] It is a plan view showing the connector according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] It is a bottom view showing the connector according to the embodiment. [Figure 5] It is an exploded perspective view of the connector according to the embodiment. [Figure 6] It is a perspective view showing the first conductive shell used in the connector of the embodiment. [Figure 7] It is a perspective view showing the connector contact used in the connector of the embodiment. [Figure 8] It is a perspective view showing the second conductive shell used in the connector of the embodiment. [Figure 9] It is a perspective view showing the internal insulator used in the connector of the embodiment. [Figure 10] It is a perspective view showing the external insulator used in the connector of the embodiment. [Figure 11] It is a perspective view showing the external conductive shell used in the connector of the embodiment. [Figure 12] It is a perspective view showing the waterproof member used in the connector of the embodiment. [Figure 13] It is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A in FIG. 3. [Figure 14] It is a cross-sectional view taken along the line B-B in FIG. 3. [Figure 15] It is a partial cross-sectional view showing the state before the internal insulator is press-fitted into the first cylindrical portion. [Figure 16] It is a partial cross-sectional view showing the state after the internal insulator is press-fitted into the first cylindrical portion. [Figure 17] It is a side view showing a connector assembly using the connector of the embodiment. [Figure 18] It is a plan view showing a connector assembly using the connector of the embodiment. [Figure 19]This is a perspective view of the connector portion of an electronic device unit used in a connector assembly, seen from an oblique angle above. [Figure 20] This is a perspective view of the connector portion of an electronic device unit used in a connector assembly, seen from a diagonal downward angle. [Figure 21] This is an exploded perspective view of the connector assembly. [Figure 22] This is a perspective view showing a relay connector used in a connector assembly. [Figure 23] This is an exploded perspective view of a relay connector used in a connector assembly. [Figure 24] Figure 18 is a cross-sectional view along the CC line. [Figure 25] Figure 18 is a cross-sectional view along the DD line. [Figure 26] This is a cross-sectional view showing a conventional connector assembly. [Figure 27] This is a cross-sectional view of a connector used in a conventional connector assembly. [Figure 28] This is another cross-sectional view of a connector used in a conventional connector assembly. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0017] Embodiments of this invention will be described below with reference to the attached drawings. Figures 1 and 2 show the configuration of a connector 11 according to an embodiment of the present invention. This connector 11 connects an electronic device unit, such as an in-vehicle camera unit (described later), to a mating connector and has an external insulator 12. Inside the external insulator 12 are a first conductive shell 13 and a second conductive shell 14, and a plurality of connector contacts 15 are arranged inside these first conductive shells 13 and 2 conductive shells 14.

[0018] The external insulator 12 has a base portion 12A that is a substantially rectangular flat plate shape and a cylindrical wall portion 12B that protrudes from the base portion 12A in a direction perpendicular to the base portion 12A. The first conductive shell 13 and the second conductive shell 14 are arranged inside the wall portion 12B, connected to each other in the direction of the protrusion of the wall portion 12B. An external conductive shell 16 is positioned on the base portion 12A on the side opposite to the side from which the wall portion 12B protrudes.

[0019] For convenience, the direction in which the base 12A of the external insulator 12 extends along the XY plane and the cylindrical wall portion 12B protrudes from the base 12A will be called the +Z direction. The Z direction is the mating direction in which the connector 11 mates with the mating connector.

[0020] As shown in Figure 3, when viewing the connector 11 from the +Z direction, the first conductive shell 13 is exposed inside the wall portion 12B of the external insulator 12, and the four connector contacts 15 are exposed inside the first conductive shell 13, held by the internal insulator 17. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 4, when the connector 11 is viewed from the -Z direction, the second conductive shell 14 is exposed inside the outer conductive shell 16, and the four connector contacts 15 are exposed inside the second conductive shell 14, held by the internal insulator 17.

[0021] Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view of the connector 11. The first conductive shell 13 is held inside the wall portion 12B of the external insulator 12 via a waterproof member 18, and the second conductive shell 14 is connected to the first conductive shell 13 from the -Z direction. Furthermore, the internal insulator 17 is held inside the second conductive shell 14, and four connector contacts 15 are held in the internal insulator 17. An external conductive shell 16 is attached to the external insulator 12 from the -Z direction, and the space between the first conductive shell 13 and the four connector contacts 15 is sealed by potting material 19 supplied from the +Z direction.

[0022] Figure 6 shows the configuration of the first conductive shell 13. The first conductive shell 13 is formed from a bent metal plate and has a first cylindrical portion 13A extending in the Z direction and a flat plate portion 13B extending in all four directions along the XY plane from the -Z end of the first cylindrical portion 13A. The first conductive shell 13 further has first connecting portions 13C that protrude toward the -Z direction from the +X end, -X end, +Y end, and -Y end of the flat plate portion 13B. The first cylindrical portion 13A has a substantially rectangular shape when viewed from the Z direction. It is desirable that such a first conductive shell 13 be manufactured by drawing a metal plate so that there are no seams, steps, or other irregularities in the first cylindrical portion 13A.

[0023] Figure 7 shows the configuration of the connector contact 15. The connector contact 15 is formed from a metal plate that extends along the YZ plane and in the Z direction, and has a first contact portion 15A located at the +Z direction end, a second contact portion 15B located at the -Z direction end, and a retained portion 15C located between the first contact portion 15A and the second contact portion 15B. The first contact portion 15A is connected to the mating contact of a mating connector (not shown), and the second contact portion 15B is connected to the equipment-side contact of an electronic equipment unit (not shown). The retained portion 15C is held by the internal insulator 17 by being press-fitted into the contact retaining hole of the internal insulator 17, which will be described later. On the +Z direction side of the held portion 15C, an overhang portion 15D is formed that extends further in the +Y and -Y directions than the held portion 15C.

[0024] Figure 8 shows the structure of the second conductive shell 14. The second conductive shell 14 is formed from a bent metal plate and has a second cylindrical portion 14A with its axis oriented in the Z direction. When viewed from the Z direction, the second cylindrical portion 14A has a substantially rectangular shape and is approximately the same size as the first cylindrical portion 13A of the first conductive shell 13. Furthermore, the second conductive shell 14 has four second connecting portions 14B that protrude in the +Z direction from the +Z direction end of the second cylindrical portion 14A. The second connecting portions 14B protrude in the +Z direction from the center of each of the four sides of the second cylindrical portion 14A, which has a rectangular shape when viewed from the Z direction. On the surface of each second connecting portion 14B that faces inward towards the second cylindrical portion 14A, a projection 14C formed by cutting and bending the second connecting portion 14B is arranged.

[0025] Furthermore, the second cylindrical portion 14A has four recesses 14D formed on the -Z direction side of each of the four second connecting portions 14B. The recesses 14D are formed by pressing the outer surface of the second cylindrical portion 14A, thereby forming projections 14E on the inner surface of the second cylindrical portion 14A that protrude inward from the second cylindrical portion 14A, as shown in Figure 2.

[0026] Figure 9 shows the configuration of the internal insulator 17. The internal insulator 17 is formed from an insulating material such as an insulating resin and has a substantially rectangular prism shape extending in the Z direction. The internal insulator 17 has four contact retention holes 17A that penetrate through the internal insulator 17 in the Z direction. The four contact retention holes 17A correspond to the four connector contacts 15. Furthermore, a concave second connection portion housing portion 17B is formed on each of the four sides of the nearly prism-shaped internal insulator 17. The second connection portion housing portion 17B has a groove shape that extends in the Z direction and is open toward the -Z direction on the corresponding side of the internal insulator 17.

[0027] Figure 10 shows the configuration of the external insulator 12. The external insulator 12 is made of an insulating material such as an insulating resin and has a flat base portion 12A and a cylindrical wall portion 12B that protrudes in the +Z direction from the surface of the base portion 12A on the +Z direction side. An opening 12C that penetrates in the Z direction is formed in the base portion 12A located inside the wall portion 12B.

[0028] Figure 11 shows the configuration of the outer conductive shell 16. The outer conductive shell 16 is formed from a bent metal plate and has a substantially rectangular flat portion 16A extending along the XY plane and four vertical portions 16B hanging down in the -Z direction from the four outer edges of the flat portion 16A. A substantially rectangular opening 16C is formed inside the flat portion 16A, and the outer conductive shell 16 has four third connecting portions 16D that protrude in the +Z direction from each of the four edges of the opening 16C and are elastically deformable along the XY plane. Furthermore, retained portions 16E protrude in the +Z direction from each of a pair of opposing corners of the substantially rectangular opening 16C.

[0029] Figure 12 shows the waterproof member 18. The waterproof member 18 is made of a rubber material or the like that has elasticity and waterproofing properties, and has a cylindrical shape with the Z direction as its axial direction. The waterproof member 18 is used by being fitted onto the outer circumference of the first cylindrical portion 13A of the first conductive shell 13 shown in Figure 6.

[0030] When assembling the connector 11, the four connector contacts 15 are inserted into and held in the four contact holding holes 17A of the internal insulator 17, and the internal insulator 17 is inserted into the first cylindrical portion 13A of the first conductive shell 13 from the -Z direction, together with the four second connecting portions 14B of the second conductive shell 14. In addition, a waterproof member 18 is fitted onto the outer circumference of the first cylindrical portion 13A of the first conductive shell 13, and in this state, the first cylindrical portion 13A of the first conductive shell 13 is passed through the opening 12C of the external insulator 12 from the -Z direction, and the external conductive shell 16 is then attached to the external insulator 12 from the -Z direction. Furthermore, by supplying potting material 19 into the first cylindrical portion 13A of the first conductive shell 13 from the +Z direction, the space between the four connector contacts 15 and the inner surface of the first cylindrical portion 13A is sealed.

[0031] This completes the assembly of connector 11, as shown in Figure 13. The second connecting portion 14B of the second conductive shell 14 is sandwiched between the side surface of the internal insulator 17 and the inner surface of the first cylindrical portion 13A of the first conductive shell 13, so that the second conductive shell 14 is connected to the -Z direction side of the first conductive shell 13, and the second connecting portion 14B contacts the inner surface of the first cylindrical portion 13A, so that the second conductive shell 14 is electrically connected to the first conductive shell 13.

[0032] Furthermore, the four third connection points 16D of the external conductive shell 16 attached to the external insulator 12 each elastically contact the corresponding first connection point 13C of the first conductive shell 13, thereby electrically connecting the external conductive shell 16 to the first conductive shell 13. Furthermore, the waterproof member 18 is continuously arranged along the circumferential direction of the first cylindrical portion 13A of the first conductive shell 13, and the space between the inner circumference of the opening 12C of the external insulator 12 and the outer circumference of the first cylindrical portion 13A of the first conductive shell 13 is sealed by the waterproof member 18.

[0033] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 14, the connector contact 15 is inserted into the contact holding hole 17A of the internal insulator 17 from the +Z direction, and the retained portion 15C is press-fitted into the contact holding hole 17A until the protruding portion 15D contacts the internal insulator 17, thereby being held by the internal insulator 17. The first contact portion 15A of the connector contact 15 is exposed within the first cylindrical portion 13A of the first conductive shell 13 and protrudes in the +Z direction, and the second contact portion 15B is exposed within the second cylindrical portion 14A of the second conductive shell 14 and protrudes in the -Z direction.

[0034] In this way, the four connector contacts 15 are arranged inside the first cylindrical portion 13A of the first conductive shell 13 and the second cylindrical portion 14A of the second conductive shell 14, which are electrically connected to each other, thereby ensuring a shielding effect for the connector contacts 15.

[0035] As shown in Figure 15, when the internal insulator 17 is inserted into the first cylindrical portion 13A of the first conductive shell 13 from the -Z direction together with the second connecting portion 14B of the second conductive shell 14, the second connecting portion 14B is housed in the second connecting portion housing portion 17B formed on the side surface of the internal insulator 17, and the projection 14C formed by cutting and bending the second connecting portion 14B protrudes toward the side surface of the internal insulator 17, specifically toward the inner surface of the second connecting portion housing portion 17B.

[0036] Therefore, when the internal insulator 17 is press-fitted into the first cylindrical portion 13A together with the second connecting portion 14B, sandwiching the second connecting portion 14B of the second conductive shell 14 between the side surface of the internal insulator 17 and the inner surface of the first cylindrical portion 13A of the first conductive shell 13, the projection 14C of the second connecting portion 14B bites into the inner surface of the second connecting portion housing portion 17B of the internal insulator 17, as shown in Figure 16. As a result, the second conductive shell 14 is fixed to the internal insulator 17, and the second conductive shell 14 and the internal insulator 17 are fixed inside the first cylindrical portion 13A of the first conductive shell 13. The projection 14C is made to protrude inward from the second cylindrical portion 14A by cutting and bending the second connecting portion 14B, but it is not limited to this. The projection 14C may also protrude inward and outward from both sides of the second connecting portion 14B, respectively, so that the projection 14C facing inward from the second cylindrical portion 14A bites into the inner surface of the second connecting portion housing portion 17B of the internal insulator 17. Furthermore, the projection 14C can also be made of an elastically deformable elastic piece.

[0037] Thus, in the connector 11 according to this embodiment, unlike conventional connectors shown in Figures 27 to 29, it is possible to easily assemble it while maintaining a shielding effect without performing heat treatment such as thermal deformation of the boss head, thereby reducing manufacturing costs. Furthermore, if the first conductive shell 13 of the connector 11 is manufactured by drawing, a first cylindrical portion 13A without seams, steps, etc. can be obtained, improving adhesion to the waterproof member 18 and enabling a superior waterproofing effect.

[0038] Figures 17 and 18 show a connector assembly in which connector 11 is connected to an electronic equipment unit 21. Connector 11 is connected to the electronic equipment unit 21 via an intermediate connector 31, and the mating connector 41 is connected to connector 11.

[0039] Figures 19 and 20 show the configuration of the connector section of the electronic equipment unit 21. The electronic equipment unit 21 consists of, for example, an in-vehicle camera unit, and the connector section has an external insulator 22 on the equipment side, an conductive shell 23 on the equipment side is placed inside the external insulator 22 on the equipment side, and four contacts 24 on the equipment side are placed inside the conductive shell 23 on the equipment side. The four device-side contacts 24 are held by the device-side internal insulator 25.

[0040] Figure 21 is an exploded perspective view of the connector section of the electronic equipment unit 21. The equipment-side external insulator 22 is formed from an insulator such as an insulating resin, has a cylindrical shape with the Z direction as its axial direction, and has a substantially circular opening 22A extending along the XY plane. The device-side conductive shell 23 is formed from a bent metal plate and has a cylindrical portion 23A with the Z direction as its axial direction and a mounting portion 23B extending along the XY plane from the -Z end of the cylindrical portion 23A. The device-side internal insulator 25 is formed from an insulator such as an insulating resin and has a substantially flat shape extending along the XY plane.

[0041] The equipment-side contact 24 is made of a metal material and has a contact portion 24A that protrudes in the +Z direction from the surface of the equipment-side internal insulator 25 on the +Z direction side, and a mounting portion 24B that bends in the X direction from the back surface on the -Z direction side of the equipment-side internal insulator 25 and extends to the outside of the equipment-side internal insulator 25. The portion between the contact portion 24A and the mounting portion 24B is embedded inside the equipment-side internal insulator 25 and held by the equipment-side internal insulator 25.

[0042] Figure 22 shows the configuration of the relay connector 31. The relay connector 31 has a cylindrical relay conductive shell 32 extending in the Z direction with the Z direction as its axial direction, and a relay insulator 33 arranged inside the relay conductive shell 32, with relay contacts, which will be described later, arranged inside the relay insulator 33.

[0043] Figure 23 is an exploded perspective view of the relay connector 31. The relay conductive shell 32 is formed from a curved metal plate, and four first contact portions 32A are formed at the +Z end of the relay conductive shell 32, which are evenly divided in the circumferential direction, and four second contact portions 32B are formed at the -Z end of the relay conductive shell 32, which are evenly divided in the circumferential direction.

[0044] The relay connector 31 has a first insulator 33A positioned inside the +Z direction portion of the cylindrical relay conductive shell 32, and a second insulator 33B positioned inside the -Z direction portion of the relay conductive shell 32. These first insulator 33A and second insulator 33B are each formed from an insulator such as an insulating resin, and are connected to each other inside the relay conductive shell 32 to form the relay insulator 33.

[0045] The first insulator 33A and the second insulator 33B each have four contact retention holes 33C that penetrate in the Z direction. Furthermore, the relay connector 31 has four relay contacts 34 that are inserted into and held in the contact holding holes 33C of the first insulator 33A and the second insulator 33B. The four relay contacts 34 are surrounded by a cylindrical relay conductive shell 32.

[0046] Each relay contact 34 extends along the Z direction and has a third contact portion 34A formed at its +Z end, a fourth contact portion 34B formed at its -Z end, and a retained portion 34C positioned between the third contact portion 34A and the fourth contact portion 34B and held by the first insulator 33A and the second insulator 33B. The third contact portion 34A and the fourth contact portion 34B each have a socket terminal shape.

[0047] As shown in Figure 24, the internal insulator 25 on the equipment side of the electronic equipment unit 21 is positioned on the surface of the circuit board 26 extending along the XY plane on the +Z side, and the mounting portion 23B of the equipment-side conductive shell 23 and the mounting portion 24B of the equipment-side contact 24 are mounted by soldering or the like to a ground pad and a signal pad (not shown) formed on the surface of the circuit board 26 on the +Z side, respectively. An image sensor 27 is positioned on the back surface of the circuit board 26 in the -Z direction, and signal pads formed on the front surface of the circuit board 26 in the +Z direction are connected to the image sensor 27 either directly or via electronic circuits (not shown) mounted on the circuit board 26.

[0048] In the connector assembly shown in Figure 24, four first contact portions 32A formed at the +Z direction end of the relay conductive shell 32 of the relay connector 31 contact the inner surface of the second cylindrical portion 14A of the second conductive shell 14 of the connector 11, and four second contact portions 32B formed at the -Z direction end of the relay conductive shell 32 contact the inner surface of the cylindrical portion 23A of the equipment-side conductive shell 23 of the electronic equipment unit 21. As a result, the second conductive shell 14 of the connector 11 is electrically connected to the equipment-side conductive shell 23 of the electronic equipment unit 21 via the relay conductive shell 32 of the relay connector 31, and further connected to a ground pad (not shown) on the circuit board 26 via the mounting portion 23B of the equipment-side conductive shell 23.

[0049] Furthermore, the mating connector 41 is attached to the end of the cable 51 and has a mating external insulator 41A, a mating conductive shell 41B is arranged inside the mating external insulator 41A, and a mating internal insulator 41C, which holds the mating contacts described later, is arranged inside the mating conductive shell 41B. When connector 11 is mated with the mating connector 41, the first cylindrical portion 13A of the first conductive shell 13 of connector 11 contacts the mating conductive shell 41B of the mating connector 41, thereby creating an electrical connection.

[0050] As shown in Figure 25, the second contact portion 15B of the connector contact 15 of connector 11 contacts the third contact portion 34A of the relay contact 34 of relay connector 31, and the fourth contact portion 34B of relay contact 34 contacts the contact portion 24A of the equipment-side contact 24 of electronic equipment unit 21. As a result, the connector contact 15 of connector 11 is electrically connected to the equipment-side contact 24 of electronic equipment unit 21 via the relay contact 34 of relay connector 31, and further connected to a signal pad (not shown) on circuit board 26 via the mounting portion 24B of the equipment-side contact 24.

[0051] Furthermore, the first contact portion 15A of the connector contact 15 of connector 11 contacts the mating contact 41D of the mating connector 41. As a result, the connector contact 15 of connector 11 is electrically connected to the wire 51A in the cable 51 via the mating contact 41D of the mating connector 41.

[0052] In this way, the device-side contact 24 of the electronic device unit 21, the relay contact 34 of the relay connector 31, the connector contact 15 of the connector 11, and the mating contact 41D of the mating connector 41 are sequentially connected to form a signal line from the image sensor 27 of the electronic device unit 21 to the wire 51A in the cable 51. This signal line is covered by the sequentially connected device-side conductive shell 23 of the electronic device unit 21, the relay conductive shell 32 of the relay connector 31, the first conductive shell 13 and second conductive shell 14 of the connector 11, and the mating conductive shell 41B of the mating connector 41. As a result, electromagnetic interference caused by external disturbances such as electromagnetic waves is effectively prevented, and the image signal acquired by the image sensor 27 can be transmitted through the cable 51 without compromising quality.

[0053] Furthermore, the four first contact portions 32A formed at the +Z direction end of the relay conductive shell 32 of the relay connector 31 contact the inner surface of the second cylindrical portion 14A of the second conductive shell 14 of the connector 11, thereby electrically connecting the second conductive shell 14 and the relay conductive shell 32. Additionally, the second contact portion 15B of the connector contact 15 of the connector 11 is inserted into the socket terminal-shaped third contact portion 34A of the relay contact 34 of the relay connector 31, thereby electrically connecting the connector contact 15 and the relay contact 34. For this reason, even if the relay connector 31 is fitted to the connector 11 at an angle, the conductivity between the second conductive shell 14 and the relay conductive shell 32, and between the connector contact 15 and the relay contact 34 are maintained as long as the inclination angles between them are within a predetermined range.

[0054] Similarly, the four second contact portions 32B formed at the -Z-direction end of the relay conductive shell 32 of the relay connector 31 contact the inner surface of the cylindrical portion 23A of the equipment-side conductive shell 23 of the electronic equipment unit 21, thereby electrically connecting the relay conductive shell 32 and the equipment-side conductive shell 23 to each other. In addition, the contact portion 24A of the equipment-side contact 24 of the electronic equipment unit 21 is inserted into the socket-terminal shaped fourth contact portion 34B of the relay contact 34 of the relay connector 31, thereby electrically connecting the relay contact 34 and the equipment-side contact 24 to each other. Therefore, even if the relay connector 31 is fitted diagonally to the connector portion of the electronic equipment unit 21, the conductivity between the relay conductive shell 32 and the equipment-side conductive shell 23 and the conductivity between the relay contact 34 and the equipment-side contact 24 is maintained as long as the inclination angles between them are within a predetermined range.

[0055] Therefore, even if a misalignment occurs between the connector 11 and the electronic equipment unit 21 due to assembly tolerances or the like, the misalignment is absorbed by the change in the orientation of the intermediate connector 31, and the reliability of the electrical connection between the connector 11 and the electronic equipment unit 21 is ensured.

[0056] In Figure 24, the external conductive shell 16 of the connector 11 is positioned on the +Z side of the electronic equipment unit 21. However, this is not the only configuration; the four vertical portions 16B of the external conductive shell 16 can also be extended in the -Z direction to cover the periphery of the circuit board 26 and the image sensor 27. This allows for a shielding effect to be exerted on the circuit board 26 and the image sensor 27 as well.

[0057] When an in-vehicle camera unit is used as the electronic equipment unit 21 connected to the connector 11, it is preferable to integrate the external insulator 12 of the connector 11 with the vehicle body. However, the electronic equipment unit 21 is not limited to an in-vehicle camera unit, and various types of electronic equipment units can be used. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0058] 1 Connector, 1A Contact, 1B Internal insulator, 1C Metal shell, 1D External insulator, 1E Metal plate, 1F Waterproofing member, 1G, 1J Boss, 1H, 1K Through hole, 2 In-vehicle camera unit, 2A Lens, 2B Resin case, 2C Metal case, 2D Printed circuit board, 2E Image sensor, 2F External connection terminal, 11 Connector, 12 External insulator, 12A Base, 12B Wall, 12C Opening, 13 First conductive shell, 13A First cylindrical part, 13B Flat plate part, 13C First connection part, 14 Second conductive shell, 14A Second cylindrical part, 14B Second connection part, 14C Protrusion, 14D Recess, 14E Protrusion, 15 Connector contact, 15A First contact part, 15B Second contact part, 15C Retained part, 15D 16 Protruding part, 16 External conductive shell, 16A Flat part, 16B Vertical part, 16C Opening, 16D Third connection part, 16E Retained part, 17 Internal insulator, 17A Contact retaining hole, 17B Second connection part housing part, 18 Waterproof member, 19 Potting material, 21 Electronic equipment unit, 22 Equipment side external insulator, 22A Opening, 23 Equipment side conductive shell, 23A Cylindrical part, 23B Mounting part, 24 Equipment side contact, 24A Contact part, 24B Mounting part, 25 Equipment side internal insulator, 26 Circuit board, 27 Image sensor, 31 Relay connector, 32 Relay conductive shell, 32A First contact part, 32B Second contact part, 33 Relay insulator, 33A First insulator, 33B Second insulator, 33C Contact retaining hole, 34 Intermediate contact, 34A third contact, 34B fourth contact, 34C held part, 41 mating connector, 41A mating external insulator, 41B mating conductive shell, 41C mating internal insulator, 41D mating contact, 51 cable, 51A wire.

Claims

1. A connector that is mated to a mating connector along the mating direction and connects the equipment-side contact of an electronic device unit to the mating contact of the mating connector, A connector contact extending along the aforementioned mating direction, An internal insulator that holds the connector contact, A first conductive shell having a first cylindrical portion extending along the fitting direction and housing the internal insulator, and a first connecting portion connected to one end of the first cylindrical portion, A second conductive shell having a second cylindrical portion extending along the fitting direction and connected to the first cylindrical portion, and a second connecting portion protruding from the second cylindrical portion toward the first cylindrical portion. Equipped with, The connector contact is surrounded by the first cylindrical portion and the second cylindrical portion and has a first contact portion connected to the mating contact, a second contact portion connected to the equipment-side contact, and a retained portion disposed between the first contact portion and the second contact portion and held by the internal insulator. A connector in which the internal insulator is press-fitted into the first cylindrical portion together with the second connecting portion such that the second connecting portion is sandwiched between the side surface of the internal insulator and the inner surface of the first cylindrical portion, thereby fixing the internal insulator inside the first cylindrical portion, and the second conductive shell is electrically connected to the first conductive shell by contacting the inner surface of the first cylindrical portion.

2. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the internal insulator, the first cylindrical portion, and the second cylindrical portion each have a substantially rectangular shape when viewed from the fitting direction.

3. The connector according to claim 2, wherein the second conductive shell has four second connecting portions that protrude from each of the four sides of the rectangle of the second cylindrical portion along the fitting direction.

4. The connector according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the second connecting portion has a projection that protrudes toward the side surface of the internal insulator and bites into the side surface of the internal insulator when the internal insulator is press-fitted into the first cylindrical portion.

5. The connector according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the internal insulator is disposed on the side surface of the internal insulator and has a concave second connection portion housing for housing the second connection portion.

6. An external insulator that holds the first conductive shell and has an opening through which the first cylindrical portion passes, An external conductive shell held by the external insulator and electrically connected to the first connection portion of the first conductive shell, A connector according to any one of claims 1 to 3, comprising:

7. The connector according to claim 6, further comprising a waterproof member that is continuously arranged along the circumferential direction of the first cylindrical portion and seals the space between the inner circumference of the opening of the external insulator and the outer circumference of the first cylindrical portion.

8. The connector according to claim 7, wherein the first conductive shell is made of a drawn metal plate.

9. The connector according to claim 6, wherein the space between the internal insulator and the connector contact is sealed by potting.

10. The aforementioned electronic equipment unit, The connector according to claim 6 connected to the electronic equipment unit and A connector assembly comprising the components.

11. The electronic device unit has an electronic device-side conductive shell surrounding the electronic device-side contact, The connector assembly according to claim 10, wherein the second cylindrical portion of the second conductive shell is electrically connected to the equipment-side conductive shell.

12. A relay contact that extends along the mating direction and connects the second contact portion of the connector contact and the equipment-side contact to each other, A relay insulator that holds the relay contact, A relay conductive shell that surrounds the relay contact and connects the second cylindrical portion and the equipment-side conductive shell to each other. The connector assembly according to claim 11, comprising a relay connector having and being displaceable relative to the external insulator.

13. The aforementioned external insulator is integrated with the vehicle body. The connector assembly according to claim 10, wherein the electronic equipment unit comprises an in-vehicle camera unit.

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