Connector

Abstract

A connector (10) comprises: a terminal (11) that can be connected to an object to be connected; and a housing (12) that supports the terminal (11). The terminal (11) has: a terminal-side connection part (14) that can be connected to a substrate (1); a terminal-side part (17) to be supported that is supported by the housing (12); and an elastically deformable terminal-side spring part (15) that is positioned between the terminal-side connection part (14) and the terminal-side part (17) to be supported. The housing (12) can tilt with respect to the substrate (1) with the terminal-side connection part (14) as a fixed end in accordance with elastic deformation of the terminal-side spring part (15) in a state in which the terminal-side connection part (14) is connected to the substrate (1).

Description

connector

[0001] The present disclosure relates to connectors.

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a coaxial connector with a floating mechanism. This connector includes a housing base fixed to a support such as a circuit board or an electronic device housing, a housing movable part that is movable together with the center contact relative to the housing base, and a floating spring body that has one end fixed to the housing base and the other end fixed to the housing movable part. The housing movable part moves relative to the housing base, allowing for misalignment of the connection object with respect to the insertion hole of the housing movable part.

[0003] JP 2016-62661 A

[0004] In the coaxial connector with a floating mechanism (connector) described in Patent Document 1, a movable housing part to which one end of a floating spring body is fixed moves relative to a housing base part to which the other end of the floating spring body is fixed. This requires two housings that are movable relative to each other to fix the floating spring body, and the floating spring body needs to be fixed to the housing at multiple points, which increases the number of parts in the connector and may result in an increase in size.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present disclosure is to provide a small connector that allows for misalignment of the mating connector.

[0006] In order to solve the above problem, a first aspect of the present invention is a connector comprising a terminal connectable to a connection object in a predetermined connection direction, and a housing supporting the terminal, wherein the terminal has a terminal side connection portion connectable to an attachment object, a terminal side supported portion supported by the housing, and an elastically deformable terminal side spring portion located between the terminal side connection portion and the terminal side supported portion, and the housing is capable of tilting relative to the attachment object, with the terminal side connection portion as a fixed end, in accordance with the elastic deformation of the terminal side spring portion, when the terminal side connection portion is connected to the attachment object.

[0007] In the above configuration, the housing can tilt relative to the object while the terminal-side connection portions of the terminals are connected to the object. Therefore, unlike when the housing is fixed to the object so that it cannot tilt, the tilting of the terminals is not restricted by the housing, and therefore misalignment of the connection object to which the terminals are connected can be tolerated.

[0008] Furthermore, because the housing can be tilted relative to the attachment object with the terminal-side connection portion as a fixed end, it is possible to allow for misalignment of the connection partner with a simple configuration. For example, if the housing is configured to be slidable in a direction perpendicular to the connection direction, a configuration (e.g., another housing) is required to support the housing so that it can be slidably moved. However, with the above configuration, because the housing can be tilted with the terminal-side connection portion as a fixed end, it is possible to create a compact connector with a simple configuration that allows for misalignment of the connection partner, the attachment object.

[0009] A second aspect of the present invention is the connector according to the first aspect, wherein the terminal-side spring portion extends in the connecting direction without being folded back in the connecting direction.

[0010] In the above configuration, the terminal-side spring portion extends in the connection direction without folding back in the connection direction. Because the terminal-side spring portion does not have a bent shape that would cause it to fold back in the connection direction, the length (path length) of the terminal-side spring portion can be reduced, improving the high-speed transmission characteristics of the terminal. Furthermore, because the space required for arranging the terminal-side spring portion can be reduced, the connector can be made more compact.

[0011] A third aspect of the present invention is a connector of the first aspect or the second aspect, wherein at least a portion of the position of the terminal side supported portion in the connection direction overlaps with the position of the terminal side spring portion in the connection direction.

[0012] In the above configuration, the position of the terminal side supported portion in the connection direction overlaps with the position of the terminal side spring portion in the connection direction, so unlike when the terminal side supported portion and the terminal side spring portion are positioned at different positions in the connection direction, the length of the connector in the connection direction can be reduced, allowing for miniaturization.

[0013] A fourth aspect of the present invention is a connector of the first aspect or the second aspect, comprising a shell covering the terminal, the shell having a shell-side connecting portion connectable to the attachment object, a shell-side supported portion supported by the housing, and a shell-side spring portion located between the shell-side connecting portion and the shell-side supported portion, the shell-side spring portion being elastically deformable in response to tilting of the housing relative to the attachment object.

[0014] In the above configuration, since the connector includes a shell, the transmission characteristics of the connector can be improved.

[0015] Furthermore, since the shell has a shell-side spring portion that is elastically deformable in response to tilting of the housing, the shell can allow tilting of the housing by elastic deformation of the shell-side spring portion when the shell-side connection portion is connected to the attachment object. In other words, since tilting of the terminal is not restricted by the shell, even if a shell is provided, it is possible to allow misalignment of the connection object to which the terminal is connected.

[0016] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a small connector that allows for misalignment of the mating connector.

[0017] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which a plug is connected to a connector according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view from above of a connector according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a side view of the connector as seen from direction III in FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along arrows IV-IV in FIG. 1. FIG. 5 is a perspective view from below of the connector. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a terminal. FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a housing as seen from above. FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a housing as seen from below. FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a shell. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which the connector is tilted.

[0018] A connector according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In each drawing and the following description, the X direction indicates the connection direction. The radial direction indicates the radial direction when the center of the terminal extending in the connection direction is the axis.

[0019] Fig. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which a plug is connected to a connector according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective view from above of a connector according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 3 is a side view of the connector as viewed from direction III in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along arrows IV-IV in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the connector as viewed from below. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a terminal. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a housing as viewed from above. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the housing as viewed from below. Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a shell.

[0020] (Connector) As shown in FIG. 1 , a connector 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention constitutes a part of an electronic component (e.g., an imaging unit of a camera module, etc., not shown). When in use, the connector 10 is mounted on a substrate (object to be attached) 1. The connector 10 connects a plug (object to be connected) 3 from a coaxial cable 2 to the substrate 1 by electrically connecting the plug 3 to the substrate 1 (hereinafter simply referred to as "connection") along the X direction from the opposite side of the substrate 1. The plug 3 of this embodiment has an axial inner conductor 3a extending in the X direction at its center, an outer conductor 3b extending in a cylindrical shape in the X direction radially outside the inner conductor 3a, and a dielectric 3c between the inner conductor 3a and the outer conductor 3b. In other words, the X direction, which is the connection direction, is also the axial direction of the plug (object to be connected) 3 and terminals 11, which will be described later. In the following description, the connection direction (X direction) is described as the up-down direction, so the X1 side of the X direction may be referred to as the upper side and the X2 side of the X direction may be referred to as the lower side, but the connection direction is not limited to the up-down direction. Also, in the following description, "tilting" means tilting relative to the substrate 1, and refers to tilting relative to the axial direction (X direction) before tilting.

[0021] 2 to 5, the connector 10 includes terminals 11 connectable to the inner conductor 3a (see FIG. 1) of the plug 3 in the vertical direction (a predetermined connection direction), and a housing 12 that supports the terminals 11. In this embodiment, the connector 10 includes, in addition to the terminals 11 and the housing 12, a shell 13 that covers the terminals 11.

[0022] 2 to 6 , the terminal 11 of the connector 10 is made of a conductive metal material, is disposed radially inside the shell 13, and is connectable to the lower end (the end on the X2 side) of the inner conductor 3a of the plug 3 (see FIG. 1 ). The terminal 11 integrally includes a terminal-side connecting portion 14 connectable to the board 1, an elastically deformable terminal-side spring portion 15 extending upward from the terminal-side connecting portion 14, a cylindrical terminal body 16 extending upward from the terminal-side spring portion 15, and a terminal-side supported portion 17 extending downward from the terminal body 16 and supported by the housing 12. That is, the terminal 11 has a portion (terminal-side connecting portion 14) connected to and supported by the board 1, and a portion (terminal-side supported portion 17) supported by the housing 12. The terminal-side spring portion 15 is located between the terminal-side connecting portion 14 and the terminal-side supported portion 17, which are portions supported by other members.

[0023] (Terminal-Side Connection Portion) The terminal-side connection portion 14 is a portion of the terminal 11 that is connected to the substrate 1. For example, in this embodiment, the terminal-side connection portion 14 is formed in a plate shape that intersects the vertical direction, and is fixed and connected to the substrate 1 by soldering using SMT (Surface Mount Technology). Note that the shape of the terminal-side connection portion 14 and the method of connection to the substrate 1 are not limited to those described above. For example, the terminal-side connection portion 14 may be formed in a rod shape that extends vertically, and may be connected to the substrate 1 by DIP (Dual-in-line package). Alternatively, the terminal-side connection portion 14 may be connected to the substrate 1 by press-fit. By fixing the terminal-side connection portion 14 to the substrate 1, the terminal 11 is supported by the substrate 1.

[0024] (Terminal-Side Spring Portion) The terminal-side spring portion 15 extends upward, continuing from the terminal-side connecting portion 14. In this embodiment, the terminal-side spring portion 15 bends and extends upward from the radially inner end of the terminal-side connecting portion 14. The upper end of the terminal-side spring portion 15 is continuous from below with a partial circumferential region of a base portion 16a (described later) of the terminal body 16. That is, the terminal-side spring portion 15 is provided on one side of the terminal body 16 in any radial direction (the radial direction indicated by the dashed-dotted line A in FIG. 5 ; hereinafter, this radial direction will be referred to as the "first radial direction"). In this embodiment, the terminal-side spring portion 15 has a lower region 15a that bends upward from the terminal-side connecting portion 14 at a substantially right angle, and an upper region 15b that extends upward from the upper end of the lower region 15a, sloping inward in the first radial direction, and continues to the terminal body 16. That is, the terminal-side spring portion 15 of this embodiment extends in the vertical direction without being folded back in the vertical direction.

[0025] The terminal-side spring portion 15 is elastically deformable. The terminal-side spring portion 15 of this embodiment is formed in a plate shape intersecting the first radial direction, thereby enabling elastic deformation in the first radial direction. That is, the upper end of the terminal-side spring portion 15 can tilt in the first radial direction around the lower end of the terminal-side spring portion 15 as an axis. Furthermore, the terminal-side spring portion 15 of this embodiment has a length in the vertical direction that is sufficiently long relative to its width, enabling it to tilt in a direction intersecting the first radial direction in a top view. That is, the terminal-side spring portion 15 of this embodiment can tilt in any direction through 360° in a top view. The shape of the terminal-side spring portion 15 is not limited to a plate shape, and may be, for example, a columnar shape (e.g., a cylindrical shape) extending in the vertical direction.

[0026] (Terminal Body) The terminal body 16 is formed in a generally cylindrical shape extending vertically to allow insertion of the inner conductor 3a (see FIG. 1) of the plug 3. In this embodiment, the terminal body 16 has a cylindrical base 16a at its lower end and multiple (three in this embodiment) terminal pieces 16b extending upward from the base 16a, equally divided circumferentially (divided into three equal parts in this embodiment). That is, the lower ends of the multiple terminal pieces 16b are cantilevered by the base 16a. The multiple terminal pieces 16b are elastically deformable in the radial direction, with their lower ends as axes. The upper ends of the multiple terminal pieces 16b are formed to expand radially, facilitating insertion of the inner conductor 3a of the plug 3 from above. The shape of the terminal body 16 is not limited to the above and may be any shape that allows connection to a connection target (the plug 3 in this embodiment) in the vertical direction.

[0027] (Terminal-Side Supported Portion) The terminal-side supported portion 17 is a portion of the terminal 11 that is supported by the housing 12 and extends downward from a region of the base portion 16a of the terminal body 16 that is different from the region to which the terminal-side spring portion 15 is connected. In this manner, the terminal-side supported portion 17 extends downward from the base portion 16a of the terminal body 16, similar to the terminal-side spring portion 15. As shown in FIG. 4 , the terminal-side supported portion 17 and the terminal-side spring portion 15 are positioned at heights where they at least partially overlap each other when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the connection direction. That is, at least a portion (in this embodiment, the entirety) of the arrangement position (height position) R1 of the terminal-side supported portion 17 in the vertical direction (connection direction) overlaps with the arrangement position (height position) R2 of the terminal-side spring portion 15 in the vertical direction (connection direction). The lower end 25 of the terminal-side supported portion 17 is positioned above the terminal-side connection portion 14.

[0028] The shape of the terminal-side supported portion 17 is not particularly limited, and may be any shape that can be supported by the housing 12. For example, in this embodiment, two terminal-side supported portions 17 are provided, each formed in a plate shape that intersects the radial direction and extends downward from the base portion 16a of the terminal body 16. The two terminal-side supported portions 17 are arranged in a V-shape that opens toward the terminal-side spring portion 15 in a top view. The two terminal-side supported portions 17 have an upper region 17a that extends obliquely downward and radially outward from the base portion 16a of the terminal body 16, and a lower region 17b that extends downward in the axial direction from the lower end of the upper region 17a. The lower region 17b of the terminal-side supported portion 17 is provided with a locking portion 18 that can be locked to the housing 12. In addition, the fact that the terminals 11 are supported by the housing 12 means that the terminals 11 are supported by the housing 12 before the connector 10 is attached to the board 1, and it can also be said that once the connector 10 is attached to the board 1, the terminals 11 support the housing 12 in a tiltable manner.

[0029] 4, 5, 7, and 8, the housing 12 is a member for supporting the terminals 11 (in this embodiment, the terminals 11 and the shell 13) and is made of an insulating material (e.g., a resin material). The housing 12 has terminal insertion holes 19 through which the terminal bodies 16 of the terminals 11 are inserted, terminal support portions 20 that support the terminal-side supported portions 17 of the terminals 11, groove portions 21 that extend outward in the first radial direction from the terminal insertion holes 19, and shell support portions 22 that support the shell 13.

[0030] (Terminal Insertion Hole) The terminal insertion hole 19 is a through-hole that passes through the housing 12 in the vertical direction and is formed with a size that allows the terminal body 16 of the terminal 11 to be inserted therethrough. A protrusion 23 (see FIG. 4 ) that protrudes radially inward is provided at the upper end of the terminal insertion hole 19. An inclined surface is provided on the lower side of the protrusion 23. As will be described later, the protrusion 23 functions as a stopper that restricts downward movement of the terminal 11 relative to the housing 12.

[0031] (Terminal Support Portion) The terminal support portion 20 is a bottomed hole disposed radially outside the terminal insertion hole 19 and extending upward. The terminal support portion 20 is sized to allow insertion of the lower region 17b of the terminal-side supported portion 17 of the terminal 11 from below. The terminal support portion 20 is radially connected to the terminal insertion hole 19 via a communication portion 24. The communication portion 24 extends from the upper portion of the terminal support portion 20 to the underside 12a of the housing 12, providing a passage for the upper region 17a of the terminal-side supported portion 17 to move upward when the terminal 11 is attached to the housing 12. The terminal support portion 20 also includes a locking portion (not shown) capable of locking the locking portion 18 of the lower region 17b of the terminal-side supported portion 17 of the terminal 11. The shape of the terminal support portion 20 is not limited to the above and may be any shape capable of supporting the terminal-side supported portion 17 of the terminal 11.

[0032] 4 , 5 , 7 , and 8 , the groove 21 is recessed upward from the lower surface 12 a of the housing 12, extends continuously from the terminal insertion hole 19 outward in the first radial direction, and opens to the side of the housing 12. The width of the groove 21 is wider than the widths of the terminal-side connecting portion 14 and the terminal-side spring portion 15. The groove 21 is located above the terminal-side connecting portion 14 and extends in the first radial direction along the extension direction of the terminal-side connecting portion 14.

[0033] (Shell Support Portion) The shell support portion 22 is a portion that supports the shell 13. The shape of the shell support portion 22 is not particularly limited. In the present embodiment, the shell support portion 22 is provided on both sides of the housing 12 in the radial direction (the radial direction indicated by the dashed dotted line B in FIG. 5 . This radial direction will be referred to as the "second radial direction" hereinafter), and protrudes outward in the second radial direction from the outer surface of the housing 12. The second radial direction in which the shell support portion 22 protrudes is a radial direction that is perpendicular to the first radial direction in which the terminal-side spring portion 15 is provided.

[0034] When attaching the terminal 11 (see FIG. 6 ) to the housing 12 (see FIGS. 7 and 8 ), the terminal body 16 of the terminal 11 is inserted from below into the terminal insertion hole 19 of the housing 12, and the lower region 17b of the terminal-side supported portion 17 of the terminal 11 is inserted from below into the terminal support portion 20. When the terminal body 16 of the terminal 11 is inserted from below into the terminal insertion hole 19 of the housing 12, the base portion 16a of the terminal body 16 abuts against the lower inclined surface of the protrusion 23 inside the terminal insertion hole 19. When the terminal 11 is further pushed upward from this position, the terminal body 16 moves upward while elastically deforming radially inward. When the base portion 16a of the terminal body 16 clears the protrusion 23 of the housing 12, the terminal body 16 elastically recovers. In this state, the protrusion 23 of the housing 12 abuts against the lower end of the terminal body 16 from below, functioning as a stopper that restricts downward movement of the terminal 11 relative to the housing 12. Furthermore, when the lower region 17b of the terminal-side supported portion 17 is inserted and pushed into the terminal support portion 20, the locking portion 18 of the lower region 17b is locked with the locking portion (not shown) in the terminal support portion 20. When the terminal support portion 20 is locked with the locking portion 18 of the terminal 11, vertical movement of the terminal-side supported portion 17 of the terminal 11 relative to the terminal support portion 20 of the housing 12 is restricted. As a result, the terminal-side supported portion 17 of the terminal 11 is supported by the housing 12, and the terminal 11 is attached to the housing 12.

[0035] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, when the terminal 11 is attached to the housing 12, the lower end 25 of the terminal-side supported portion 17 of the terminal 11 is located above the terminal-side connecting portion 14 of the terminal 11. Furthermore, the lower end of the terminal-side spring portion 15 of the terminal 11 and the terminal-side connecting portion 14 are exposed below the lower surface 12a of the housing 12. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 4, the outer surface 26 of the terminal-side spring portion 15 in the first radial direction is spaced from the inner surface of the housing 12, and a space 27 is provided between the outer surface 26 of the terminal-side spring portion 15 in the first radial direction and the inner surface of the housing 12. Furthermore, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, a groove portion 21 recessed upward from the lower surface 12a of the housing 12 is located above the terminal-side connecting portion 14 of the terminal 11 in the housing 12.

[0036] 3 and 4, when the connector 10 is attached to the board 1, the lower surface 12a of the housing 12 is located at a position spaced above the upper surface of the board 1. It is preferable that there is a gap (space) between the upper surface of the board 1 and the lower surface 12a of the housing 12, but this is not limitative and a deformable member (e.g., rubber, gel, etc.) may be interposed therebetween.

[0037] 2 to 5 and 9 , the shell 13 is formed from a conductive metal material and integrally includes a shell-side supported portion 28 supported by the housing 12, a shell main body 29 extending upward from the shell-side supported portion 28, a shell-side spring portion 30 extending downward from the shell-side supported portion 28, and a shell-side connecting portion 31 connectable to the board 1. That is, the shell 13 has a portion (shell-side connecting portion 31) connected to and supported by the board 1, and a portion (shell-side supported portion 28) supported by the housing 12. The shell-side spring portion 30 is located between the shell-side connecting portion 31, which is a portion supported by another member, and the shell-side supported portion 28. The shell 13 of this embodiment is connected to the outer conductor 3b of the plug 3 (see FIG. 1 ), and functions as ground.

[0038] (Shell-side supported portion) The shell-side supported portion 28 is a portion of the shell 13 that is primarily supported by the housing 12. The shape of the shell-side supported portion 28 is not particularly limited, but in this embodiment it is formed in a frame shape that circumscribes the housing 12. The shell-side supported portion 28 in this embodiment has an engaged portion 28a that engages with the shell support portion 22 of the housing 12. The shell-side supported portion 28 is supported by the housing 12 as a result of the engaged portion 28a engaging with the shell support portion 22 of the housing 12.

[0039] (Shell Body) The shell body 29 is formed into a cylindrical shape extending in the vertical direction. The lower end of the shell body 29 is continuous with and supported by the shell side supported portion 28. The upper portion of the shell body 29 is formed into a shape that gradually increases in diameter as it extends upward, and a bulge portion 32 that extends circumferentially and protrudes radially outward is provided at the upper end. When the connector 10 is connected to the plug 3, the bulge portion 32 contacts the inner peripheral surface of the outer conductor 3b (see FIG. 1 ) of the plug 3. The shell body 29 is provided with a plurality of slits 33 that extend downward from the upper end at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. This allows the upper end of the shell body 29 to elastically deform radially inward.

[0040] (Shell-side spring portion) The shell-side spring portion 30 is a portion of the shell 13 that is formed to be elastically deformable. In this embodiment, the shell-side spring portion 30 extends downward from the shell-side supported portion 28 and is formed to be elastically deformable in the up-down direction. Specifically, the shell-side spring portion 30 in this embodiment is formed in a spring shape that is folded back in a predetermined direction that intersects the up-down direction (in this embodiment, a direction parallel to the first radial direction). In this embodiment, the shell-side spring portions 30 are provided at two locations on each side of the surfaces of the shell-side supported portion 28 that are located on both sides in the second radial direction (a total of four locations on both sides). The four shell-side supported portions 28 are provided symmetrically in the first radial direction and symmetrically in the second radial direction.

[0041] (Shell-Side Connection Portion) The shell-side connection portion 31 is a portion of the shell 13 that is connected to the substrate 1. For example, in this embodiment, the shell-side connection portion 31 is provided integrally with the lower end of the shell-side spring portion 30, continuing from the shell-side spring portion 30. The shell-side connection portion 31 is disposed at approximately the same height in the vertical direction as the terminal-side connection portion 14 of the terminal 11. That is, the shell-side connection portion 31 is located below the lower surface 12a of the housing 12. The shell-side connection portion 31 extends horizontally along the upper surface of the substrate 1 and is fixed and connected to the substrate 1 by SMT soldering. By fixing the shell-side connection portion 31 to the substrate 1, the shell 13 is supported by the substrate 1. Note that the shape of the shell-side connection portion 31 and the method of connection to the substrate 1 are not limited to those described above. The shell-side connection portion 31 may be connected to the substrate 1 by the above-mentioned DIP or by press-fit.

[0042] Next, a description will be given of the tilting of the connector 10. Figure 10 is an explanatory diagram showing the connector in a tilted state.

[0043] As shown in Figure 10, when the connector 10 is attached to the board 1, the housing 12 can tilt relative to the board 1, with the terminal-side connecting portions 14 as fixed ends, in response to elastic deformation of the terminal-side spring portions 15 of the terminals 11. That is, the housing 12 can tilt about an axis (the axis indicated by the dashed-dotted line C in Figure 10) along the connection direction before tilting. Furthermore, the shell-side spring portions 30 of the shell 13 can elastically deform in response to tilting of the housing 12 relative to the board 1. Specifically, they can elastically deform so as to expand and contract in the vertical direction.

[0044] In the connector 10 configured as described above, the housing 12 is tiltable relative to the board 1 with the terminal-side connecting portions 14 of the terminals 11 connected to the board 1. Therefore, unlike when the housing itself is fixed to the board 1 so as not to be tiltable, the tilting of the terminals 11 is not restricted by the housing 12, and misalignment of the plug (connection object) 3 to which the terminals 11 are connected can be tolerated. For example, when connecting the plug 3 to the connector 10, if the axis of the plug 3 is tilted relative to the board 1 and the terminals 11 of the connector 10, the terminals 11 can tilt relative to the board 1, allowing for connection while allowing for misalignment of the plug (connection object) 3. Furthermore, if the plug 3 is tilted relative to the board 1 after being connected to the connector 10, the terminals 11 can tilt relative to the board 1, preventing damage to the plug 3 and the connector 10 due to the tilt of the plug 3.

[0045] Furthermore, because the housing 12 can tilt with respect to the board 1, with the terminal-side connection portions 14 of the terminals 11 as fixed ends, it is possible to allow for misalignment of the connection partner with a simple configuration. For example, if the housing is configured to be slidable in a direction perpendicular to the connection direction, a configuration (e.g., another housing) is required to support the housing so that it can slide, but because the connector 10 configured as described above can tilt with the terminal-side connection portions 14 of the terminals 11 as fixed ends, it is possible to provide a compact connector 10 with a simple configuration that allows for misalignment of the connection partner.

[0046] As described above, according to this embodiment, it is possible to provide a small connector 10 that allows for misalignment of the plug 3 that is the mating connector.

[0047] Furthermore, the terminal-side spring portion 15 of the terminal 11 extends in the vertical direction (connection direction) without folding back in the vertical direction. In this way, the terminal-side spring portion 15 does not have a bent shape that folds back in the vertical direction, so the length (path length) of the terminal-side spring portion 15 can be reduced, thereby improving the high-speed transmission characteristics of the terminal 11. Furthermore, because the space required for arranging the terminal-side spring portion 15 can be reduced, the connector 10 can be made smaller.

[0048] Furthermore, the position of the terminal side supported portion 17 of the terminal 11 in the vertical direction overlaps with the position (height position) of the terminal side spring portion 15 in the vertical direction, so unlike when the terminal side supported portion 17 and the terminal side spring portion 15 are arranged at different (non-overlapping) height positions, the length of the connector 10 in the vertical direction can be reduced, and the connector can be made smaller.

[0049] Furthermore, since the connector 10 includes the shell 13, the transmission characteristics of the connector 10 can be improved.

[0050] Furthermore, since the shell 13 has the shell-side spring portion 30 that can elastically deform in response to the tilting of the housing 12, the shell 13 can allow the tilting of the housing 12 by the elastic deformation of the shell-side spring portion 30 with the shell-side connection portion 31 connected to the board 1. In other words, the tilting of the terminals 11 is not restricted by the shell 13, so even if the shell 13 is provided, it is possible to allow misalignment of the plug 3 to which the terminals 11 are connected.

[0051] Furthermore, the four shell-side supported portions 28 of the shell 13 are arranged symmetrically in the first radial direction and in the second radial direction, thereby ensuring the stability of the shell 13 while allowing the terminals 11 to tilt.

[0052] In this embodiment, a shell 13 is provided that is connected to the substrate 1, but this is not limited to this, and for example, a shell that is supported by the housing 12 without being connected to the substrate 1 may be provided.

[0053] In addition, in this embodiment, the position of the terminal side supported portion 17 of the terminal 11 in the vertical direction and the position of the terminal side spring portion 15 in the vertical direction are arranged at height positions where they overlap each other, but this is not limited to this.

[0054] In addition, in this embodiment, the terminal side spring portion 15 of the terminal 11 is a terminal side spring portion 15 that extends in the connection direction without folding back in the connection direction, but this is not limited to this, and other shapes are also acceptable as long as at least the housing 12 can tilt in accordance with the elastic deformation of the terminal side spring portion 15.

[0055] Although the present invention has been described above based on the above embodiment, the present invention is not limited to the content of the above embodiment, and can be modified as appropriate without departing from the scope of the present invention. In other words, all other embodiments, examples, operational techniques, etc. made by those skilled in the art based on this embodiment are naturally included in the scope of the present invention.

[0056] 1: Board (attachment object) 3: Plug (connection object) 10: Connector 11: Terminal 12: Housing 13: Shell 14: Terminal side connecting portion 15: Terminal side spring portion 17: Terminal side supported portion 28: Shell side supported portion 30: Shell side spring portion 31: Shell side connecting portion

Claims

1. A connector comprising a terminal connectable to an object to be connected in a predetermined connection direction, and a housing supporting the terminal, wherein the terminal has a terminal-side connecting portion connectable to an object to be attached, a terminal-side supported portion supported by the housing, and an elastically deformable terminal-side spring portion located between the terminal-side connecting portion and the terminal-side supported portion, and wherein the housing is capable of tilting relative to the object to be attached, with the terminal-side connecting portion as a fixed end, in accordance with the elastic deformation of the terminal-side spring portion, when the terminal-side connecting portion is connected to the object to be attached.

2. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the terminal-side spring portion extends in the connection direction without folding back in the connection direction.

3. The connector according to claim 1 or 2, wherein at least a portion of the position of the terminal-side supported portion in the connection direction overlaps with the position of the terminal-side spring portion in the connection direction.

4. A connector as described in claim 1 or claim 2, comprising a shell covering the terminal, the shell having a shell-side connecting portion connectable to the attachment object, a shell-side supported portion supported by the housing, and a shell-side spring portion located between the shell-side connecting portion and the shell-side supported portion, the shell-side spring portion being elastically deformable in response to tilting of the housing relative to the attachment object.

Images