Electric connector and electronic apparatus

Abstract

An electric connector (1) comprises: a connector body (1a); at least one signal contact (40); and at least one ground contact (50) that is attached to the connector body (1a) in a manner allowing for displacement with respect to the connector body (1a) along the direction in which the electric connector (1) is mounted on a mounting substrate (200), the at least one ground contact (50) including at least one leaf spring portion (52) and at least one contact portion (51c) that is pressed against the mounting substrate (200) in accordance with operation of the at least one leaf spring portion (52). The connector body (1a) has at least one pressed surface (67, 18a) that is pressed by the at least one leaf spring portion (52), the at least one pressed surface (67, 18a) being formed non-perpendicular to the mounting direction. The at least one ground contact (50) is configured so as to be biased in a direction away from the connector body (1a) in response to pressing of the at least one pressed surface (67, 18a) by the at least one leaf spring portion (52) in a direction intersecting the mounting direction.

Description

Electrical connectors and electronic devices

[0001] The present disclosure relates to electrical connectors and electronic devices.

[0002] Various electrical connectors have been developed as high-frequency transmission interfaces. Patent Document 1 discloses that the outer contact 40 is biased toward the PCB 50 in response to the operation of a spring 44 (see Figures 3 and 4 of the document). Conduction between the electrical connector 20 and the PCB 50 is ensured in any of the states shown in Figures 6A to 6C of the document (see paragraph 0024 of the document).

[0003] Special Publication No. 2023-517065

[0004] There is a demand for further miniaturization and / or simplification of electrical connectors while still ensuring good electrical connection between the electrical connector and the mounting board.

[0005] An electrical connector according to one aspect of the present disclosure is an electrical connector mounted on and electrically connected to a mounting board, the electrical connector comprising: a connector body, at least one signal contact, and at least one ground contact attached to the connector body in a manner displaceable relative to the connector body along a mounting direction of the electrical connector on the mounting board, the ground contact including at least one leaf spring portion and at least one contact portion that is pressed against the mounting board in response to actuation of the at least one leaf spring portion. The connector body has at least one pressed surface that is pressed by the at least one leaf spring portion, the at least one pressed surface being formed non-perpendicular to the mounting direction. The at least one ground contact is configured to be biased in a direction away from the connector body in response to the at least one leaf spring portion pressing the at least one pressed surface in a direction intersecting the mounting direction.

[0006] Another aspect of the present disclosure provides an electrical connector mounted on and electrically connected to a mounting board. The electrical connector includes a connector part, at least one signal contact, and at least one ground contact attached to the connector part in a manner displaceable relative to the connector part along a mounting direction of the electrical connector on the mounting board, the ground contact including at least one leaf spring portion and at least one contact portion that is pressed against the mounting board in response to activation of the at least one leaf spring portion. The connector part has at least one pressed surface that is pressed by the at least one leaf spring portion, the at least one pressed surface being formed non-perpendicular to the mounting direction. The at least one ground contact is configured to be biased in a direction away from the connector part in response to the at least one leaf spring portion pressing the at least one pressed surface in a direction intersecting the mounting direction. The connector part may be, but is not limited to, an outer conductor or an insert member. The connector part is not limited to a conductive member and may also be an insulator.

[0007] An electronic device (e.g., a camera module) according to yet another aspect of the present disclosure includes any one of the electrical connectors described above, a mounting board on which the electrical connector is mounted at a first end thereof, and a housing having an insertion hole through which a second end of the electrical connector mounted on the mounting board is inserted. The insertion hole may be a substantially circular opening.

[0008] In some cases of the above-described electrical connector and electronic device, at least during the process of mounting the electrical connector on the mounting board, the leaf spring portion elastically deforms, generating a spring force in the leaf spring portion, which in turn presses the pressure-receiving surface in a direction perpendicular to the mounting direction. As a result, the ground contacts are biased away from the connector body. To put it simply, the ground contacts are placed in a biased state by the leaf spring portion pressing the pressure-receiving surface in response to the operation of the leaf spring portion at least during the process of mounting the electrical connector on the mounting board.

[0009] In some cases, before mounting the electrical connector on the mounting board, i.e., when attaching the ground contact to the connector body, the leaf spring portion elastically deforms, generating a spring force in the leaf spring portion, which can press the pressed surface in a direction intersecting the mounting direction.

[0010] The at least one pressed surface is preferably an inclined surface oriented obliquely with respect to the mounting direction, but is not limited to this and may be a convex surface, a concave surface, a spherical surface, an aspherical surface, or any combination thereof.

[0011] In some cases, the at least one leaf spring includes a pivot portion that is pressed by the at least one pressed surface during the process of mounting the electrical connector on the mounting board and that resiliently pivots from an initial position to a displaced position. As a spring force that returns the pivot portion from the displaced position to the initial position is generated in the pivot portion, the leaf spring presses the pressed surface in a direction intersecting the mounting direction, thereby urging the ground contact away from the connector body.

[0012] In some cases, the at least one leaf spring portion includes a sliding portion that is pressed by the at least one pressed surface and slides on the at least one pressed surface during the process of mounting the electrical connector on the mounting board. The sliding portion may be a curved portion of the leaf spring portion, which promotes smooth sliding. The sliding portion may extend linearly in a tangential direction relative to the circumferential direction, which ensures a sufficient contact area with the pressed surface and ensures good electrical and / or mechanical contact.

[0013] In some cases, the electrical connector is a coaxial connector, and the at least one leaf spring portion is resiliently pivotable radially inward or outward of the coaxial connector.

[0014] In some cases, the at least one leaf spring portion is at least partially housed within the connector body.

[0015] In some cases, the at least one ground contact further includes a bottom plate that is abutted against the mounting surface of the mounting board at the at least one contact portion, and the at least one leaf spring portion is connected to an outer periphery of the bottom plate.

[0016] In some cases, the at least one ground contact further includes a bottom plate that abuts against the mounting surface of the mounting board at the at least one contact portion, and at least one mounting arm that stands from the outer peripheral edge of the bottom plate and is attached to the connector body.

[0017] In some cases, the connector body includes an inner conductor to which the signal contacts are electrically connected, an outer conductor to which the ground contacts are electrically connected, and an insulator supporting the inner conductor within the outer conductor. The outer conductor may have the at least one pressure-receiving surface.

[0018] In some cases, the connector body further includes at least one interposing member interposed between the leaf spring portion of the ground contact and the outer conductor, the at least one interposing member having the at least one pressure-receiving surface.

[0019] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, it is possible to further promote miniaturization and / or simplification of the electrical connector while ensuring good electrical connection between the electrical connector and the mounting board.

[0020] 1 is a schematic diagram of a camera module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 2 is an assembly process diagram of the camera module; FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an electrical connector according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the electrical connector; FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a ground contact; FIG. 6 is a side view of the ground contact; FIG. 7 is another side view of the ground contact; FIG. 8 is a top view of the ground contact; and FIG. 9 is a bottom view of the ground contact. A partial cross-sectional schematic view of the electrical connector, mainly illustrating the outer conductor, the insulator, and the signal contacts. Another partial cross-sectional schematic view of the electrical connector, mainly illustrating the attachment state of the ground contact to the outer conductor. Another partial cross-sectional schematic view of the electrical connector, showing the ground contact being biased toward the mounting board in response to the operation of the leaf spring portion of the ground contact. A schematic view showing the pivoting of the leaf spring portion of the ground contact before and after mounting the electrical connector to the mounting board. A schematic view showing the pivoting of the leaf spring portion of the ground contact before and after mounting the electrical connector to the mounting board. A bottom view of the outer conductor. A bottom view of the electrical connector, showing the insert and the ground contact attached to the outer conductor. Fig. 20 is a partial cross-sectional schematic view of an electrical connector according to a modified example, showing a configuration in which the leaf spring portion of the ground contact directly abuts against the pressed surface of the outer conductor. Fig. 21 is a perspective view of an electrical connector according to another modified example. Fig. 22 is a perspective view of an electrical connector according to yet another modified example. Fig. 23 is a partial cross-sectional schematic view of an electrical connector according to yet another modified example. Fig. 24 is another partial cross-sectional schematic view of the electrical connector shown in Fig. 20.

[0021] Various embodiments and features will be described below with reference to the drawings. Those skilled in the art will be able to combine the embodiments and / or features without excessive explanation and will also be able to understand the synergistic effects of such combinations. Duplicate descriptions between embodiments will be omitted as a general rule. The reference drawings are primarily intended to describe the invention and are simplified for ease of illustration. Each feature is not only effective in the electrical connector disclosed in this application, but is understood as a universal feature that is also applicable to various other electrical connectors not disclosed in this specification.

[0022] 1 and 2 , a non-limiting example of a camera module 100 incorporating an electrical connector 1 according to the present disclosure will be described. The camera module 100 includes an electrical connector 1, an image sensor 150, a mounting substrate 200, a housing 300, and a coupling lock part 400. The electrical connector 1 is a coaxial connector having a first end 11 on the mounting substrate 200 side and a second end 12 to which a mating connector 900 is coupled. The image sensor 150 is a semiconductor image sensor such as a CCD or CMOS, and captures an image by receiving a light beam arriving via an optical system (not shown) at each pixel. The electrical connector 1 and the image sensor 150 are mounted on opposite sides of the same mounting substrate 200, but they can also be mounted on the same side of the mounting substrate 200. Of course, they can also be mounted on separate substrates. The electrical connector 1 is mounted on the mounting substrate 200 in a solder-free manner, i.e., without soldering. The electrical connector 1 is positioned at a fixed position on the mounting board 200 by the housing 300, but other positioning mechanisms may also be employed. The image sensor 150 is mounted on the mounting board 200 by soldering using reflow or the like.

[0023] The mounting substrate 200 is a printed circuit board (PCB) and has a mounting surface 201 on which the electrical connector 1 is mounted and an opposite surface 202. A wiring pattern is formed on the mounting surface 201, and in short, ground pads that abut contact portions of ground contacts of the electrical connector 1 (described later) and signal pads that abut contact portions of signal contacts of the electrical connector 1 (described later) are formed. The ground pads may be formed in an annular or C-shape. The signal pads may be formed in a circle at the center of the ground pad. Other pad shapes may also be adopted.

[0024] The housing 300 has an insertion hole 320h through which the second end 12 of the electrical connector 1 is inserted, and in the illustrated example, is an assembly of a first housing 310 and a second housing 320. The housing 300 is constructed by placing the mounting board 200 on the opening of the first housing 310 and assembling the second housing 320 on the first housing 310. When placing the second housing 320 on the first housing 310, the second end 12 of the electrical connector 1 is passed through the insertion hole 320h of the second housing 320, and the wall surface of the insertion hole 320h of the second housing 320 comes into contact with the electrical connector 1, which may apply an external force to the electrical connector 1 in a direction along the mounting surface 201. However, because the electrical connector 1 is mounted on the mounting board 200 without solder as described above, poor conductivity is unlikely to occur despite such external forces. When the electrical connector 1 is soldered to the mounting board 200, the external force may cause damage such as cracks in the solder joints, leading to poor electrical continuity. When the second housing 320 is assembled to the first housing 310, the second housing 320, particularly its inner surface, presses the electrical connector 1 toward the mounting board 200. As will be apparent from the description below, the electrical connector 1 is mounted on the mounting board 200 in a manner that allows it to expand and contract in the mounting direction to the mounting board 200 (specifically, in the axial direction, as described below). The second housing 320 presses the electrical connector 1 toward the mounting board 200, elastically deforming the ground and signal contacts (described below) of the electrical connector 1. As a result, the ground contacts of the electrical connector 1 contact the ground pads of the mounting board 200 with an appropriate contact pressure, establishing electrical continuity. The same holds true for the signal contacts of the electrical connector 1 and the signal pads of the mounting board 200.

[0025] There are no limitations on the specific configuration or assembly method of the camera module 100. The first housing 310 and the second housing 320 can be combined by press-fitting, mating, or adhesive. It is desirable to make the insertion hole 320h as small as possible to prevent dust from entering the housing 300 or for other purposes, but this makes it easier for external force to be applied to the electrical connector 1. The connection lock part 400 is an optional part for locking the connection between the electrical connector 1 and the mating connector 900. The connection lock part 400 is attached to the electrical connector 1 on the top surface of the housing 300, but it can be attached in other ways.

[0026] The electrical connector 1 will be described in more detail below with reference to Figures 3 to 16. As described above, the electrical connector 1 is mounted on the mounting board 200 in a manner that allows it to expand and contract in the mounting direction on the mounting board 200 (specifically, expand and contract in the axial direction). This ensures a good electrical connection between the electrical connector 1 and the mounting board 200, regardless of manufacturing factors such as dimensional variations or environmental factors such as vibration. Furthermore, because the electrical connector 1 is mounted without solder, it is also displaceable in a plane parallel to the mounting surface 201 of the mounting board 200. Therefore, it is within the tolerance range for the electrical connector 1 to be slightly pressed by the wall surface of the insertion hole 320h of the housing 300.

[0027] Hereinafter, the terms "axial direction," "radial direction," and "circumferential direction" generally refer to the mounting direction of the electrical connector 1 on the mounting board 200 or the center line CL of the electrical connector 1. For ease of explanation, the axial direction toward the mounting board 200 is referred to as "downward," and the axial direction away from the mounting board 200 is referred to as "upward." In FIGS. 3 and 4 , the center line CL of the electrical connector 1 coincides with the mounting direction of the electrical connector 1 on the mounting board 200 (although this is not limited to this). The radially inner direction refers to the direction toward the center line CL in the radial direction. The radially outer direction refers to the direction away from the center line CL in the radial direction. The axial direction refers to a direction parallel to the center line CL and is not limited to a direction along an axis that coincides with the center line CL.

[0028] The electrical connector 1 is an assembly of a connector body 1a (outer conductor 10, inner conductor 20, insulator 30, and optional insert 60), signal contacts 40, and ground contacts 50. The connector body 1a is composed of connector parts such as the outer conductor 10, inner conductor 20, insulator 30, and optional insert 60, although it is possible to omit, substitute, or add connector parts. The signal contacts 40 and ground contacts 50 are attached to the connector body 1a at the first end 11 of the electrical connector 1. The signal contacts 40 and ground contacts 50 have axial spring properties, thereby ensuring or promoting a good electrical connection between the electrical connector 1 and the mounting board 200. The signal contacts 40 have contact portions 45c on or near the center line CL of the electrical connector 1. The ground contacts 50 have contact portions 51c located radially outward of the contact portions 45c. There is no particular limitation on the number of contact portions 45c and 51c. For example, if the electrical connector 1 is not a coaxial connector, the electrical connector 1 may have multiple signal contacts and / or multiple ground contacts.

[0029] In some cases, the outer conductor 10 is a conductive shell member, and the inner conductor 20 is a conductive pin. The shell member may be a metal part manufactured by, for example, die-casting. The conductive pin may be a metal part manufactured by stamping, cutting, or the like from a metal plate. The conductive pin may be plated as a surface treatment to improve contact reliability, but is not limited to this. The signal contacts 40, the ground contacts 50, and the insert members 60 may be metal parts manufactured by stamping, cutting, or the like from a metal plate. The insulator 30 may be an injection-molded resin part. Specific manufacturing methods for these connector parts would be redundant for those skilled in the art, and therefore, detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0030] The insulator 30 ensures electrical insulation between the outer conductor 10 and the inner conductor 20. That is, the insulator 30 is interposed between the outer conductor 10 and the inner conductor 20, preventing physical contact between the two. The insulator 30 ensures electrical continuity between the inner conductor 20 and the signal contact 40. In short, the insulator 30 holds the inner conductor 20 and the signal contact 40 in a manner that allows them to contact and conduct electricity. Typically, the inner conductor 20 and the signal contact 40 are connected along the axial direction and pass through the insulator 30. The outer conductor 10 is disposed on the outer periphery of the inner conductor 20, and the inner conductor 20 is disposed radially inward from the outer conductor 10. Optionally, the outer conductor 10 is also disposed on the outer periphery of the signal contact 40, and the signal contact 40 is disposed radially inward from the outer conductor 10. Note that the contact portion 45c is located below the outer conductor 10 and is not surrounded by the outer conductor 10.

[0031] Electrical connection between the outer conductor 10 and the ground contact 50 is ensured by direct contact therebetween or via an insert 60. The ground contact 50 includes a first portion (e.g., a leaf spring portion 52 described below) located radially inward from the outer conductor 10 and a second portion (e.g., a mounting arm 53 described below) located radially outward from the outer conductor 10. One or both of the first and second portions include the leaf spring portion and elastically abut against the outer conductor 10, thereby ensuring or promoting attachment of the ground contact 50 to the outer conductor 10. The first and second portions are located at different circumferential positions, but can also be located at the same circumferential position. As will be understood from the description below, the insert 60 is a member interposed between the leaf spring portion 52 of the ground contact 50 and the connector body 1a (e.g., the outer conductor 10 or another connector part). This facilitates smooth sliding of a sliding portion 52c of the leaf spring portion 52 described below, but may be omitted.

[0032] When the electrical connector 1 is mounted on the mounting board 200, the outer conductor 10 does not contact the mounting board 200, and a clearance is formed between them, allowing the electrical connector 1 to elastically expand and contract (thanks to elastic deformation of the signal contacts 40 and the ground contacts 50) between the mounting board 200 and the housing 300. Preferably, the first end 11 of the outer conductor 10 is positioned near the mounting surface 201, thereby suitably shielding high-frequency signals propagating through the inner conductor 20 from external noise. Other measures can be adopted as an alternative or in addition to such electromagnetic shielding.

[0033] The outer conductor 10 (shell member) accommodates the inner conductor 20, the insulator 30, the signal contacts 40, and the insert members 60. The ground contacts 50 are attached to the outer conductor 10 (shell member) so as to be positioned below the outer conductor 10 (shell member). A portion of the ground contact 50 (e.g., a leaf spring portion 52 described below) may also be accommodated within the outer conductor 10.

[0034] The outer conductor 10 includes a shell base 15 and a tubular shell portion 16 as shell members. The shell base 15 is a box-shaped portion having an internal space with a three-dimensional expansion, and has an outer shape and dimensions that protrude radially outward beyond the tubular shell portion 16. The tubular shell portion 16 is a hollow tubular portion that is connected to the shell base 15 and extends in the axial direction. The internal space of the shell base 15 and the internal space of the tubular shell portion 16 are spatially connected. The shell base 15 is not limited to a rectangular parallelepiped outer shape as shown in the illustration, and can have other outer shapes, for example, a cylindrical outer shape. The tubular shell portion 16 has an outer shape with a circular cross section, but can also have other cross-sectional shapes, for example, a rectangular shape.

[0035] The inner conductor 20 has a first end 21 to which the signal contact 40 is connected and a second end 22 opposite the first end 21, and may be a conductive pin extending linearly between them. The first end 21 and the second end 22 are cylindrical portions. The inner conductor of the mating connector 900 is electrically connected to the second end 22. The inner conductor 20 may have an intermediate engagement portion 23 between the first end 21 and the second end 22, which promotes fixation of the inner conductor 20 to the insulator 30. The intermediate engagement portion 23 is a flat strip extending between the first end 21 and the second end 22 and may have one or more protrusions protruding radially outward. The conductive pin is press-fitted into the insertion hole of the insulator 30, and the intermediate engagement portion 23 is held within the insertion hole of the insulator 30.

[0036] In the illustrated example, the conductive pin has a total of four protrusions near the boundary between the first end 21 and the intermediate engagement portion 23, and a total of two protrusions near the boundary between the second end 22 and the intermediate engagement portion 23. Other configurations of the inner conductor 20 may also be employed.

[0037] The insulator 30 holds the inner conductor 20 and the signal contacts 40 and is fixed to the outer conductor 10 by press-fitting, mating, adhesive, or the like. The insulator 30 is preferably composed of two parts: a base 35 and a cap 36. The base 35 and the cap 36 each have holes 35h, 36h through which the inner conductor 20 is inserted. The second end 22 of the inner conductor 20 is press-fit into the hole 36h in the cap 36, and then the first end 21 of the inner conductor 20 is inserted into the hole 35h in the base 35. The lower end of the first end 21 of the inner conductor 20 passes through the hole 35h in the base 35. Similarly, the upper end of the second end 22 of the inner conductor 20 passes through the hole 36h in the cap 36. The first end 21 of the inner conductor 20 is not visible from the outside of the electrical connector 1. On the other hand, the second end 22 of the inner conductor 20 appears externally at the second end 12 of the electrical connector 1 (see FIG. 3).

[0038] The base 35 has an internal space for receiving and holding the signal contacts 40. In the illustrated example, the base 35 has a cylindrical base main body portion 35m and a box portion 35n that protrudes radially outward from the base main body portion 35m. The internal space of the base main body portion 35m and the internal space of the box portion 35n are spatially connected, thereby forming a space for receiving and holding the signal contacts 40. Typically, the signal contacts 40 are press-fitted into the base 35 and held in the internal space of the base 35, but other methods (adhesion, partial insert molding) can also be used. The contact portions 45c of the signal contacts 40 are positioned below the base 35.

[0039] The signal contact 40 is a connector part that electrically connects the inner conductor 20 to a signal pad on the mounting board 200, and has a first end 41 on the mounting board 200 side and a second end 42 on the inner conductor 20 side. A contact portion 45c of the first end 41 of the signal contact 40 abuts against the signal pad on the mounting board 200. The second end 42 of the signal contact 40 abuts against the first end 21 of the inner conductor 20 (conductive pin). Advantageously, the signal contact 40 is shaped to have spring properties that allow it to expand and contract in the axial direction, so that the contact portion 45c is pressed against the signal pad on the mounting board 200.

[0040] The signal contact 40 may include a leaf spring portion 45 that abuts against the mounting board 200 at the contact portion 45c, and a clamping portion 46 that clamps the inner conductor 20. The leaf spring portion 45 has a generally concave or C-shaped bent shape that opens on the center line CL side, and has a contact portion 45c at its lower end. The clamping portion 46 has opposing arms 46m, 46n that are spaced apart and arranged opposite each other on both sides of the center line CL, and the first end 21 of the inner conductor 20 that has passed through the hole 35h in the base 35 is clamped between the two.

[0041] Specifically, the leaf spring portion 45 includes a first flat plate 45p, a second flat plate 45q, and an inclined plate 45r. The first flat plate 45p extends radially outward, the second flat plate 45q extends downward from the radially outer end of the first flat plate 45p, and the inclined plate 45r extends diagonally downward radially inward from the lower end of the second flat plate 45q. The second flat plate 45q abuts against the inner wall surface of the insulator 30 (box portion 35n), thereby forming a pivot point for the inclined plate 45r between the second flat plate 45q and the inclined plate 45r. When the electrical connector 1 is mounted on the mounting board 200 as shown in FIG. 1, the leaf spring portion 45 operates (exerts spring force) to press the contact portion 45c against the mounting board 200. Other configurations for the signal contact 40 are possible, for example, the clamping portion 46 could be replaced by a cylindrical portion into which the lower end of the inner conductor 20 is press-fit.

[0042] The ground contacts 50 are attached to the connector body 1a (e.g., a connector part such as the outer conductor 10) in a manner that allows them to be displaced relative to the connector body 1a (e.g., a connector part such as the outer conductor 10) along the mounting direction of the electrical connector 1 on the mounting board 200. The connector part to which the ground contacts 50 are attached is not limited to the outer conductor 10, and they may be attached to other connector parts.

[0043] The ground contact 50 includes a bottom plate 51, multiple (four in the illustrated example) leaf spring portions 52, multiple (two in the illustrated example) mounting arms 53, and multiple (four in the illustrated example) contact portions 51c, and is preferably a single metal part that has these portions integrated (without welding). By shaping the ground contact 50 from a single metal plate using stamping, cutting, or other processes, the configuration can be made smaller and / or simpler. This improves the integrity of each portion of the ground contact 50 and increases the overall mechanical strength. There is no particular limit to the number of leaf spring portions, mounting arms, and contact portions, as long as there is one or more.

[0044] The bottom plate 51 can abut the ground pads formed on the mounting surface 201 of the mounting board 200 at the contact portions 51c. The contact portions 51c are protruding from the underside of the bottom plate 51. The bottom plate 51 is an annular member that is continuous in the circumferential direction of the center line CL of the electrical connector 1, but is not limited thereto and can also be shaped in other shapes, such as a C-shape or a rectangle. Openings 51o are formed in the bottom plate 51, through which the signal contacts 40 are electrically connected to the signal pads on the mounting board 200. The bottom plate 51 may optionally have bridges 54. The bridges 54 are positioned above and spaced apart from the mounting surface 201 of the mounting board 200, thereby preventing the ground contacts 50 from being electrically connected to wiring connected to the signal pads on the mounting surface 201. Alternatively, if internal wiring of the mounting board 200 is connected to the signal pads on the mounting surface 201, the ground contacts 50 are prevented from coming into close proximity to the internal wiring.

[0045] The leaf spring portion 52 is a portion for biasing the ground contact 50 downward by its own actuation and / or a portion for attaching the ground contact 50 to the connector body 1a, and elastically deforms when a compressive force is applied between the connector body 1a (e.g., a connector part such as the outer conductor 10) and the mounting board 200. Even if the distance between the outer conductor 10 and the mounting board 200 increases, the elastic change in posture of the leaf spring portion 52 keeps the contact portion 51c in pressure contact with the mounting board 200. Even if the distance between the outer conductor 10 and the mounting board 200 decreases, the leaf spring portion 52 elastically changes posture without buckling, keeping the contact portion 51c in pressure contact with the mounting board 200. The mounting arm 53 is a portion for attaching the ground contact 50 to the connector body 1a, and typically, the actuation of the leaf spring portion 52 can prevent the ground contact 50 from falling off the connector body 1a (e.g., a connector part such as the outer conductor 10). The leaf spring portion 52 is located radially inward relative to the mounting arm 53, but this is not necessarily limited to this. The positions of the leaf spring portion 52 and the mounting arm 53 can also be reversed in the radial direction. The leaf spring portion 52 and the mounting arm 53 are connected to the outer periphery of the bottom plate 51, but this is not necessarily limited to this.

[0046] There are no particular limitations on the manner in which the mounting arm 53 is attached to the connector main body 1a (e.g., a connector part such as the outer conductor 10). It is preferable to form a locking protrusion 17 on the connector main body 1a (e.g., the outer conductor 10) and form an opening 53o in the mounting arm 53 to receive the locking protrusion. Of course, the locking protrusion can be provided on the mounting arm 53 and an opening can be formed in the connector main body 1a. Preferably, the locking protrusion 17 fits loosely into the opening 53o and is displaceable axially within the opening 53o. In the illustrated example, the opening 53o extends elongatedly in the axial direction. The opening 53o narrows slightly as it moves away from the mounting board 200, but this is not necessarily the case.

[0047] The bottom plate 51 can be disposed almost entirely directly below the connector body 1a (e.g., a connector part such as the outer conductor 10). In other words, the bottom plate 51 does not protrude radially outward from the connector body 1a, or at least does not protrude significantly. This facilitates miniaturization of the electrical connector 1. Furthermore, the leaf spring portion 52 is at least partially or entirely housed inside the connector body 1a (e.g., a connector part such as the outer conductor 10). This prevents the leaf spring portion 52 from being exposed to the outside, thereby preventing malfunction.

[0048] 5 to 9 illustrate the shape of the ground contact 50 in more detail. As shown, the leaf spring portions 52 are arranged at equal angular intervals in the circumferential direction, and are generally spaced at 90° intervals. The four leaf spring portions 52 include a first pair of leaf spring portions 52 arranged opposite each other and a second pair of leaf spring portions 52 arranged opposite each other. The mounting arms 53 are arranged at equal angular intervals in the circumferential direction, and are generally spaced at 180° intervals. The number of leaf spring portions 52 and mounting arms 53 can be increased or decreased as desired by those skilled in the art. The contact portions 51c are arranged at equal angular intervals in the circumferential direction, and are generally spaced at 90° intervals. The four contact portions 51c extend in a tangential direction tangent to the circumferential direction, but this shape is not necessarily limited to this. The contact portions 51c are not limited to a convex shape and can have other shapes, such as a continuous ring shape in the circumferential direction. Providing multiple contact portions 51c improves connection reliability. The above-mentioned bottom plate 51 is useful for arranging the plurality of contact portions 51c.

[0049] Preferably, the plurality of contact portions 51c are provided at positions corresponding to the plurality of leaf spring portions 52 in the circumferential direction, and in the illustrated example, each contact portion 51c is provided directly below the leaf spring portion 52. This allows the contact portions 51c to be more reliably pressed into contact with the mounting board 200 by the operation of the leaf spring portion 52. The angular spacing between the plurality of contact portions 51c in the circumferential direction is equal to the angular spacing between the plurality of leaf spring portions 52 in the circumferential direction, but this is not necessarily the case.

[0050] The leaf spring portion 52 is a cantilever beam portion and has a base portion 52p, a pivot portion 52q, and a free end 52r. The base portion 52p is disposed facing the bottom plate 51 with a gap therebetween, ensuring or promoting axial expansion and contraction of the leaf spring portion 52. The pivot portion 52q extends obliquely along the axial direction and is pivotable, ensuring or promoting axial expansion and contraction of the leaf spring portion 52. The free end 52r is positioned farther away from the base portion 52p than the pivot portion 52q. The contact portion 51c is positioned directly below the base portion 52p, and the contact portion 51c can be pressed into favorable contact with the signal pad by the operation of the leaf spring portion 52.

[0051] A first bent portion 52a is formed between the base portion 52p and the outer peripheral edge of the bottom plate 51. A second bent portion 52b is formed between the base portion 52p and the pivot portion 52q. A further bent portion, namely a sliding portion 52c, is formed between the pivot portion 52q and the free end 52r. When the electrical connector 1 is mounted on the mounting board 200, the sliding portion 52c slides on a pressed surface 67 of the insert member 60 (described below). The first bent portion 52a and the sliding portion 52c face the same radial side (e.g., radially outward). The second bent portion 52b faces the opposite radial side from the first bent portion 52a and the sliding portion 52c. The sliding portion 52c extends linearly in a tangential direction relative to the circumferential direction, thereby ensuring a sufficient contact area with the pressed surface 67 and ensuring good electrical and / or mechanical contact.

[0052] The configuration of the electrical connector 1 before being mounted on the mounting board 200 will be further described with reference to FIGS. 10 to 12. As shown in FIG. 10, the contact portions 45c of the signal contacts 40 are positioned within the openings 51o in the bottom plate 51 of the ground contacts 50 and protrude slightly below the bottom surface of the bottom plate 51. As shown in FIG. 11, a locking protrusion 17 is formed on the outer surface of the outer conductor 10 (shell member), to which the mounting arms 53 of the ground contacts 50 are attached. Specifically, the locking protrusion 17 has an inclined surface 17p that guides the mounting arms 53 to be attached to the locking protrusion 17, and a locking surface 17q that prevents the mounting arms 53 from falling off the locking protrusion 17. The inclined surface 17p inclines radially outward as it extends axially away from the mounting board 200. The locking surface 17q intersects or is perpendicular to the axial direction and is typically disposed in a plane parallel to the mounting surface 201 of the mounting board 200. The mounting arm 53 is locked by the locking surface 17q of the locking projection 17, preventing the ground contact 50 from falling off from the outer conductor 10. Typically, the locking surface 17q and the opposing wall surface of the opening 53o of the mounting arm 53 are in a pressure-contact state, but even if this is not the case, the ground contact 50 can be prevented from falling off from the outer conductor 10.

[0053] As shown in Figure 12, the outer conductor 10 (shell member) has a support portion 18 having a support surface 18a and a holding groove 19 for holding an insert member 60. The insert member 60 is a bent member made of metal, and has a flat plate portion 65 that is placed on and supported by the support surface 18a, and an insertion piece 66 that is press-fitted into the holding groove 19. The method for fixing the insert member 60 to the outer conductor 10 (shell member) is arbitrary. In the illustrated example, rocking pieces that protrude radially inward are formed on both ends of the insertion piece 66 in the width direction, thereby ensuring press-fitting into the holding groove 19. The insert member 60 has an intermediate portion 68 between the flat plate portion 65 and the insertion piece 66, but this can be omitted.

[0054] The support portion 18 has a support surface 18a that extends axially away from the mounting substrate 200 and faces radially inward. The flat portion 65 has a pressed surface 67 on the opposite side of the support surface 18a, which is pressed by the leaf spring portion 52. The pressed surface 67 is an inclined surface that is inclined like the support surface 18a. The support surface 18a and / or the pressed surface 67 are not limited to an inclined surface, but may also be a convex surface, a concave surface, a spherical surface, an aspherical surface, or any combination thereof. In short, the pressed surface 67 is formed non-perpendicular to the mounting direction (axial direction) of the electrical connector 1 on the mounting substrate 200 and intersects with an axis parallel to the mounting direction (axial direction). This allows the pressed surface 67 to fully receive force from the pivoting leaf spring portion 52 of the ground contact 50, ensuring or promoting downward biasing of the ground contact 50. Furthermore, like the pressed surface 67, the support surface 18a is formed non-perpendicular to the mounting direction (axial direction) of the electrical connector 1 on the mounting board 200, and is formed to intersect with an axis parallel to the mounting direction (axial direction).

[0055] Preferably, the pressed surface 67 is an inclined surface oriented obliquely with respect to the mounting direction of the electrical connector 1 on the mounting board 200, which promotes smooth sliding of the sliding portion 52c of the leaf spring portion 52 on the pressed surface 67, as described below. Preferably, the support surface 18a is also an inclined surface oriented obliquely with respect to the mounting direction of the electrical connector 1 on the mounting board 200. More preferably, the inclination angle of the support surface 18a (with respect to the axial direction) and the inclination angle of the pressed surface 67 (with respect to the axial direction) are equal. As a result, by overlapping the flat plate portion 65 on the support surface 18a of the support portion 18, the support surface 18a and the pressed surface 67 can be oriented parallel to each other. The support surface 18a of the support portion 18 stably supports the insert member 60.

[0056] In this embodiment, the ground contact 50 is configured so that it is biased in a direction away from the connector body 1a (e.g., a connector part such as the outer conductor 10) as the leaf spring portion 52 presses the pressure-receiving surface 67 in a direction intersecting the mounting direction of the electrical connector 1 on the mounting board 200. The pressure-receiving surface 67 is formed non-perpendicular to the mounting direction. This allows for a good electrical connection between the electrical connector 1 and the mounting board 200 while further promoting miniaturization and / or simplification of the electrical connector 1.

[0057] In some cases, the pressure applied by the leaf spring portion 52 to the pressure-receiving surface 67 is also used to attach the ground contact 50 to the connector body 1a (e.g., a connector part such as the outer conductor 10). This facilitates further miniaturization and / or simplification of the electrical connector 1. It should be noted that, as will be understood from the description below, the insert member 60 may be omitted, and the ground contact 50 may be attached to a connector part other than the outer conductor 10. In a preferred embodiment, the spring force of the leaf spring portion 52 also better ensures electrical contact between the outer conductor 10 and the ground contact 50.

[0058] 13 and 14, the process of mounting the electrical connector 1 on the mounting board 200 will be further described. The electrical connector 1 is placed on the mounting board 200, and then pressed against the mounting board 200 by the housing 300.

[0059] After the bottom plate 51 of the ground contact 50 is placed on the mounting surface 201 of the mounting board 200, the housing 300 presses the outer conductor 10 toward the mounting board 200, displacing the outer conductor 10 and the insert 60 fixed thereto downward. The support surface 18a of the outer conductor 10 and the pressed surface 67 of the insert 60 are displaced downward, which presses the sliding portion 52c of the leaf spring portion 52 radially inward, causing the leaf spring portion 52 (particularly, the pivot portion 52q) to resiliently pivot radially inward from its initial position to its displaced position. The sliding portion 52c slides on the pressed surface 67 away from the mounting board 200. As a result, the angle θ between the center line CL and the plane on which the pivot portion 52q exists decreases (θ1 > θ2). It can be seen that the axial distance between the base 52p of the leaf spring portion 52 and the bottom plate 51 also decreases. The leaf spring portion 52 has the sliding portion 52c, that is, the leaf spring portion 52 is displaceable in the axial direction, so that the spring length of the leaf spring portion 52 can be shortened.

[0060] The outer conductor 10 is displaced closer to the mounting surface 201 of the mounting board 200, while maintaining a clearance between the outer conductor 10 and the mounting board 200. A spring force is generated in the leaf spring portion 52 to return it to its initial position from the displaced position, and a spring force is generated in the pivot portion 52q to return it to a larger pivot angle (from θ2 to θ1). This forces the ground contact 50 downward, and the contact portion 51c of the ground contact 50 is pressed against the mounting board 200 with sufficient contact pressure. Therefore, even if the ground contact 50 is not soldered to the mounting board 200, a good electrical connection can be ensured between them. The above-mentioned contact pressure is correlated or proportional to the amount of elastic deformation of the leaf spring portion 52 and / or the amount of pivoting of the pivot portion 52q (pivot angle range |θ2-θ1|). Although the locking protrusion 17 releases the mounting arm 53, the ground contact 50 is sandwiched between the outer conductor 10 and the mounting board 200, and therefore, there is no problem with the ground contact 50 falling off or becoming separated from the outer conductor 10.

[0061] It is preferable that the ground contacts 50 be biased downward not only during the mounting process of the electrical connector 1 on the mounting board 200 but also before the mounting process. This effectively prevents the ground contacts 50 from falling off the connector body 1a. That is, when the leaf spring portion 52 elastically deforms (e.g., the pivot portion 52q elastically pivots radially inward) and the mounting arm 53 is locked by the locking protrusion 17 (when the locking surface 17q and the wall surface of the opening 53o of the mounting arm 53 are in a pressure contact state), the ground contacts 50 will not easily fall off the connector body 1a even if an external force is applied. This improves the integrity of the electrical connector 1 and makes the electrical connector 1 easier to handle during manufacturing and transportation. Of course, this is not limited to this configuration, and a configuration is also envisioned in which, before mounting the electrical connector 1 on the mounting board 200, the ground contact 50 is attached to the connector body 1a, but the leaf spring portion 52 does not elastically deform (for example, the pivot portion 52q does not elastically pivot radially inward but simply contacts the pressed surface 67), and the ground contact 50 is not biased downward.

[0062] FIG. 15 is a bottom view of the outer conductor 10 (shell member) showing the state before the insertion members 60 and ground contacts 50 are attached. Multiple (four) support surfaces 18a are formed radially. Retention grooves 19 are formed between the support surfaces 18a and the outer wall 13. The retention grooves 19 are formed at the corners of the outer conductor 10 (shell member), but are not limited to this location. The outer conductor 10 (shell member) receives the base 35 of the insulator 30. Grooves 91 for receiving the box portions 35n of the base 35 are formed between adjacent support surfaces 18a in the circumferential direction. For reference, FIG. 16 shows the state after the insulator 30 (with signal contacts 40), ground contacts 50, and insertion members 60 are attached to the outer conductor 10 (shell member).

[0063] In addition to the various embodiments described above, further variations will be described below. Figure 17 shows an embodiment in which the insert 60 is omitted. The support surface 18a of the outer conductor 10 functions as the pressed surface that is pressed by the leaf spring portion 52. This achieves the same effects as described above for the same reasons. If the support surface 18a of the outer conductor 10 is smooth, good contact can be ensured between the support surface 18a of the outer conductor 10 and the leaf spring portion 52 even if the insert 60 is omitted. When the outer conductor 10 is made of die-cast material, the support surface 18a of the outer conductor 10 may not be smooth. Therefore, it is desirable to insert the insert 60, which facilitates smooth sliding of the leaf spring portion 52 on the pressed surface 67. The die-cast outer conductor 10 can also be plated (electroplated, electroless plated, etc.) to impart sufficient smoothness to the support surface 18a as a pressed surface. When the outer conductor 10 is tin-plated and the gold-plated ground contact 50 is used, it is preferable that the insert 60 is gold-plated, as this prevents corrosion due to contact between dissimilar metals.

[0064] Figure 18 illustrates an embodiment in which the electrical connector 1 is an L-shaped coaxial connector. This embodiment also provides the same effects as those described above as long as it has the above-mentioned features. The main differences are as follows: The cylindrical shell portion 16 is attached to the shell base portion 15 of the outer conductor 10. The center line CL can be understood as a broken line bent at a right angle at one point.

[0065] 19 illustrates a two-pin electrical connector 1. Two inner conductors 20 are provided, and similarly, two signal contacts 40 are provided. In such a case, the same effects as those described above can be obtained as long as the above-described features are provided.

[0066] In the above description, the outer conductor 10 forms the entire shell member, but this is not necessarily the case. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 20 , the shell member 80 has a shell insulating portion 81 and a shell conductive portion 82. The shell insulating portion 81 is made of resin, e.g., an injection-molded portion. On the other hand, the shell conductive portion 82 is made of metal, e.g., a die-cast molded portion, which frankly corresponds to the above-mentioned tubular shell portion 16. Even in this case, electrical connection between the ground contact 50 and the shell conductive portion 82 is ensured via the insert member 60. Furthermore, the ground contact 50 can be attached to the shell insulating portion 81 in the same manner as described above (see FIG. 21 ).

[0067] Just to be clear, the insert 60 is fixed to the shell insulating portion 81. The insert 60 extends axially until it reaches the shell conductive portion 82, and is inserted into a groove formed in the shell conductive portion 82. In this way, electrical connection between the insert 60 and the shell conductive portion 82 is ensured. The ground contact 50 and the shell conductive portion 82 can also be electrically connected by another method. It goes without saying that in order to improve the electromagnetic wave shielding characteristics, it is preferable for the entire shell member to be made of metal.

[0068] In the above description, the connector parts to which the ground contacts 50 are attached are the outer conductor 10 and / or the shell member, but the present invention is not limited to these connector parts. For example, after making necessary design changes, the ground contacts 50 can be attached to the insulator 30 in the outer conductor 10 in the same manner as described above or in a different manner.

[0069] It is also possible for the leaf spring portion 52 to press the pressed surface radially inward to downwardly bias the ground contact 50. However, in this case, the size of the electrical connector 1 may become somewhat large, and the leaf spring portion 52 may become exposed to the outside.

[0070] It is understood that there are no limitations on the shape, number, size, and location of the components (connector parts) of the electrical connector 1. For example, if the electrical connector 1 is not a coaxial connector, the shape, number, size, and location of the components of the electrical connector 1 can be changed accordingly. In addition to the components shown, the electrical connector 1 can also have additional components not shown.

[0071] In light of the above teachings, those skilled in the art will be able to make various modifications to the embodiments and features. The reference numerals used in the claims are for reference purposes only and should not be used to limit the scope of the claims. The means for preventing the ground contacts 50 from falling off the connector body 1a is not limited to the mounting arms 53 and the locking projections 17, and other means may also be used.

[0072] DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1: Electrical connector 1a: Connector body 10: Outer conductor 17: Locking protrusion 18: Support portion 18a: Support surface 19: Retaining groove 20: Inner conductor 30: Insulator 35: Base 36: Cap 40: Signal contact 45: Leaf spring portion 45c: Contact portion 46: Clamping portion 50: Ground contact 51: Bottom plate 51c: Contact portion 51o: Opening 52: Leaf spring portion 53: Mounting arm 60: Interposition member 65: Flat plate portion 66: Insertion piece 67: Pressurized surface 80: Shell member 100: Camera module 200: Mounting board 300: Housing

Claims

1. An electrical connector that is mounted on a circuit board and electrically connected, The connector body and At least one signal contact, It is attached to the connector body in a manner that allows it to be displaced relative to the connector body along the mounting direction of the electrical connector to the mounting substrate, and comprises at least one leaf spring portion and at least one ground contact including at least one contact portion that is pressed against the mounting substrate in accordance with the operation of the at least one leaf spring portion, The connector body has at least one pressed surface which is pressed by the at least one leaf spring portion, and the at least one pressed surface is formed not perpendicular to the mounting direction. An electrical connector in which the at least one ground contact is configured such that the at least one leaf spring portion is biased away from the connector body when the at least one pressed surface is pressed in a direction intersecting the mounting direction.

2. The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the at least one surface to be pressed is an inclined surface oriented obliquely with respect to the mounting direction.

3. The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the at least one leaf spring portion includes a pivot portion that is pressed by the at least one pressure-bearing surface during the mounting process of the electrical connector onto the mounting substrate and elastically pivots from an initial position to a displaced position.

4. The electrical connector according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the at least one leaf spring portion includes a sliding portion that is pressed by the at least one pressed surface and slides on the at least one pressed surface during the mounting process of the electrical connector onto the mounting substrate.

5. The electrical connector according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the electrical connector is a coaxial connector, and the at least one leaf spring portion is elastically pivotable radially inward or outward of the coaxial connector.

6. The electrical connector according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein at least one leaf spring portion is housed at least partially inside the connector body.

7. The electrical connector according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the at least one ground contact further includes a bottom plate that abuts the mounting surface of the mounting substrate at the at least one contact portion, and the at least one leaf spring portion is connected to the outer edge of the bottom plate.

8. The electrical connector according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the at least one ground contact further includes a bottom plate that abuts the mounting surface of the mounting substrate at the at least one contact portion, and at least one mounting arm that rises from the outer peripheral edge of the bottom plate and is attached to the connector body.

9. The electrical connector according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the connector body includes an inner conductor to which the signal contacts are electrically connected, an outer conductor to which the ground contacts are electrically connected, and an insulator that supports the inner conductor within the outer conductor.

10. The electrical connector according to claim 9, wherein the outer conductor has the at least one press surface.

11. The electrical connector according to claim 9, wherein the connector body further includes at least one intervening member interposed between the leaf spring portion of the ground contact and the outer conductor, and the at least one intervening member has at least one press-to-press surface.

12. An electrical connector according to any one of claims 1 to 3, The aforementioned electrical connector is mounted on a mounting board at its first end, An electronic device comprising a housing having a through hole through which the second end of the electrical connector mounted on the aforementioned mounting board is inserted.

13. An electrical connector that is mounted on a circuit board and electrically connected, Connector parts, At least one signal contact, It is attached to the connector part in a manner that allows it to be displaced relative to the connector part along the mounting direction of the electrical connector to the mounting substrate, and comprises at least one leaf spring portion and at least one ground contact including at least one contact portion that is pressed against the mounting substrate in accordance with the operation of the at least one leaf spring portion, The connector part has at least one pressed surface which is pressed by the at least one leaf spring portion, and the at least one pressed surface is formed not perpendicular to the mounting direction. An electrical connector in which the at least one ground contact is configured such that the at least one leaf spring portion is biased away from the connector part when the at least one pressed surface is pressed in a direction intersecting the mounting direction.

14. The electrical connector according to claim 13, wherein the connector part is provided as an outer conductor and the ground contact is electrically connected to the outer conductor, The signal contact is electrically connected to an inner conductor, An electrical connector further comprising an insulator that supports the inner conductor within the outer conductor.

15. The signal contact is electrically connected to an inner conductor, The outer conductor to which the ground contact is electrically connected, The present invention further includes an insulator that supports the inner conductor within the outer conductor, The electrical connector according to claim 13, wherein the connector part is provided as at least one intervening member interposed between the leaf spring portion of the ground contact and the outer conductor.