Connectors and connector pairs

Abstract

To provide a connector and a connector pair, which, without forming a solder barrier, moderately maintain solder wettability, and can reduce contact resistance at a contact point part while improving the connection strength of a board connection part, the connector and the connector pair being simple in structure, low in costs and high in reliability.SOLUTION: A conductive member includes a body part, a board connection part located on one end side of the body part, and a contact point part located on the other end side of the body part. The body part, the board connection part, and the contact point part each include an exposed surface exposed from a housing. The body part, the board connection part, and the contact point part each include a metal base material, and first to third layers formed on the metal base material. The first layer is a nickel or nickel alloy plating layer, the second layer is a platinum group metal or platinum group metal alloy plating layer, and the third layer is a gold or gold alloy plating layer. The second layer has a thickness of 2-200 [nm], and the third layer has a thickness of 0.2-15 [nm].SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a connector and a pair of connectors.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a board-to-board connector has been used to electrically connect a pair of parallel circuit boards. Such a connector includes a plurality of terminals each of which is a conductive member, and the board connection portion of each terminal is connected by soldering to a wiring pattern or the like formed on the circuit board. When the connectors are fitted together and the contact portions of the corresponding terminals contact each other, the corresponding wiring patterns of the pair of circuit boards are electrically connected to each other. And a solder barrier is formed on each terminal to prevent the melted solder from climbing up from the board connection portion to the contact portion (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a conventional terminal, where (a) is a side view and (b) is a cross-sectional view.

[0004] In the figure, reference numeral 861 denotes a terminal attached to a housing of a connector (not shown), which is a member formed by bending an elongated strip-shaped conductive metal plate, and includes an elongated main body portion 861c, a contact portion 861a formed at one end side of the main body portion 861c and contacting a counterpart terminal, and a board connection portion 861b formed at the other end side of the main body portion 861c and connected by soldering to a wiring pattern or the like formed on a circuit board (not shown).

[0005] Furthermore, in the contact portion 861a and the substrate connection portion 861b, multiple plating layers are formed as shown in Figure 11(b). In the figure, 862 is a metal substrate, consisting of a copper alloy such as beryllium copper. 863a is a nickel plating layer formed on the metal substrate 862 as an underlayer, with a thickness of approximately 2 μm. 863b is a palladium plating layer formed on the nickel plating layer 863a, consisting of a palladium alloy such as a Pd-Ni alloy, and its thickness is preferably 0.1 μm or more. 863c is a gold plating layer formed on the palladium plating layer 863b, consisting of a gold alloy such as an Au-Co alloy, and its thickness is preferably 0.3 μm or more.

[0006] As a result, the electrical resistance of the contact portion 861a can be reduced, and its hardness and wear resistance can be improved, thereby achieving good contact reliability. Furthermore, the hardness and wear resistance of the substrate connection portion 861b can be improved while maintaining good corrosion resistance and solder wettability. In addition, although the main body portion 861c has a nickel plating layer 863a and a palladium plating layer 863b on the nickel plating layer 863a, the gold plating layer 863c is absent.

[0007] Thus, since a palladium plating layer 863b, which has worse solder wettability than the gold plating layer 863c, is formed on the surface, the main body portion 861c functions as a solder barrier, preventing molten solder from creeping up from the substrate connection portion 861b to the contact portion 861a. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0008] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2006-294420 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0009] However, in the conventional connector described above, it is necessary to form a solder barrier between the board connection portion 861b and the contact portion 861a. Moreover, in order to reliably prevent solder from creeping up from the board connection portion 861b to the contact portion 861a, it is necessary to form the solder barrier over a wide area. However, this increases the distance from the board connection portion 861b to the contact portion 861a, resulting in a larger terminal 861. In recent years, in particular, board-to-board connectors have become smaller and lower in profile, making it difficult to increase the distance from the board connection portion 861b to the contact portion 861a by making the terminal 861 larger. In fact, since the terminal 861 has also become smaller along with the miniaturization and lower profile of board-to-board connectors, it is extremely difficult to form a solder barrier between the board connection portion 861b and the contact portion 861a.

[0010] The objective here is to solve the aforementioned conventional problems and provide a connector and connector pair that can maintain appropriate solder wettability without forming a solder barrier, improve the connection strength of the board connection part, reduce contact resistance at the contact part, have a simple structure, low cost, and high reliability. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] To that end, the connector comprises a housing and a conductive member, wherein the conductive member includes a main body, a substrate connection portion located at one end of the main body, and a contact portion located at the other end of the main body, and each of the main body, substrate connection portion and contact portion includes an exposed surface exposed from the housing, and each of the main body, substrate connection portion and contact portion includes a metal substrate and first to third layers formed on the metal substrate, the first layer being a nickel or nickel alloy plating layer, and the second layer preventing mutual diffusion between the metal of the first layer and the metal of the third layer. A plating layer comprising a palladium-nickel alloy (PdNi) containing 50% or more palladium.The second layer is a plating layer of gold or a gold alloy, the thickness of the second layer is 2 to 200 nm, and the thickness of the third layer is 0.5 to 8 nm.

[0014] Furthermore, in other connectors, the first to third layers are formed on the stretched surface of the conductive member.

[0015] In other connectors, each of the exposed surfaces is formed continuously with respect to the others, forming a single exposed surface.

[0016] Furthermore, in other connectors, the main body, the board connection portion, and the contact portion are located on the same cross-sectional plane extending in the mating direction.

[0017] Furthermore, in other connectors, the board connection portion and the contact portion are located on the same straight line extending in the mating direction.

[0018] Furthermore, in other connectors, the conductive member is a plate-shaped member, and the substrate connection portion and contact portion are formed on the extended surface of the plate-shaped member.

[0019] Furthermore, in other connectors, the area of ​​the board connection portion is even wider than the area of ​​the contact portion.

[0020] Furthermore, in other connectors, the conductive member is a shielding member that surrounds the connector.

[0021] Furthermore, in other connectors, the conductive member is either a power terminal or a signal terminal.

[0022] Furthermore, in other connectors, the conductive member is a reinforcing bracket.

[0023] A connector pair comprises the connector of this disclosure and a mating connector that mates with the connector. [Effects of the Invention]

[0024] According to the present disclosure, the connector can reduce the contact resistance at the contact portion while moderately maintaining the solder wettability and improving the connection strength of the substrate connection portion without forming solder burrs. In addition, the structure can be simplified, the cost can be reduced, and the reliability can be improved.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0025] [Figure 1] It is a perspective view seen from the side of the first connector showing the positional relationship between the first connector and the second connector before fitting in the first embodiment. [Figure 2] It is an exploded view of the second connector in the first embodiment. [Figure 3] It is a cross-sectional view when releasing the fitting between the first connector and the second connector in the first embodiment. [Figure 4] It is a schematic cross-sectional view near the surface of the second terminal showing the configuration of the plating layer in the first embodiment. [Figure 5] It is a diagram showing the result of the solder wetting spread experiment in the first embodiment. [Figure 6] It is a table showing the results of an experiment in which the thicknesses of the second and third layers are changed in the first embodiment. [Figure 7] It is a perspective view of the first connector and the second connector before fitting in the second embodiment. [Figure 8] It is a perspective view of the second connector in the second embodiment. [Figure 9] It is a plan view of the state where the first connector and the second connector are fitted in the second embodiment. [Figure 10] It is a cross-sectional view of the state where the first connector and the second connector are fitted in the second embodiment, where (a) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A in FIG. 9, (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line B-B in FIG. 9, and (c) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line C-C in FIG. 9. [Figure 11] It is a diagram showing a conventional terminal, where (a) is a side view and (b) is a cross-sectional view. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0026] The embodiments will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

[0027] Figure 1 is a perspective view from the first connector side showing the positional relationship between the first connector and the second connector before mating in the first embodiment; Figure 2 is an exploded view of the second connector in the first embodiment; and Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view when the mating between the first connector and the second connector is released in the first embodiment.

[0028] In the figure, 101 is a connector in this embodiment, and is a second connector as one of a pair of board-to-board connectors that form a connector pair. The second connector 101 is a surface-mount type connector mounted on the surface of a second board, which is a board not shown as a mounting member, and is mated with the first connector 1 as the mating connector. The first connector 1 is the other of the pair of board-to-board connectors, and is a surface-mount type connector mounted on the surface of a first board, which is a board not shown as a mounting member.

[0029] In this embodiment, the first connector 1 and the second connector 101 are preferably used to electrically connect the first and second substrates, but they can also be used to electrically connect other components. The first and second substrates are, for example, printed circuit boards used in electronic devices, flexible flat cables (FFCs), flexible printed circuits (FPCs), etc., but any type of substrate may be used.

[0030] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the expressions indicating directions such as up, down, left, right, front, and back used to describe the configuration and operation of each part of the first connector 1 and the second connector 101 are relative, not absolute. They are appropriate when each part of the first connector 1 and the second connector 101 is in the position shown in the figure, but should be modified and interpreted accordingly if the position changes.

[0031] The first connector 1 has a mating housing 11 integrally formed from an insulating material such as synthetic resin. As shown in the figure, the first housing 11 has a roughly rectangular, plate-like shape that is roughly a rectangular parallelepiped, and on the side into which the second connector 101 is fitted, i.e., the mating surface 11a side (positive Z-axis direction side), there is a roughly rectangular recess surrounded by a perimeter, which is formed to mat with the second housing 111 of the second connector 101. The first connector 1 has dimensions of, for example, a length (dimension in the X-axis direction) of approximately 6 [mm], a width (dimension in the Y-axis direction) of approximately 2 [mm], and a thickness (dimension in the Z-axis direction) of approximately 0.6 [mm], but the dimensions can be changed as appropriate. Furthermore, a first protrusion is integrally formed with the first housing 11 within the recess, serving as an island that engages with the groove 113 of the second connector 101. Additionally, side walls extending parallel to the first protrusion are integrally formed with the first housing 11 on both sides of the first protrusion (the positive and negative Y-axis sides).

[0032] Here, groove-shaped inner cavities for accommodating the first terminal are formed on the sides of both sides of the first protrusion. Also, groove-shaped outer cavities for accommodating the first terminal are formed on the inner side of the side wall. When describing the inner and outer cavities for accommodating the first terminal together, they will be described as the first terminal cavity. The first terminal cavity is formed so as to penetrate the bottom plate 18 in the thickness direction (Z-axis direction).

[0033] In this embodiment, the first terminal housing cavities are formed on both sides of the first housing 11 in the width direction (Y-axis direction) and aligned along the longitudinal direction of the first housing 11. Specifically, multiple cavities (for example, 10) are formed on both sides of the first protrusion at a predetermined pitch (for example, about 0.35 mm). The pitch and number of the first terminal housing cavities can be changed as appropriate. The first terminals 61, which are housed in each of the first terminal housing cavities and loaded into the first housing 11, are also arranged on both sides of the first protrusion at a similar pitch.

[0034] The first terminal 61 is a component integrally formed by punching, bending, and other processes on a conductive metal plate, and comprises a retained portion 63 as a main body, a tail portion 62 as a substrate connection portion connected to the lower end of the retained portion 63, an upper connection portion 67 connected to the upper end of the retained portion 63, a second contact portion 66 connected to the lower end of the upper connection portion 67 and facing the retained portion 63 as a second contact portion, a lower connection portion 64 connected to the lower end of the second contact portion 66, and an inner connection portion 65 connected to the end of the lower connection portion 64 opposite to the second contact portion 66. The first terminal 61 is fitted into the first terminal housing cavity from the mounting surface 11b, which is the lower surface (Z-axis negative direction surface) of the first housing 11, and is fixed to the first housing 11 by the retained portion 63 being sandwiched from both sides by the side walls of the first terminal housing outer cavity formed on the inner side surface of the side wall portion.

[0035] Furthermore, a first contact portion 65a, which is curved by approximately 180 degrees so as to protrude upward and toward the second contact portion 66, is connected to the upper end of the inner connection portion 65. The upper connection portion 67 includes an inclined portion 67a that descends diagonally downward from the upper end in a straight line or a gently curved shape, and a protruding portion 67b at the lower end of the inclined portion 67a that protrudes inward in the width direction of the first housing 11. When the first terminal 61 is loaded into the first housing 11, the first contact portion 65a and the second contact portion 66 are located on the left and right sides of the groove portion and face each other.

[0036] Furthermore, since the first terminal 61 is a component integrally formed by processing a metal plate, it possesses a certain degree of elasticity. As is clear from its shape, the distance between the opposing first contact portion 65a and second contact portion 66 can be elastically changed. That is, when the second terminal 161 of the second connector 101 is inserted between the first contact portion 65a and the second contact portion 66, the distance between the first contact portion 65a and the second contact portion 66 is elastically extended. The tail portion 62 is bent and connected to the retained portion 63, extending outward in the left-right direction (Y-axis direction), i.e., in the width direction of the first housing 11, and is connected by soldering to a connection pad connected to a conductive trace on the first substrate. The conductive trace is typically a signal line, but may also be a power line. In other words, the first terminal 61 may be a signal terminal or a power terminal.

[0037] Furthermore, first protruding ends, which serve as mating guides, are provided at both longitudinal ends of the first housing 11. A mating recess is formed in each first protruding end. When the first connector 1 and the second connector 101 are mated together, the second protruding end 122 of the second connector 101 is inserted into the mating recess.

[0038] Furthermore, a first reinforcing fitting 51, which serves as a mating reinforcing fitting to be loaded into the first housing 11, is attached to the first protruding end. The first reinforcing fitting 51 includes a tail portion 57c and a contact arm portion that extend outward in the longitudinal direction of the first housing 11. The contact arm portion contacts the second reinforcing fitting 151 of the second connector 101, and the tail portion 57c is connected by soldering to a connection pad connected to a conductive trace on the first substrate. The conductive trace is typically a power line or a ground line.

[0039] Next, the configuration of the second connector 101 will be described.

[0040] The second connector 101 in this embodiment has a second housing 111 which is integrally formed from an insulating material such as synthetic resin. As shown in the figure, the second housing 111 has a roughly rectangular, plate-like shape which is roughly a rectangular parallelepiped. On the side of the second housing 111 that is fitted into the first connector 1, that is, the mating surface 111a side (negative Z-axis direction side), an elongated groove 113 extending in the longitudinal direction (X-axis direction) of the second housing 111 and a second protrusion 112 which is an elongated protrusion that defines the outside of the groove 113 and extends in the longitudinal direction of the second housing 111 are integrally formed. The second protrusion 112 is formed along both sides of the groove 113 and along both sides of the second housing 111. The second connector 101 has dimensions of, for example, approximately 5.2 mm in length, 1.9 mm in width, and 0.5 mm in thickness, but these dimensions can be changed as appropriate.

[0041] Furthermore, each second protrusion 112 is provided with a second terminal 161, which is a conductive member. The second terminals 161 are arranged at a pitch corresponding to the first terminals 61, and in a corresponding number. The groove 113 is closed off on the side that is mounted on the second substrate, i.e., the mounting surface 111b side (positive Z-axis direction side), by a bottom plate.

[0042] Furthermore, second protruding ends 122, which serve as fitting guides, are provided at both longitudinal ends of the second housing 111. The second protruding ends 122 are thick members that extend in the width direction (Y-axis direction) of the second housing 111, with both ends connected to the longitudinal ends of each second protrusion 112, and their upper surfaces have a substantially rectangular shape. The second protruding ends 122 function as insertion protrusions that are inserted into the fitting recesses of the first protruding ends of the first connector 1 when the first connector 1 and the second connector 101 are fitted together. In addition, a second reinforcing fitting 151 is attached to the second protruding ends 122 as a reinforcing fitting.

[0043] Note that the second terminal 161 and the second reinforcing bracket 151 are components that are integrated with the second housing 111 by overmolding (insert molding), and therefore do not exist separately from the second housing 111. However, for the sake of explanation, they are depicted as being separated from the second housing 111 in Figure 2.

[0044] The conductive member, the second terminal 161, is a member integrally formed by punching, bending, and other processing on a conductive metal plate. Since it is an elongated, curved member that extends in the mating direction of the second connector 101, its surface can be said to be an extended surface. The second terminal 161 comprises a contact portion 165 as a contact point, a connecting portion 164 connected to the upper end of the contact portion 165, a retained portion 166 connected to the outer end of the connecting portion 164, and a tail portion 162 connected to the lower end of the retained portion 166 as a substrate connection portion. When describing the retained portion 166 and the connecting portion 164 together, they will be described as the main body.

[0045] The tail portion 162 extends outward from the second housing 111 and is connected by soldering to a connection pad linked to a conductive trace on the second substrate. The conductive trace is typically a signal line, but may also be a power line. In other words, the second terminal 161 may be a signal terminal or a power terminal.

[0046] On the contact portion 165 side of the connecting portion 164, an inclined portion 164a is formed that slopes downward from the end on the fitting surface 111a side toward the mounting surface 111b side, forming a relatively long straight line or a gently curved surface. Furthermore, on the retained portion 166 side of the connecting portion 164, a protruding portion 164b is formed at the boundary with the retained portion 166, projecting outward in the width direction of the second housing 111.

[0047] Furthermore, the surfaces of the tail portion 162, contact portion 165, connecting portion 164, and held portion 166 are exposed to each side surface and fitting surface 111a of the second protrusion 112. That is, at least the tail portion 162, which is the substrate connecting portion, the contact portion 165, which is the contact portion, and the protrusion portion 164b and held portion 166, which are the main body portions, include exposed surfaces exposed from the second housing 111, and each of these exposed surfaces is formed continuously with respect to each other to form a single exposed surface.

[0048] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 3, the tail portion 162, which is the substrate connection portion, the contact portion 165, which is the contact portion, and the retained portion 166, which is the main body portion, are located on a transverse plane that extends in the mating direction between the first connector 1 and the second connector 101.

[0049] The second reinforcing bracket 151 is a member integrally formed by punching, bending, and other processing on a conductive metal plate, and comprises a central covering portion 157 which serves as the main body portion that covers the outside of the second protruding end portion 122, and lateral covering portions 153 connected to both the left and right ends of the central covering portion 157.

[0050] The central cover portion 157 includes a projection end upper cover portion 157a that extends in the width direction of the second housing 111 and covers more than half of the upper surface of the second projection end portion 122, a connection cover portion 157b that is curved at approximately 90 degrees and connected to the outer edge of the second projection end portion 122 in the projection end upper cover portion 157a, and a tail portion 157c that is bent and connected to the lower end of the connection cover portion 157b and extends in the front-rear direction (X-axis direction), i.e., outward in the longitudinal direction of the second housing 111, as a substrate connection portion. The tail portion 157c is connected by solder or the like to a connection pad connected to a conductive trace on the second substrate. The conductive trace is typically a power line or a ground line. The tail portion 157c may have an L-shape that extends outward in the short-side direction of the second housing 111.

[0051] Furthermore, the lateral cover portion 153 includes connecting cover portions 153a that are curved at approximately 90 degrees and connected to both the left and right ends of the protruding end upper cover portion 157a, and a lateral cover portion 153b that extends downward from the lower end of the connecting cover portion 153a. The side surface of the lateral cover portion 153b functions as a contact portion and contacts the contact arm portion of the first reinforcing fitting 51. The lower end of the lateral cover portion 153b is connected to a connecting pad of the second substrate by soldering or the like. The connecting pad is preferably connected to a conductive trace of the second substrate that functions as a power line or a ground line.

[0052] The second reinforcing fitting 151, which is a conductive member, is a member integrally formed by punching, bending, and other processing on a conductive metal plate, and since it is a member that extends in the mating direction of the second connector 101, its surface can be said to be an extended surface. The second reinforcing fitting 151 comprises a side surface of the side cover portion 153b which serves as a contact portion, and the lower end of the side cover portion 153b which serves as a substrate connection portion. When describing the range from the point on the side cover portion 153b that contacts the first reinforcing fitting 51 to the lower end in an integrated manner, it will be described as the main body portion.

[0053] Next, the operation of mating the first connector 1 and the second connector 101 of the above configuration and the operation of unmating them will be described.

[0054] First, when mating the first connector 1 and the second connector 101, the operator positions the mating surface 11a of the first housing 11 of the first connector 1 and the mating surface 111a of the second housing 111 of the second connector 101 facing each other. When the position of the second protrusion 112 of the second connector 101 matches the position of the corresponding recess of the first connector 1, and the position of the second protruding end 122 of the second connector 101 matches the position of the corresponding mating recess of the first connector 1, the alignment of the first connector 1 and the second connector 101 is completed.

[0055] In this state, when the first connector 1 and / or the second connector 101 are moved toward the mating side, i.e., in the mating direction (Z-axis direction), the second protrusion 112 and the second protruding end 122 of the second connector 101 are inserted into the groove and mating recess of the first connector 1. As a result, when the mating of the first connector 1 and the second connector 101 is completed, the first terminal 61 and the second terminal 161 become electrically connected.

[0056] Specifically, the second terminal 161 of the second connector 101 is inserted between the first contact portion 65a and the second contact portion 66 of each first terminal 61, and the first contact portion 65a of the first terminal 61 and the contact portion 165 of the second terminal 161 come into contact. As a result, the conductive trace connected to the connection pad on the first substrate to which the tail portion 62 of the first terminal 61 is connected becomes electrically connected to the conductive trace connected to the connection pad on the second substrate to which the tail portion 162 of the second terminal 161 is connected. Furthermore, since the protrusion 67b of the first terminal 61 and the protrusion 164b of the second terminal 161 engage, the connection between the first terminal 61 and the second terminal 161 becomes secure, and consequently, the mating state between the first connector 1 and the second connector 101 is reliably maintained.

[0057] Furthermore, the second protruding end 122 is inserted into the fitting recess, and the contact arm of the first reinforcing fitting 51 and the lateral cover portion 153b of the second reinforcing fitting 151 attached to the second protruding end 122 come into contact. As a result, the conductive trace connected to the connection pad on the first substrate to which the tail portion 57c of the first reinforcing fitting 51 is connected, and the conductive trace connected to the connection pad on the second substrate to which the tail portion 157c of the second reinforcing fitting 151 is connected, become electrically connected.

[0058] Next, when unmating the first connector 1 and the second connector 101 that are mated together, the first terminals 61 arranged in two rows along both sides of the first protrusion of the first connector 1 and the second terminals 161 arranged in two rows along both sides of the groove portion 113 of the second connector 101 are securely coupled to each other, thus ensuring that the first connector 1 and the second connector 101 are securely mated together. Therefore, as shown in Figure 3, it is desirable to tilt the second connector 101 so as to rotate it around the X-axis relative to the first connector 1, thereby uncoupling the coupling between the first terminals 61 and the second terminals 161 one row at a time. Figure 3 shows a cross-sectional view of the transverse plane extending in the mating direction between the first connector 1 and the second connector 101, and shows the state in which only the coupling between the first terminals 61 and the second terminals 161 of one row (the left row in Figure 3) has been uncoupled.

[0059] After the coupling between the first terminal 61 and the second terminal 161 of one row is released, if the second connector 101 is further rotated around the X-axis relative to the first connector 1, the second terminal 161 of the other row (the right-hand row in Figure 3) will rotate around the protrusion 164b of the second terminal 161 that is engaged with the protrusion 67b of the first terminal 61 (clockwise in the example shown in Figure 3). At this time, the portion of the second terminal 161 where the contact portion 165 is connected to the connector portion 164 moves along an arc centered on the protrusion 164b while being pressed against the first contact portion 65a that protrudes toward the second contact portion 66 of the first terminal 61. However, since a relatively long straight line or a gently curving inclined portion 164a is formed in this portion, it can move smoothly without encountering significant resistance. Therefore, the connection between the first terminal 61 and the second terminal 161 of the other row can be released with less force than the connection between the first terminal 61 and the second terminal 161 of the first row.

[0060] In other words, the force required to release the mating of the first connector 1 and the second connector 101 has a first peak when releasing the connection between the first terminal 61 and the second terminal 161 of one row, and a second peak when releasing the connection between the first terminal 61 and the second terminal 161 of the other row. In this embodiment, however, since the second terminal 161 includes an inclined portion 164a that forms a relatively long straight line or a gentle curve, the second peak is lower. Therefore, the mating of the first connector 1 and the second connector 101 can be easily released.

[0061] Next, the configuration of the plating layer formed on the stretched surface, which is the surface of the second terminal 161 and the second reinforcing fitting 151, which are conductive members in this embodiment, will be described.

[0062] Figure 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the surface of the second terminal showing the configuration of the plating layer in the first embodiment, Figure 5 is a diagram showing the results of a solder wetting spread experiment in the first embodiment, and Figure 6 is a table showing the results of experiments in which the thickness of the second and third layers in the first embodiment was varied.

[0063] In this embodiment, the vicinity of the entire surface of the second terminal 161, which is a conductive member, has a layered structure as shown in Figure 4.

[0064] In the figure, 91 is a conductive metal substrate that constitutes the second terminal 161 and the second reinforcing fitting 151, which are conductive members, and is made of, for example, copper (Cu) or a copper alloy.

[0065] Furthermore, 92 is a plating layer formed on the surface of the metal substrate 91, and includes a first layer 92a, a second layer 92b, and a third layer 92c.

[0066] The first layer 92a is a nickel (Ni) or nickel alloy plating layer, and its thickness is preferably 1 to 3 μm. The first layer 92a has the function of preventing the diffusion of copper from the metal substrate 91 to the second layer 92b and the third layer 92c.

[0067] The second layer 92b is a plating layer of a platinum group metal or a platinum group metal alloy, and its thickness is preferably 2 nm or more. However, considering cost and other factors, it is preferable that the thickness be 200 nm or less, so it can be said that its thickness is preferably between 2 and 200 nm. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of sufficiently preventing interdiffusion between the metal of the first layer 92a and the metal of the third layer 92c, its thickness is more preferably between 5 and 25 nm. In addition, as the platinum group metal, any of the ruthenium (Ru), rhodium (Rh), palladium (Pd), osmium (Os), iridium (Ir), and platinum (Pt) belonging to the platinum group can be selected, but palladium is the most preferable. Furthermore, the platinum group metal alloy is an alloy containing 50% or more of any of ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, osmium, iridium, and platinum, but more preferably a palladium alloy containing 50% or more palladium (e.g., PdNi).

[0068] The third layer 92c is a gold or gold alloy plating layer, and its thickness is preferably 0.2 to 15 nm, and more preferably 0.5 to 8 nm. The gold alloy is a gold alloy containing 90% or more gold (e.g., AuCo, AuCu, AuNi, AuFe, etc.), but in the case of an alloy of gold and a platinum group metal, a gold alloy containing 20% ​​or more gold (e.g., AuPd, AuPt, etc.) is acceptable.

[0069] In this embodiment, the numerical ranges for the thicknesses of the second layer 92b and the third layer 92c are set based on experimental results (test results) as shown in the table in Figure 6. In Figure 6, the horizontal axis shows the numerical value [nm] for the thickness of the second layer 92b, and the vertical axis shows the numerical value [nm] for the thickness of the third layer 92c. In addition, each cell (square) in the table shows the evaluation of the test results for the contact resistance test, soldering strength test, and solder wettability test, indicated by the symbols ○, △, and ×. The symbol ○ means good, the symbol △ means somewhat good, and the symbol × means poor.

[0070] In the experiment, first, a plating layer 92 was formed on the surface of each test piece of a predetermined size made of a metal substrate 91, such that the thicknesses of the second layer 92b and the third layer 92c corresponded to values ​​for each cell. Then, contact resistance tests, mounting strength tests, and solder wetting spread tests were performed using each test piece. As shown in Figure 6, the thickness of the second layer 92b was varied in the range of 0 to 200 [nm], and the thickness of the third layer 92c was varied in the range of 0 to 20 [nm].

[0071] In the contact resistance test, the magnitude of the contact resistance on the surface of the plating layer 92 of each test piece was measured. Test pieces with a contact resistance below the first threshold were evaluated as good, those with a contact resistance greater than the first threshold but less than the second threshold were evaluated as somewhat good, and those with a contact resistance greater than or equal to the second threshold were evaluated as poor.

[0072] Furthermore, in the mounting strength test, another test piece was soldered to the surface of the plating layer 92 of each test piece, and a tensile force was applied to the other test piece. The magnitude of the tensile force at which the soldered portion broke was measured, and those with a tensile force of 1 or more than the first threshold were evaluated as good, those with a tensile force of 2 or more than the first threshold were evaluated as somewhat good, and those with a tensile force of less than the second threshold were evaluated as poor.

[0073] Furthermore, in the solder wetting and spreading test, as shown in Figure 5, several solder balls (for example, with a particle size of approximately 0.6 mm) were placed on the surface of the plating layer 92 of each test piece, and the spreading diameter of the solder was measured after heating using a heating device (for example, a solder reflow oven). Test pieces with a spreading diameter below the first threshold were evaluated as good, those with a spreading diameter greater than the first threshold but less than the second threshold were evaluated as somewhat good, and those with a spreading diameter greater than or equal to the second threshold were evaluated as poor.

[0074] As shown in Figure 6, the experimental results showed that if the thickness of the second layer 92b is within the range of 2 to 200 nm and the thickness of the third layer 92c is within the range of 0.2 to 15 nm, no defects are included in the evaluation of the test results, and therefore it is possible to use it as the conductive material, the second terminal 161. Furthermore, it was found that if the thickness of the third layer 92c is limited to the range of 0.5 to 8 nm, neither defects nor slightly good results are included in the evaluation of the test results, meaning that all test results are evaluated as good, which is more desirable. Although it can be inferred from Figure 6 that all test results would be evaluated as good even if the thickness of the second layer 92b is greater than 200 nm, considering costs and other factors, it is not practical to use a value greater than 200 nm, so the upper limit of the thickness of the second layer 92b was set to 200 nm here.

[0075] As shown in Figure 5, if the thickness of the third layer 92c, which is a gold or gold alloy plating layer, is thin, the solder spread diameter is small and the solder wettability decreases, that is, the solder does not spread easily, so solder rise can be suppressed and solder cannot crawl up to the contact portion 165, which is the contact point. On the other hand, if the solder wettability decreases, soldering the tail portion 162 becomes difficult, the strength of the soldered portion decreases and the mounting strength of the tail portion 162 to the second substrate surface decreases. In addition, if the thickness of the third layer 92c, which is a gold or gold alloy plating layer, is thin, the contact resistance increases and the third layer 92c becomes more prone to wear. However, by forming a second layer 92b, which is a platinum group metal or platinum group metal alloy plating layer, with a thickness of a predetermined value or more below the third layer 92c, the contact resistance of the third layer 92c can be reduced and wear can be prevented.

[0076] In this way, by setting the thickness of the third layer 92c to 0.2 to 15 nm and the thickness of the second layer 92b below the third layer 92c to 200 nm, it is possible to maintain appropriate solder wettability, improve the connection strength of the tail portion 162, suppress solder rise without forming a solder barrier, and reduce the contact resistance of the contact portion 165.

[0077] In this embodiment, the thicknesses of the second layer 92b and the third layer 92c were measured using X-ray electron spectroscopy, commonly known as XPS. XPS is a method for measuring the surface layer components of a sample, and can generally measure substances at a depth of about 0.2 to 6 nm from the surface. The surface layer of the sample is also removed by ion sputtering (sputter etching using ions). Ion sputtering can remove about 0.2 to 1 nm. The amount of removal is adjustable.

[0078] In this embodiment, the measurement was performed by repeatedly measuring the surface material of the sample using XPS, removing the surface layer of the sample by ion sputtering, and measuring the surface material of the sample using XPS. For example, if the third layer 92c, which is the surface layer, is measured using XPS to detect gold or a gold alloy, and then the third layer 92c, which is the surface layer, is removed by 0.2 nm using ion sputtering, and subsequently measured using XPS to detect gold or a gold alloy, then it can be determined that the thickness of the third layer 92c, which is made of gold or a gold alloy, is 0.2 nm or more.

[0079] Thus, in this embodiment, the second connector 101 comprises a second housing 111 and a second terminal 161. The second terminal 161 includes a retained portion 166 and a connecting portion 164, a tail portion 162 located on one end of the retained portion 166, and a contact portion 165 located on the other end of the connecting portion 164. The retained portion 166, the connecting portion 164, the tail portion 162, and the contact portion 165 each include an exposed surface exposed from the second housing 111. Each layer comprises a metal substrate 91 and a first layer 92a, a second layer 92b, and a third layer 92c formed on the metal substrate 91. The first layer 92a is a nickel or nickel alloy plating layer, the second layer 92b is a platinum group metal or platinum group metal alloy plating layer, and the third layer 92c is a gold or gold alloy plating layer. The thickness of the second layer 92b is 2 to 200 nm, and the thickness of the third layer 92c is 0.2 to 15 nm.

[0080] This allows for maintaining adequate solder wettability and improving the connection strength of the tail portion 162, while preventing solder creep and reducing contact resistance at the contact portion 165 without forming a solder barrier between the tail portion 162 and the contact portion 165. Therefore, since it is not necessary to form a solder barrier on the minute-sized second terminal 161 used in the extremely small and low-profile second connector 101, the structure of the second connector 101 can be simplified, costs can be reduced, and reliability can be improved.

[0081] Furthermore, the thickness of the third layer 92c is more preferably 0.5 to 8 nm. The platinum group metal is preferably palladium or a palladium alloy. The first layer 92a, the second layer 92b, and the third layer 92c are formed on the stretched surface of the second terminal 161. Each of the exposed surfaces is formed continuously with respect to the others, forming a single exposed surface. The retained portion 166, the connecting portion 164, the tail portion 162, and the contact portion 165 are located on the same transverse plane extending in the fitting direction. The side surface and lower end of the lateral cover portion 153b of the second reinforcing bracket 151 are located on the same straight line extending in the fitting direction.

[0082] Next, a second embodiment will be described. Components having the same structure as those in the first embodiment will be given the same reference numerals, and their descriptions will be omitted. Similarly, the same operation and effects as those in the first embodiment will also be omitted from the description.

[0083] Figure 7 is a perspective view of the first connector and the second connector before mating in the second embodiment, Figure 8 is a perspective view of the second connector in the second embodiment, Figure 9 is a plan view of the first connector and the second connector in the mated state in the second embodiment, and Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view of the first connector and the second connector in the mated state in the second embodiment. In Figure 10, (a) is a cross-sectional view taken along the arrow AA in Figure 9, (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along the arrow BB in Figure 9, and (c) is a cross-sectional view taken along the arrow CC in Figure 9.

[0084] In the figure, 201 is a first connector, which is one of a pair of board-to-board connectors that constitute a connector pair in this embodiment. The first connector 201 is a surface-mount type receptacle connector mounted on the surface of a first board, which is a board not shown as a mounting member, and is mated with the second connector 301 as the mating connector. The second connector 301 is the other of the pair of board-to-board connectors, and is a surface-mount type plug connector mounted on the surface of a second board, which is a board not shown as a mounting member.

[0085] In this embodiment, the first connector 201 and the second connector 301 of the connector pair are preferably used to electrically connect the first and second substrates as substrates, but they can also be used to electrically connect other components. The first and second substrates are, for example, printed circuit boards used in electronic devices, flexible flat cables, flexible circuit boards, etc., but any type of substrate is acceptable.

[0086] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the expressions indicating directions such as up, down, left, right, front, and back, used to describe the configuration and operation of each part of the connector pair, the first connector 201 and the second connector 301, are relative rather than absolute. They are appropriate when the parts of the first connector 201 and the second connector 301 are in the orientation shown in the figure, but should be modified and interpreted accordingly if their orientation changes.

[0087] The first connector 201 has a first outer shield 250, which is a receptacle shield formed by punching, drawing, or other processes on a conductive metal plate, and a first housing 211, which is a mating housing integrally formed from an insulating material such as synthetic resin. The first housing 211 has a flat bottom plate 218 and a pair of first protrusions 213 that project upward from the upper surface of the bottom plate 218. The first protrusions 213 as a whole are located inward in the width direction (Y-axis direction) of the first connector 201 compared to both sides of the bottom plate 218.

[0088] Each first protrusion 213 is a roughly rectangular parallelepiped member extending in the longitudinal direction (X-axis direction) of the first connector 201. Multiple (three in the example shown) first terminal housing cavities 215 are formed along the longitudinal direction at a predetermined pitch (for example, 0.35 mm) from the inner surface to the top surface facing each other. The pitch and number of the first terminal housing cavities 215 can be changed as appropriate. Multiple first terminals 261, which are housed in each of the first terminal housing cavities 215 and loaded into the first housing 211, are also arranged on both sides of each first protrusion 213 at a similar pitch. That is, multiple first terminals 261 are arranged along each first protrusion 213, forming a pair of parallel terminal groups. The first terminal housing cavities 215 are formed to penetrate the bottom plate 218 in the thickness direction (Z-axis direction).

[0089] Furthermore, near both longitudinal ends of the first protrusion 213, shield plate housing slits are formed, and the shield plate 256, which serves as the first inner shield, is housed in these shield plate housing slits. In the example shown in the figure, the shield plate housing slits extend continuously from the upper surface to the inner and outer surfaces of the first protrusion 213, and are formed to penetrate the bottom plate 218 in the thickness direction from the inner and outer surfaces. The bottom plate 218 between the first protrusions 213 is a thicker section (dimension in the Z-axis direction) than other sections, but with respect to the longitudinal direction of the first connector 201, openings penetrating in the thickness direction are formed at and near the positions corresponding to the shield plate housing slits.

[0090] Furthermore, on the widthwise outer side of the first connector 201 in the first protrusion 213, an outer recess 213a is formed in a range closer to the longitudinal center than the shield plate housing slit, recessing inward. The outer recess 213a is formed to extend vertically (in the Z-axis direction) from the upper surface of the first protrusion 213 to the lower surface of the base plate 218, so that the base plate 218 does not exist beyond the outer recess 213a in the widthwise outer side of the first connector 201.

[0091] Furthermore, in the longitudinal direction of the first connector 201, outside the shield plate housing slit, a pair of support portions, the first high-frequency terminal support portions 216, are formed, projecting upward from the upper surface of the bottom plate 218. The first high-frequency terminal support portions 216 have a first high-frequency terminal housing groove, which extends in the vertical direction. The first high-frequency terminal 271 is housed in the first high-frequency terminal housing groove. Below and in front of the first high-frequency terminal housing groove, a first high-frequency terminal housing opening is formed, which penetrates the bottom plate 218 in the thickness direction.

[0092] Furthermore, in the base plate 218, a connection end is provided at the outermost end of the first connector 201 in both the longitudinal and width directions, which connects to the first shield 250. The first shield 250 is integrated with the first housing 211 by overmolding or insert molding. That is, the first housing 211 is molded by filling an insulating material such as synthetic resin into the cavity of a mold in which the first shield 250 has been pre-set, and is integrally connected to the first shield 250 at the connection end.

[0093] The first shield 250 is a member integrally formed by punching, drawing, or other processes on a conductive metal plate, and is a roughly rectangular frame-shaped member when viewed from above, i.e., in a plan view, and surrounds the periphery of the first housing 211. In this embodiment, the first shield 250 is a member that functions as a conductive member and includes a pair of long side portions 250a extending linearly in the longitudinal direction of the first connector 201, a pair of short side portions 250b extending linearly in the width direction of the first connector 201, and four corner portions 250c curved at approximately 90 degrees that connect one end of the long side portions 250a and one end of the short side portions 250b.

[0094] Furthermore, the first shield 250 includes an outer wall 252, an inner wall 251 that is substantially parallel to the outer wall 252 on the inside of the outer wall 252, and a connecting portion 253 that connects and integrates the upper end of the outer wall 252 and the upper end of the inner wall 251. The outer wall 252 is a continuous wall around its entire circumference, while the inner wall 251 is separated into a straight portion 251a and a curved portion 251b by slit portions 253a formed at both ends of each corner portion 250c. The straight portion 251a is a straight portion in plan view and corresponds to the long side portion 250a and the short side portion 250b. The curved portion 251b is a curved portion in plan view and corresponds to the corner portion 250c. The slit portion 253a is a notch that starts from the upper end of the connecting portion 253, extends downward along the inner wall 251, and is open at the lower end of the inner wall 251. Therefore, in the connecting portion 253, a portion adjacent to the outer wall 252 is continuous around its entire circumference, but the portion adjacent to the inner wall 251 is separated by the slit portion 253a into a portion corresponding to the long side portion 250a and the short side portion 250b, and a portion corresponding to the corner portion 250c. The space surrounded by the portions of the inner wall 251 corresponding to the long side portion 250a, the short side portion 250b, and the corner portion 250c is a housing portion 250d into which the second connector 301, which is a plug connector, is inserted and housed.

[0095] The straight portion 251a of the inner wall 251 has a curved end 251d connected to its lower end and an engaging recess 251c formed above the curved end 251d. The curved end 251d is a portion that curves so that its tip points diagonally downward and inward from the housing portion 250d, and a connecting end of the bottom plate 218 is connected to a part of it. In other words, the straight portion 251a is connected to the first housing 211. In contrast, the curved portion 251b does not have a curved end 251d and is not connected to the first housing 211.

[0096] Furthermore, the engaging recess 251c functions as a contact point and, when the first connector 201 and the second connector 301 are fitted together, engages with and contacts the engaging projection 352c formed on the outer wall 352 of the second shield 350 provided by the second connector 301, and extends linearly in the longitudinal or widthwise direction of the first connector 201. As described above, each straight section 251a has relatively flexibility as both ends are separated from other parts by the slit section 253a, and can be elastically deformed in the direction of approaching or moving away from the outer wall 252. In addition, although the engaging recess 251c is formed in a concave shape to engage with the engaging projection 352c, the lower end of the straight section 251a of the inner wall 251 may be extended to the upper end of the curved end 251d, and the extended region may function as a contact point with the engaging projection 352c. Conversely, if the outer wall 352 of the second shield 350 does not have the engaging projection 352c, instead of the engaging recess 251c, a convex engaging projection may be formed on the inner wall 251 to function as a contact point with the outer wall 352.

[0097] A flange portion 254, which is a flat portion extending outward, is connected to the lower end of the outer wall 252 via a curved portion that is bent at approximately 90 degrees. The curved portion and the flange portion 254 are continuously connected to the lower end of the outer wall 252 around its entire circumference.

[0098] The flange portion 254 functions as a substrate connection portion, with its lower surface parallel to the surface of the first substrate, and is connected to a connection pad on the surface by soldering or the like. The connection pad is typically connected to the ground line. The outer wall 252 is a continuous wall around its entire circumference, and its upper end is connected to the connecting portion 253 and its lower end is connected to the flange portion 254, so it is relatively rigid and resistant to deformation. In this embodiment, an example is shown where the flange portion 254 is continuously connected to the lower end of the outer wall 252 around its entire circumference, but if relatively high rigidity is not required, it may be connected to only a part of it.

[0099] The first shield 250, which is a conductive member, is a member integrally formed by punching, drawing, or other processing on a conductive metal plate, and is a curved member that extends in the mating direction of the first connector 201, so its surface can be said to be an extended surface. The first shield 250 includes an engagement recess 251c as a contact portion, a connecting portion 253 connected to the upper end of the inner wall 251 in which the engagement recess 251c is formed, an outer wall 252 whose upper end is connected to the connecting portion 253, and a flange portion 254 as a substrate connection portion connected to the lower end of the outer wall 252. When describing the range from the engagement recess 251c in the inner wall 251, including the connecting portion 253, to the lower end of the outer wall 252 as an integrated part, it will be described as the main body. In this embodiment, a plating layer 92 including the first, second, and third layers 92a, 92b, and 92c described above is formed on the extended surface of the first shield 250, which is a conductive member.

[0100] When the first housing 211 is connected to the first shield 250 within the housing portion 250d, the housing portion 250d is a recess surrounded by an inner wall 251 and defined below by a bottom plate 218, forming a first recess 212 that engages with the second connector 301. Between the pair of first protrusions 213, an inner groove portion 212a is formed as part of the first recess 212, which is an elongated recess extending in the longitudinal direction of the first connector 201. Furthermore, between each first protrusion 213 and the inner wall 251, an outer groove portion 212c is formed as part of the first recess 212, which is an elongated recess extending in the longitudinal direction of the first connector 201. In addition, fitting recesses 212b are formed as part of the first recess 212 on the outer ends of both protrusions 213 in the longitudinal direction of the first connector 201.

[0101] The first terminal 261 is a component integrally formed by punching, bending, and other processes on a conductive metal plate, and comprises a retained portion, a tail portion which serves as a substrate connection portion connected to the lower end of the retained portion, an upper connection portion which is connected to the upper end of the retained portion, and a lower connection portion which is connected to the lower end of the upper connection portion. Furthermore, a contact portion 265a is formed near the lower end of the upper connection portion, which is curved to bulge inward in the width direction of the first connector 201. The contact portion 265a functions as a contact portion and is the part that contacts the second terminal 361 of the second connector 301.

[0102] The first terminal 261 is not necessarily attached to the first housing 211 by press-fitting; it may be integrated with the first housing 211 by overmolding or insert molding. However, for the sake of explanation, this description will focus on the case where the retained portion is press-fitted into the first terminal housing cavity 215 for retention.

[0103] Furthermore, the tail portion is connected to a connection pad linked to a conductive trace on the first substrate by soldering or the like. The conductive trace may be a power line supplying power, but is typically a signal line. Moreover, this explanation assumes that the signal line does not transmit high-frequency signals, but rather signals of a normal frequency lower than high-frequency signals (for example, a frequency of less than 10 GHz).

[0104] The first terminal 261 is press-fitted into the first terminal housing cavity 215 from the mounting surface 201b side, which is the lower surface (Z-axis negative direction surface) of the first connector 201, and fixed to the first housing 211. In this state, that is, with the first terminal 261 loaded into the first housing 211, the contact portions 265a protrude from the inner surfaces of each first convex portion 213 into the inner recessed groove portion 212a and face each other.

[0105] The first high-frequency terminal 271 is a component integrally formed by punching, bending, and other processes on a conductive metal plate, and is an elongated, curved component that extends in the mating direction of the first connector 201; therefore, its surface can be said to be an extended surface. The first high-frequency terminal 271 also comprises a retained portion, a tail portion which serves as a substrate connection portion connected to the lower end of the retained portion, and an upper connection portion connected to the upper end of the retained portion. The upper connection portion is curved in a roughly S-shape when viewed from the longitudinal direction of the first connector 201, and the portion that curves so as to bulge toward the center in the width direction of the first connector 201 is a contact portion 275a. The contact portion 275a functions as a contact portion and is the portion that contacts the second high-frequency terminal 371 provided on the second connector 301.

[0106] The first high-frequency terminal 271 is not necessarily attached to the first housing 211 by press-fitting; it may be integrated with the first housing 211 by overmolding or insert molding. However, for the sake of explanation, this description will focus on the case where the retained portion is press-fitted into the first high-frequency terminal housing groove of the first high-frequency terminal support portion 216.

[0107] Furthermore, the tail portion is connected to a connection pad linked to a conductive trace on the first substrate by soldering or the like. The conductive trace is described as a signal line, typically transmitting high-frequency signals of high frequency (e.g., 10 GHz or higher), such as RF signals.

[0108] The first high-frequency terminal 271 is press-fitted from the mounting surface 201b side into the first high-frequency terminal housing groove of the first high-frequency terminal support portion 216 located within the mating recess 212b, and fixed to the first housing 211. In this state, that is, with the first high-frequency terminal 271 loaded into the first housing 211, the contact portions 275a of the pair of first high-frequency terminals 271 face in opposite directions.

[0109] The shield plate 256 is a component integrally formed by punching, bending, or other processing of a conductive metal plate, and comprises a central portion 258 and a pair of lateral portions connected to both sides of the central portion 258. The central portion 258 bulges outward in the longitudinal direction of the first connector 201, and the outer surface of the tip that bulges outward in the longitudinal direction of the first connector 201 includes a contact portion 258c. The contact portion 258c functions as a contact portion and contacts the inner wall 351 of the second shield 350 provided by the second connector 301. The lower end of the lateral portion functions as a tail portion, which is a substrate connection portion, and is connected to the connection pad of the first substrate by soldering or the like. The connection pad is typically connected to the ground line.

[0110] The shield plate 256 is not necessarily attached to the first housing 211 by press-fitting; it may also be integrated with the first housing 211 by overmolding or insert molding. However, for the sake of explanation, this description will focus on the case where the shield plate 256 is press-fitted and held within the shield plate housing slit.

[0111] The conductive shield plate 256 is a component integrally formed by punching, bending, and other processing on a conductive metal plate, and since it is a component that extends in the mating direction of the second connector 301, its surface can be said to be an extended surface. The shield plate 256 has a contact portion 258c as a contact portion and a lower end as a substrate connection portion. When describing the range from the contact portion 258c to the lower end of the shield plate 256 comprehensively, it will be described as the main body. In this embodiment, a plating layer 92 including the first, second, and third layers 92a, 92b, and 92c described above is formed on the extended surface of the conductive shield plate 256.

[0112] The first connector 201 is then mounted on the surface of the first substrate by applying a first solder sheet (not shown) as a solder sheet to the mounting surface 201b side of the connector 201, and by heating and melting the first solder sheet using a heating furnace or the like, it is fixed and mounted on the surface of the first substrate. The means for connecting the first shield 250, first terminal 261, first high-frequency terminal 271, shield plate 256, etc. to the connection pads of the first substrate are not necessarily limited to the application of a solder sheet, but may also be the application of solder paste, transfer of solder paste, dipping, jet soldering, etc. However, for the sake of explanation, the case in which a solder sheet is used will be described here.

[0113] The solder sheet includes a pair of elongated strip-shaped long side portions that extend linearly and continuously in the longitudinal direction of the first connector 201, and a pair of elongated strip-shaped short side portions that extend linearly and continuously in the width direction of the first connector 201. The pair of long side portions are attached to the lower surface of the flange portion 254 corresponding to the long side portion 250a of the first shield 250, and the pair of short side portions are attached to the lower surface of the flange portion 254 corresponding to the short side portion 250b of the first shield 250. A detailed explanation of the soldering of the first terminal 261, the first high-frequency terminal 271, the shield plate 256, etc., is omitted.

[0114] When the first solder sheet applied in this manner is heated and melted, and the first connector 201 is mounted on the surface of the first substrate, the flange portion 254, which is continuously connected around the entire circumference to the lower end of the outer wall 252 that is continuous around the entire circumference of the first shield 250 as a conductive member, is connected to the connection pad on the surface of the first substrate without any gaps. Therefore, the strength of the first shield 250 connected to the connection pad on the surface of the first substrate is high, and consequently, the strength of the entire first connector 201, whose outer circumference is surrounded by the first shield 250, is high. Furthermore, the electromagnetic shielding effect exhibited by the first shield 250, which is connected to the connection pad on the surface of the first substrate without any gaps, is very high, and the first connector 201, whose outer circumference is surrounded by the first shield 250, is electromagnetically shielded very effectively. In particular, because the lower surface of the flange portion 254 is very smooth, the strength of the first shield 250 connected to the connection pad on the surface of the first substrate can be made extremely high, and since there is no gap between it and the connection pad on the surface of the first substrate, the electromagnetic shielding effect can also be made extremely high. Furthermore, the area of ​​the flange portion 254 is set to be wide in order to ensure a secure connection by soldering, and is set to be wider than the area of ​​the engaging recess 251c which serves as a contact point.

[0115] Thus, because the first connector 201 has high strength and high electromagnetic shielding effect, it can transmit high-frequency signals even when miniaturized and low-profile. For example, even if the dimensions of the first connector 201 in the longitudinal, width, and height directions are set to 3.3 mm or less, 2.3 mm or less, and 0.6 mm or less, the first high-frequency terminal 271 can transmit high-frequency signals of about 60 GHz.

[0116] Next, the configuration of the second connector 301 will be described.

[0117] In this embodiment, the second connector 301 has a second shield 350 as a second outer shield, which is a plug shield formed by punching, drawing, or other processing on a conductive metal plate, and a second housing 311 as a mating housing integrally formed from an insulating material such as synthetic resin. The second housing 311 has a flat bottom plate 318, a second protrusion 312 as a convex portion that protrudes upward from the upper surface of the bottom plate 318 at the longitudinal center of the second connector 301, and a pair of protruding ends 322 that protrude upward from the upper surface of the bottom plate 318 at both ends in the longitudinal direction (X-axis direction) of the second connector 301. The second protrusion 312 is narrower than the protruding ends 322 and is located inward in the width direction (Y-axis direction) of the second connector 301 than both ends of the protruding ends 322.

[0118] The second protrusion 312 is a roughly rectangular parallelepiped member extending in the longitudinal direction of the second connector 301. A long, narrow groove-shaped central slit 312b is formed in the center in the width direction, recessing downward from the top surface. The left and right sides of the central slit 312b form terminal support walls that support the second terminals 361 as mating terminals. The second terminals 361 are arranged on the outer surface of the terminal support walls in a number corresponding to the pitch of the first terminals 261. In other words, multiple second terminals 361 are arranged along both sides of the second protrusion 312, forming a pair of parallel terminal groups (matting terminal groups).

[0119] Each protruding end 322 is spaced apart from both longitudinal ends of the second protrusion 312. A second high-frequency terminal support portion 316 is formed on each protruding end 322, serving as a support portion. The second high-frequency terminal support portion 316 has a second high-frequency terminal housing groove that extends in the vertical direction, and its shape when viewed from above is roughly U-shaped. The second high-frequency terminal support portions 316 are arranged such that the openings of their respective second high-frequency terminal housing grooves face in opposite directions, and are arranged so as to be point-symmetric with respect to the center of the second connector 301 when viewed from above, i.e., in a plan view, and spaced apart from the center in the width direction of the second connector 301, and offset outward in the width direction. The second high-frequency terminal 371 is housed in the second high-frequency terminal housing groove. Below and in front of the second high-frequency terminal housing groove, a second high-frequency terminal housing opening is formed, which penetrates the bottom plate 318 in the thickness direction. Furthermore, each protruding end 322 has a first high-frequency terminal housing recess 316c formed in front of the second high-frequency terminal housing groove, which extends from the second high-frequency terminal housing opening to the upper surface and opens to the upper surface as a mating terminal housing recess.

[0120] The second shield 350 is a component integrally formed from a conductive metal plate by punching, drawing, or other processing, and in plan view, is a generally rectangular frame-shaped component that surrounds the second housing 311. In this embodiment, the second shield 350 is a component that functions as a conductive member and includes a pair of long sides 350a extending linearly in the longitudinal direction of the second connector 301, a pair of short sides 350b extending linearly in the width direction of the second connector 301, and four corner portions 350c curved at approximately 90 degrees that connect one end of the long sides 350a and one end of the short sides 350b.

[0121] Furthermore, the second shield 350 includes an outer wall 352, an inner wall 351 as a second inner shield, and an upper wall 353. The outer wall 352 is a continuous wall around its entire circumference. The upper wall 353 is connected to the upper end of the outer wall 352 near each short side portion 350b, the corner portions 350c at both ends of the short side portions 350b, and near both ends of each long side portion 350a, and is formed to cover at least a portion, preferably more than half, of the upper surface of the protruding end portion 322. An opening corresponding to the first high-frequency terminal housing recess 316c is formed in the upper wall 353. Furthermore, the inner wall 351 extends downward, with its upper end connected to the longitudinal inner end of the second connector 301 in the upper wall 353, and is formed to cover at least a portion, preferably almost the entire, of the inner wall surface of the protruding end portion 322.

[0122] The inner wall 351 functions as a contact point and contacts the contact portion 258c of the shield plate 256 of the first connector 201. A curved upper wall connection portion is formed at the upper end of the inner wall 351, which is connected to the upper wall 353. A tail portion 351b, which serves as a substrate connection portion and is curved so that its tip faces inward in the longitudinal direction of the second connector 301, is connected at the lower end of the inner wall 351. The lower surface of the tail portion 351b is parallel to the surface of the second substrate and is connected to a connection pad on the surface by soldering or the like. The connection pad is typically connected to the ground line. The space surrounded by the outer wall 352 and the pair of inner walls 351, which correspond to the pair of long sides 350a, is a second recess 313 into which the first protrusion 213 of the first connector 201 is inserted and accommodated.

[0123] A flange portion 354, which is a flat portion, is connected to the lower end of the outer wall 352 via a curved portion that is bent at approximately 90 degrees. The curved portion and the flange portion 354 are continuously connected to the lower end of the outer wall 352 around its entire circumference.

[0124] The flange portion 354 functions as a substrate connection portion, with its lower surface parallel to the surface of the second substrate, and is connected to a connection pad on the surface by soldering or the like. The connection pad is typically connected to the ground line. Furthermore, the outer wall 352 is a continuous wall around its entire circumference, and its lower end is a continuous member like the flange portion 354, connected to a member extending in a direction perpendicular to the outer wall 352, thus having relatively high rigidity and being resistant to deformation. In this embodiment, an example is shown where the flange portion 354 is continuously connected to the lower end of the outer wall 352 around its entire circumference, but if relatively high rigidity is not required, it may be connected to only a part of it.

[0125] Furthermore, the outer wall 352 corresponding to the long side portion 350a and the short side portion 350b has an outwardly projecting engaging projection 352c. This engaging projection 352c functions as a contact portion and, when the first connector 201 and the second connector 301 are fitted together, engages with and contacts an engaging recess 251c formed in the inner wall 251 of the first shield 250 provided by the first connector 201, and extends linearly in the longitudinal or widthwise direction of the second connector 301. As described above, the engaging projection 352c can be omitted and the outer wall 352 can be made planar.

[0126] The second shield 350 is integrated with the second housing 311 by overmolding or insert molding. Specifically, the second housing 311 is molded by filling the cavity of a mold, which has the second shield 350 pre-set inside, with an insulating material such as synthetic resin, and is integrally connected to the second shield 350 at the protruding end 322.

[0127] The conductive member, the second shield 350, is a member integrally formed by punching, drawing, or other processing on a conductive metal plate, and is a curved member that extends in the mating direction of the second connector 301, so its surface can be said to be an extended surface. The second shield 350 includes an engaging projection 352c as a contact portion and a flange portion 254 as a substrate connection portion connected to the lower end of the outer wall 352 on which the engaging projection 352c is formed. When describing the range from the engaging projection 352c on the outer wall 352 to the lower end of the outer wall 352 as a unified part, it will be described as the main body. Furthermore, the second shield 350 includes an inner wall 351 as a contact portion and a tail portion 351b as a substrate connection portion. When describing the range from the point on the inner wall 351 that contacts the contact portion 258c of the shield plate 256 of the first connector 201 to the lower end of the inner wall 351 as a unified part, it will be described as the main body. In this embodiment, a plating layer 92 including the first, second, and third layers 92a, 92b, and 92c described above is formed on the stretched surface of the conductive member, the second shield 350.

[0128] The second terminal 361 is a component integrally formed by punching, bending, and other processing on a conductive metal plate, and comprises a retained portion, a tail portion which serves as a substrate connection portion connected to one end of the retained portion, a lower connection portion which is connected to the other end of the retained portion and extends in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction), and an upper connection portion which is connected to the upper end of the lower connection portion. The surface of the lower connection portion is a contact portion 365a which functions as a contact portion and contacts the first terminal 261 of the first connector 201.

[0129] The second terminal 361 is then integrated with the second housing 311 by overmolding or insert molding. That is, the second housing 311 is molded by filling an insulating material such as synthetic resin into the cavity of a mold in which the second terminal 361 has been pre-set.

[0130] Furthermore, the tail portion is connected to a connection pad linked to a conductive trace on the second substrate by soldering or the like. The conductive trace may be a power line supplying power, but is typically a signal line. Moreover, this explanation assumes that the signal line does not transmit high-frequency signals, but rather signals of a normal frequency lower than high-frequency signals (for example, a frequency of less than 10 GHz).

[0131] The second high-frequency terminal 371 is a component integrally formed by punching, bending, and other processing on a conductive metal plate, and is an elongated, curved component that extends in the mating direction of the second connector 301, so its surface can be said to be an extended surface. The second high-frequency terminal 371 also comprises a retained portion, a tail portion which serves as a substrate connection portion connected to the lower end of the retained portion, and an upper connection portion which is connected to the upper end of the retained portion. The upper connection portion is curved in a roughly S-shape when viewed from the longitudinal direction of the second connector 301, and the portion that curves so as to bulge toward the center in the width direction of the second connector 301 is a contact portion 375a. The contact portion 375a functions as a contact portion and is the portion that contacts the first high-frequency terminal 271 provided on the first connector 201.

[0132] The second high-frequency terminal 371 is not necessarily attached to the second housing 311 by press-fitting; it may be integrated with the second housing 311 by overmolding or insert molding. However, for the sake of explanation, this description will focus on the case where the retained portion is press-fitted into the second high-frequency terminal housing groove of the second high-frequency terminal support portion 316.

[0133] Furthermore, the tail portion is connected to a connection pad linked to a conductive trace on the second substrate by soldering or the like. The conductive trace is described as a signal line, typically transmitting high-frequency signals of high frequency (e.g., 10 GHz or higher), such as RF signals.

[0134] The second high-frequency terminal 371 is press-fitted into the second high-frequency terminal housing groove of the second high-frequency terminal support portion 316 from the mounting surface 301b side, which is the lower surface (positive Z-axis direction surface) of the second connector 301, and fixed to the second housing 311. In this state, that is, with the second high-frequency terminal 371 loaded into the second housing 311, the contact portions 375a of the pair of second high-frequency terminals 371 face in opposite directions.

[0135] In the example shown in the figure, the second high-frequency terminal 371 is formed to have the same dimensions and shape as the first high-frequency terminal 271. Therefore, the first high-frequency terminal 271 can be used as the second high-frequency terminal 371. The tail portion and contact portion 275a of the first high-frequency terminal 271, or the tail portion and contact portion 375a of the second high-frequency terminal 371, may include exposed surfaces exposed from the first housing 211 or the second housing 311, and each of these exposed surfaces may be formed continuously with respect to each other to form a single exposed surface. Furthermore, each of the tail portion and contact portion is formed on the extended surface of each high-frequency terminal, and a plating layer 92 similar to that of the first embodiment may be formed on the extended surface.

[0136] The second connector 301 is then mounted on the surface of the second substrate by applying a second solder sheet (not shown) as a solder sheet to the mounting surface 301b side of the second connector 301, and by heating and melting the second solder sheet using a heating furnace or the like, it is fixed and mounted on the surface of the second substrate. The means for connecting the second shield 350, second terminal 361, second high-frequency terminal 371, etc. to the connection pads of the second substrate may not necessarily involve applying a solder sheet, but may also involve applying solder paste, transferring solder paste, dipping, or jet soldering. However, for the sake of explanation, the case in which a solder sheet is used will be described here.

[0137] The solder sheet includes a pair of elongated strip-shaped long side portions that extend linearly and continuously in the longitudinal direction of the second connector 301, a pair of elongated strip-shaped short side portions that extend linearly and continuously in the width direction of the second connector 301, and a plurality of rectangular short portions whose long sides extend in the width direction of the second connector 301 and whose short sides extend in the longitudinal direction of the second connector 301. The pair of long side portions are attached to the lower surface of the flange portion 354 corresponding to the long side portion 350a of the second shield 350, the pair of short side portions are attached to the lower surface of the flange portion 354 corresponding to the short side portion 350b of the second shield 350, and the short portions are attached to the lower surface of each tail portion 351b of the inner wall 351.

[0138] When the solder sheet applied in this manner is heated and melted, and the second connector 301 is mounted on the surface of the second substrate, the flange portion 354, which is continuously connected around the entire circumference to the lower end of the outer wall 352 that is continuous around the entire circumference of the second shield 350 as a conductive member, is connected to the connection pad on the surface of the second substrate without any gaps. Therefore, the strength of the second shield 350 connected to the connection pad on the surface of the second substrate becomes high, and consequently, the overall strength of the second connector 301, whose outer circumference is surrounded by the second shield 350, becomes high. Furthermore, the electromagnetic shielding effect exhibited by the second shield 350, which is connected to the connection pad on the surface of the second substrate without any gaps, becomes very high, and the second connector 301, whose outer circumference is surrounded by the second shield 350, is electromagnetically shielded very effectively. In particular, because the lower surface of the flange portion 354 is highly smooth, the strength of the second shield 350 connected to the connection pad on the surface of the second substrate can be made extremely high, and since no gap is created between it and the connection pad on the surface of the second substrate, the electromagnetic shielding effect can also be made extremely high. Furthermore, the area of ​​the flange portion 354 is set to be wide in order to ensure a secure connection by soldering, and is set to be wider than the area of ​​the engaging projection 352c which serves as a contact point.

[0139] Furthermore, each of the protruding ends 322 at both longitudinal ends of the second connector 301 is covered by the outer wall 352 of the second shield 350 on the outer wall surfaces facing outward in the longitudinal direction and on both sides in the width direction of the second connector 301, the upper surface facing the mating surface 301a of the second connector 301 is covered by the upper wall 353 of the second shield 350, and the inner wall surface facing inward in the longitudinal direction of the second connector 301 is covered by the inner wall 351 of the second shield 350, so that the entire perimeter is shielded. As a result, the second high-frequency terminal 371, which is supported by the second high-frequency terminal support portion 316 formed on the protruding end 322, is very effectively electromagnetically shielded.

[0140] Thus, because the second connector 301 has high strength and high electromagnetic shielding effect, it can transmit high-frequency signals even when miniaturized and low-profile. For example, even if the dimensions of the second connector 301 in the longitudinal, width, and height directions are set to 2.9 mm or less, 1.9 mm or less, and 0.6 mm or less, the second high-frequency terminal 371 can transmit high-frequency signals of about 60 GHz.

[0141] Next, the operation of mating the first connector 201 and the second connector 301 of the above configuration will be described.

[0142] When mating the first connector 201 and the second connector 301, the operator positions the mating surface 201a (positive Z-axis direction surface) of the first connector 201 and the mating surface 301a (negative Z-axis direction surface) of the second connector 301 facing each other, as shown in Figure 7. The alignment of the first connector 201 and the second connector 301 is completed when the position of the first protrusion 213 of the first connector 201 coincides with the position of the second recess 313 of the second connector 301, and the position of the protruding end 322 of the second connector 301 coincides with the position of the corresponding mating recess 212b of the first connector 1.

[0143] In this state, when the first connector 201 and / or the second connector 301 are moved toward the mating side, i.e., in the mating direction, the second shield 350 of the second connector 301 is inserted into the housing portion 250d of the first shield 250 of the first connector 201, the first protrusion 213 of the first connector 201 is inserted into the second recess 313 of the second connector 301, and the protruding end 322 of the second connector 301 is inserted into the mating recess 212b of the first connector 201. As a result, the mating of the first connector 201 and the second connector 301 is completed, and the first terminal 261 and the second terminal 361 become electrically connected, and the first high-frequency terminal 271 and the second high-frequency terminal 371 become electrically connected.

[0144] Specifically, the second protrusion 312 of the second housing 311 is inserted into the inner groove 212a of the first housing 211, and as shown in Figure 10(b), the contact portion 265a of the first terminal 261, which protrudes into the inner groove 212a from the inner surface of the first protrusion 213, contacts the contact portion 365a of the second terminal 361, which is exposed on the outer surface of the second protrusion 312. As a result, the conductive trace connected to the connection pad on the first substrate to which the tail portion of the first terminal 261 is connected, and the conductive trace connected to the connection pad on the second substrate to which the tail portion of the second terminal 361 is connected, become electrically connected.

[0145] Furthermore, the first high-frequency terminal support portion 216 located within the mating recess 212b is inserted into the first high-frequency terminal housing recess 316c of the protruding end portion 322, and as shown in Figure 10(c), the contact portion 275a of the first high-frequency terminal 271 and the contact portion 375a of the second high-frequency terminal 371 come into contact. As a result, the conductive trace connected to the connection pad on the first substrate to which the tail portion of the first high-frequency terminal 271 is connected, and the conductive trace connected to the connection pad on the second substrate to which the tail portion of the second high-frequency terminal 371 is connected, become electrically connected.

[0146] Furthermore, when the second shield 350 of the second connector 301 is inserted into the housing portion 250d of the first shield 250 of the first connector 201, as shown in Figures 10(a) and (b), the engaging projection 352c formed on the outer wall 352 of the second shield 350 and the engaging recess 251c formed on the inner wall 251 of the first shield 250 engage and come into contact. The straight portion 251a of the inner wall 251 in which the engaging recess 251c is formed is separated from the rest of the wall by the slit portions 253a at both ends and is relatively flexible, so the engagement state with the engaging projection 352c of the outer wall 352 of the second shield 350 can be reliably maintained. As a result, the first shield 250 and the second shield 350 are locked together, preventing the mating state between the first connector 201 and the second connector 301 from being released. Furthermore, since the contact state between the first shield 250 and the second shield 350 is maintained and equipotential is maintained, the electromagnetic shielding performance is improved.

[0147] Furthermore, when the protruding end 322 is inserted into the fitting recess 212b, the contact portion 258c of the central portion 258 of the shield plate 256 protrudes into the fitting recess 212b and, as shown in Figure 10(a), contacts the inner wall 351 of the second shield 350 that covers the inner wall surface of the protruding end 322. In this way, the contact portion 258c of the shield plate 256 and the inner wall 351 of the second shield 350 maintain contact, thus maintaining a stable equipotential state and exhibiting a high shielding effect.

[0148] In this way, the first high-frequency terminal 271 and the second high-frequency terminal 371, which are in contact with each other, are continuously surrounded all around by the inner wall 251, outer wall 252 and shielding plate 256 of the first shield 250, and the inner wall 351 and outer wall 352 of the second shield 350. Moreover, they are double-surrounded, so they are shielded very effectively. Therefore, the impedance of the signal transmission line from the tail of the first high-frequency terminal 271 to the tail of the second high-frequency terminal 371 is stabilized, and good SI characteristics can be obtained.

[0149] Furthermore, the first shield 250 and the second shield 350 do not necessarily have to continuously surround the first connector 201 and the second connector 301 without any breaks. It is sufficient if they include some breaks but generally continuously surround the first connector 201 and the second connector 301, substantially continuously surround them, or surround them to an extent that can be considered continuous.

[0150] Furthermore, the stretched surfaces of the conductive members in this embodiment, namely the first shield 250, the shield plate 256, and the second shield 350, are formed with a plating layer 92 similar to that in the first embodiment. The configuration of the plating layer 92 formed on the stretched surfaces of the first shield 250, the shield plate 256, and the second shield 350 is the same as in the first embodiment, so its description will be omitted.

[0151] Thus, in this embodiment, the lower end and contact portion 258c of the shield plate 256 of the first connector 201 are located on the same straight line extending in the mating direction, and the engaging projection 352c and flange portion 354, as well as the inner wall 351 and tail portion 351b of the second connector 301 are located on the same straight line extending in the mating direction. Furthermore, the first shield 250 is at least one shielding member surrounding the first connector 201, and the second shield 350 is a shielding member surrounding the second connector 301.

[0152] The configuration and operation of the first connector 201 and the second connector 301 in this embodiment are the same as in the first embodiment, so their description will be omitted.

[0153] Furthermore, the disclosure herein describes features relating to preferred and exemplary embodiments. Various other embodiments, modifications, and variations within the scope and spirit of the claims herein would be readily apparent to those skilled in the art by reviewing the disclosure herein. [Industrial applicability]

[0154] This disclosure can be applied to connectors and connector pairs. [Explanation of symbols]

[0155] 1, 201 First connector 11,211 1st Housing 11a, 111a, 201a, 301a mating surface 11b, 111b, 201b, 301b Implementation side 18, 218, 318 bottom plate 51. First reinforcing bracket 57c, 62, 157c, 162, 351b Tail section 61, 261 1st terminal 63, 166 Holding part 64 Lower connection part 65 Inner connection part 65a 1st contact part 66 Second contact part 67 Upper connection part 67a, 164a Slope section 67b, 164b protrusion 91, 862 Metal base material 92 Plating layer 92a 1st layer 92b 2nd layer 92c 3rd layer 101, 301 Second connector 111, 311 Second Housing 112, 312 Second protrusion 113 Concave groove part 122 Second protruding end 151 Second reinforcing bracket 153 Lateral cover 153a, 157b Connection cover section 153b Side cover section 157 Central cover part 157a Projecting end upper cover part 161, 361 2nd terminal 164 Connection part 165, 258c, 265a, 275a, 365a, 375a contact part 212 First recess 212a Inner groove 212b Fitting recess 212c Outer groove 213 First protrusion 213a Outer recess 215 First terminal housing cavity 216 1st high frequency terminal support part 250 Shield 1 250a, 350a Long side 250b, 350b Short side 250c, 350c corner section 250d Storage section 251, 351 inner wall 251a Straight section 251b Curved section 251c Engagement recess 251d Curved end 252, 352 Exterior walls 253 Connecting part 253a Slit section 254, 354 Flange section 256 Shielding plate 258 Central part 271 1st high frequency terminal 312b Central slit 313 Second recess 316 2nd high frequency terminal support part 316c First high-frequency terminal housing recess 322 Protruding end 350 2nd Shield 352c Engagement protrusion 353 Upper wall 371 2nd high frequency terminal 861 terminal 861a Contact part 861b PCB connection section 861c Main Unit 863a Nickel plating layer 863b Palladium plating layer 863c gold plating layer

Claims

1. (a) A connector comprising a housing and a conductive member, (b) The conductive member includes a main body, a substrate connection portion located at one end of the main body, and a contact portion located at the other end of the main body. (c) The main body, the board connection portion and the contact portion each include an exposed surface exposed from the housing, (d) The main body, the substrate connection part, and the contact part each include a metal substrate and a first to third layer formed on the metal substrate. (e) A connector characterized in that the first layer is a nickel or nickel alloy plating layer, the second layer is a plating layer that prevents interdiffusion between the metal of the first layer and the metal of the third layer, and is a palladium nickel alloy (PdNi) plating layer containing 50% or more palladium, the third layer is a gold or gold alloy plating layer, the thickness of the second layer is 2 to 200 nm, and the thickness of the third layer is 0.5 to 8 nm.

2. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the first to third layers are formed on the stretched surface of the conductive member.

3. The connector according to claim 1, wherein each of the exposed surfaces is formed continuously with respect to one other to form a single exposed surface.

4. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the main body, the board connection portion, and the contact portion are located on the same cross-sectional plane extending in the mating direction.

5. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the substrate connection portion and the contact portion are located on the same straight line extending in the mating direction.

6. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the conductive member is a plate-shaped member, and the substrate connection portion and contact portion are formed on the extended surface of the plate-shaped member.

7. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the area of ​​the substrate connection portion is wider than the area of ​​the contact portion.

8. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the conductive member is a shielding member surrounding the connector.

9. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the conductive member is a power terminal or a signal terminal.

10. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the conductive member is a reinforcing fitting.

11. A pair of connectors comprising a connector according to any one of claims 1 to 10 and a mating connector that mates with the connector.

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