Connector assembly device and connector assembly method

Abstract

This connector assembly device is provided with: a lower jig unit to which a wiring board is set; and an upper jig unit to which a connector is set. The lower jig unit includes a support body that movably supports the wiring board on a horizontal surface, and positioning pins that fit into a plurality of board positioning holes of the wiring board. Each of the positioning pins has a first pin part that is capable of positioning on the horizontal surface of the wiring board, and a second pin part that allows, in a state of being positioned in the corresponding board positioning hole, displacement on the horizontal surface of the wiring board. The positioning pin can be displaced in the vertical direction between a first position where the first pin part is positioned in the board positioning hole and a second position where the second pin part is positioned in the board positioning hole when the wiring board is supported by the support body.

Description

Connector assembly device and connector assembly method

[0001] The present invention relates to a connector assembling apparatus and a connector assembling method, and more particularly to a connector assembling apparatus and a connector assembling method for assembling a connector having press-fit pins to a wiring board.

[0002] Some circuit boards are equipped with connectors that enable electrical connection with external devices. Among these connectors are press-fit connectors that are connected to the wiring board by press-fitting without soldering. Press-fit connectors have terminals called press-fit pins, which are inserted into through holes provided in the wiring board, and the restoring force of their elastic deformation ensures electrical connection with the wiring on the wiring board.

[0003] An assembly device that press-fits a connector having press-fit pins into a wiring board is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In the connector press-fitting device described in Patent Document 1, an insertion block adsorbs the connector, a transport means moves the insertion block horizontally, and a press-fitting head adsorbs the connector from the insertion block and then descends in response to the operation of the press-fitting means to press the connector into the printed circuit board at the press-fitting position. The technology described in Patent Document 1 prevents the vertical gap of the connector when press-fitted into the printed circuit board from deviating from an appropriate range due to variations in the bottom wall thickness of the connector housing or variations in the amount of descent of the press-fitting head. To this end, the insertion block is configured so that its reference top surface contacts the bottom surface of the connector housing, and the connector pins are inserted into insertion holes provided in the reference top surface. Furthermore, a measuring head attached to the press-fitting head contacts the reference top surface of the insertion block to measure the bottom wall thickness of the housing, and a linear scale measures the amount of elevation of the press-fitting block. By correcting the amount of lift measured by the linear scale using the correction amount obtained by the measuring head (variation in the bottom wall thickness of the housing), the connector can be pressed into the printed circuit board with the appropriate vertical gap.

[0004] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 7-220849

[0005] As described above, the connector press-fitting device described in Patent Document 1 presses a connector into a printed circuit board with an appropriate gap in the vertical direction (Z direction). However, this device does not take into account misalignment of the connector relative to the mounting surface (XY plane) of the printed circuit board. Because connector housings are generally molded from resin, there is variation in the arrangement of press-fit pins relative to the housing (arrangement in the XY plane). Furthermore, there is also variation in the position of through-holes on the printed circuit board (position in the XY plane). For this reason, even if the printed circuit board is moved to a predetermined press-fit position, the press-fit pins of the connector may be misaligned relative to the through-holes in the printed circuit board in the XY plane (mounting surface of the printed circuit board). If the connector is press-fitted into the printed circuit board while such misalignment occurs, the press-fit pins and the printed circuit board may be damaged.

[0006] The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and its purpose is to provide a connector assembling device and a connector assembling method that can assemble a connector having press-fit pins to a wiring board without damaging the press-fit pins or the wiring board even if the connector is misaligned with the board mounting surface (XY plane) when the connector is assembled to the wiring board.

[0007] The present invention includes a plurality of means for solving the above-mentioned problems. One example of the present invention is a connector assembling device for assembling a connector to a wiring board having a plurality of through holes and a plurality of board positioning holes by press-fitting and joining the plurality of press-fit pins of a connector having a housing for holding the plurality of press-fit pins into the plurality of through holes of the wiring board, the device comprising: a lower jig unit on which the wiring board is set; and an upper jig unit on which the connector is set, movable in a vertical direction, and pressing against the lower jig unit, the lower jig unit having a support body for supporting the wiring board from below so as to be movable on a horizontal plane; and a positioning pin that fits into each of several board positioning holes, wherein the positioning pin has a first pin portion that can be positioned within the board positioning hole to position the wiring board on the horizontal plane, and a second pin portion that is smaller in shape than the first pin portion and is provided at the tip side of the first pin portion, and allows the wiring board to be displaced on the horizontal plane when positioned within the board positioning hole, and the positioning pin is configured to be displaceable in the vertical direction between a first position where the first pin portion is positioned within the board positioning hole and a second position where the second pin portion is positioned within the board positioning hole when the wiring board is supported by the support body.

[0008] According to one example of the present invention, the wiring board is positioned in a horizontal plane (XY plane) relative to the wiring board supported by the support of the lower jig unit by displacing the positioning pin to a first position and fitting the first pin portion into the board positioning hole of the wiring board. Then, the positioning pin is displaced to a second position and the second pin portion is positioned within the board positioning hole, and the press-fit pin of the connector is press-fitted into the through-hole of the wiring board. Even if the press-fit pin is misaligned relative to the through-hole in the horizontal plane, the force acting on the wiring board during press-fitting displaces the press-fit pin in the horizontal plane, correcting the misalignment relative to the through-hole. Therefore, even if the connector with the press-fit pin is misaligned relative to the board mounting surface (XY plane) during assembly, the connector can be assembled without damaging the press-fit pin or the wiring board. Other issues, configurations, and advantages will be apparent from the description of the following embodiments.

[0009] 7 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a press-fit connector that is an assembly target in a connector assembling apparatus and a connector assembling method according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 is a schematic perspective view showing a wiring board that is an assembly destination of a connector that is an assembly target in a connector assembling apparatus and a connector assembling method according to an embodiment. FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a connector assembling apparatus according to an embodiment. FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a lower jig unit of the connector assembling apparatus according to an embodiment shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 12 is an explanatory view showing an outline of the positional relationship between components of the lower jig unit and the wiring board when the wiring board is set on the lower jig unit of the connector assembling apparatus according to an embodiment shown in FIG. 4. FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a lower jig in the lower jig unit of the connector assembling apparatus according to an embodiment shown in FIG. 4. FIG. 14 is a vertical sectional view showing a positioning pin unit in the lower jig unit of the connector assembling apparatus according to an embodiment shown in FIG. 4. FIG. 15 is a side view showing the structure of a positioning pin in the positioning pin unit of the connector assembling apparatus according to an embodiment shown in FIG. 7. FIG. 16 is a perspective view (partially in cross section) of the upper jig in the upper jig unit of the connector assembling apparatus according to an embodiment shown in FIG. 9, viewed from the side of the surface attached to the upper base plate. FIG. 17 is a flowchart showing an example of a connector assembling method using a connector assembling apparatus according to an embodiment. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a state halfway through mounting a connector to an upper jig in an upper jig unit of a connector assembling apparatus according to an embodiment. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an enlarged view of a structure in which press-fit pins of a connector are pressed by an upper jig in an upper jig unit of a connector assembling apparatus according to an embodiment. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which a connector has been set in an upper jig in an upper jig unit of a connector assembling apparatus according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing a series of operations and actions of a positioning pin of a lower jig unit in a connector assembling method by a connector assembling apparatus according to an embodiment. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a state in which assembly of a connector to a wiring board by a connector assembling apparatus according to an embodiment has been completed.

[0010] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A connector assembling apparatus and a connector assembling method according to embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0011] First, the configuration of a connector to be assembled in a connector assembling device and a connector assembling method according to an embodiment of the present invention and the configuration of a wiring board onto which the connector is to be assembled will be described with reference to Figures 1 and 2. Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a press-fit connector to be assembled in a connector assembling device and a connector assembling method according to an embodiment. Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view showing a wiring board onto which the connector to be assembled in a connector assembling device and a connector assembling method according to an embodiment.

[0012] 1, connector 100 is mounted on wiring board 120 shown in Fig. 2 and is a press-fit connector having terminals called press-fit pins. Specifically, connector 100 includes a plurality of power pins 101 and a plurality of signal pins 102 as press-fit pins, and a housing 103 that holds the plurality of power pins 101 and the plurality of signal pins 102. Housing 103 is provided with protruding pins 104 that are used to position connector 100 when mounted on wiring board 120. Housing 103 and protruding pins 104 are, for example, integrally formed resin molded products.

[0013] The power pin 101 is a terminal that allows connection to a power supply system. The signal pin 102 is a terminal that allows connection to a signal system. The power pin 101 and the signal pin 102 have, for example, needle-eye-shaped structures 101a and 102a as shown in the enlarged view of FIG. 1 . They are press-fitted into through holes 122 and 123 (described later) of a wiring board 120 shown in FIG. 2 , elastically deforming them, and then joined by their restoring force, thereby ensuring electrical connection. Note that the power pin 101 and the signal pin 102 as press-fit pins may also have elastically deformable structures such as H-shaped or N-shaped structures. The power pins 101 and the signal pins 102 are arranged at a predetermined first pitch in a first direction and at intervals greater than the first pitch in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 (corresponding through holes 122 and 123).

[0014] The housing 103 includes a fitting tubular portion 106 that fits with, for example, an external connector (not shown), and a retaining bottom portion 107 that closes an opening on one side of the fitting tubular portion 106 and retains the multiple power pins 101 and signal pins 102. The fitting tubular portion 106 is configured to accommodate portions of the multiple power pins 101 and signal pins 102 opposite the structural portions 101a and 102a (parts of the power pins 101 and signal pins 102 in the extending direction) on its inner circumferential surface 106a. The fitting tubular portion 106 is configured, for example, as a rectangular cylindrical peripheral wall, and has ribs 108 extending in the extending direction of the fitting tubular portion 106 on the outer circumferential surfaces 106b of both opposing walls. The ribs 108 are used to position the connector 100 relative to an upper jig 12 (see FIG. 9 ) of a connector assembly device 1 (described later). The holding bottom portion 107 holds multiple power pins 101 and signal pins 102 in a state where they are inserted through it, and is positioned so that the structural portions 101a and 102a shown in the enlarged view of Figure 1 are exposed in the opposite direction to the fitting cylindrical portion 106.

[0015] The protruding pin 104 is configured to protrude from the holding bottom 107 of the housing 103 in the same direction as the structural portions 101 a, 102 a of the multiple power pins 101 and signal pins 102. The protruding pin 104 is configured to protrude more from the holding bottom 107 than the power pins 101 and signal pins 102.

[0016] 2, the wiring board 120 on which the connectors 100 are mounted has a substrate 121 provided with a wiring layer (not shown). The wiring board 120 is configured so that, for example, three connectors 100 can be mounted thereon (see FIG. 16 described below). The first to third connectors 100 are mounted, for example, along one side of the outer periphery of the board 121.

[0017] The wiring board 120 has a plurality of first through holes 122 that are joined to a plurality of power pins 101 of the connector 100 and a plurality of second through holes 123 that are joined to a plurality of signal pins 102 of the connector 100. The first through hole 122(a) and the second through hole 123(a) correspond to the first connector 100, the first through hole 122(b) and the second through hole 123(b) correspond to the second connector 100, and the first through hole 122(c) and the second through hole 123(c) correspond to the third connector 100.

[0018] The wiring board 120 has connector positioning holes 124 into which the protruding pins 104 of the connectors 100 fit. The connector positioning holes 124 are used to position each connector 100 relative to the wiring board 120 when mounted, and at least two connector positioning holes 124 are required. The connector positioning holes 124 penetrate the board 121. The first connector 100 corresponds to connector positioning hole 124(a), the second connector 100 corresponds to connector positioning hole 124(b), and the third connector 100 corresponds to connector positioning hole 124(c).

[0019] The wiring board 120 also has board positioning holes 125 that penetrate the board 121. The board positioning holes 125 are used to position the wiring board 120 on a horizontal plane (XY plane) with respect to a lower jig unit (see FIG. 4 described later) of the connector assembly device 1 described later, and at least two board positioning holes 125 are required. The board positioning holes 125 are arranged, for example, in the center of the board 121 and in a corner of the outer periphery of the board 121 that is away from the mounting positions of the first to third connectors 100.

[0020]

[0033] Next, a schematic configuration of a connector assembling device according to one embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a connector assembling device according to one embodiment.

[0021] The connector assembly device 1 is a device that assembles a connector 100 to a wiring board 120 by press-fitting and joining multiple press-fit pins 101, 102 of the connector 100 into multiple through holes 122, 123 of the wiring board 120. Specifically, the connector assembly device 1 includes a base 2 that is placed on an installation surface, a lower jig unit 3 that is placed on the base 2, and an upper jig unit 4 that is located above the lower jig unit 3 and is movable in the vertical direction (Z direction). The lower jig unit 3 is a unit on which the wiring board 120 is set and is configured to be able to position the wiring board 120 on a horizontal plane (XY plane). The configuration of the lower jig unit 3 will be described in detail below. The upper jig unit 4 is a unit on which the connector 100 is set and is configured to be movable in the vertical direction and press against the lower jig unit 3. The upper jig unit 4 can press-fit the connector 100 into the wiring board 120 set on the lower jig unit 3 by moving downward while holding the connector 100. The configuration of the upper jig unit 4 will be described in detail later.

[0022] A plurality of support columns 5 are erected on the outer periphery of the base 2, and a bridge table 6 is supported by the plurality of support columns 5. A pressing mechanism 7 for pressing the upper jig unit 4 against the lower jig unit 3 is installed on the bridge table 6. The pressing mechanism 7 has a cylinder 7a to the lower end of which the upper jig unit 4 is fixed, a plurality of guides 7b attached to the bridge table 6, and a plurality of guide shafts 7c guided by the plurality of guides 7b. The cylinder 7a moves the upper jig unit 4 in the vertical direction (Z direction) and applies a force to press the connector 100 into the wiring board 120. The lower end of each guide shaft 7c is fixed to the upper jig unit 4 and moves along with the movement of the upper jig unit 4. The guide shafts 7c move along the guides 7b when the upper jig unit 4 moves in the vertical direction by the cylinder 7a, thereby restricting lateral shaking of the upper jig unit 4.

[0023] Next, the configuration of the lower jig unit of the connector assembling apparatus according to one embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 4 and 5. Figure 4 is a perspective view showing the lower jig unit of the connector assembling apparatus according to one embodiment shown in Figure 3. Figure 5 is an explanatory diagram showing an outline of the positional relationship between the components of the lower jig unit and the wiring board when the wiring board is set on the lower jig unit of the connector assembling apparatus according to one embodiment shown in Figure 4.

[0024] 4, the lower jig unit 3 of the connector assembly apparatus 1 includes a lower table 21 that is slidable on a horizontal plane (the XY plane shown in FIG. 1). A plurality of support pins 22 and a lower jig 23 are attached to the lower table 21. A positioning pin unit 25 and a clamping mechanism 26 are also installed on the lower table 21.

[0025] As shown in FIG. 5 , the support pins 22 constitute a support that supports the wiring board 120 from below so that it can move on a horizontal plane. The support pins 22 are positioned so as not to interfere with electronic components on the wiring board 120 and so as to prevent tilting of the wiring board 120 when the connector 100 is press-fitted. For example, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 , the support pins 22 are distributed at six positions on the lower table 21, such as below a rotating plate 27 (described later) of the clamping mechanism 26 and at positions on the outer edge of the lower table 21 away from the lower jig 23. Each support pin 22 has a flat surface 22 a at its tip, and the lower surface of the wiring board 120 is configured to abut against the flat surface 22 a. The support pins 22 are made of SUS440C, and the flat surface 22 a is mirror-finished after hardening. The flat surface 22 a at the tip of the support pin 22 prevents tilting of the wiring board 120.

[0026] 4, the lower jig 23 is configured as a part that receives the pressing load of the upper jig unit 4 against the lower jig unit 3 from below when assembling the connector 100 to the wiring board 120, and suppresses distortion of the wiring board 120 due to the pressing force of the upper jig unit 4. As shown in FIG. 5, the lower jig 23 is placed at a position that corresponds to the mounting position of the connector 100 when the wiring board 120 is positioned. The lower jigs 23 are placed corresponding to the mounting positions of the three connectors 100 on the wiring board 120, respectively. The structure of the lower jig 23 will be described in detail later.

[0027] In FIG. 4 , the positioning pin unit 25 positions the wiring board 120 supported by the multiple support pins 22 on a horizontal plane (XY plane). As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 , two positioning pin units 25 are arranged on the lower table 21, corresponding to the board positioning holes 125 of the wiring board 120. The two positioning pin units 25 are configured to position the wiring board 120 on the horizontal plane (XY plane) by fitting the positioning pins 41 into the board positioning holes 125 of the wiring board 120, respectively. The positioning pin unit 25 according to this embodiment is characterized in that the positioning pins 41 are configured to be displaceable in the vertical direction, and displace between a first position where the wiring board 120 can be positioned on the horizontal plane (XY plane) and a second position where the positioning can be released (see FIG. 15 described later). This allows the positioning pin unit 25 to temporarily release the positioning of the wiring board 120 on the horizontal plane (XY plane) when the connector 100 is press-fitted into the wiring board 120. Details of the configuration and structure of the positioning pin unit 25 will be described later.

[0028] In FIG. 4 , the clamping mechanism 26 prevents the wiring board 120 from lifting up when the upper jig unit 4 moves upward after the connector 100 is assembled to the wiring board 120. The clamping mechanisms 26 are disposed, for example, on both sides of the outer periphery of the lower table 21 and are configured to press opposite sides of the wiring board 120. The clamping mechanism 26 includes a pair of rotatable rotating plates 27 that prevent the wiring board 120 from lifting up, a linear cylinder 28 that outputs a driving force to drive the pair of rotating plates 27, and a rotation conversion mechanism 29 that converts the driving force of the linear cylinder 28 into rotational motion to rotate the rotating plates 27. The rotating plates 27 are attached to both ends of the shaft of the rotation conversion mechanism 29 and are configured to rotate synchronously. The clamping mechanism 26 releases the function of preventing the wiring board 120 from lifting up by rotating the pair of rotating plates 27 in conjunction with each other using the rotation conversion mechanism 29 to a position where they do not interfere with the wiring board 120.

[0029] Next, the structure of the lower jig in the lower jig unit of the connector assembling apparatus according to one embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 4 to 6. Figure 6 is a perspective view showing the lower jig in the lower jig unit of the connector assembling apparatus according to one embodiment shown in Figure 4.

[0030] 6, the lower jig 23 has a base plate portion 31 attached to the lower table 21 and a press-fit receiving portion 32 integrally formed on the upper surface of the base plate portion 31. The base plate portion 31 is formed, for example, in a rectangular shape having a longitudinal direction. The press-fit receiving portion 32 is formed to correspond to the shape of the lower end surface of a jig main body portion 14 (see FIG. 9 described later) of an upper jig 12 of the upper jig unit 4 described later.

[0031] The base plate portion 31 has two pin holes 31a for positioning the lower jig 23 relative to the lower table 21. The two pin holes 31a are provided so as to penetrate one end and the other end of the base plate portion 31. Each pin hole 31a is configured so that a knock pin (not shown) provided on the lower table 21 (see FIG. 4) can be inserted into it. The lower jig 23 is positioned relative to the lower table 21 by placing it on the lower table 21 so that the knock pins (not shown) are inserted into the two pin holes 31a of the base plate portion 31.

[0032] As shown in Fig. 6, the base plate portion 31 has four bolt holes 31b. The four bolt holes 31b are provided, for example, at four corner positions of the base plate portion 31 so as to penetrate therethrough. Each bolt hole 31b is, for example, a countersunk hole through which a hexagon socket head bolt 34 is inserted, as shown in Fig. 4. The lower jig 23 is fixed to the lower table 21 by inserting the bolts 34 into the four bolt holes 31b of the base plate portion 31 and fastening them.

[0033] As shown in Fig. 6, the base plate portion 31 is further provided with shaft holes 31c formed to allow insertion of shafts 17 (see Fig. 9 described later) of the upper jig unit 4. Each shaft hole 31c is configured to allow an oil-free bushing (not shown) to be press-fitted into it, and the shaft 17 is configured to be inserted into the central hole of the bushing. As shown in Fig. 4, an adjustment plate 24 is attached to the upper surface of the base plate portion 31 at the position where the shaft holes 31c are formed.

[0034] 5 and 6 , the press-fit receiving portion 32 has a plurality of first oblong holes 32a into which some of the power pins 101 of the connector 100 are inserted when the power pins 101 are press-fitted into the plurality of first through holes 122 of the wiring board 120, and a plurality of second oblong holes 32b into which some of the signal pins 102 are inserted when the signal pins 102 are press-fitted into the plurality of second through holes 123. Each of the first oblong holes 32a is configured to accommodate, for example, some of the power pins 101 arranged at a relatively small pitch as a group, and has a depth that prevents the power pins 101 from reaching the base plate portion 31. Each of the second oblong holes 32b is configured to accommodate, for example, several of the signal pins 102 arranged at a relatively small pitch as a group, and has a depth that prevents the signal pins 102 from reaching the base plate portion 31. That is, each first oblong hole 32a is configured to extend along the extension direction (first direction) of the array of power pins 101 with a relatively small pitch. Each second oblong hole 32b is configured to extend along the extension direction (first direction) of the array of signal pins 102 with a relatively small pitch.

[0035] Next, the configuration and structure of the positioning pin unit in the lower jig unit of the connector assembling apparatus according to one embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 4, 5, 7, and 8. Figure 7 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the positioning pin unit in the lower jig unit of the connector assembling apparatus according to one embodiment shown in Figure 4. Figure 8 is a side view showing the structure of the positioning pin in the positioning pin unit of the connector assembling apparatus according to one embodiment shown in Figure 7.

[0036] 7, the positioning pin unit 25 includes a positioning pin 41 that is vertically displaceable, a holder 42 that holds the positioning pin 41 so that it can be displaced vertically, and an air cylinder 43 that drives the positioning pin 41 vertically. An oil-free bushing 44 is press-fit into the holder 42, and the positioning pin 41 is slidably disposed on the inner diameter side of the bushing 44. As shown in FIG. 4, the positioning pin unit 25 is fixed by fastening the holder 42 to the lower table 21 with bolts 48. The holder 42 and the lower table 21 are configured to have a fit tolerance of g6H7, with the holder 42 on the shaft side and the lower table 21 on the hole side. This ensures that the mounting position of the holder 42 can be reproducibly adjusted when replacing the positioning pin 41 or the bushing 44.

[0037] As shown in Fig. 8, the positioning pin 41 has a stepped circular cross section and is tapered toward the tip. Specifically, the positioning pin 41 is composed of a first pin portion 41a that fits into the board positioning hole 125 of the wiring board 120 shown in Fig. 2, a second pin portion 41b provided on the tip side, which is one end of the first pin portion 41a, and a pin base portion 41c that is integral with the other end of the first pin portion 41a.

[0038] The first pin portion 41a is configured to be positioned within the substrate positioning hole 125 of the wiring substrate 120, thereby enabling positioning of the wiring substrate 120 on a horizontal surface. Specifically, the first pin portion 41a is formed in a cylindrical shape, and is formed to be slightly smaller than the hole diameter of the substrate positioning hole 125, and has a diameter that enables positioning of the wiring substrate 120 on a horizontal surface. The first pin portion 41a has a length equal to or greater than the thickness of the wiring substrate 120.

[0039] The second pin portion 41b is formed to have a smaller shape than the first pin portion 41a, and when positioned within the board positioning hole 125 of the wiring board 120, allows displacement of the wiring board 120 on a horizontal plane within a range smaller than the size of the board positioning hole 125. Specifically, the second pin portion 41b has a tapered shape with a smaller diameter than the first pin portion 41a. The second pin portion 41b has the function of preventing excessive lateral sliding of the wiring board 120 on a horizontal plane during the press-fitting process of the connector 100.

[0040] The pin base portion 41c is formed to a size that prevents it from being inserted into the board positioning hole 125 of the wiring board 120, and is configured as a sliding portion that slides against the inner peripheral surface of the bushing 44 and displaces up and down. The pin base portion 41c is formed, for example, in a cylindrical shape with a larger diameter than the first pin portion 41a so that it has a stepped shape relative to the first pin portion 41a. The upper part of the pin base portion 41c has a two-sided cut (not shown) for use with a wrench.

[0041] The positioning pin 41 is limited to a raised position to a position where the upper end surface (step surface) of the pin base portion 41c does not contact the lower surface of the wiring board 120. In other words, the positioning pin 41 does not have the function of supporting the wiring board 120, but only has the function of positioning the wiring board 120 on the horizontal surface.

[0042] As shown in FIG. 7 , the air cylinder 43 includes a cylinder body 51 having an internal space, a piston rod 52 extending from the interior of the cylinder body 51 through one end (the upper end in FIG. 7 ) thereof, and a piston 53 attached to the other end (the lower end in FIG. 7 ) of the piston rod 52 and slidable within the cylinder body 51. The piston rod 52 and the piston 53 are, for example, integrally formed. The piston 53 divides the interior of the cylinder body 51 into a first air chamber 51a and a second air chamber 51b. The first air chamber 51a is a space through which the piston rod 52 extends, and the second air chamber 51b is a space in which the piston rod 52 is not present. An airline joint 45 is connected to the second air chamber 51b side of the cylinder body 51. The airline joint 45 is a part for connecting to an airline connected to a compressed air supply source and functions as a supply port for supplying compressed air to the second air chamber 51b of the cylinder body 51.

[0043] The piston rod 52 of the air cylinder 43 is connected to the positioning pin 41 via a joint 46. The joint 46 is threadedly connected to the positioning pin 41 (pin base 41c) and displaces vertically together with the positioning pin 41. The joint 46 functions to absorb any misalignment between the axis of the piston rod 52 of the air cylinder 43 and the axis of the positioning pin 41. This prevents galling from occurring between the pin base 41c of the positioning pin 41 and the bushing 44. The piston rod 52 is threadedly connected to the joint 46, and the insertion amount into the joint 46 is configured to be adjusted by a nut 47. The vertical stroke amount of the positioning pin 41 is determined by the insertion amount of the piston rod 52 into the joint 46.

[0044] The air cylinder 43 supplies compressed air to the second air chamber 51b of the cylinder body 51 via the airline joint 45, which causes the piston rod 52 to rise as the piston 53 rises, thereby raising the positioning pin 41. Furthermore, when the supply of compressed air to the cylinder body 51 of the air cylinder 43 is stopped, the piston rod 52 descends due to the spring action of the air in the first air chamber 51a of the cylinder body 51, thereby lowering the positioning pin 41.

[0045] This embodiment is characterized by the vertical displacement of the positioning pins 41 of the positioning pin unit 25 and the timing of the vertical movement of the positioning pins 41. When the wiring board 120 is supported by the plurality of support pins 22, the positioning pin unit 25 is configured to vertically displace the positioning pins 41 between a first position (raised position) where the first pin portions 41 a of the positioning pins 41 are positioned in the board positioning holes 125 of the wiring board 120, and a second position (lowered position) where the second pin portions 41 b of the positioning pins 41 are positioned in the board positioning holes 125 (see FIG. 15 described later). That is, the positioning pin unit 25 positions the wiring board 120 on a horizontal plane by displacing the positioning pins 41 upward to the raised position, and displacing the positioning pins 41 downward to the lowered position to release the positioning of the wiring board 120 on the horizontal plane and prevent excessive lateral sliding of the wiring board 120.

[0046] The positioning pin 41 moves up and down by controlling the on / off of the air supply. The on / off control of the air supply can be performed, for example, by a control device called a PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) controlling a single-type solenoid valve. This makes it possible to move the positioning pin 41 up and down at appropriate timing. The timing of the up and down movement of the positioning pin 41 will be described later.

[0047] Next, the configuration and structure of the upper jig unit of a connector assembling apparatus according to one embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 9 and 10. Figure 9 is a perspective view showing the upper jig unit of the connector assembling apparatus according to one embodiment shown in Figure 3. Figure 10 is a perspective view (partially in cross section) of the upper jig in the upper jig unit of the connector assembling apparatus according to one embodiment shown in Figure 9, viewed from the side of the surface on which the upper base plate is attached.

[0048] 9, the upper jig unit 4 includes an upper base plate 11 that is movable in the vertical direction, an upper jig 12 that is fixed to the underside of the upper base plate 11 and to which the connector 100 is attached, and a parallel chuck 18 that holds the connector 100 attached to the upper jig 12. The upper jig unit 4 is configured so that the connector 100 is set so that, when the connector 100 is pressed against the wiring board 120 set in the lower jig unit 3, the protruding pins 104 of the connector 100 first come into contact with the wiring board 120 (see FIG. 15 described below). The upper base plate 11 is provided with knock pins (not shown) for positioning.

[0049] The upper jig 12 is composed of a flat base portion 13 fixed to the upper base plate 11, and a jig main body portion 14 that is integrally provided on the underside of the base portion 13 and into which a housing 103 (see FIG. 1 and FIG. 12 described later) of the connector 100 is fitted. As shown in FIG. 10, the base portion 13 is formed with pin holes 13a through which the knock pins of the upper base plate 11 are inserted.

[0050] As shown in FIG. 9 , the jig body 14 is formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape corresponding to the shape of the housing 103 of the connector 100. The jig body 14 has a flat surface 14a at its lower end, which functions as a pressing surface that presses the press-fit pins 101, 102 of the connector 100 toward the wiring board 120 during the press-fit process. Specifically, the flat surface 14a of the jig body 14 presses the shoulder portion 101b of the press-fit pin 101 of the connector 100 (see FIG. 13 , described later). The jig body 14 has a tapered portion 14b at its lower end (tip) that tapers toward the flat surface 14a. The tapered portion 14b of the jig body 14 facilitates insertion of the fitting tube portion 106 of the connector 100 into the jig body 14.

[0051] 9 and 10 , the jig body 14 is provided with a plurality of pin accommodating elongated holes 14c that accommodate a plurality of power pins 101 or a plurality of signal pins 102 (see FIG. 1 and FIG. 12 described below) of the connector 100, and a plurality of pin accommodating holes 14d that accommodate one power pin 101. Each pin accommodating elongated hole 14c and each pin accommodating hole 14d is configured to pass through the jig body 14 and the base 13 (upper jig 12) in the vertical direction. The plurality of pin accommodating holes 14d are configured so that their pitch is the same as the pitch of the plurality of power pins 101 of the connector 100. The arrangement of the plurality of pin accommodating elongated holes 14c is configured so that their pitch is the same as the pitch of the plurality of power pins 101 or the pitch of the plurality of signal pins 102.

[0052] As shown in FIG. 9 , positioning guides 15 are attached to the underside of the base portion 13 to position the connector 100 relative to the jig body portion 14. The positioning guides 15 are arranged facing each other on both short side surfaces of the jig body portion 14. The positioning guides 15 have guide portions 15a that guide ribs 108 (see FIG. 1 ) provided on the outer peripheral surface of the fitting tubular portion 106 of the connector 100 when the connector 100 is attached to the jig body portion 14. The guide portions 15a are shaped to be able to sandwich the ribs 108 of the connector 100 and extend in a direction (up and down) protruding from the base portion 13 of the jig body portion 14. The tip end (lower end) of the guide portions 15a forms an inclined portion 15b that is inclined away from the jig body portion 14 toward the tip end (see FIG. 12 described below). The positioning guide 15 is formed to have a thickness that is at least half the height of the connector 100, and is capable of stabilizing the posture of the connector 100 when positioning the connector 100 relative to the jig main body 14.

[0053] As shown in FIG. 9 , the positioning guide 15 is provided with a pin hole 15c through which a knock pin (not shown) of the upper base plate 11 is inserted, and a bolt hole 15d through which a bolt 16 is inserted, so as to extend vertically. The pin hole 15c of the positioning guide 15 and the knock pin (not shown) of the upper base plate 11 are configured to have a clearance fit relationship based on the fit tolerance of B0401 of the Japanese Industrial Standards. The positioning guide 15 is fixed to the base portion 13 (upper jig 12) by fastening the bolt 16, and can be removed from the upper jig 12 by releasing the fastening of the bolt 16. By inserting the knock pin of the upper base plate 11 into the pin hole 15c of the positioning guide 15, the repeatability of the attachment position of the positioning guide 15 to the upper base plate 11 is guaranteed.

[0054] Two shafts 17 are further attached to the underside of the base portion 13 near one of the positioning guides 15. Each shaft 17 is inserted into a shaft hole 31c (see FIG. 6) of the lower jig 23 of the lower jig unit 3 during the press-fitting process.

[0055] The parallel chucks 18 extend to face both long side surfaces of the jig body 14. The parallel chucks 18 hold the connector 100 that has been positioned by the positioning guides 15 and attached to the jig body 14 of the upper jig 12, and fix the position.

[0056] Next, a connector assembling method using a connector assembling apparatus according to one embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 5, 9, and 11 to 16. FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a connector assembling method using the connector assembling apparatus according to one embodiment. FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which a connector is being mounted to an upper jig in an upper jig unit of the connector assembling apparatus according to one embodiment. FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view showing an enlarged view of a structure in which the press-fit pins of the connector are pressed by the upper jig in the upper jig unit of the connector assembling apparatus according to one embodiment. FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which a connector has been set in the upper jig in the upper jig unit of the connector assembling apparatus according to one embodiment. FIG. 15 is an explanatory diagram showing a series of operations and their effects of the positioning pins of the lower jig unit in the connector assembling method using the connector assembling apparatus according to one embodiment. FIG. 16 is a perspective view showing a state in which the connector has been mounted to a wiring board using the connector assembling apparatus according to one embodiment.

[0057] 11 , first, the wiring board 120 is set in the lower jig unit 3 of the connector assembly apparatus 1 (step S10). Specifically, compressed air is supplied to the air cylinder 43 of the positioning pin unit 25 in the lower jig unit 3 shown in FIG. 5 to displace the positioning pin 41 to a raised position (first position) (step S12). Next, while the wiring board 120 is supported from below by the flat surfaces 22 a of the multiple support pins 22 of the lower jig unit 3 so that it can move horizontally, the first pin portions 41 a of the positioning pins 41 are fitted into the board positioning holes 125 of the wiring board 120 (step S14). See FIG. 1 before the press-fitting process in the upper part of FIG. 15 . This positions the wiring board 120 on the horizontal plane (XY plane), so that the positions of the press-fit receiving portions 32 of the lower jig 23 of the lower jig unit 3 coincide with the mounting positions (through holes 122, 123 and connector positioning holes 124) of the connectors 100 on the wiring board 120. Next, the positioned wiring board 120 is held by the rotating plate 27 of the crank mechanism 26 of the lower jig unit 3 shown in Figure 4 (step S16).

[0058] Second, the connector 100 is set in the upper jig unit 4 of the connector assembly apparatus 1 (step S20). Specifically, the connector 100 is positioned and attached to the jig body 14 of the upper jig 12 in the upper jig unit 4 shown in Fig. 9 (step S22). Next, the connector 100 positioned relative to the jig body 14 is fixed by the parallel chuck 18 of the upper jig unit 4 (step S16).

[0059] 12 , when the housing 103 of the connector 100 is inserted into the jig body 14, the rib 108 of the fitting tubular portion 106 is moved along the guide portion 15a of the positioning guide 15 of the upper jig unit 4. As a result, as shown in FIGS. 12 and 14 , the connector 100 is positioned relative to the jig body 14, and the housing 103 of the connector 100 is fitted into the jig body 14. At this time, the multiple power pins 101 of the connector 100 are inserted into and accommodated in the pin accommodating elongated holes 14c and the single pin accommodating holes 14d shown in FIG. 14 of the jig body 14. Similarly, the multiple signal pins 102 of the connector 100 are inserted into and accommodated in the pin accommodating elongated holes 14c of the jig body 14.

[0060] 12, the jig body 14 has a tapered portion 14b at its tip, which facilitates insertion of the jig body 14 into the inner circumferential surface 106a of the fitting tubular portion 106 of the connector 100, and the guide portion 15a of the positioning guide 15 has a tapered inclined portion 15b at its tip, which facilitates insertion of the rib 108 of the connector 100 into the positioning guide 15. When the jig body 14 is inserted into the housing 103 of the connector 100, as shown in FIG. 13, the flat surface 14a at the tip of the jig body 14 abuts against the shoulder portions 101b of the press-fit pins 101, 102 of the connector 100. That is, the press-fit pins 101, 102 are configured to be press-fit into the through holes 122, 123 of the wiring board 120 by pressing the shoulder portions 101b.

[0061] Next, the upper jig unit 4 is lowered to a predetermined position just before the connector 100 set on the upper jig unit 4 comes into contact with the wiring board 120 set on the lower jig unit 3 (step S30). Specifically, the upper jig unit 4 shown in Fig. 9 is lowered to a position just before the tip of the protruding pin 104 of the connector 100 shown in Fig. 1 reaches the opening of the connector positioning hole 124 shown in Fig. 2 of the wiring board 120.

[0062] Next, the supply of compressed air to the air cylinder 43 of the positioning pin unit 25 of the lower jig unit 3 shown in Fig. 5 is cut off to displace the positioning pin 41 to a lower position (second position) (step S40). As a result, the first pin portion 41a of the positioning pin 41 moves from being positioned within the board positioning hole 125 of the wiring board 120 to being positioned below the board positioning hole 125, while a portion of the second pin portion 41b, which is the tip, moves within the board positioning hole 125. In other words, the positioning of the wiring board 120 on the horizontal plane by the first pin portion 41a of the positioning pin 41 is released, and movement of the wiring board 120 on the horizontal plane by the second pin portion 41b of the positioning pin 41 is allowed within a range smaller than the diameter of the board positioning hole 125.

[0063] The clamping mechanism 26 of the lower jig unit 3 releases the wiring substrate 120 from its hold (step S50). Specifically, the pair of rotating plates 27 of the clamping mechanism 26 are rotated so as to be parallel to the wiring substrate 120 with a gap of 0.5 mm therebetween.

[0064] Then, a press-fitting process is performed to press-fit the connector 100 set on the upper jig unit 4 into the wiring board 120 on the lower jig unit 3 (step S60). First, as shown in FIG. 2 during the press-fitting process on the left side of the middle row of FIG. 15 , with a portion of the second pin portion 41b of the positioning pin 41 remaining in the board positioning hole 125 of the wiring board 120, the tip of the protruding pin 104 of the connector 100 comes into contact with the opening edge of the connector positioning hole 124 of the wiring board 120. Because the housing 103 and the protruding pin 104 of the connector 100 are molded from resin, they have relatively large dimensional errors. Therefore, even if the wiring board 120 is accurately positioned on the lower jig unit 3 and the connector 100 is accurately positioned on the upper jig unit 4, a large deviation may occur between the axis of the protruding pin 104 and the center of the connector positioning hole 124. In this case, when the protruding pin 104 is inserted into the connector positioning hole 124, a force acting on the wiring board 120 from the pin 104 displaces the wiring board 120 on a horizontal plane within a range restricted by the second pin portion 41b of the positioning pin 41. As a result, as shown in FIG. 3 during the press-fitting process in the middle center of FIG. 15 , any misalignment between the axis of the protruding pin 104 and the center position of the connector positioning hole 124 is corrected. When the protruding pin 104 is fully inserted into the connector positioning hole 124, as shown in FIG. 4 during the press-fitting process in the middle right of FIG. 15 , the press-fit pin 101 of the connector 100 is automatically positioned with respect to the through-hole 122 of the wiring board 120. Therefore, the press-fit pin 101 is press-fitted while positioned with respect to the through-hole 122. This prevents damage to the press-fit pin 101 and the wiring board 120 due to misalignment when the press-fit pin 101 is press-fitted into the through-hole 122.

[0065] At this time, the pair of rotating plates 27 of the clamping mechanism 26 of the lower jig unit 3 are positioned parallel to the wiring board 120 with a gap of 0.5 mm between them. Therefore, when assembling the connector 100 to the wiring board 120, the rotating plates 27 press the wiring board 120 downward, thereby preventing unnecessary distortion due to a load being applied to the wiring board 120.

[0066] After the press-fit pins 101, 102 have been pressed into the through-holes 122, 123 (after the press-fitting process is completed), the positioning pins 41 of the positioning pin unit 25 are displaced to the raised position (first position) (step S70). Specifically, as shown in Fig. 5 in the lower part of Fig. 15 after the press-fitting process is completed, when the protruding pins 104 and the press-fit pins 101 of the connector 100 are press-fit into the connector positioning holes 124 and the through-holes 122 of the wiring board 120, the positioning pins 41 change from a state in which the second pin portions 41b are positioned in the board positioning holes 125 of the wiring board 120 to a state in which the first pin portions 41a are positioned in the board positioning holes 125. In other words, the wiring board 120 is again positioned on the horizontal plane on the lower jig unit 3.

[0067] Next, in order to transport the wiring board 120 to which the connector 100 has been attached, the upper jig unit 4 is raised to its original position (step S80). At this time, the pair of rotating plates 27 of the clamping mechanism 26 of the lower jig unit 3 are positioned parallel to the wiring board 120 with a gap of 0.5 mm between them. This prevents the wiring board 120 to which the connector 100 has been attached from being lifted up as the upper jig unit 4 to which the connector 100 has been attached is raised.

[0068] Next, the wiring board 120 with the connectors 100 assembled thereto is removed from the lower jig unit 3 and transported (step S90). Specifically, the pair of rotating plates 27 of the clamping mechanism 26 are rotated in conjunction with each other to a position where the wiring board 120 does not interfere (see FIG. 16 ). This releases the clamping mechanism 26's function of preventing the wiring board 120 from floating up from the lower jig unit 3. At this time, in step S70, the wiring board 120 is positioned on a horizontal plane on the lower jig unit 3 (see FIG. 5 after the lower press-fitting step in FIG. 15 is completed). Therefore, when the wiring board 120 with the connectors 100 assembled thereto is removed from the lower jig unit 3 and transported, the transport device can hold the wiring board 120 in an accurate horizontal position. Through this series of steps (steps S10 to S90), three connectors 100 are finally assembled to the wiring board 120, as shown in FIG. 16 .

[0069] As described above, the connector assembling device 1 according to one embodiment is a device for assembling a connector 100 to a wiring board 120 by press-fitting and joining a plurality of power pins 101 and signal pins 102 (press-fit pins) in a connector 100 having a housing 103 for holding the plurality of power pins 101 and signal pins 102 (press-fit pins) into a plurality of first through holes 122 and second through holes 123 (through holes) in the wiring board 120 having a plurality of first through holes 122 and second through holes 123 (through holes) and a plurality of board positioning holes 125. The connector assembling device 1 includes a lower jig unit 3 on which the wiring board 120 is set, and an upper jig unit 4 on which the connector 100 is set, which is movable in the vertical direction and presses the connector 100 against the lower jig unit 3. The lower jig unit 3 includes a plurality of support pins 22 (support bodies) that support the wiring substrate 120 from below so that the wiring substrate 120 can be moved on a horizontal plane, and a positioning pin 41 that fits into each of a plurality of board positioning holes 125 of the wiring substrate 120. The positioning pin 41 has a first pin portion 41a that can be positioned in the board positioning hole 125 to position the wiring substrate 120 on the horizontal plane (XY plane), and a second pin portion 41b that is smaller than the first pin portion 41a and is provided at the tip side of the first pin portion 41a and allows displacement of the wiring substrate 120 on the horizontal plane when positioned in the board positioning hole 125. When the wiring substrate 120 is supported by the plurality of support pins 22 (support bodies), the positioning pin 41 is configured to be displaceable in the vertical direction between a raised position (first position) in which the first pin portion 41a is positioned in the board positioning hole 125 and a lowered position (second position) in which the second pin portion 41b is positioned in the board positioning hole 125.

[0070] According to this configuration, the positioning pins 41 are displaced to a first position with respect to the wiring board 120 supported by the plurality of support pins 22 (support bodies) of the lower jig unit 3, and the first pin portions 41 a are fitted into the board positioning holes 125 of the wiring board 120, thereby positioning the wiring board 120 on a horizontal plane (XY plane). Then, the positioning pins 41 are displaced to a second position with the second pin portions 41 b positioned in the board positioning holes 125, and the power pins 101 and signal pins 102 (press-fit pins) of the connector 100 are fitted into the first through holes 12 of the wiring board 120. 2 and second through-holes 123 (through-holes), even if there is a horizontal misalignment of the power pins 101 and signal pins 102 (press-fit pins) relative to the first through-holes 122 and second through-holes 123 (through-holes), the wiring board 120 is displaced in the horizontal plane by the force acting upon the press-fitting, so the power pins 101 and signal pins 102 (press-fit pins) are press-fitted into the first through-holes 122 and second through-holes 123 (through-holes) with the misalignment corrected in the horizontal plane relative to the first through-holes 122 and second through-holes 123 (through-holes). Therefore, even if there is a horizontal misalignment of the connector 100 relative to the board mounting surface (XY plane) when assembling the connector 100 having the power pins 101 and signal pins 102 (press-fit pins) to the wiring board 120, the connector 100 can be assembled without damaging the power pins 101 and signal pins 102 (press-fit pins) or the wiring board 120.

[0071] In this embodiment, the housing 103 of the connector 100 has a fitting cylindrical portion 106 (cylindrical portion) configured to accommodate a portion of the power pins 101 and signal pins 102 (press-fit pins) in the pin extension direction, and the fitting cylindrical portion 106 (cylindrical portion) of the housing 103 has a rib 108 on its outer circumferential surface 106b extending in the extension direction of the fitting cylindrical portion 106 (cylindrical portion). The upper jig unit 4 is configured to include an upper jig 12 having a jig main body 14 into which the housing 103 of the connector 100 fits, and a positioning guide 15 that is disposed opposite a side surface of the jig main body 14 of the upper jig 12 and guides the rib 108 of the connector 100.

[0072] According to this configuration, when the connector 100 is attached to the jig main body portion 14 of the upper jig 12, the connector 100 is positioned relative to the jig main body portion 14, thereby suppressing rattling of the connector 100 relative to the jig main body portion 14.

[0073] In this embodiment, the jig body 14 of the upper jig 12 has a tapered tip. This configuration makes it easy to fit the housing 103 of the connector 100 into the jig body 14 of the upper jig 12.

[0074] Furthermore, the lower jig unit 3 in the connector assembling apparatus 1 according to this embodiment includes a lower jig 23 that is disposed at a position corresponding to the mounting position of the connector 100 when the wiring board 120 is positioned, and that receives the pressing load of the upper jig unit 4 against the lower jig unit 3. The lower jig 23 has first oblong holes 32a and second oblong holes 32b (oblong holes) that can accommodate some of the power pins 101 and signal pins 102 (press-fit pins) of the connector 100 when the power pins 101 and signal pins 102 (press-fit pins) are press-fit into the plurality of first through holes 122 and second through holes 123 (through holes) of the wiring board 120.

[0075] According to this configuration, the pressing load of the upper jig unit 4 can be received by the lower jig 23 while preventing the power pins 101 and the signal pins 102 (press-fit pins) from contacting the lower jig 23 .

[0076] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the power pins 101 and signal pins 102 (press-fit pins) are arranged at a predetermined first pitch in a first direction, and are arranged at intervals greater than the first pitch in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. Furthermore, the first oblong holes 32a and second oblong holes 32b (oblong holes) of the lower jig 23 are configured to extend along the first direction.

[0077] With this configuration, even if the wiring board 120 is displaced in the horizontal plane due to the force of the press-fitting when the connector 100 is pressed into the wiring board 120, the possibility of the power pins 101 and signal pins 102 (press-fit pins) coming into contact with the side walls of the first elongated hole 32a and the second elongated hole 32b (elongated holes) of the lower jig 23 can be reduced.

[0078] In this embodiment, the connector 100 has resin protruding pins 104 that protrude outward from the housing 103 further than the multiple power pins 101 and signal pins 102 (press-fit pins) and position the connector 100 relative to the wiring board 120. The wiring board 120 has connector positioning holes 124 into which the protruding pins 104 of the connector 100 fit. Furthermore, the upper jig unit 4 is configured so that the connector 100 is set in such a way that, when the connector 100 is pressed against the wiring board 120 set in the lower jig unit 3, the protruding pins 104 of the connector 100 first come into contact with the opening edge of the connector positioning hole 124 of the wiring board 120.

[0079] According to this configuration, the resin protruding pins 104 of the connector 100 come into contact with the wiring board 120 first, thereby correcting the misalignment of the wiring board 120 in the horizontal plane relative to the connector 100. This makes it possible to avoid damaging the wiring board 120 more effectively than when the power pins 101 and signal pins 102 (press-fit pins) come into contact with the wiring board 120 first, thereby correcting the misalignment of the wiring board 120.

[0080] Furthermore, as described above, the connector assembly method according to one embodiment is a method of assembling a connector 100 to a wiring board 120 by press-fitting and joining a plurality of power pins 101 and signal pins 102 (press-fit pins) in a connector 100 having a housing 103 that holds a plurality of power pins 101 and signal pins 102 (press-fit pins) into a plurality of first through holes 122 and second through holes 123 (through holes) in a wiring board 120 that has a plurality of first through holes 122 and second through holes 123 (through holes) and a plurality of board positioning holes 125. Furthermore, this connector assembling method positions the wiring board 120 on the horizontal plane by fitting the first pin portions 41a of the positioning pins 41 into each of the plurality of board positioning holes 125 of the wiring board 120 while supporting the wiring board 120 from below so that the wiring board 120 is movable on the horizontal plane, and includes a first step of setting the wiring board 120 on the lower jig unit 3, a second step of setting the connector 100 on the upper jig unit 4 that is movable in the vertical direction relative to the lower jig unit 3, and after the first and second steps, when the upper jig unit 4 is lowered until just before the connector 100 comes into contact with the wiring board 120, The method includes a third step in which the positioning pin 41 is displaced so that the first pin portion 41a of the positioning pin 41 is positioned outside the board positioning hole 125 and the second pin portion 41b, which is smaller in shape than the first pin portion 41a of the positioning pin 41, is positioned within the board positioning hole 125, and a fourth step in which, after the third step, the upper jig unit 4 is pressed against the lower jig unit 3 to press the multiple power pins 101 and signal pins 102 (press-fit pins) of the connector 100 into the multiple power pins 101 and signal pins 102 (press-fit pins) of the wiring board 120.

[0081] According to this method, the power pins 101 and signal pins 102 (press-fit pins) of the connector 100 are pressed into the first through-holes 122 and second through-holes 123 (through-holes) of the wiring board 120 with the second pin portions 41b of the positioning pins 41 positioned within the board positioning holes 125. Even if there is a horizontal misalignment of the power pins 101 and signal pins 102 (press-fit pins) relative to the first through-holes 122 and second through-holes 123 (through-holes), the wiring board 120 is displaced in the horizontal plane by the force acting during press-fitting, so the power pins 101 and signal pins 102 (press-fit pins) are pressed into the first through-holes 122 and second through-holes 123 (through-holes) with the horizontal misalignment corrected. Therefore, even if there is a positional misalignment of the connector 100 with respect to the board mounting surface (XY plane) when assembling the connector 100 having the power pins 101 and the signal pins 102 (press-fit pins) to the wiring board 120, the connector 100 can be assembled without damaging the power pins 101 and the signal pins 102 (press-fit pins) or the wiring board 120.

[0082] In addition, the connector assembly method according to this embodiment includes a fifth step of displacing the positioning pin 41 after the fourth step so that the first pin portion 41a of the positioning pin 41 is positioned within the board positioning hole 125, and a sixth step of removing the wiring board 120 to which the connector 100 has been assembled from the lower jig unit and transporting it after the fifth step.

[0083] According to this method, the wiring board 120 to which the connector 100 is assembled is positioned on the horizontal plane on the lower jig unit 3 in the fifth process, so that when the wiring board 120 to which the connector 100 is assembled is removed from the lower jig unit 3 and transported, the wiring board 120 can be held in an accurate position on the horizontal plane. This makes it possible to prevent the wiring board 120 from shifting position relative to the next transport position.

[0084] Furthermore, in the connector assembling method according to this embodiment, connector 100 has resin protruding pins 104 that protrude outward from housing 103 further than the multiple power pins 101 and signal pins 102 (press-fit pins) and position it relative to wiring board 120. Wiring board 120 has connector positioning holes 124 into which protruding pins 104 of connector 100 fit. Furthermore, in the fourth step of this connector assembling method, protruding pins 104 of connector 100 are first brought into contact with the opening edge of connector positioning hole 124 of wiring board 120.

[0085] According to this method, the resin protruding pins 104 of the connector 100 first come into contact with the wiring board 120, thereby correcting the horizontal positional misalignment of the wiring board 120 relative to the connector 100. This makes it possible to avoid damaging the wiring board 120 more effectively than when the power pins 101 and signal pins 102 (press-fit pins) first come into contact with the wiring board 120, thereby correcting the positional misalignment of the wiring board 120.

[0086] [Other Embodiments] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and includes various modifications. The above-described embodiments have been described in detail to clearly explain the present invention, and are not necessarily limited to those including all of the described configurations. It is possible to replace part of the configuration of one embodiment with the configuration of another embodiment, and it is also possible to add the configuration of another embodiment to the configuration of one embodiment. It is also possible to add, delete, or replace part of the configuration of each embodiment with other configurations.

[0087] For example, in the above-described embodiment, an example of a configuration and method has been shown in which connector 100 has protruding pin 104 made of resin, and in the fourth step of press-fitting connector 100 into wiring board 120, protruding pin 104 of connector 100 is first brought into contact with wiring board 120. However, a configuration and method in which connector 100 does not have protruding pin 104, and press-fit pins 101, 102 of connector 100 are first brought into contact with wiring board 120, is also possible.

[0088] In the above-described embodiment, the second pin portion 41b of the positioning pin 41 has a tapered shape. However, the positioning pin 41 may have any shape as long as the second pin portion 41b is smaller than the first pin portion 41a and allows displacement of the wiring board on the horizontal plane. For example, the second pin portion 41b may be formed in a cylindrical shape with a smaller diameter than the first pin portion.

[0089] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1...connector assembly device, 3...lower jig unit, 4...upper jig unit, 12...upper jig, 14...jig main body portion, 14b...tapered portion, 15...positioning guide, 22...support pin (supporting member), 23...lower jig, 32a...first oblong hole (oblong hole), 32b...second oblong hole (oblong hole), 41...positioning pin, 41a...first pin portion, 41b...second pin portion, 100...connector, 101...power pin (press-fit pin), 102...signal pin (press-fit pin), 103...housing, 104...protruding pin, 106...fitting cylindrical portion (cylindrical portion), 106b...outer peripheral surface, 108...rib, 120...wiring board, 122...first through-hole (through-hole), 123...second through-hole (through-hole), 124...connector positioning hole, 125...Board positioning hole

Claims

1. A connector assembling device for assembling a connector to a wiring board having a plurality of through holes and a plurality of board positioning holes by pressing and joining a plurality of press-fit pins and a housing for holding the plurality of press-fit pins into a plurality of through holes in the wiring board, the device comprising: a lower jig unit on which the wiring board is set; and an upper jig unit on which the connector is set, which is movable in a vertical direction and presses against the lower jig unit, the lower jig unit including: a support body which supports the wiring board from below so as to be movable on a horizontal plane; and positioning pins which fit into each of the plurality of board positioning holes in the wiring board, the positioning pin having: a first pin portion which is positioned within the board positioning hole to enable positioning of the wiring board on the horizontal plane; and a second pin portion which is smaller in shape than the first pin portion and which is provided at the tip side of the first pin portion and which allows displacement of the wiring board on the horizontal plane when positioned within the board positioning hole, a first position in which the first pin portion is positioned within the board positioning hole and a second position in which the second pin portion is positioned within the board positioning hole when the wiring board is supported by the support body, the positioning pin being configured to be displaceable in the vertical direction between a first position in which the first pin portion is positioned within the board positioning hole and a second position in which the second pin portion is positioned within the board positioning hole when the wiring board is supported by the support body.

2. A connector assembly device as described in claim 1, wherein the housing of the connector has a tubular portion configured to accommodate a portion of the pin extension direction of the multiple press-fit pins, the tubular portion of the housing has a rib on its outer surface extending in the extension direction of the tubular portion, and the upper jig unit includes an upper jig having a jig main body portion into which the housing of the connector fits, and a positioning guide arranged to face the side of the jig main body portion of the upper jig and which guides the rib of the connector.

3. A connector assembly device as described in claim 2, wherein the jig body of the upper jig has a tip formed in a tapered shape.

4. A connector assembly device as described in claim 1, characterized in that the lower jig unit is arranged at a position corresponding to the mounting position of the connector when the wiring board is positioned, and includes a lower jig that receives the pressure load of the upper jig unit against the lower jig unit, and the lower jig has elongated holes that can accommodate some of the multiple press-fit pins of the connector when they are pressed into the multiple through holes of the wiring board.

5. A connector assembly device as described in claim 4, wherein the press-fit pins are arranged at a predetermined first pitch in a first direction and at intervals greater than the first pitch in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and the long hole of the lower jig is configured to extend along the first direction.

6. A connector assembly device as described in claim 1, characterized in that the connector has a resin protruding pin that protrudes outward from the housing further than the multiple press-fit pins and positions it with respect to the wiring board, the wiring board has a connector positioning hole into which the protruding pin of the connector fits, and the upper jig unit is configured to set the connector so that, when the connector is pressed against the wiring board set in the lower jig unit, the protruding pin of the connector first comes into contact with the opening edge of the connector positioning hole of the wiring board.

7. A connector assembling method for assembling a connector to a wiring board by press-fitting and joining a plurality of press-fit pins in a connector having a housing for holding the press-fit pins into a plurality of through holes in the wiring board having a plurality of through holes and a plurality of board positioning holes, the method comprising: a first step of supporting the wiring board from below so as to be movable on a horizontal plane, while fitting a first pin portion of a positioning pin into each of the board positioning holes of the wiring board to position the wiring board on the horizontal plane, thereby setting the wiring board in a lower jig unit; a second step of setting the connector in an upper jig unit which is movable in a vertical direction relative to the lower jig unit; and a third step of displacing the positioning pin so that, after the first and second steps, when the upper jig unit is lowered until just before the connector comes into contact with the wiring board, the first pin portion of the positioning pin is positioned out of the board positioning hole and a second pin portion of the positioning pin, which is smaller than the first pin portion, is positioned within the board positioning hole. and a fourth step of, after the third step, pressing the upper jig unit against the lower jig unit to press-fit the press-fit pins of the connector into the through holes of the wiring board.

8. A connector assembling method as described in claim 7, comprising: a fifth step of displacing the positioning pin after the fourth step so that the first pin portion of the positioning pin is positioned within the board positioning hole; and a sixth step of removing the wiring board with the connector assembled thereto from the lower jig unit and transporting it after the fifth step.

9. A connector assembly method as described in claim 7, wherein the connector has a resin protruding pin that protrudes outward from the housing further than the multiple press-fit pins and positions it with respect to the wiring board, the wiring board has a connector positioning hole into which the protruding pin of the connector fits, and the fourth step comprises first bringing the protruding pin of the connector into contact with the opening edge of the connector positioning hole of the wiring board.

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