Connector

Abstract

This connector 10 comprises a first connector 100 including a first connector-side signal terminal 120 and a first connector-side power supply terminal 110 aligned in the same row of a first connector housing 101, and a second connector 500 including a second connector-side signal terminal 520 and a second connector-side power supply terminal 510 aligned in the same row of a second connector housing 501. The first connector-side signal terminal 120 and the first connector-side power supply terminal 110 have contacts 121, 111 formed by bending a metal plate into the shape of the letter "U," the second connector-side signal terminal 520 has a contact 521 formed by bending a metal plate into the shape of the letter "U," and the second connector-side power supply terminal 510 has an I-shaped contact 511 made of a metal plate thicker than the second connector-side signal terminal 520.

Description

connector

[0001] The present disclosure relates to connectors.

[0002] Connectors have been known in the past in which a receptacle connector housing and a plug connector housing are mated to bring corresponding terminals into contact with each other to achieve an electrical connection. A prior art document disclosing this type of connector is, for example, Patent Document 1 listed below. As shown in Figures 42 to 44, the connector 10 disclosed in Patent Document 1 comprises a header 20, which is a plug connector, and a socket 30, which is a receptacle connector. The header 20 has header-side signal terminals 22 and header-side power supply terminals 23, and the socket 30 has socket-side signal terminals 32 and socket-side power supply terminals 33.

[0003] In the connector 10 described in Patent Document 1, the current supplied from the power line is greater than the current supplied from the signal line, so the header-side power supply terminals 23 are formed so that their width along the longitudinal direction (X) of the header housing 21 is greater than the width along the longitudinal direction (X) of the header-side signal terminals 22. Furthermore, the socket-side power supply terminals 33 are formed so that their width along the longitudinal direction (X) of the socket housing 31 is greater than the width along the longitudinal direction (X) of the socket-side signal terminals 32. According to Patent Document 1, the cross-sectional shapes of the socket-side signal terminals 32 and 33 are substantially identical, and the cross-sectional shapes of the header-side signal terminals 22 and 23 are substantially identical. However, by making the power supply terminals wider than the signal terminals, the cross-sectional area of ​​the terminals can be increased, thereby increasing the current capacity. Note that the symbols used in the explanations of the prior art documents are placed in parentheses to distinguish them from the embodiments disclosed in this application.

[0004] JP 2018-166120 A

[0005] However, the conventional connector disclosed in Patent Document 1 above has a problem in that the current capacity depends on the width dimension of the power terminal, and therefore, in order to increase the cross-sectional area of ​​the terminal and thereby increase the current capacity, the dimensions of the connector also need to be increased.

[0006] Therefore, the present disclosure aims to provide a connector that can increase the current capacity of a power supply terminal without increasing the size of the connector by realizing a configuration that can increase the current capacity without increasing the width dimension compared to conventional power supply terminals.

[0007] A connector according to the present disclosure comprises a first connector including first connector-side signal terminals and first connector-side power supply terminals aligned in the same row in a first connector housing, and a second connector including second connector-side signal terminals and second connector-side power supply terminals aligned in the same row in a second connector housing, wherein, by mating the first connector housing with the second connector housing, the first connector-side signal terminals come into contact with the second connector-side signal terminals and the first connector-side power supply terminals come into contact with the second connector-side power supply terminals, and the first connector-side signal terminals and the first connector-side power supply terminals are , the second connector side signal terminal has a contact portion formed by bending a metal plate into a U shape, the second connector side signal terminal has a contact portion formed by bending a metal plate into a U shape, and the second connector side power supply terminal has a contact portion formed in an I shape made of a metal plate that is thicker than the second connector side signal terminal, and when the first connector housing and the second connector housing are mated, the U-shaped contact portion of the second connector side signal terminal is sandwiched and contacts the U-shaped contact portion of the first connector side signal terminal, and the I-shaped contact portion of the second connector side power supply terminal is sandwiched and contacts the U-shaped contact portion of the first connector side power supply terminal.

[0008] That is, the second connector side power supply terminals have I-shaped contact portions made of a metal plate that is thicker than the second connector side signal terminals, so even if the second connector side power supply terminals and the second connector side signal terminals have the same width in the alignment direction, their cross-sectional area is larger. Furthermore, because the I-shaped contact portions of the second connector side power supply terminals are sandwiched between and contact the U-shaped contact portions of the first connector side power supply terminals, the current path is shorter than in signal terminals in which the U-shaped contact portions of the second connector side signal terminals are sandwiched between and contact the U-shaped contact portions of the first connector side signal terminals. In other words, the current path is shorter in the second connector side power supply terminals of the present invention than in conventional header side power supply terminals. Since the current capacity is proportional to the cross-sectional area of ​​the power supply terminal and inversely proportional to the length of the current path, the present invention, which has a large cross-sectional area and a short current path, can increase the current capacity regardless of the width dimension of the power supply terminals.

[0009] In the connector according to the present disclosure, the second connector-side power supply terminal can be formed as a whole by bending a metal plate into an L-shape.

[0010] That is, the second connector side power supply terminal is formed entirely by bending a metal plate into an L shape, so it has a larger cross-sectional area over its entire length than the signal terminal and is easy to manufacture.

[0011] In the connector according to the present disclosure, the height of the second connector side power supply terminals in the mating direction can be smaller than the height of the second connector side signal terminals in the mating direction.

[0012] In other words, since the height of the second connector side power terminal in the mating direction is lower than the height of the second connector side signal terminal, when mating, the signal terminals of the second connector and the first connector come into contact and are aligned, and then the power terminals come into contact with each other, so damage due to collisions at misaligned positions is unlikely to occur. In particular, in the case of second connector side power terminals having I-shaped contact portions made of a metal plate thicker than the second connector side signal terminals, the impact of damage due to collisions is significant if they collide with the first connector housing due to their greater thickness. However, since the height of the second connector side power terminal in the mating direction is lower than the height of the second connector side signal terminal in the mating direction, damage due to contact with the first connector housing can be prevented.

[0013] In the connector according to the present disclosure, both sides of the second connector side power supply terminal may be embedded in the second connector housing made of resin in the longitudinal direction.

[0014] That is, since both sides of the second connector side power supply terminal are embedded in the resin second connector housing in the terminal arrangement direction, the second connector side power supply terminal is less likely to peel off from the second connector housing.

[0015] In the connector according to the present disclosure, the second connector side power supply terminals may be wider than the second connector side signal terminals.

[0016] That is, if the second connector side power supply terminals are wider than the second connector side signal terminals, the cross-sectional area becomes even larger, and the current capacity can be further increased.

[0017] Another connector according to the present disclosure includes a first connector including first connector-side signal terminals and first connector-side power supply terminals aligned in the same row in a first connector housing, and a second connector including second connector-side signal terminals and second connector-side power supply terminals aligned in the same row in a second connector housing, wherein, by mating the first connector housing with the second connector housing, the first connector-side signal terminals come into contact with the second connector-side signal terminals and the first connector-side power supply terminals come into contact with the second connector-side power supply terminals, and the first connector-side signal terminals and the first connector-side power supply terminals have contact portions formed by bending a metal plate into a U-shape, and The second connector side signal terminal has a contact portion formed by bending a metal plate into a U-shape, and the second connector side power supply terminal has a contact portion formed in an I-shape and made of a metal plate that is thicker than the second connector side signal terminal, and when the first connector housing and the second connector housing are mated, the U-shaped contact portion of the second connector side signal terminal is sandwiched and comes into contact with the U-shaped contact portion of the first connector side signal terminal, and the I-shaped contact portion of the second connector side power supply terminal is sandwiched and comes into contact with the U-shaped contact portion of the first connector side power supply terminal, and the second connector side power supply terminal is formed as a whole by bending a metal plate into an L-shape and has at least one or more cutout portions.

[0018] That is, the second connector side power supply terminals have I-shaped contact portions made of a metal plate that is thicker than the second connector side signal terminals, so even if the second connector side power supply terminals and the second connector side signal terminals have the same width in the alignment direction, their cross-sectional area is larger. Furthermore, because the I-shaped contact portions of the second connector side power supply terminals are sandwiched between and contact the U-shaped contact portions of the first connector side power supply terminals, the current path is shorter than in signal terminals in which the U-shaped contact portions of the second connector side signal terminals are sandwiched between and contact the U-shaped contact portions of the first connector side signal terminals. In other words, the current path is shorter in the second connector side power supply terminals of the present invention than in conventional header side power supply terminals. Since the current capacity is proportional to the cross-sectional area of ​​the power supply terminal and inversely proportional to the length of the current path, the present invention, which has a large cross-sectional area and a short current path, can increase the current capacity regardless of the width dimension of the power supply terminals.

[0019] In addition, in another connector according to the present disclosure, the cutout portion can be a through hole or through groove that passes through in the thickness direction of a metal plate that is formed as a whole by bending it into an L-shape to form the second connector side power supply terminal.

[0020] That is, the second connector side power supply terminal is formed entirely by bending a metal plate into an L shape, so it has a larger cross-sectional area over its entire length than the signal terminal and is easy to manufacture.

[0021] In another connector according to the present disclosure, the cutout portion can be filled with a resin material that forms at least a part of the second connector housing.

[0022] That is, if an attempt is made to extend the second connector side power supply terminal horizontally to accommodate a larger current, it is conceivable that the strength of the resin second connector housing that holds the second connector side power supply terminal may be insufficient or that molding may be difficult. Therefore, by providing a notch in the second connector side power supply terminal and filling this notch with the resin material that constitutes at least a part of the second connector housing, the second connector side power supply terminal and the second connector housing are firmly connected, thereby improving the strength of the connector.

[0023] In addition, in another connector according to the present disclosure, the ends on both sides of the second connector side power supply terminal in the mating direction are formed with chamfered portions by removal processing, and at least a portion of the chamfered portions is embedded in the longitudinal direction of the second connector housing made of resin.

[0024] That is, since both sides of the second connector side power supply terminal are embedded in the terminal arrangement direction of the second connector housing made of resin, the second connector side power supply terminal is less likely to peel off from the second connector housing. In particular, since chamfered portions are formed by removing processing on both sides of the end portions of the second connector side power supply terminal in the mating direction, dimensional errors that inevitably occur in manufacturing of the second connector side power supply terminal are eliminated, and problems such as resin material overflowing can be prevented when manufacturing the second connector side power supply terminal made of metal so as to be embedded in the second connector housing made of resin, and stable manufacturing can be achieved.

[0025] According to the present disclosure, the cross-sectional area of ​​the power supply terminal can be increased and the current path can be shortened without depending on the dimension of the power supply terminal in the width direction, so the current capacity can be increased without increasing the dimension of the connector in the terminal alignment direction. In other words, according to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a connector in which the current capacity of the power supply terminal is increased without increasing the size of the connector.

[0026] FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of the connector of the first embodiment, viewed from the upper right front side, showing a state before the first connector and the second connector are mated. FIG. 2 is an external perspective view of the connector of the first embodiment, viewed from the lower right front side, showing a state before the first connector and the second connector are mated. FIG. 3 is an external perspective view of the connector of the first embodiment, viewed from the upper right front side, showing a state after the first connector and the second connector are mated. FIG. 4 is a top view of the connector of the first embodiment, showing a state after the first connector and the second connector are mated. FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the connector of the first embodiment, showing a state after the first connector and the second connector are mated. FIG. 6 is a front view of the connector of the first embodiment, showing a state after the first connector and the second connector are mated. FIG. 7 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the connector of FIG. 6 taken along line 7-7. FIG. 8 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the connector of FIG. 6 taken along line 8-8. FIG. 9 is an external perspective view of the second connector of the first embodiment, viewed from the upper right front side. FIG. 10 is an external perspective view of the second connector of the first embodiment as viewed from the rear lower left. FIG. 11 is an external perspective view of the second connector side signal terminals of the second connector of the first embodiment as viewed from the front upper right. FIG. 12 is an external perspective view of the second connector side power supply terminals of the second connector of the first embodiment as viewed from the front upper right. FIG. 13 is an enlarged partial perspective view of a main part for explaining the attachment state of the second connector side power supply terminals of the second connector of the first embodiment. FIG. 14 is an external perspective view of the first connector of the first embodiment as viewed from the front upper right. FIG. 15 is an external perspective view of the first connector of the first embodiment as viewed from the rear lower left. FIG. 16 is an external perspective view of the first connector side signal terminals of the first connector of the first embodiment as viewed from the front upper right. FIG. 17 is an external perspective view of the first connector side power supply terminals of the first connector of the first embodiment as viewed from the front upper right. FIG. 18 is a diagram for explaining the current paths of the terminals, in which sub-diagram (a) shows the current paths of the signal terminals, and sub-diagram (b) shows the current paths of the power supply terminals.FIG. 19 is a diagram illustrating the process of bringing the power terminals of the first and second connectors into contact with each other, with sub-views (a1) and (a2) illustrating the prior art and sub-views (b1) and (b2) illustrating the first embodiment. FIG. 20 is an external perspective view of the first and second connectors of the connector of the second embodiment before mating, as viewed from the front upper right. FIG. 21 is an external perspective view of the first and second connectors of the connector of the second embodiment before mating, as viewed from the front lower right. FIG. 22 is an external perspective view of the first and second connectors of the connector of the second embodiment mated, as viewed from the front upper right. FIG. 23 is a top view of the first and second connectors of the connector of the second embodiment mated. FIG. 24 is a bottom view of the first and second connectors of the connector of the second embodiment mated. FIG. 25 is a front view of the first and second connectors of the connector of the second embodiment mated. FIG. 26 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the connector of FIG. 25 taken along line 26-26. FIG. 27 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the connector of FIG. 25 taken along line 27-27. FIG. 28 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the connector of FIG. 25 taken along line 28-28. FIG. 29 is an external perspective view of the second connector of the second embodiment as viewed from the front upper right. FIG. 30 is an external perspective view of the second connector of the second embodiment as viewed from the rear lower left. FIG. 31 is a rear view of the second connector of the second embodiment turned upside down. FIG. 32 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the connector of FIG. 31 taken along line 32-32. FIG. 33 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the connector of FIG. 31 taken along line 33-33. FIG. 34 is an external perspective view of the second connector side signal terminals of the second connector of the second embodiment as viewed from the front upper right. Fig. 35 is a diagram showing a second connector-side power supply terminal of the second connector of the second embodiment, in which sub-view (a) is an external perspective view of the second connector-side power supply terminal as viewed from the front upper right, and sub-view (b) is an external perspective view of the second connector-side power supply terminal as viewed from the front lower right. Fig. 36 is an enlarged partial perspective view of a main part for explaining the attachment state of the second connector-side power supply terminal of the second connector of the second embodiment.FIG. 37 is a diagram showing a modified example of a second connector-side power supply terminal included in the second connector of the second embodiment, and is an external perspective view of the modified second connector-side power supply terminal as viewed from the front lower right. FIG. 38 is an external perspective view of the first connector of the second embodiment as viewed from the front upper right. FIG. 39 is an external perspective view of the first connector of the second embodiment as viewed from the rear lower left. FIG. 40 is an external perspective view of the first connector-side signal terminal included in the first connector of the second embodiment as viewed from the front upper right. FIG. 41 is an external perspective view of the first connector-side power supply terminal included in the first connector of the second embodiment as viewed from the front upper right. FIG. 42 is an external perspective view of the header of a conventional connector as viewed from the back side. FIG. 43 is an external perspective view of the socket of a conventional connector as viewed from the front side. FIG. 44 is an external view showing a conventional header and socket mated together, and is a cross-sectional view taken at a location where the header-side power supply terminal and the socket-side power supply terminal are arranged.

[0027] Preferred embodiments for carrying out the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. For ease of explanation, the drawings define a first direction, a second direction, and a third direction. In this specification, the first direction is the left-right direction. In the drawings, the left-right direction is designated as the X direction. Specifically, the right side is designated as the +X direction, and the left side is designated as the -X direction. In this specification, the second direction is designated as the front-rear direction. In the drawings, the front-rear direction is designated as the Y direction. Specifically, the front side is designated as the +Y direction, and the rear side is designated as the -Y direction. In this specification, the third direction is designated as the up-down direction. In the drawings, the up-down direction is designated as the Z direction. Specifically, the top side is designated as the +Z direction, and the bottom side is designated as the -Z direction. However, the first direction (X direction), the second direction (Y direction), and the third direction (Z direction) defined in this specification do not limit the directions in which the connectors of the embodiments described below are used. The connectors of the embodiments described below can be used in any direction.

[0028] Furthermore, the following embodiments do not limit the inventions according to the claims, and not all of the combinations of features described in the following embodiments are necessarily essential to the solution of the invention.

[0029] 1 to 3, a connector 10 according to a first embodiment includes a first connector 100, which is a receptacle connector, and a second connector 500, which is a plug connector. The second connector 500 according to the first embodiment is mated with or removed from the first connector 100 by moving it up and down along the Z direction, which is the third direction.

[0030] The first connector 100 and the second connector 500 of the first embodiment are each fixed to a circuit board or the like (not shown), thereby enabling electrical connection between the circuit boards.

[0031] The configuration of the second connector 500 of the first embodiment, which is a plug connector, is shown in FIGS.

[0032] 9 and 10 , the second connector 500 of the first embodiment has a second connector housing 501 that is roughly rectangular when viewed from above and below along the Z direction, which is the third direction. The second connector housing 501 has long sides extending left and right along the X direction, which is the first direction, and short sides extending front and rear along the Y direction, which is the second direction. In other words, the second connector housing 501 has an external shape that is roughly rectangular and extends in the left and right directions.

[0033] The second connector housing 501 is composed of a second connector insulator 502 made of a resin material and second connector hold-downs 503 made of a metal material attached to the left and right ends of the second connector insulator 502. The second connector insulator 502 can be made of an insulating resin part such as engineering plastic, and has the function of mechanically fixing and holding a plurality of terminals (described later) in place and insulating the terminals to isolate each conductive path. Meanwhile, the second connector hold-downs 503 are members that function as metal fittings for reinforcing the connection to a circuit board (not shown), contributing to protecting the mating surface and improving robustness.

[0034] A plurality of terminals are provided in the above-described second connector housing 501. As shown in Figures 9 and 10 , the second connector housing 501 of the first embodiment has a plurality of terminals arranged in rows in the left-right direction along the X direction, which is the first direction of the second connector housing 501. In addition, in the second connector 500 of the first embodiment, the terminals are arranged in two rows, one row on the front side of the second connector housing 501 and one row on the rear side.

[0035] 9 and 10 , the plurality of terminals aligned on the front side of the second connector housing 501 include one second-connector-side power supply terminal 510 located approximately in the center, five second-connector-side signal terminals 520 located to the right of the second-connector-side power supply terminal 510, and four second-connector-side signal terminals 520 located to the left of the second-connector-side power supply terminal 510. On the other hand, the plurality of terminals aligned on the rear side of the second connector housing 501 include one second-connector-side power supply terminal 510 located approximately in the center, four second-connector-side signal terminals 520 located to the right of the second-connector-side power supply terminal 510, and five second-connector-side signal terminals 520 located to the left of the second-connector-side power supply terminal 510.

[0036] In the first embodiment, since the total number of second-connector-side signal terminals 520 aligned in the same row of the second connector housing 501 is an odd number, the plurality of terminals aligned in a row on the front side of the second connector housing 501 and the plurality of terminals aligned in a row on the rear side are arranged so as to be rotationally symmetrical when rotated on the XY plane. By adopting such an arrangement, the second connector 500 of the first embodiment is not limited in its front-to-rear installation direction when mated with the first connector 100 (described later), and is not limited in its orientation during use. Furthermore, when the total number of second-connector-side signal terminals 520 aligned in the same row of the second connector housing 501 is an even number, the number of second-connector-side signal terminals 520 aligned to the left and right of the second-connector-side power supply terminal 510 may be the same.

[0037] As shown in Figure 11, the second connector side signal terminal 520 is composed of a contact portion 521 formed by bending a metal plate into a U-shape, and a connection portion 522 formed continuous with the U-shaped contact portion 521.

[0038] 12, the second connector side power supply terminal 510 is formed entirely by bending a metal plate that is thicker than the second connector side signal terminal 520 into an L shape, and is configured to have an I-shaped contact portion 511 and a connection portion 512 that is formed continuously with the I-shaped contact portion 511. In other words, since the second connector side power supply terminal 510 is formed entirely by bending a metal plate into an L shape, it has a larger cross-sectional area over its entire length than the second connector side signal terminal 520 and is easier to manufacture.

[0039] Also, as shown in Figures 10 and 13, in the first embodiment, the height of the second connector side power supply terminal 510 in the mating direction (the up-down direction, which is the Z direction) is configured to be lower than the height of the second connector side signal terminal 520 in the mating direction (the up-down direction, which is the Z direction).

[0040] Also, as shown in FIG. 13, in the first embodiment, both sides of the second connector side power supply terminal 510 are embedded in the longitudinal direction of the second connector housing 501 (more specifically, the second connector insulator 502) made of resin.

[0041] Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the second connector side power supply terminals 510 of the first embodiment are wider than the second connector side signal terminals 520 .

[0042] The configuration of the second connector 500 of the first embodiment, which is a plug connector, has been described above with reference to Figures 9 to 13. Next, the configuration of the first connector 100 of the first embodiment, which is a receptacle connector, will be described with reference to Figures 14 to 17.

[0043] 14 and 15 , the first connector 100 of the first embodiment has a first connector housing 101 that is roughly rectangular when viewed from above and below along the Z direction, which is the third direction. The first connector housing 101 has long sides extending left and right along the X direction, which is the first direction, and short sides extending front and rear along the Y direction, which is the second direction. In other words, the first connector housing 101 has an external shape that is roughly rectangular and extends in the left and right direction.

[0044] The first connector housing 101 is composed of a first connector insulator 102 made of a resin material and first connector hold-downs 103 made of a metal material attached to the left and right ends of the first connector insulator 102. The first connector insulator 102 can be made of an insulating resin part such as engineering plastic, and has the function of mechanically fixing and holding a plurality of terminals (described later) in place and insulating the terminals to isolate each conductive path. Meanwhile, the first connector hold-downs 103 function as metal fittings for reinforcing the connection to a circuit board (not shown), contributing to the protection of the mating surface and the improvement of robustness.

[0045] A plurality of terminals are provided in the above-described first connector housing 101. As shown in Figures 14 and 15 , the first connector housing 101 of the first embodiment has a plurality of terminals arranged in rows in the left-right direction along the X direction, which is the first direction of the first connector housing 101. Furthermore, in the first connector 100 of the first embodiment, the terminals are arranged in two rows, one row on the front side of the first connector housing 101 and one row on the rear side.

[0046] 14 and 15 , the plurality of terminals aligned on the front side of the first connector housing 101 include one first connector-side power supply terminal 110 located approximately in the center, five first connector-side signal terminals 120 located to the right of the first connector-side power supply terminal 110, and four first connector-side signal terminals 120 located to the left of the first connector-side power supply terminal 110. On the other hand, the plurality of terminals aligned on the rear side of the first connector housing 101 include one first connector-side power supply terminal 110 located approximately in the center, four first connector-side signal terminals 120 located to the right of the first connector-side power supply terminal 110, and five first connector-side signal terminals 120 located to the left of the first connector-side power supply terminal 110.

[0047] In the first embodiment, since the total number of first connector-side signal terminals 120 aligned in the same row of the first connector housing 101 is an odd number, the multiple terminals aligned in a row on the front side of the first connector housing 101 and the multiple terminals aligned in a row on the rear side are arranged so as to be rotationally symmetrical when rotated on the XY plane. This arrangement ensures that the first connector 100 of the first embodiment is not limited in its front-to-rear installation direction when the second connector 500 (described later) is fitted thereto, and therefore is not limited in its orientation during use. Furthermore, if the total number of first connector-side signal terminals 120 aligned in the same row of the first connector housing 101 is an even number, the number of first connector-side signal terminals 120 aligned to the left and right of the first connector-side power supply terminal 110 may be the same.

[0048] As shown in Figure 16, the first connector side signal terminal 120 is composed of a contact portion 121 formed by bending a metal plate into a U-shape, and a connection portion 122 formed continuously from the U-shaped contact portion 121.

[0049] As shown in Figure 17, the first connector side power supply terminal 110, like the first connector side signal terminal 120, is configured to have a contact portion 111 formed by bending a metal plate into a U-shape, and a connection portion 112 formed continuously from the U-shaped contact portion 111.

[0050] The configuration of the first connector 100 of the first embodiment, which is a receptacle connector, has been described above with reference to FIGS.

[0051] As described above, the connector 10 of the first embodiment comprises a first connector 100 including first connector side signal terminals 120 and first connector side power supply terminals 110 aligned in the same row in the first connector housing 101, and a second connector 500 including second connector side signal terminals 520 and second connector side power supply terminals 510 aligned in the same row in the second connector housing 501. Therefore, by mating the first connector housing 101 and the second connector housing 501, the first connector side signal terminals 120 and the second connector side signal terminals 520 come into contact, and the first connector side power supply terminals 110 and the second connector side power supply terminals 510 come into contact (see Figures 7 and 8).

[0052] When the first connector housing 101 and the second connector housing 501 are mated, as shown in Figure 7, the U-shaped contact portion 521 of the second connector side signal terminal 520 is sandwiched and contacted by the U-shaped contact portion 121 of the first connector side signal terminal 120, and as shown in Figure 8, the I-shaped contact portion 511 of the second connector side power supply terminal 510 is sandwiched and contacted by the U-shaped contact portion 111 of the first connector side power supply terminal 110.

[0053] Therefore, since the second connector side power supply terminal 510 has an I-shaped contact portion 511 made of a metal plate that is thicker than the second connector side signal terminal 520, the cross-sectional area is larger even if the second connector side power supply terminal 510 and the second connector side signal terminal 520 have the same width in the alignment direction.

[0054] 18(b), the I-shaped contact portion 511 of the second connector-side power supply terminal 510 is sandwiched between the U-shaped contact portion 111 of the first connector-side power supply terminal 110, resulting in a shorter current path than the signal terminals 120, 520 in which the U-shaped contact portion 521 of the second connector-side signal terminal 520 is sandwiched between the U-shaped contact portion 121 of the first connector-side signal terminal 120, as shown in the split view (a) of FIG. 18 (see arrows in FIGS. 18(a) and 18(b)). In other words, the current path is shorter in the second connector-side power supply terminal 510 of the first embodiment than in the header-side power supply terminal of the conventional example. The current capacity is proportional to the cross-sectional area of ​​the power supply terminal and inversely proportional to the length of the current path, so the first embodiment, which has a large cross-sectional area and a short current path, has the effect of being able to increase the current capacity without depending on the dimension of the power supply terminal in the width direction (the left-right direction, which is the X direction).

[0055] Also, as shown in Figures 10 and 13, in the connector 10 of the first embodiment, the height of the second connector side power supply terminal 510 in the mating direction is lower than the height of the second connector side signal terminal 520 in the mating direction.

[0056] In other words, the height in the mating direction of the second connector side power supply terminals 510 is lower than the height in the mating direction of the second connector side signal terminals 520, so during mating, the signal terminals 120, 520 of the second connector 500 and the first connector 100 first come into contact and are aligned, and then the power supply terminals 110, 510 come into contact. Therefore, the connector 10 of the first embodiment is less likely to be damaged by a collision at a misaligned position. In particular, in the case of the second connector side power supply terminal 510 having an I-shaped contact portion 511 made of a metal plate that is thicker than the contact portion 521 of the second connector side signal terminal 520, the thickness dimension is large, so if it collides with the first connector housing 101, the impact of damage caused by the collision is large.However, since the height in the mating direction of the second connector side power supply terminal 510 of the first embodiment is lower than the height in the mating direction of the second connector side signal terminal 520, it is possible to prevent the second connector side power supply terminal 510 from coming into contact with the first connector housing 101 and being damaged.

[0057] 19 , if the height of the second connector-side power supply terminals 510 in the mating direction is the same as the height of the second connector-side signal terminals 520 in the mating direction, and if the first connector 100 and the second connector 500 are misaligned during mating, the second connector-side power supply terminals 510, which have a larger thickness, may collide with the first connector housing 101, potentially damaging the resin first connector housing 101. However, if the height of the second connector-side power supply terminals 510 in the mating direction is lower than the height of the second connector-side signal terminals 520 in the mating direction, as in the first embodiment shown in the sub-views (b1) and (b2) in FIG. 19 , the resin first connector housing 101 and the second connector housing 501 will come into contact first, significantly reducing the risk of damage.

[0058] 13 , in the connector 10 of the first embodiment, both sides of the second connector side power supply terminal 510 are embedded in the longitudinal direction of the resin second connector housing 501. In other words, both sides of the second connector side power supply terminal 510 are embedded in the terminal arrangement direction of the resin second connector housing 501. Therefore, in the first embodiment, the second connector side power supply terminal 510 is configured to be less likely to peel off from the second connector housing 501.

[0059] 9 and 10 , in the connector 10 of the first embodiment, the second connector-side power supply terminals 510 are wider in the left-right direction (X direction) than the second connector-side signal terminals 520. In other words, because the second connector-side power supply terminals 510 are wider than the second connector-side signal terminals 520, the cross-sectional area is larger, which allows for a larger current capacity. This configuration is preferably applied within the allowable range of the overall shape and dimensions of the connector 10, i.e., within the allowable range for increasing the size of the connector 10.

[0060] Although the preferred embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, the technical scope of the present disclosure is not limited to the scope described in the first embodiment. Various modifications and improvements can be made to the first embodiment.

[0061] For example, in the first embodiment described above, as shown in the partial view (b) of Fig. 18 , the I-shaped contact portion 511 of the second connector side power supply terminal 510 is configured to be sandwiched between and contacted by the U-shaped contact portion 111 of the first connector side power supply terminal 110. In this case, in the first embodiment described above, it was assumed that both the front and rear wall surfaces of the I-shaped contact portion 511 of the second connector side power supply terminal 510 would be in contact with the U-shaped contact portion 111 of the first connector side power supply terminal 110. However, in the present invention, it is sufficient that the I-shaped contact portion 511 of the second connector side power supply terminal 510 and the U-shaped contact portion 111 of the first connector side power supply terminal 110 are in at least partial contact and that the contact makes the current path the shortest. In other words, in the present invention, the I-shaped contact portion 511 of the second connector side power supply terminal 510 and the U-shaped contact portion 111 of the first connector side power supply terminal 110 need only be in contact with each other on the wall surface on the left side of the paper in the sub-diagram (b) of Figure 18.

[0062] For example, in the first embodiment described above, the first connector 100 is described as a receptacle connector and the second connector 500 is described as a plug connector, but in the present disclosure, the side having the configuration of the first connector 100 may be described as a plug connector and the side having the configuration of the second connector 500 may be described as a receptacle connector.

[0063] It is clear from the claims that such modifications and improvements may also be included within the technical scope of the present invention.

[0064] Second Embodiment Next, a connector 60 according to a second embodiment will be described as an example of another embodiment in which improvements are made to the first embodiment described above.

[0065] 20 to 22, the connector 60 of the second embodiment includes a first connector 600, which is a receptacle connector, and a second connector 700, which is a plug connector. The second connector 700 of the second embodiment is mated with or removed from the first connector 600 by moving it up and down along the Z direction, which is the third direction.

[0066] The first connector 600 and the second connector 700 of the second embodiment are each fixed to a circuit board or the like (not shown), thereby enabling electrical connection between the circuit boards.

[0067] The configuration of a second connector 700 of the second embodiment, which is a plug connector, is shown in FIGS.

[0068] 29 and 30 , the second connector 700 of the second embodiment has a second connector housing 701 that is roughly rectangular when viewed from above and below in the Z direction, which is the third direction. The second connector housing 701 has long sides extending in the left-right direction, which is the first direction, and short sides extending in the front-rear direction, which is the second direction, which is the Y direction. In other words, the second connector housing 701 has an external shape that is roughly rectangular and extends in the left-right direction.

[0069] The second connector housing 701 is composed of a second connector insulator 702 made of a resin material and second connector hold-downs 703 made of a metal material attached to the left and right ends of the second connector insulator 702. The second connector insulator 702 can be made of an insulating resin part such as engineering plastic, and has the function of mechanically fixing and holding a plurality of terminals (described later) in place and insulating the terminals to isolate each conductive path. Meanwhile, the second connector hold-downs 703 are members that function as metal fittings for reinforcing the connection to a circuit board (not shown), contributing to protecting the mating surface and improving robustness.

[0070] A plurality of terminals are provided in the above-described second connector housing 701. As shown in Figures 29 and 30 , the second connector housing 701 of the second embodiment has three terminals arranged in each row in the left-right direction along the X direction, which is the first direction of the second connector housing 701. That is, in the second connector 700 of the second embodiment, two rows of six aligned terminals are arranged, with one row of three terminals on the front side of the second connector housing 701 and another row of three terminals on the rear side.

[0071] 29 and 30 , of the three terminals aligned on the front side of the second connector housing 701, one second-connector-side power supply terminal 710 is arranged in the center, one second-connector-side signal terminal 720 is arranged to the right of the second-connector-side power supply terminal 710, and one second-connector-side signal terminal 720 is arranged to the left of the second-connector-side power supply terminal 710. On the other hand, of the three terminals aligned on the rear side of the second connector housing 701, one second-connector-side power supply terminal 710 is arranged in the center, one second-connector-side signal terminal 720 is arranged to the right of the second-connector-side power supply terminal 710, and one second-connector-side signal terminal 720 is arranged to the left of the second-connector-side power supply terminal 710.

[0072] In the second embodiment, since the total number of second-connector-side signal terminals 720 aligned in the same row of the second connector housing 701 is an even number, by making the number of second-connector-side signal terminals 720 aligned to the left and right of the second-connector-side power supply terminals 710 the same number, the second connector 700 of the second embodiment is not limited in its front-to-back installation direction when mated with the first connector 600 described below, and the orientation during use is not limited. If the total number of second-connector-side signal terminals 720 aligned in the same row of the second connector housing 701 is odd, they can be arranged so that they are rotationally symmetric when rotated on the XY plane. With this arrangement, the front-to-back installation direction is not limited when mated with the first connector 600 described below, and the orientation during use is not limited.

[0073] As shown in Figure 34, the second connector side signal terminal 720 is composed of a contact portion 721 formed by bending a metal plate into a U-shape, and a connection portion 722 formed continuous with the U-shaped contact portion 721.

[0074] 35, the second connector side power supply terminal 710 is formed entirely by bending a metal plate that is thicker than the second connector side signal terminal 720 into an L shape, and is configured with an I-shaped contact portion 711 and a connection portion 712 that is formed continuous with the I-shaped contact portion 711. In other words, since the second connector side power supply terminal 710 is formed entirely by bending a metal plate into an L shape, it has a larger cross-sectional area over its entire length than the second connector side signal terminal 720 and is easier to manufacture.

[0075] 35, the second connector side power supply terminal 710 has two notches 713 near the curved portion where the metal plate is bent into an L shape. The notches 713 in the second embodiment are formed as through holes that pass through in the thickness direction of the metal plate that is formed as a whole by bending it into an L shape to form the second connector side power supply terminal 710. As shown in FIGS. 33 and 36, the notches 713 are filled with a portion of the second connector insulator 702 made of a resin material that forms the second connector housing 701.

[0076] Here, when attempting to lengthen the second connector side power supply terminal 710 horizontally (left-right direction) to accommodate a larger current, it was anticipated that the strength of the second connector housing 701, including the resin second connector insulator 702 that holds the second connector side power supply terminal 710, would be insufficient or molding would be difficult. Therefore, in the second embodiment, a configuration is adopted in which a cutout portion 713 formed as a through-hole is provided in the second connector side power supply terminal 710, and the cutout portion 713 is filled with the resin material (part of the second connector insulator 702) that constitutes at least a portion of the second connector housing 701. By adopting such a configuration, a strong connection between the second connector housing 701 and the second connector side power supply terminal 710 is achieved, and the strength of the entire connector 60 is also improved.

[0077] 35, the second connector side power supply terminal 710 of the second embodiment has chamfered portions 714 formed by removal processing on both side ends in the mating direction. These chamfered portions 714 have a shape in which both side ends in the mating direction are chamfered into an R shape, and this shape can be formed by removal processing using conventionally known removal processing techniques such as press processing, turning, grinding, and polishing.

[0078] 36 , at least a portion of the chamfered portion 714 is embedded in the longitudinal direction of the second connector housing 701 (more specifically, the second connector insulator 702), which is made of resin. That is, both sides of the second connector side power supply terminal 710 are embedded in the terminal arrangement direction of the second connector housing 701, which is made of resin, making it difficult for the second connector side power supply terminal 710 to peel off from the second connector housing 701. In particular, by forming the chamfered portion 714 by the removal process on both side ends of the second connector side power supply terminal 710 in the mating direction, it is possible to eliminate dimensional errors that inevitably occur in manufacturing the second connector side power supply terminal 710, whose overall shape is formed by bending a thick metal plate into an L shape. This prevents problems such as the resin material spilling out when manufacturing the second connector side power supply terminal 710, which is made of a metal material, by embedding it in the second connector housing 701 (more specifically, the second connector insulator 702), which is made of a resin material, and allows for stable manufacturing.

[0079] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 31 (or as is clear from comparing Figures 26 and 27 with Figure 28), in the second embodiment, the height of the second connector side power supply terminal 710 in the mating direction (the up-down direction, which is the Z direction) is configured to be lower than the height of the second connector side signal terminal 720 in the mating direction (the up-down direction, which is the Z direction).

[0080] Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the second connector side power supply terminals 710 of the second embodiment are wider than the second connector side signal terminals 720 .

[0081] The configuration of the second connector 700 of the second embodiment, which is a plug connector, has been described above with reference to Figures 29 to 36. Next, the configuration of the first connector 600 of the second embodiment, which is a receptacle connector, will be described with reference to Figures 38 to 41.

[0082] 38 and 39 , the first connector 600 of the second embodiment has a first connector housing 601 that is roughly rectangular when viewed from the top and bottom along the Z direction, which is the third direction. The first connector housing 601 has long sides extending left and right along the X direction, which is the first direction, and short sides extending front and rear along the Y direction, which is the second direction. In other words, the first connector housing 601 has an external shape that is roughly rectangular and extends in the left and right direction.

[0083] The first connector housing 601 is composed of a first connector insulator 602 made of a resin material and first connector hold-downs 603 made of a metal material attached to the left and right ends of the first connector insulator 602. The first connector insulator 602 can be made of an insulating resin part such as engineering plastic, and has the function of mechanically fixing and holding a plurality of terminals (described later) in place and insulating the terminals to isolate each conductive path. Meanwhile, the first connector hold-downs 603 are members that function as metal fittings for reinforcing the connection to a circuit board (not shown), contributing to protecting the mating surface and improving robustness.

[0084] A plurality of terminals are provided in the above-described first connector housing 601. As shown in Figures 38 and 39 , the first connector housing 601 of the second embodiment has three terminals arranged in each row in the left-right direction along the X direction, which is the first direction of the first connector housing 601. That is, in the first connector 600 of the second embodiment, a total of six aligned terminals are arranged in two rows, with one row of three terminals on the front side of the first connector housing 601 and one row of three terminals on the rear side.

[0085] 38 and 39 , the plurality of terminals aligned on the front side of the first connector housing 601 include one first connector side power supply terminal 610 at the center, one first connector side signal terminal 620 at the right side of the first connector side power supply terminal 610, and one first connector side signal terminal 620 at the left side of the first connector side power supply terminal 610. On the other hand, the plurality of terminals aligned on the rear side of the first connector housing 601 include one first connector side power supply terminal 610 at the center, one first connector side signal terminal 620 at the right side of the first connector side power supply terminal 610, and one first connector side signal terminal 620 at the left side of the first connector side power supply terminal 610.

[0086] In the second embodiment, since the total number of first connector-side signal terminals 620 aligned in the same row of the first connector housing 601 is an even number, the number of first connector-side signal terminals 620 aligned to the left and right of the first connector-side power supply terminal 610 is the same, and when the second connector 700 is fitted into the first connector 600, the front-to-back installation direction is not limited, and the orientation during use is not limited. On the other hand, when the total number of first connector-side signal terminals 620 aligned in the same row of the first connector housing 601 is odd, the multiple terminals aligned in one row on the front side of the first connector housing 601 and the multiple terminals aligned in one row on the rear side can be arranged so as to be rotationally symmetrical when rotated on the XY plane. With this arrangement, when the second connector 700 is fitted into the first connector 600 of the second embodiment, the front-to-back installation direction is not limited, and the orientation during use is not limited.

[0087] As shown in Figure 40, the first connector side signal terminal 620 is composed of a contact portion 621 formed by bending a metal plate into a U-shape, and a connection portion 622 formed continuous with the U-shaped contact portion 621.

[0088] As shown in FIG. 41, the first connector side power supply terminal 610, like the first connector side signal terminal 620, is configured to have a contact portion 611 formed by bending a metal plate into a U-shape, and a connection portion 612 formed continuous with the U-shaped contact portion 611.

[0089] The configuration of the first connector 600 of the second embodiment, which is a receptacle connector, has been described above with reference to FIGS.

[0090] As described above, the connector 60 of the second embodiment comprises a first connector 600 including first connector side signal terminals 620 and first connector side power supply terminals 610 aligned in the same row in the first connector housing 601, and a second connector 700 including second connector side signal terminals 720 and second connector side power supply terminals 710 aligned in the same row in the second connector housing 701. Therefore, by mating the first connector housing 601 and the second connector housing 701, the first connector side signal terminals 620 and the second connector side signal terminals 720 come into contact, and the first connector side power supply terminals 610 and the second connector side power supply terminals 710 come into contact (see Figures 26 to 28).

[0091] When the first connector housing 601 and the second connector housing 701 are mated, as shown in Figure 28, the U-shaped contact portion 721 of the second connector side signal terminal 720 is sandwiched and contacted by the U-shaped contact portion 621 of the first connector side signal terminal 620, and as shown in Figures 26 and 27, the I-shaped contact portion 711 of the second connector side power supply terminal 710 is sandwiched and contacted by the U-shaped contact portion 611 of the first connector side power supply terminal 610.

[0092] Therefore, since the second connector side power supply terminal 710 has an I-shaped contact portion 711 made of a metal plate that is thicker than the second connector side signal terminal 720, the cross-sectional area is larger even if the second connector side power supply terminal 710 and the second connector side signal terminal 720 have the same width in the alignment direction.

[0093] In addition, in the second embodiment, the second connector side power supply terminal 710 is made longer horizontally (left and right) to accommodate larger currents, but the second connector side power supply terminal 710 of the second embodiment is provided with a cutout portion 713 formed as a through hole, and this cutout portion 713 is filled with a resin material (part of the second connector insulator 702) that constitutes at least a part of the second connector housing 701, so that a strong connection is achieved between the second connector housing 701 and the second connector side power supply terminal 710 and the strength of the entire connector 60 is also improved.

[0094] 36 , in the connector 60 of the second embodiment, both sides of the second connector side power supply terminal 710 are embedded in the longitudinal direction of the resin second connector housing 701. In other words, both sides of the second connector side power supply terminal 710 are embedded in the terminal arrangement direction of the resin second connector housing 701. Therefore, in the second embodiment, the second connector side power supply terminal 710 is configured to be less likely to peel off from the second connector housing 701.

[0095] In particular, in the second embodiment, chamfered portions 714 are formed by removal processing on both end portions in the mating direction of the second connector side power supply terminal 710, thereby eliminating dimensional errors that inevitably occur in manufacturing of the second connector side power supply terminal 710, the overall shape of which is formed by bending a thick metal plate into an L-shape. This eliminates problems such as resin material spilling out when manufacturing the second connector side power supply terminal 710, which is made of metal, so that it can be embedded in the second connector housing 701 (more specifically, the second connector insulator 702), which is made of resin, thereby enabling stable manufacturing.

[0096] Also, as shown in Figure 31 (or as is clear from comparing Figures 26 and 27 with Figure 28), in the connector 60 of the second embodiment, the height in the mating direction of the second connector side power supply terminal 710 is lower than the height in the mating direction of the second connector side signal terminal 720.

[0097] That is, since the height in the mating direction of the second connector side power supply terminals 710 is lower than the height in the mating direction of the second connector side signal terminals 720, when mating, the signal terminals 620, 720 of the second connector 700 and the first connector 600 first come into contact and are aligned, and then the power supply terminals 610, 710 come into contact with each other. Therefore, the connector 60 of the second embodiment is less likely to be damaged by a collision in a misaligned position. In particular, in the case of the second connector side power supply terminal 710 having an I-shaped contact portion 711 made of a metal plate that is thicker than the contact portion 721 of the second connector side signal terminal 720, the thickness dimension is large, so if it collides with the first connector housing 601, the impact of damage caused by the collision is large. However, since the height in the mating direction of the second connector side power supply terminal 710 of the second embodiment is lower than the height in the mating direction of the second connector side signal terminal 720, it is possible to prevent the second connector side power supply terminal 710 from coming into contact with the first connector housing 601 and being damaged.

[0098] 29 and 30 , in the connector 60 of the second embodiment, the second connector-side power supply terminals 710 are wider in the left-right direction (X direction) than the second connector-side signal terminals 720. In other words, because the second connector-side power supply terminals 710 are wider than the second connector-side signal terminals 720, the cross-sectional area is larger, and the current capacity can be further increased. This configuration is preferably applied within the allowable range of the overall shape and dimensions of the connector 60, that is, within the allowable range of the size of the connector 60.

[0099] Although the preferred embodiment of the present disclosure has been described above, the technical scope of the present disclosure is not limited to the scope described in the second embodiment. Various modifications and improvements can be made to the second embodiment.

[0100] For example, in the second embodiment described above, the notch 713 formed in the second connector side power supply terminal 710 is formed as a through hole extending in the thickness direction of the metal plate. However, the notch of the present disclosure may be, for example, a notch 713a formed as a through groove extending in the thickness direction of the metal plate formed as a whole by bending the second connector side power supply terminal 710 into an L shape, as shown in Fig. 37. In other words, the notch of the present disclosure may have any shape as long as it achieves a strong connection between the second connector housing 701 and the second connector side power supply terminal 710. The notch 713 may be formed as a closed through hole as shown in Fig. 35, or the notch 713a may be formed as an open through groove as shown in Fig. 37.

[0101] For example, in the second embodiment described above, the first connector 600 is described as a receptacle connector and the second connector 700 is described as a plug connector, but in the present disclosure, the side having the configuration of the first connector 600 may be described as a plug connector and the side having the configuration of the second connector 700 may be described as a receptacle connector.

[0102] It is clear from the claims that such modifications and improvements may also be included within the technical scope of the present invention.

[0103] 10 Connector (of first embodiment) 100 First connector 101 First connector housing 102 First connector insulator 103 First connector hold-down 110 First connector side power supply terminal 111 (U-shaped) contact portion 112 Connection portion 120 First connector side signal terminal 121 (U-shaped) contact portion 122 Connection portion 500 Second connector 501 Second connector housing 502 Second connector insulator 503 Second connector hold-down 510 Second connector side power supply terminal 511 (I-shaped) contact portion 512 Connection portion 520 Second connector side signal terminal 521 (U-shaped) contact portion 522 Connection portion 60 Connector (of second embodiment) 600 First connector 601 First connector housing 602 First connector insulator 603 First connector hold-down 610 First connector side power supply terminal 611 (U-shaped) contact portion 612 Connection portion 620 First connector side signal terminal 621 (U-shaped) contact portion 622 Connection portion 700 Second connector 701 Second connector housing 702 Second connector insulator 703 Second connector hold-down 710 Second connector side power supply terminal 711 (I-shaped) contact portion 712 Connection portion 713 Notch portion (closed through hole) 713a Notch portion (open through groove) 714 Chamfered portion 720 Second connector side signal terminal 721 (U-shaped) contact portion 722 Connection portion

Claims

1. A connector comprising: a first connector including first connector-side signal terminals and first connector-side power supply terminals aligned in the same row in a first connector housing; and a second connector including second connector-side signal terminals and second connector-side power supply terminals aligned in the same row in a second connector housing; wherein, by mating the first connector housing with the second connector housing, the first connector-side signal terminals come into contact with the second connector-side signal terminals and the first connector-side power supply terminals come into contact with the second connector-side power supply terminals; wherein the first connector-side signal terminals and the first connector-side power supply terminals have contact portions formed by bending a metal plate into a U-shape; the second connector-side signal terminals have contact portions formed by bending a metal plate into a U-shape; and the second connector-side power supply terminals have I-shaped contact portions made of a metal plate that is thicker than the second connector-side signal terminals; and, when the first connector housing and the second connector housing are mated, a U-shaped contact portion of the second connector side signal terminal being sandwiched and contacted by a U-shaped contact portion of the first connector side signal terminal, and an I-shaped contact portion of the second connector side power supply terminal being sandwiched and contacted by a U-shaped contact portion of the first connector side power supply terminal.

2. A connector according to claim 1, wherein the second connector side power supply terminal is formed entirely by bending a metal plate into an L-shape.

3. A connector according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the height of the power supply terminals on the second connector side in the mating direction is lower than the height of the signal terminals on the second connector side in the mating direction.

4. A connector according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that both sides of the second connector side power supply terminal are embedded in the longitudinal direction of the second connector housing made of resin.

5. A connector according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the second connector side power supply terminals are wider than the second connector side signal terminals.

6. A connector comprising: a first connector including first connector-side signal terminals and first connector-side power supply terminals aligned in the same row of a first connector housing; and a second connector including second connector-side signal terminals and second connector-side power supply terminals aligned in the same row of a second connector housing; wherein, by mating the first connector housing with the second connector housing, the first connector-side signal terminals come into contact with the second connector-side signal terminals and the first connector-side power supply terminals come into contact with the second connector-side power supply terminals; wherein the first connector-side signal terminals and the first connector-side power supply terminals have contact portions formed by bending a metal plate into a U-shape; the second connector-side signal terminals have contact portions formed by bending a metal plate into a U-shape; and the second connector-side power supply terminals have I-shaped contact portions made of a metal plate that is thicker than the second connector-side signal terminals; and, when the first connector housing is mated with the second connector housing, a U-shaped contact portion of the second connector side signal terminal being sandwiched and contacted by a U-shaped contact portion of the first connector side signal terminal; an I-shaped contact portion of the second connector side power supply terminal being sandwiched and contacted by a U-shaped contact portion of the first connector side power supply terminal; and the second connector side power supply terminal being formed as a whole by bending a metal plate into an L shape and having at least one or more cutout portions.

7. A connector according to claim 6, wherein the cutout portion is a through hole or through groove extending in the thickness direction of the metal plate which is formed as a whole by bending it into an L-shape to form the second connector side power supply terminal.

8. A connector according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the notch is filled with a resin material that constitutes at least a part of the second connector housing.

9. A connector as claimed in claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the ends on both sides of the second connector side power supply terminal in the mating direction are formed with chamfered portions by removal processing, and at least a part of the chamfered portions is embedded in the longitudinal direction of the second connector housing made of resin.

Images