Connector and electronic device

Abstract

A connector 10 according to the present disclosure includes a plurality of contacts 50 attached to a first insulator 20 and a second insulator 30, wherein the contacts 50 each include a mounting portion 52, a holding portion 51 attached to the first insulator 20, a bent portion 53 that extends toward the second insulator 30 while bending from the holding portion 51, a first extension portion 54 that extends from the distal end of the curve of the bent portion 53 toward the second insulator 30, a folded portion 56 that is folded back toward a removal side, and a second extension portion 57 that extends from the folded portion 56 toward the removal side, the folded portion 56 is folded back to be bent so that a first end portion on the fitting side is positioned closer to the fitting side than the first extension portion 54, and the first end portion is narrower than the first extension portion 54 and the second extension portion 57.

Description

Connectors and electronic devices CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2022-081182, filed on May 17, 2022, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The present disclosure relates to a connector and an electronic device.

[0003] A connector with a floating structure has been known as a technology for improving connection reliability with connection objects. Such connectors absorb misalignment between the connector and the connection object by, for example, moving a movable insulator, which is a part of the connector, during and after mating. Patent Document 1 discloses a connector that can ensure smooth movement of such a movable insulator.

[0004] Patent No. 5946804

[0005] A connector according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a first insulator having a frame shape; a second insulator disposed inside the first insulator, movable relative to the first insulator, and adapted to mate with a connection object; and a plurality of contacts attached to the first insulator and the second insulator. Each of the contacts has a mounting portion, a holding portion extending from the mounting portion along the first insulator and attached to the first insulator, a bent portion extending from the holding portion toward the second insulator while bending, a first extending portion extending from an end of the bend in the bent portion toward the second insulator, a folded portion folded back toward a removal side opposite to a mating side when the connection object is mated with the second insulator, and a second extending portion extending from the folded portion toward the removal side. The folded portion is folded back so that a first end portion on the mating side of the folded portion is bent with the first end portion positioned closer to the mating side than the first extending portion, and the first end portion is narrower than the first extending portion and the second extending portion.

[0006] An electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes the connector described above.

[0007] 10 is an external perspective view showing, as seen from above, a connector according to an embodiment in a state where a connection object is connected. FIG. 10 is an external perspective view showing, as seen from above, a connector according to an embodiment in a state where the connection object is separated. FIG. 10 is an external perspective view showing, as seen from above, the connector alone of FIG. 1. FIG. 10 is an exploded top perspective view of the connector of FIG. 3. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along the V-V arrow line of FIG. 3. FIG. 10 is an enlarged view of the area VI enclosed by the dashed line of FIG. 5. FIG. 10 is an enlarged top perspective view showing a portion of the contact of FIG. 4. FIG. 10 is an external perspective view showing, as seen from above, a connection object to be connected to the connector of FIG. 3. FIG. 10 is an exploded top perspective view of the connection object of FIG. 8. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along the X-X arrow line of FIG. 1. FIG. 10 is a schematic view showing a first example of how a contact elastically deforms. FIG. 10 is a schematic view showing a second example of how a contact elastically deforms. FIG. 10 is an enlarged side view of a portion of the contact of FIG. 4. FIG. 10 is an enlarged side view of a portion of a contact according to a modified example. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 5, showing a cross section of a connector according to a modified example.

[0008] In connectors with a floating structure, the contacts attached to the movable insulator undergo elastic deformation as the movable insulator moves. When the contacts undergo elastic deformation, the resulting restoring force exerts stress on the contact mounting area on the circuit board. If the stress load on the mounting area is large, the mounting area becomes more susceptible to damage. For example, cracks may develop in the solder at the connection area between the mounting area and the circuit board.

[0009] These problems related to the load on the mounting part become more pronounced as connectors become smaller. In recent years, as various electronic devices have become smaller, there has been a demand for smaller dimensions and lower heights for connectors that connect to connection targets. When attempting to reduce the connector's area, the distance between the elastically deforming part of the contact and the mounting part becomes shorter, making it easier for a greater load to be applied to the mounting part.

[0010] According to the connector and electronic device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the load applied to the mounting portion of the contact can be reduced even when the connector and electronic device are miniaturized.

[0011] An embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, the front-to-back, left-to-right, and up-down directions refer to the directions of the arrows in the drawings. The directions of the arrows in Figures 1 to 7 and 10 to 13 are consistent with each other in different drawings. The directions of the arrows in Figures 8 and 9 are consistent with each other. In some drawings, circuit boards CB1 and CB2, which will be described later, are omitted for the sake of simplicity.

[0012] Fig. 1 is an external perspective view showing, from above, a connector 10 according to one embodiment in a state where a connection object 60 is connected. Fig. 2 is an external perspective view showing, from above, the connector 10 according to one embodiment in a state where the connector 10 is separated from the connection object 60. For example, as shown in Fig. 2, the connector 10 has a first insulator 20 as a fixed insulator, a second insulator 30 as a movable insulator, a metal fitting 40, and contacts 50. The connection object 60 has an insulator 70, a metal fitting 80, and contacts 90.

[0013] In the following, for example, the connector 10 according to one embodiment will be described as a receptacle connector. The connection object 60 will be described as a plug connector. A connector 10 in which the portions of the contacts 50 that come into contact with the contacts 90 elastically deform in a mated state in which the second insulator 30 of the connector 10 and the connection object 60 are mated with each other will be described as a receptacle connector. On the other hand, a connection object 60 in which the portions of the contacts 90 that come into contact with the contacts 50 do not elastically deform in a mated state will be described as a plug connector. The types of the connector 10 and the connection object 60 are not limited to these. For example, the connector 10 may function as a plug connector. The connection object 60 may function as a receptacle connector.

[0014] In the following description, the connector 10 and the connection object 60 are mounted on circuit boards CB1 and CB2, respectively. The connector 10 electrically connects the circuit board CB1 to the circuit board CB2 on which the connection object 60 is mounted, via the connection object 60 mated with the second insulator 30 of the connector 10. The circuit boards CB1 and CB2 may be rigid boards or any other circuit boards. For example, at least one of the circuit boards CB1 and CB2 may be a flexible printed circuit board (FPC).

[0015] In the following description, the connector 10 and the connection object 60 are connected to each other in a direction perpendicular to the circuit boards CB1 and CB2. As an example, the connector 10 and the connection object 60 are connected to each other in the up-down direction. The mating direction when the second insulator 30 and the connection object 60 are mated to each other is perpendicular to the circuit board CB1.

[0016] The connection method is not limited to this. The connector 10 and the connection object 60 may be connected to each other in a direction parallel to the circuit boards CB1 and CB2. The connector 10 and the connection object 60 may be connected to each other so that one is perpendicular to the circuit board on which they are mounted and the other is parallel to the circuit board on which they are mounted.

[0017] In the following description, the "mating direction" refers to, for example, the up-down direction. The "short side direction of the connector 10" refers to, for example, the front-rear direction. The "longitudinal direction of the connector 10" refers to, for example, the left-right direction. The "arrangement direction of the multiple contacts 50" refers to, for example, the left-right direction. The "mating side" refers to, for example, the bottom side. The "removal side" refers to, for example, the top side.

[0018] The "mated state" refers to a state in which the second insulator 30 of the connector 10 and the connection object 60 are mated with each other, and the contacts 50 are elastically deformed due to contact with the contacts 90. The "non-mated state" refers to a state in which the second insulator 30 of the connector 10 and the connection object 60 are not mated with each other, and the contacts 50 are not elastically deformed by an external force.

[0019] The connector 10 according to one embodiment has a floating structure. The connector 10 allows the connected connection object 60 to move relative to the circuit board CB1 in six directions, including up, down, front, back, left, and right. The connection object 60 can move within a predetermined range in the six directions, including up, down, front, back, left, and right, relative to the circuit board CB1, even when connected to the connector 10. For example, the connection object 60 can move within a predetermined range in the six directions, including up, down, front, back, left, and right, as well as in diagonal directions between the six directions.

[0020] Fig. 3 is an external perspective view showing the connector 10 alone in Fig. 1 as viewed from above. Fig. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the connector 10 in Fig. 3 as viewed from above. Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the VV arrow in Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is an enlarged view of the area VI enclosed by the dashed line in Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the contact 50 in Fig. 4 as viewed from above.

[0021] 4 , the connector 10 is assembled, for example, by the following method: The metal fittings 40 are press-fitted into the first insulator 20 from below; The second insulator 30 is placed from below inside the first insulator 20 to which the metal fittings 40 are attached; With the second insulator 30 placed inside the first insulator 20, the contacts 50 are press-fitted into the first insulator 20 and the second insulator 30 from below.

[0022] The following mainly describes the configuration of each component of the connector 10 in the non-mated state. First, the configuration of the first insulator 20 will be mainly described with reference to FIG.

[0023] As shown in FIG. 4 , the first insulator 20 is a member extending in the left-right direction and injection-molded from an insulating and heat-resistant synthetic resin material. The first insulator 20 is formed in a frame shape. The first insulator 20 is hollow and has openings 21 a and 21 b on its top and bottom surfaces, respectively. The first insulator 20 has four side surfaces and an outer peripheral wall 22 that surrounds an internal space. More specifically, the outer peripheral wall 22 is formed by a pair of short walls 22 a on both the left and right sides and a pair of long walls 22 b on both the front and rear sides. The pair of short walls 22 a and the pair of long walls 22 b are perpendicular to each other and constitute the outer peripheral wall 22.

[0024] The first insulator 20 has a first restricting portion 23a that extends up and down while having a predetermined width in the front-to-rear direction at the center of the upper edge of the short wall 22a on the inner surface of the short wall 22a. The first restricting portion 23a is formed on the inner surface of the short wall 22a so as to protrude inward in the left-to-right direction from the inner surface of the short wall 22a. The first insulator 20 has second restricting portions 23b that extend up and down while having a predetermined width in the left-to-right direction at both left and right ends of the upper edge of the long wall 22b on the inner surface of the long wall 22b. The second restricting portion 23b is formed on the inner surface of the long wall 22b so as to protrude inward in the front-to-rear direction from the inner surface of the long wall 22b.

[0025] The first insulator 20 has a metal fitting groove 24 recessed inside the first insulator 20 at the lower part of the short wall 22a. A metal fitting 40 is attached to the metal fitting groove 24.

[0026] The first insulator 20 has a plurality of contact mounting grooves 25 extending in the up-down direction at the lower end of the inner surface of the longitudinal wall 22 b. A plurality of contacts 50 are mounted in each of the plurality of contact mounting grooves 25. The plurality of contact mounting grooves 25 are recessed and lined up at predetermined intervals from each other in the left-right direction.

[0027] The configuration of the second insulator 30 will be described mainly with reference to Fig. 4. The second insulator 30 is disposed in the internal space surrounded by the outer peripheral wall 22 of the first insulator 20 through the opening 21b, and is movable relative to the first insulator 20. The second insulator 30 is fitted into the connection object 60.

[0028] The second insulator 30 is a component extending in the left-right direction and injection-molded from an insulating and heat-resistant synthetic resin material. The second insulator 30 is formed in an inverted T shape when viewed from the front. The second insulator 30 has a base 31 extending in the left-right direction at its lower portion. The second insulator 30 has a wall 31a formed in the base 31 with a narrow width in the front-rear direction. The wall 31a is formed over the entire base 31 in the up-down direction. The wall 31a is formed over almost the entire left-right direction of the base 31 except for the left and right ends. As shown in FIG. 5 , the lower end of the wall 31a tapers in the up-down direction toward the mating side.

[0029] 4, the second insulator 30 has a mating protrusion 32 that protrudes upward from the base 31 and is fitted with the connection object 60. The mating protrusion 32 is formed slightly wider in the left-right direction than the base 31 so as to protrude from both sides of the base 31 in the left-right direction.

[0030] The second insulator 30 has a mating recess 33 recessed into the upper surface of the mating protrusion 32. The second insulator 30 has a guide portion 34 formed along the upper edge of the mating protrusion 32 so as to surround the mating recess 33. The guide portion 34 is configured by an inclined surface that slopes obliquely outward from above to below at the upper edge of the mating protrusion 32.

[0031] The second insulator 30 has a plurality of contact mounting grooves 35 extending substantially over the entire length in the vertical direction inside the mating protrusion 32. A plurality of contacts 50 are mounted in each of the plurality of contact mounting grooves 35. The plurality of contact mounting grooves 35 are recessed and lined up at predetermined intervals from each other in the left-right direction.

[0032] 5, the contact mounting groove 35 is formed to penetrate the interior of the mating convex portion 32 from the bottom to the top of the mating convex portion 32. The lower end of the contact mounting groove 35 is exposed from the bottom of the mating convex portion 32 and is continuous with the wall portion 31a. The portion of the contact mounting groove 35 formed from the bottom to the top is formed by recessing both inner surfaces of the mating recess 33 in the front-to-rear direction.

[0033] As shown in FIG. 4 , the second insulator 30 has anti-detachment projections 36 protruding outward in the left-right direction on both left and right sides of the lower end of the base 31. The second insulator 30 has a first restricted portion 37a formed by an outer surface in the left-right direction. The first restricted portion 37a includes the outer surface in the left-right direction of the base 31 and the outer surface in the left-right direction of the lower end of the fitting protrusion 32, which is narrowed inward by one step in the front-rear and left-right directions. The second insulator 30 has a second restricted portion 37b formed by an outer surface in the front-rear direction. The second restricted portion 37b includes the outer surface of the portion of the upper end of the base 31 that is raised outward in the front-rear and left-right directions at both left-right ends, and the outer surface in the front-rear direction of the lower end of the fitting protrusion 32, which is narrowed inward by one step in the front-rear and left-right directions.

[0034] The configuration of the metal fitting 40 will be described mainly with reference to FIG.

[0035] The metal fitting 40 is formed by stamping a thin plate of any metal material into the shape shown in Fig. 4. The method for forming the metal fitting 40 includes a step of punching the plate and then bending it in the plate thickness direction. When viewed from the front from the left and right direction, the metal fitting 40 is formed in a substantially inverted U-shape.

[0036] The metal fitting 40 has mounting portions 41 that extend outward in an L-shape at the lower end on both the front and rear sides. The metal fitting 40 has locking portions 42 that extend upward from the upper end of the mounting portions 41. The metal fitting 40 has a base portion 43 that extends in the front-to-rear direction to connect the locking portions 42 on both the front and rear sides. The metal fitting 40 has a restricting portion 44 that protrudes outward in the left-to-right direction at the center of the base portion 43 in the front-to-rear direction and is wider in the left-to-right direction.

[0037] The configuration of the contact 50 will be described mainly with reference to FIGS.

[0038] The contact 50 is formed by stamping a thin plate of a spring-elastic copper alloy or a Corson copper alloy, for example, containing phosphor bronze, beryllium copper, or titanium copper, into the shape shown in FIGS. 4 to 7 . The contact 50 is formed by punching and then bending the plate in the thickness direction. The processing method for the contact 50 is not limited to this, and may include only the punching process. The contact 50 is formed from, for example, a metal material with a low elastic modulus so that the shape change due to elastic deformation is large. The surface of the contact 50 is plated with gold, tin, or the like after forming a nickel base.

[0039] As shown in Fig. 4, a plurality of contacts 50 are arranged along the longitudinal direction of the connector 10. As shown in Fig. 5, the contacts 50 are attached to the first insulator 20 and the second insulator 30. A pair of contacts 50 arranged at the same left-right position are formed and arranged symmetrically with respect to each other along the front-rear direction. The pair of contacts 50 are formed and arranged so as to be symmetrical with respect to the vertical axis passing through the center between them.

[0040] The contact 50 has a first holding portion 51 that extends in the up-down direction and is supported by the first insulator 20. The contact 50 has a mounting portion 52 that extends outward in an L-shape from the lower end of the first holding portion 51. The first holding portion 51 extends from the mounting portion 52 along the first insulator 20 and is disposed along the first insulator 20. The contact 50 has a bent portion 53 that bends from the upper end of the first holding portion 51 and extends toward the second insulator 30.

[0041] The contact 50 has a first extending portion 54 extending from the end of the bend in the bent portion 53 toward the second insulator 30. The first extending portion 54 extends horizontally toward the second insulator 30 from the end of the bent portion 53 on the second insulator 30 side. The tip of the first extending portion 54 on the second insulator 30 side bends toward the mating side when the connection object 60 is mated with the second insulator 30.

[0042] The contact 50 has a connecting portion 55 that slopes linearly from the tip of the first extending portion 54 on the second insulator 30 side toward the mating side. The contact 50 has a folded portion 56 that is folded back from the lower end of the connecting portion 55 toward the removal side located opposite the mating side. The folded portion 56 is connected to the first extending portion 54 by the connecting portion 55.

[0043] The contact 50 has a second extending portion 57 extending from the folded portion 56 toward the removal side. The second extending portion 57 is formed linearly so as to be parallel to the up-down direction. The contact 50 has a second retaining portion 58 that bends inward in the front-to-rear direction from the upper end of the second extending portion 57 and extends linearly upward. The second retaining portion 58 has a bent portion 58a that bends smoothly in a crank shape from the upper end of the second extending portion 57. The second retaining portion 58 includes a portion that widens in the left-to-right direction directly above the bent portion 58a, and is supported by the second insulator 30.

[0044] The contact 50 has a resilient contact piece 59 that extends upward from the upper end of the second holding portion 58 so as to be slightly tilted inward in the front-to-rear direction. The resilient contact piece 59 bends diagonally downward inward in the front-to-rear direction at the upper end and bends diagonally downward outward in the front-to-rear direction at the inner end in the front-to-rear direction. The resilient contact piece 59 has a contact portion 59a located at the inner end in the front-to-rear direction.

[0045] 6, the first holding portion 51 of the contact 50 is engaged with the contact mounting groove 25 formed in the longitudinal wall 22b of the first insulator 20. The first holding portion 51 is attached to the first insulator 20. As shown in FIG. 5, the second holding portion 58 of the contact 50 is engaged with the contact mounting groove 35 formed in the fitting protrusion 32 of the second insulator 30.

[0046] When the plurality of contacts 50 are attached to the first insulator 20 and the second insulator 30, the contact portion 59a of each contact 50 is positioned inside the fitting recess 33 of the second insulator 30. The resilient contact piece 59 of each contact 50 is arranged so as to be resiliently deformable along the front-to-rear direction inside the contact attachment groove 35 of the second insulator 30. Each contact 50 supports the second insulator 30 in the internal space surrounded by the outer peripheral wall 22 of the first insulator 20, with the second insulator 30 spaced apart from and floating above the first insulator 20.

[0047] When the second insulator 30 is held relative to the first insulator 20 by the contacts 50, the second insulator 30 is disposed at a distance from the first insulator 20 in the internal space surrounded by the outer peripheral wall 22 of the first insulator 20. More specifically, the base 31 of the second insulator 30 is disposed in the internal space of the first insulator 20 surrounded by the pair of long walls 22 b and the pair of short walls 22 a. The base 31 of the second insulator 30 is surrounded by the outer peripheral wall 22 of the first insulator 20.

[0048] The fitting protrusion 32 of the second insulator 30 protrudes upward from the opening 21 a of the first insulator 20 and is located outside the internal space of the first insulator 20. The fitting protrusion 32 of the second insulator 30 is disposed above the outer peripheral wall 22 of the first insulator 20 in a state in which it can be fitted with the connection object 60.

[0049] At this time, the second restricted portion 37b of the second insulator 30 faces the second restricting portion 23b formed on the long wall 22b of the first insulator 20 from the inside in the front-rear direction. As also shown in Figure 3, the first restricted portion 37a of the second insulator 30 faces the first restricting portion 23a formed on the short wall 22a of the first insulator 20 from the inside in the left-right direction. The removal prevention protrusion 36 of the second insulator 30 faces the restricting portion 44 of the metal fitting 40 from below.

[0050] The locking portions 42 of the metal fittings 40 are locked into the metal fitting mounting grooves 24 of the first insulator 20. The metal fittings 40 are press-fitted into the metal fitting mounting grooves 24 of the first insulator 20 and are disposed at both left and right ends of the first insulator 20.

[0051] When the metal fitting 40 is attached to the first insulator 20, the base 43 of the metal fitting 40 is located at the left-right end of the internal space of the first insulator 20. When the second insulator 30 is held to the first insulator 20 by the contact 50, the upper surface of the retaining projection 36 of the second insulator 30 faces the lower surface of the restricting portion 44 of the base 43 in the up-down direction.

[0052] As shown in FIG. 6 , the bent portion 53 is bent from the upper end of the first holding portion 51 at an angle of 90°. The bent portion 53 is formed in a shape like a sectorial arc having a central angle of 90°. The tip of the first extending portion 54 on the side of the second insulator 30 is bent at an obtuse angle greater than 90°. This tip is formed in a shape like a sectorial arc having an acute central angle less than 90°. The folded portion 56 is bent from the lower end of the linearly inclined connecting portion 55 at an acute angle less than 90° and bent in an arc shape so that its end faces upward. The folded portion 56 is formed in a shape like a sectorial arc having an obtuse central angle greater than 90°.

[0053] In the contact 50, the mounting portion 52, the first holding portion 51, the bent portion 53, and a portion of the first extending portion 54 are arranged along the first insulator 20. In the portion where these components are located, the first insulator 20 is formed between one contact 50 and another contact 50 adjacent to the one contact 50 in the left-right direction.

[0054] In the contact 50, the tip of the first extending portion 54 on the second insulator 30 side, the connecting portion 55, the folded portion 56, and the second extending portion 57 are located between the first insulator 20 and the second insulator 30. In the portion where these components are located, the first insulator 20 is not formed between one contact 50 and another contact 50 adjacent to the one contact 50 in the left-right direction.

[0055] The folded portion 56 is folded back so that a first end of the folded portion 56 on the mating side is positioned closer to the mating side than the first extending portion 54. A first distance L1 in the mating direction from a second end of the first extending portion 54 on the removal side to the first end of the folded portion 56 on the mating side is less than half a second distance L2 in the mating direction from the underside of the circuit board CB1, i.e., the mounting portion 52, to the second end. For example, the first distance L1 may be approximately 0.35 times the second distance L2.

[0056] As shown in Figure 7, the width direction of the contact 50 is parallel to the arrangement direction of the multiple contacts 50. The thickness direction of the contact 50 is any direction perpendicular to the left-right direction and is included in a plane extending from top to bottom to front to back. The thickness of the contact 50 is approximately uniform at any point on the contact 50. On the other hand, the width of the contact 50 in the left-right direction varies at various points on the contact 50.

[0057] The first retaining portion 51 of the contact 50 is formed to be wide in the left-right direction so that it can be engaged with the contact mounting groove 25 of the first insulator 20. The bent portion 53 is formed to be narrower in the left-right direction than the first retaining portion 51. The first extending portion 54 is formed to be wider in the left-right direction than the bent portion 53. The connecting portion 55 is formed to be continuous with the first extending portion 54 and has the same width as the first extending portion 54, and is formed to be wider in the left-right direction than the bent portion 53.

[0058] The folded portion 56 is formed to be narrower in the left-right direction than the first extending portion 54 and the connecting portion 55. The second extending portion 57 is formed to be wider in the left-right direction than the folded portion 56, and is formed continuous with the folded portion 56 upward. As an example, the second extending portion 57 is formed to have approximately the same width as the first extending portion 54 and the connecting portion 55. The folded portion 56 is formed to be narrower in the left-right direction than the first extending portion 54 and the connecting portion 55, as well as the second extending portion 57.

[0059] Of the components of the contact 50 located between the first insulator 20 and the second insulator 30, the folded portion 56 has the narrowest width in the left-right direction. In the portion of the contact 50 located between the first insulator 20 and the second insulator 30, only the bent portion of the folded portion 56 that connects the first extending portion 54 and the connecting portion 55 to the second extending portion 57 is formed to be narrow in the left-right direction. The first extending portion 54, the connecting portion 55, and the second extending portion 57 that are adjacent to this bent portion are formed to be wider in the left-right direction than the folded portion 56.

[0060] The contact 50 is narrow at the bent portion 53, wide at the first extending portion 54 and the connecting portion 55 adjacent to the bent portion 53, and narrow at the folded portion 56 adjacent to the first extending portion 54 and the connecting portion 55. In addition, as shown in Fig. 4, the contact 50 is narrow at the folded portion 56, wide at the second extending portion 57 adjacent to the folded portion 56, and narrow at the folded portion 58a of the second retaining portion 58 adjacent to the second extending portion 57. In this way, the contact 50 has two consecutive sets of portions that alternate between narrow, wide, and narrow.

[0061] The connector 10 having the above structure is mounted on, for example, a circuit formation surface formed on the mounting surface of a circuit board CB1. More specifically, the mounting portion 41 of the metal fitting 40 is placed on solder paste applied to a pattern on the circuit board CB1. The mounting portion 52 of the contact 50 is placed on the solder paste applied to a pattern on the circuit board CB1. By heating and melting the solder paste in a reflow oven or the like, the mounting portions 41 and 52 are soldered to the pattern. As a result, mounting of the connector 10 on the circuit board CB1 is completed. Electronic components other than the connector 10, including, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a controller, and memory, are mounted on the circuit formation surface of the circuit board CB1.

[0062] The structure of the connection object 60 will be described mainly with reference to FIGS.

[0063] Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing the external appearance of a connection object 60, as seen from above, which is connected to the connector 10 of Fig. 3. Fig. 9 is an exploded perspective view of the connection object 60 of Fig. 8, as seen from above.

[0064] 9 , the connection object 60 has, as its major components, an insulator 70, a metal fitting 80, and a contact 90. The connection object 60 is assembled by press-fitting the metal fitting 80 into the insulator 70 from above and press-fitting the contact 90 into the insulator 70 from below.

[0065] The insulator 70 is a rectangular pillar-shaped component injection-molded from an insulating and heat-resistant synthetic resin material. The insulator 70 has a mating recess 71 formed on its upper surface. The insulator 70 has a mating protrusion 72 formed inside the mating recess 71. The insulator 70 has a guide portion 73 formed along the upper edge of the mating recess 71 so as to surround the mating recess 71. The guide portion 73 is formed by an inclined surface that slopes diagonally inward from above to below at the upper edge of the mating recess 71.

[0066] The insulator 70 has metal fitting mounting grooves 74 recessed in the up-down direction at both left and right ends of its lower portion. Metal fittings 80 are attached to the metal fitting mounting grooves 74. The insulator 70 has a plurality of contact mounting grooves 75 formed on both the front and rear inner surfaces of its lower portion and on the front and rear surfaces of the mating protrusion 72. A plurality of contacts 90 are attached to the plurality of contact mounting grooves 75, respectively. The plurality of contact mounting grooves 75 are formed at predetermined intervals from one another in the left-right direction.

[0067] The metal fitting 80 is formed by stamping a thin plate of any metal material into the shape shown in Fig. 9. The metal fitting 80 is disposed on each of the left and right ends of the insulator 70. The metal fitting 80 has a mounting portion 81 at its lower end that extends outward in an L-shape in the left-right direction. The metal fitting 80 has a locking portion 82 that is formed continuously above the mounting portion 81 and that locks onto the insulator 70.

[0068] The contact 90 is formed by stamping a thin plate of a spring-elastic copper alloy containing, for example, phosphor bronze, beryllium copper, or titanium copper, or a Corson copper alloy, into the shape shown in Fig. 9 using a progressive die. The contact 90 is formed by punching and then bending the plate in the thickness direction. The processing method for the contact 90 is not limited to this, and may include only the punching step. The surface of the contact 90 is plated with gold, tin, or the like after forming a base with nickel plating.

[0069] A plurality of contacts 90 are arranged in the left-right direction. Each contact 90 has an L-shaped mounting portion 91 that extends outward in the front-rear direction. Each contact 90 has a first locking portion 92 that is formed continuous with the mounting portion 91. Each contact 90 has a connecting portion 93 that extends upward in a crank shape from the first locking portion 92. Each contact 90 has a second locking portion 94 that extends linearly upward from the upper end of the connecting portion 93. Each contact 90 has a contact portion 95 that extends linearly upward from the upper end of the second locking portion 94.

[0070] 8 , the metal fittings 80 are attached to the metal fitting mounting grooves 74 of the insulator 70. For example, the locking portions 82 of the metal fittings 80 are locked into the metal fitting mounting grooves 74 of the insulator 70. The metal fittings 80 are disposed at both the left and right ends of the insulator 70.

[0071] The multiple contacts 90 are respectively attached to the multiple contact attachment grooves 75 of the insulator 70. For example, the first locking portion 92 and the second locking portion 94 of the contact 90 are engaged with the contact attachment grooves 75 of the insulator 70. At this time, the contact portion 95 of the contact 90 is disposed in the mating protrusion 72 of the insulator 70. The contact portion 95 of the contact 90 faces outward in the front-to-rear direction inside the mating recess 71.

[0072] The connection object 60 having the above structure is mounted, for example, on a circuit formation surface formed on the mounting surface of the circuit board CB2. More specifically, the mounting portion 81 of the metal fitting 80 is placed on solder paste applied to a pattern on the circuit board CB2. The mounting portion 91 of the contact 90 is placed on the solder paste applied to a pattern on the circuit board CB2. By heating and melting the solder paste in a reflow oven or the like, the mounting portions 81 and 91 are soldered to the pattern. As a result, the mounting of the connection object 60 on the circuit board CB2 is completed. Electronic components other than the connection object 60, including, for example, a camera module and a sensor, are mounted on the circuit formation surface of the circuit board CB2.

[0073] Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along the arrow line XX in Fig. 1. The operation of the connector 10 having a floating structure will be mainly described with reference to Fig. 10.

[0074] The first insulator 20 is fixed to the circuit board CB1 by soldering the mounting portion 52 of the contact 50 to the circuit board CB1. The second insulator 30 becomes movable relative to the first insulator 20 fixed to the circuit board CB1 by elastically deforming the contact 50.

[0075] 3 , the second restricting portion 23b of the first insulator 20 restricts excessive movement of the second insulator 30 in the front-rear direction relative to the first insulator 20. For example, if the second insulator 30 moves significantly in the front-rear direction beyond the design value due to elastic deformation of the contact 50, the second restricted portion 37b of the second insulator 30 comes into contact with the second restricting portion 23b. This prevents the second insulator 30 from moving further outward in the front-rear direction.

[0076] The first restricting portion 23a of the first insulator 20 restricts excessive left-right movement of the second insulator 30 relative to the first insulator 20. For example, if the second insulator 30 moves significantly left-right beyond a design value due to elastic deformation of the contact 50, the first restricted portion 37a of the second insulator 30 comes into contact with the first restricting portion 23a. This prevents the second insulator 30 from moving further outward in the left-right direction.

[0077] The restricting portion 44 of the metal fitting 40 reduces upward slippage of the second insulator 30 relative to the first insulator 20. The restricting portion 44 of the metal fitting 40 restricts excessive upward movement of the second insulator 30 relative to the first insulator 20. For example, if the second insulator 30 moves upward significantly beyond the design value due to elastic deformation of the contacts 50, the retaining projection 36 of the second insulator 30 comes into contact with the restricting portion 44. This prevents the second insulator 30 from moving upward any further. The connector 10 can restrict excessive upward movement of the second insulator 30 by using a high-strength member such as the metal fitting 40.

[0078] With the connection object 60 facing upside down relative to the connector 10 having the floating structure described above, the connector 10 and the connection object 60 are placed facing each other in the up-down direction while their front-to-back and left-to-right positions are approximately aligned. Then, the connection object 60 is moved downward. At this time, even if their positions are slightly misaligned, for example, in the front-to-back or left-to-right directions, the guide portion 34 of the connector 10 and the guide portion 73 of the connection object 60 will come into contact.

[0079] As a result, the floating structure of the connector 10 causes the second insulator 30 to move relative to the first insulator 20. More specifically, the mating protrusion 32 of the second insulator 30 is guided into the mating recess 71 of the insulator 70. When the connection object 60 is further moved downward, the mating protrusion 32 of the second insulator 30 and the mating recess 71 of the insulator 70 fit together. At this time, the mating recess 33 of the second insulator 30 and the mating protrusion 72 of the insulator 70 fit together.

[0080] 10 , when the second insulator 30 of the connector 10 and the insulator 70 of the connection object 60 are mated with each other, the contacts 50 of the connector 10 and the contacts 90 of the connection object 60 come into contact with each other. More specifically, the contact portions 59a of the contacts 50 and the contact portions 95 of the contacts 90 come into contact with each other. At this time, the elastic contact pieces 59 of the contacts 50 are slightly elastically deformed outward in the front-to-rear direction and elastically displaced outward in the front-to-rear direction within the contact mounting grooves 35.

[0081] As a result, the connector 10 is completely connected to the connection object 60. At this time, the circuit boards CB1 and CB2 are electrically connected via the contacts 50 and 90.

[0082] In this state, the pair of resilient contact pieces 59 of the contacts 50 clamp the pair of contacts 90 of the connection object 60 from both the front and rear sides by an inward resilient force along the front-rear direction. When the connection object 60 is removed from the connector 10, the second insulator 30 receives a force in the removal direction, i.e., upward, via the contacts 50 due to a reaction to the resulting pressing force on the contacts 90.

[0083] As a result, even if the second insulator 30 were to move upward, the restricting portion 44 of the metal fitting 40 press-fitted into the first insulator 20, as shown in Figure 3, reduces the likelihood of the second insulator 30 coming out. The restricting portion 44 is located inside the first insulator 20, directly above the retaining projection 36 of the second insulator 30. Therefore, when the second insulator 30 attempts to move upward, the retaining projection 36 protruding outward comes into contact with the restricting portion 44. This prevents the second insulator 30 from moving upward any further.

[0084] Fig. 11A is a schematic diagram showing a first example of how the contact 50 elastically deforms. Fig. 11B is a schematic diagram showing a second example of how the contact 50 elastically deforms. Although Fig. 11A and Fig. 11B each show only one contact 50 located on the rear side in Fig. 5, the other contacts 50 located in the same front-to-rear position also elastically deform in a similar manner. In Fig. 11A, the elastic deformation of the corresponding front contact 50 corresponds to that shown in Fig. 11B when the front-to-rear view is reversed. In Fig. 11B, the elastic deformation of the corresponding front contact 50 corresponds to that shown in Fig. 11A when the front-to-rear view is reversed.

[0085] 11A and 11B, the operation of each component when the contact 50 elastically deforms will be described in detail. In Figures 11A and 11B, the state in which the contact 50 is not elastically deformed is indicated by a two-dot chain line. The portion of the contact 50 that extends from the folded portion 56 toward the removal side elastically deforms as the second insulator 30 moves.

[0086] In FIG. 11A, as an example, it is assumed that the second insulator 30 has moved rearward due to some external factor.

[0087] When the second insulator 30 moves rearward, the second retaining portion 58 of the contact 50 is engaged with the contact mounting groove 35 of the second insulator 30, and the engaged portion is displaced rearward as the second insulator 30 moves rearward. At this time, the portion of the contact 50 extending upward from the folded portion 56 is elastically displaced rearward significantly, with the center of the curve of the folded portion 56 as a fulcrum. On the other hand, the positions of the components of the contact 50 formed rearward of the folded portion 56 hardly change before and after the movement of the second insulator 30.

[0088] In FIG. 11B, as an example, it is assumed that the second insulator 30 has moved forward due to some external factor.

[0089] When the second insulator 30 moves forward, the second retaining portion 58 of the contact 50 is engaged with the contact mounting groove 35 of the second insulator 30, and the engaged portion is displaced forward in response to the forward movement of the second insulator 30. At this time, the portion of the contact 50 extending upward from the folded portion 56 is elastically displaced forward significantly, with the center of the curve of the folded portion 56 serving as a fulcrum. On the other hand, the positions of the components of the contact 50 formed behind the folded portion 56 hardly change before and after the movement of the second insulator 30.

[0090] The following description will focus mainly on the connector 10 and explain its effects, but the same explanation also applies to electronic devices that have the connector 10.

[0091] According to the connector 10 according to the embodiment described above, even if the connector 10 is miniaturized, the load applied to the mounting portion 52 of the contact 50 can be reduced.

[0092] The connector 10 has a first extending portion 54 whose tip on the second insulator 30 side is bent toward the mating side, and a folded portion 56 that is folded back toward the removal side located opposite the mating side. This allows the length of the spring in the portion of the contact 50 that elastically deforms to be increased. This allows the connector 10 to improve the flexibility of the contact 50. The contact 50 becomes more susceptible to elastic deformation. This reduces the load applied to the mounting portion 52 of the contact 50.

[0093] In the connector 10, the folded portion 56 is formed narrower than the first extending portion 54 and the second extending portion 57, so that the narrowed portion of the contact 50 is limited to the folded portion 56, thereby shortening the length of the narrowed portion. This makes it easier for the fulcrum of elastic deformation to be determined at a specific position in the folded portion 56 when the second insulator 30 moves and the contact 50 elastically deforms. For example, the center of the curve of the folded portion 56 is more likely to be stably determined as the fulcrum. Therefore, in the connector 10, the fulcrum of elastic deformation in the contact 50 is stabilized, allowing the second insulator 30 to move stably.

[0094] Due to the simultaneous realization of the two effects described above, namely, improved flexibility of the contacts 50 and ease of determining the fulcrum for elastic deformation, the contacts 50 elastically deform in a manner as shown in Figures 11A and 11B. As shown in Figures 11A and 11B, the contacts 50 elastically deform significantly at the portion extending from the folded portion 56 toward the removal side, with the center of the curve of the folded portion 56 serving as the fulcrum, while the portion of the contacts 50 located further outward in the front-rear direction than the folded portion 56 undergoes almost no elastic deformation. In this way, the portion of the contacts 50 that undergoes significant elastic deformation and the distance on the contacts 50 between the fulcrum and the mounting portion 52 are increased. Therefore, even when the connector 10 is miniaturized and the size of the contacts 50 is reduced, the load applied to the mounting portion 52 due to the elastic deformation of the contacts 50 can be reduced.

[0095] The contacts 50 further include a connecting portion 55 connecting the first extending portion 54 and the folded portion 56, which further increases the portion of the contacts 50 that undergoes large elastic deformation and the distance on the contacts 50 between the fulcrum and the mounting portion 52. Therefore, even when the connector 10 is miniaturized and the size of the contacts 50 is reduced, the load applied to the mounting portion 52 due to the elastic deformation of the contacts 50 can be further reduced.

[0096] The connecting portion 55 is linearly inclined from the tip of the first extending portion 54 on the second insulator 30 side toward the mating side, thereby connecting the first extending portion 54 and the folded portion 56 over the shortest distance. This prevents the connector 10 from unnecessarily increasing the distance on the contacts 50 between the first extending portion 54 and the folded portion 56, thereby reducing loss in signal transmission. Therefore, the connector 10 can reduce degradation of transmission characteristics, for example, during large-capacity and high-speed transmission.

[0097] Because the width of the connecting portion 55 is the same as the width of the first extending portion 54, the entire first extending portion 54 and connecting portion 55, and the second extending portion 57, are configured to be wider than the folded portion 56 before and after the folded portion 56. This limits the narrow portion of the contact 50 by the folded portion 56. In the connector 10, the narrow portion of the contact 50 is limited by the folded portion 56, thereby shortening the length of the narrow portion. Therefore, when the second insulator 30 moves and the contact 50 elastically deforms, the fulcrum of elastic deformation is more likely to be determined at a specific position in the folded portion 56. For example, the center of the curve of the folded portion 56 is more likely to be determined as the fulcrum more stably. Therefore, in the connector 10, the fulcrum of elastic deformation of the contact 50 is more stable, allowing for more stable movement of the second insulator 30.

[0098] The portion of the contact 50 extending from the folded portion 56 toward the removal side elastically deforms as the second insulator 30 moves, thereby achieving the effect of reducing the load applied to the mounting portion 52 of the contact 50 even when the contact is made smaller, as described above.

[0099] By making the first distance L1 in the contact 50 equal to or less than half of the second distance L2, the proximity between the connecting portion 55 and the folded portion 56 is reduced when the connector 10 is made smaller in size in the short direction. Compared to when the length of the connecting portion 55 in the short direction of the connector 10 is kept constant while the first distance L1 is increased, the inclination of the connecting portion 55 becomes gentler. The folding angle of the folded portion 56 becomes larger. As a result, the connector 10 can reduce a decrease in the workability of the contact 50.

[0100] In addition, the distance of the connecting portion 55 connecting the first extending portion 54 and the folded portion 56 is shortened. This reduces the unnecessary increase in the distance on the contacts 50 between the first extending portion 54 and the folded portion 56, thereby reducing loss in signal transmission. Therefore, the connector 10 can reduce degradation of transmission characteristics, for example, in large-capacity and high-speed transmission.

[0101] By making the width direction of the contacts 50 parallel to the arrangement direction of the multiple contacts 50, the strength of the contacts 50 along the arrangement direction is improved. Therefore, the connector 10 can improve the robustness of the contacts 50 against elastic deformation of the contacts 50 that occurs as the second insulator 30 moves. Therefore, the connector 10 can achieve stable floating operation, and can improve the reliability of the product.

[0102] The contacts 50 are narrow at the bent portions 53, wide at the first extending portions 54 and the connecting portion 55 adjacent to the bent portions 53, and narrow at the folded portions 56 adjacent to the first extending portions 54 and the connecting portion 55. This enables the connector 10 to achieve good transmission characteristics in signal transmission. In the connector 10, the contacts 50 have the first extending portions 54 and the connecting portion 55 which are wider than the components before and after them, so that the impedance, i.e., electrical conductivity, can be adjusted according to the width of each transmission path, i.e., the cross-sectional area of ​​the transmission path.

[0103] For example, the electrical conductivity of the first extending portion 54 and the connecting portion 55 is higher than that of the bent portion 53 and the folded portion 56. As a result, the first extending portion 54 and the connecting portion 55 offset the increase in impedance at the bent portion 53 and the folded portion 56, bringing the impedance closer to the ideal value throughout. The connector 10 can contribute to impedance matching. Therefore, the connector 10 can obtain desired transmission characteristics even in large-capacity, high-speed transmission. The connector 10 can improve transmission characteristics compared to conventional connectors that do not have portions that alternate between narrow, wide, and narrow widths.

[0104] Additionally, the contact 50 may be narrow at the folded portion 56, wide at the second extending portion 57 adjacent to the folded portion 56, and narrow at the bent portion 58a of the second holding portion 58 adjacent to the second extending portion 57. In this way, the contact 50 has two sets of portions that alternate between narrow, wide, and narrow, which are formed consecutively, and this makes the effect of improving the transmission characteristics more pronounced.

[0105] In the connector 10, the contacts 50 have narrow portions, which facilitate elastic deformation of the contacts 50. The connector 10 can also achieve a good floating structure. As described above, the connector 10 can achieve both good transmission characteristics and a good floating structure.

[0106] In the contacts 50, a first insulator 20 is formed between one contact 50 and another contact 50 in a portion where the mounting portion 52, the first holding portion 51, the bent portion 53, and part of the first extending portion 54 are located. This reduces the characteristic impedance of the contacts 50 in these components.

[0107] More specifically, by placing one electrically conductive contact 50 close to another contact 50 with the first insulator 20 sandwiched therebetween, an effect similar to that of a capacitor can be obtained between them. If the capacitance is C, then the characteristic impedance Z at this time depends on the capacitance C. For example, the characteristic impedance Z is inversely proportional to the square root of the capacitance C, or inversely proportional to the capacitance C.

[0108] Therefore, narrowing the spacing between the capacitors and increasing the capacitance C reduces the characteristic impedance. Increasing the relative dielectric constant and increasing the capacitance C using the first insulator 20 also reduces the characteristic impedance. On the other hand, adjusting the width of the contacts 50 themselves also makes it possible to adjust the characteristic impedance. As described above, the connector 10 makes it easy to adjust the characteristic impedance value to an ideal value by making both the width of the contacts 50 and the capacitor configuration adjustable. Therefore, the transmission characteristics of the connector 10 in signal transmission can be more easily improved.

[0109] In the contacts 50, no first insulator 20 is formed between one contact 50 and another adjacent contact 50 at the portion where the tip of the first extending portion 54 on the second insulator 30 side, the connecting portion 55, the folded portion 56, and the second extending portion 57 are located. This allows the connector 10 to reduce contact between the metal contact 50 and the resin first insulator 20 when the contact 50 elastically deforms in accordance with movement of the second insulator 30. This reduces damage to the first insulator 20. Therefore, the connector 10 can achieve stable floating operation and improve product reliability.

[0110] The second insulator 30 having the guide portion 34 facilitates guide between the mating recess 71 of the connection object 60 and the mating protrusion 32 of the second insulator 30, thereby realizing a favorable floating structure in the connector 10. This facilitates the insertion of the connection object 60 into the connector 10.

[0111] Because the contacts 50 are made of a metal material with a small modulus of elasticity, the connector 10 can ensure the required amount of movement of the second insulator 30 even when a small force is applied to the second insulator 30. The second insulator 30 can move smoothly relative to the first insulator 20. This allows the connector 10 to easily absorb misalignment when mating with the connection object 60.

[0112] The connector 10 absorbs vibrations caused by some external factor through elastic deformation of the contacts 50. This reduces the possibility of a large force being applied to the mounting portion 52 of the contacts 50. This reduces damage to the connection portion with the circuit board CB1. This also reduces the risk of cracks occurring in the solder at the connection portion between the circuit board CB1 and the mounting portion 52. This improves connection reliability even when the connector 10 and the connection target 60 are connected.

[0113] The metal fitting 40 is press-fitted into the first insulator 20 and the mounting portion 41 is soldered to the circuit board CB1, so that the metal fitting 40 can stably fix the first insulator 20 to the circuit board CB1. The metal fitting 40 improves the mounting strength of the first insulator 20 to the circuit board CB1.

[0114] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present disclosure may be embodied in other specific forms other than the above-described embodiments without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. Therefore, the foregoing description is illustrative and not limiting. The scope of the disclosure is defined not by the foregoing description but by the appended claims. All modifications within the range of equivalents of any modifications are intended to be embraced therein.

[0115] For example, the shape, size, arrangement, orientation, and number of each of the components described above are not limited to those described above and illustrated in the drawings, and may be arbitrarily configured as long as the function can be realized.

[0116] The method for assembling the connector 10 and the connection object 60 described above is not limited to the above description, and any method may be used as long as the connector 10 and the connection object 60 can be assembled in such a way that their respective functions can be exerted.

[0117] For example, at least one of the metal fittings 40 and the contacts 50 may be integrally molded with the first insulator 20 by insert molding rather than press-fitting. For example, the contacts 50 may be integrally molded with the second insulator 30 by insert molding rather than press-fitting. For example, at least one of the metal fittings 80 and the contacts 90 may be integrally molded with the insulator 70 by insert molding rather than press-fitting.

[0118] In the above embodiment, the folded portion 56, including the first end portion on the mating side, is formed so that the entire folded portion 56 is narrower in the left-right direction than the first extending portion 54 and the second extending portion 57. However, this is not limited to this. The folded portion 56 may be formed so that only a part of it, for example, the first end portion, is narrower in the left-right direction than the first extending portion 54 and the second extending portion 57.

[0119] Fig. 12A is an enlarged side view of a portion of the contact 50 in Fig. 4. Fig. 12B is an enlarged side view of a portion of the contact 50 according to a modified example. The enlarged positions of the contact 50 in Figs. 12A and 12B correspond to the enlarged positions of the contact 50 in the enlarged cross-sectional view of Fig. 6.

[0120] 12A , in the above embodiment, the contact 50 further includes a connecting portion 55 connecting the first extending portion 54 and the folded portion 56. The first extending portion 54 has a portion that extends horizontally from the end of the bend in the bent portion 53 toward the second insulator 30, and a tip on the second insulator 30 side that bends toward the mating side. The first extending portion 54 includes a portion that extends from the double vertical line shown adjacent to the bent portion 53 in FIG. 12A to the slanted dashed line. The connecting portion 55 includes a portion that extends linearly from the dashed line to the slanted double line.

[0121] The connector 10 is not limited to the above configuration, and the contacts 50 may not have the connecting portion 55, as shown in FIG. 12B . In this case, the first extending portion 54 and the folded portion 56 may be directly connected to each other in the contact 50. Even in such a modified example, the first extending portion 54 has a portion that extends horizontally from the end of the bend in the bent portion 53 toward the second insulator 30, and a tip portion on the second insulator 30 side that bends toward the mating side. The first extending portion 54 includes a portion from the double vertical line to the double diagonal line shown adjacent to the bent portion 53 in FIG. 12B .

[0122] The folded portion 56 is bent at an acute angle of less than 90° from the lower end of the first extending portion 54, and is bent in an arc shape so that its end faces upward. The folded portion 56 is formed in a shape like a sectorial arc having a central angle of obtuse greater than 90°.

[0123] In the above embodiment, the connecting portion 55 is described as being linearly inclined from the tip of the first extending portion 54 toward the mating side, but is not limited to this. The connecting portion 55 may be formed in any shape that can achieve the above-described functions of the contact 50. For example, the connecting portion 55 may be formed in a curved shape between the first extending portion 54 and the folded portion 56.

[0124] In the above embodiment, the width of the connecting portion 55 is described as being the same as the width of the first extending portion 54, but this is not limited to this. The connecting portion 55 may be formed to any width as long as it is wider than the width of the folded-back portion 56. For example, the connecting portion 55 may be formed to be wider than the width of the folded-back portion 56 and narrower than the width of the first extending portion 54. For example, the connecting portion 55 may be formed to be wider than the width of the first extending portion 54.

[0125] In the above embodiment, it has been described that the portion of the contact 50 extending from the folded portion 56 toward the removal side elastically deforms in association with the movement of the second insulator 30. However, this is not limited to this. If the load applied to the mounting portion 52 of the contact 50 can be reduced even when the connector 10 is made smaller, other portions of the contact 50 may also elastically deform in association with the movement of the second insulator 30.

[0126] In the above embodiment, the first distance L1 is described as being equal to or less than half of the second distance L2, but is not limited to this. The first distance L1 may be greater than half of the second distance L2 as long as it is possible to reduce deterioration in the workability of the contact 50 and the deterioration in the transmission characteristics.

[0127] In the above embodiment, the width direction of the contact 50 is described as being parallel to the arrangement direction of the plurality of contacts 50, but this is not limited to this. The width direction of the contact 50 may be parallel to any direction perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the plurality of contacts 50, as long as the contact 50 can achieve the above-described functions.

[0128] 13 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 5 showing a cross section of a connector 10 according to a modified example. In the above embodiment, the connector 10 has a height as shown in FIG. 5 based on the circuit board CB1, i.e., the lower surface of the mounting portion 52 of the contact 50. The height of the first insulator 20 is slightly greater than the height of the mating protrusion 32 of the second insulator 30.

[0129] The connector 10 is not limited to the above configuration, and may have a height as shown in FIG. 13 relative to the circuit board CB1, i.e., the lower surface of the mounting portion 52 of the contact 50. The height of the connector 10 according to the modified example may be in the range of 1.1 to 1.5 times the height of the connector 10 shown in FIG. 5. As an example, the height of the connector 10 according to the modified example shown in FIG. 13 is approximately 1.4 times the height of the connector 10 shown in FIG. 5. In this case, the height of the mating protrusion 32 of the second insulator 30 is the same as the height of the mating protrusion 32 shown in FIG. 5. The height of the first insulator 20 is approximately twice the height of the mating protrusion 32.

[0130] In the connector 10 shown in Figure 13, the portion of the contact 50 that elastically deforms as the second insulator 30 moves, i.e., the portion extending from the folded portion 56 toward the removal side, is longer than in the connector 10 shown in Figure 5. This further improves the flexibility of the contact 50. The contact 50 is more likely to elastically deform. This further reduces the load applied to the mounting portion 52 of the contact 50.

[0131] In the above embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4 , the first insulator 20 is formed thick and does not have any notches or the like on its outer surface. However, this is not limiting, and the first insulator 20 may have at least one notch on its outer surface. For example, the first insulator 20 may have a notch extending in the up-down direction in a portion located between one contact 50 and another contact 50 adjacent to the one contact 50 in the left-right direction. Such a notch may be formed, for example, from directly above the contact mounting groove 25 to the upper surface of the outer peripheral wall 22. For example, such a notch may be formed from the outer surface of the first insulator 20 in the front-rear direction to at least a portion of the width of the outer peripheral wall 22 along the front-rear direction.

[0132] In the above embodiment, the first extending portion 54 of the contact 50 is described as extending horizontally from the end of the bent portion 53 on the second insulator 30 side toward the second insulator 30, but is not limited to this. The first extending portion 54 may also extend obliquely from the end of the bent portion 53 on the second insulator 30 side toward the second insulator 30.

[0133] In the above embodiment, the second extension portion 57 of the contact 50 is described as being formed linearly and parallel to the vertical direction, but is not limited to this. The second extension portion 57 may be formed non-parallel to the vertical direction or may be formed non-linearly.

[0134] In the above embodiment, the first retaining portion 51 of the contact 50 is described as being formed wide in the left-right direction so as to be able to be locked into the contact mounting groove 25 of the first insulator 20, but this is not limiting. The first retaining portion 51 does not have to be formed wide in the left-right direction, assuming insert molding rather than press-fitting.

[0135] Although the contacts 50 have been described as being made of a metal material with a small elastic modulus, the contacts 50 are not limited to this and may be made of a metal material with any elastic modulus as long as the required amount of elastic deformation can be ensured.

[0136] Although the connection object 60 has been described as a plug connector to be connected to the circuit board CB2, it is not limited thereto. The connection object 60 may be any object other than a connector. For example, the connection object 60 may be an FPC, a flexible flat cable, a rigid board, or a card edge of any circuit board.

[0137] The connector 10 described above is mounted on an electronic device. Examples of the electronic device include any in-vehicle device, such as a camera, radar, drive recorder, or engine control unit. Examples of the electronic device include any in-vehicle device used in an in-vehicle system, such as a car navigation system, an advanced driver assistance system, or a security system. Examples of the electronic device include any information device, such as a personal computer, a smartphone, a copier, a printer, a facsimile, or a multifunction device. Examples of the electronic device also include any industrial equipment.

[0138] In such electronic devices, the load applied to the mounting portion 52 of the contacts 50 can be reduced even when the connector 10 has a floating structure and is miniaturized. This reduces damage such as solder cracks in the mounting portion 52 of the contacts 50. Therefore, defects such as deformation and breakage of the contacts 50 are reduced. As a result, the reliability of electronic devices equipped with the connector 10 as products is improved.

[0139] Furthermore, the excellent floating structure of the connector 10 absorbs misalignment between circuit boards, improving workability when assembling electronic devices. This facilitates the manufacture of electronic devices. The connector 10 reduces damage to the connection with the circuit board CB1, further improving the reliability of the electronic device as a product.

[0140] The following concepts can be extracted from this disclosure: (1) A connector comprising: a first insulator having a frame-like shape; a second insulator arranged inside the first insulator, movable relative to the first insulator, and fitted with a connection object; and a plurality of contacts attached to the first insulator and the second insulator, wherein the contacts have: a mounting portion; a holding portion extending from the mounting portion along the first insulator and attached to the first insulator; a bent portion extending from the holding portion toward the second insulator while bending; a first extending portion extending from an end of the bend in the bent portion toward the second insulator; a folded portion folded back toward a removal side located opposite to the fitting side when the connection object is fitted into the second insulator; and a second extending portion extending from the folded portion toward the removal side, wherein the folded portion is folded back so that a first end of the folding portion on the fitting side is positioned closer to the fitting side than the first extending portion, A connector, wherein the first end is narrower than the first extending portion and the second extending portion. (2) The connector according to (1) above, wherein the folded portion, including the first end, is narrower than the first extending portion and the second extending portion. (3) The connector according to (1) above, wherein the first insulator is interposed between one of the contacts and the other of the adjacent contacts at a portion where the bent portion of the contact is located, and the first insulator is not interposed between the one of the contacts and the other of the adjacent contacts at a portion where the tip of the first extending portion of the contact on the second insulator side is located. (4) The connector according to any one of (1) to (3) above, wherein the contact further has a connecting portion connecting the first extending portion and the folded portion, and the connecting portion is inclined linearly from the tip of the first extending portion on the second insulator side toward the mating side. (5) The connector according to (4), wherein the width of the coupling portion is the same as the width of the first extending portion.(6) The connector according to any one of (1) to (5), wherein a portion of the contact extending from the folded portion toward the removal side elastically deforms in accordance with movement of the second insulator. (7) The connector according to any one of (1) to (6), wherein a mating direction when the second insulator and the connection object are mated with each other is perpendicular to a circuit board on which the mounting portion is mounted, and a first distance in the mating direction from a second end of the first extending portion on the removal side to the first end of the folded portion on the mating side is equal to or less than half of a second distance in the mating direction from the circuit board to the second end. (8) The connector according to any one of (1) to (7), wherein a width direction of the contact is parallel to an arrangement direction of the plurality of contacts. (9) An electronic device including the connector according to any one of (1) to (8).

[0141] 10 Connector 20 First insulator 21a Opening 21b Opening 22 Outer peripheral wall 22a Short wall 22b Longitudinal wall 23a First restricting portion 23b Second restricting portion 24 Metal fitting mounting groove 25 Contact mounting groove 30 Second insulator 31 Base 31a Wall portion 32 Fitting convex portion 33 Fitting concave portion 34 Guide portion 35 Contact mounting groove 36 Removal prevention protrusion 37a First restricted portion 37b Second restricted portion 40 Metal fitting 41 Mounting portion 42 Locking portion 43 Base 44 Restricting portion 50 Contact 51 First holding portion (holding portion) 52 Mounting portion 53 Bent portion 54 First extending portion 55 Connecting portion 56 Folded portion 57 Second extending portion 58 Second holding portion 58a Bent portion 59 Resilient contact piece 59a Contact portion 60 Connection object 70 Insulator 71 Fitting recess 72 Fitting protrusion 73 Guide portion 74 Metal fitting groove 75 Contact fitting groove 80 Metal fitting 81 Mounting portion 82 Locking portion 90 Contact 91 Mounting portion 92 First locking portion 93 Connecting portion 94 Second locking portion 95 Contact portion CB1 Circuit board (circuit board) CB2 Circuit board L1 First distance L2 Second distance

Claims

1. A first insulator having a frame shape; a second insulator that is disposed inside the first insulator, is movable relative to the first insulator, and is fitted with a connection target; a plurality of contacts attached to the first insulator and the second insulator; Equipped with The contact is An implementation section; a holding portion extending from the mounting portion along the first insulator and attached to the first insulator; a bent portion that is bent from the holding portion and extends toward the second insulator; a first extending portion extending from a terminal end of the bent portion toward the second insulator; a folded portion that is folded back in a sectorial arc shape having an obtuse central angle greater than 90° so that a third end portion faces a removal side that is opposite to a fitting side when the connection object is fitted into the second insulator; a second extending portion extending from the third end of the folded portion toward the removal side; having The folded portion is the first end of the folded portion on the fitting side is folded back so as to be bent in a state where the first end is located closer to the fitting side than the first extending portion, The first end portion is narrower than the first extension portion and the second extension portion. connector.

2. The folded portion, including the first end portion, is narrower than the first extending portion and the second extending portion. The connector of claim 1 .

3. the first insulator is interposed between one of the contacts and another of the adjacent contacts in a portion where the bent portion of the contact is located, At a portion where a tip end of the first extension portion of the contact is located on the second insulator side, the first insulator is not interposed between one of the contacts and another of the adjacent contacts.

3. The connector according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The contact further includes a connecting portion connecting the first extension portion and the folded portion, the connecting portion is inclined linearly from a tip end of the first extending portion on the second insulator side toward the fitting side, 3. The connector according to claim 1 or 2.

5. The width of the connecting portion is the same as the width of the first extension portion. The connector according to claim 4.

6. a portion of the contact extending from the folded portion toward the removal side elastically deforms in association with the movement of the second insulator; 3. The connector according to claim 1 or 2.

7. a fitting direction when the second insulator and the connection object are fitted to each other is perpendicular to a circuit board on which the mounting portion is mounted, a first distance in the fitting direction from a second end of the first extension portion on the removal side to the first end of the folded-back portion on the fitting side is equal to or less than half of a second distance in the fitting direction from the circuit board to the second end; 3. The connector according to claim 1 or 2.

8. A width direction of the contact is parallel to an arrangement direction of the plurality of contacts.

3. The connector according to claim 1 or 2.

9. 3. An electronic device comprising the connector according to claim 1 or 2.