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EP-4579957-B1 - CONNECTOR ASSEMBLY

EP4579957B1EP 4579957 B1EP4579957 B1EP 4579957B1EP-4579957-B1

Inventors

  • HASHIGUCHI, OSAMU
  • NAKAMURA, KEISUKE

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20241030

Claims (7)

  1. A connector assembly (12) configured to be connected to a substrate (16), wherein: the substrate is formed with two passing holes (72), each of the passing holes passing through the substrate in an up-down direction, the substrate having an upper surface and a lower surface in the up-down direction, the upper surface of the substrate being formed with a signal line (74), the signal line being located between the two passing holes in a lateral direction perpendicular to the up-down direction, the lower surface of the substrate being formed with a ground layer (78A); the connector assembly comprises a coaxial connector (20), a fixed member (40) and two fixing members (60); the coaxial connector is configured to be attached to a distal end of a coaxial cable; the coaxial connector comprises an outer terminal (24) and a center terminal (21); the outer terminal has a flange portion (25) and two projecting portions (27); the flange portion has a first receiving portion (252) and two second receiving portions (254); the first receiving portion (252) faces forward in a front-rear direction perpendicular to both the up-down direction and the lateral direction; each of the two second receiving portions (254) faces at least rearward in the front-rear direction; the two projecting portions (27) are apart from each other in the lateral direction: each of the two projecting portions extends forward in the front-rear direction from the flange portion; the fixed member (40) is made of metal: the fixed member is located below the substrate in the up-down direction under a connected state where the connector assembly is connected to the substrate; the ground layer (78A) of the substrate is electrically connected to the first receiving portion of the flange portion via the fixed member under the connected state; the fixed member has a main portion (401), a first contact portion (402), at least one spring portion (404) and two second contact portions (405); the main portion (401) extends in a predetermined plane; the first contact portion is provided at the main portion; the first contact portion is located, at least in part, between the two second contact portions; the spring portion (404) extends from the main portion and is resiliently deformable the two second contact portions (405) are apart from each other in the lateral direction; at least one of the two second contact portions is supported by the spring portion and is movable in the predetermined plane; under the connected state, the spring portion presses the second contact portion against the second receiving portion (254) while the second contact portion receives reaction force from the second receiving portion by the pressing of the spring portion; the first contact portion (402) is pressed against the first receiving portion along the front-rear direction by the reaction force under the connected state; and under the connected state, the two fixing members (60) are fixed to the two projecting portions (27) of the outer terminal through the two passing holes, respectively, of the substrate while the two fixing members press the fixed member (40) against the ground layer of the substrate so that the predetermined plane becomes perpendicular to the up-down direction.
  2. The connector assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the first receiving portion (252) is located forward of any of the second receiving portions (254) in the front-rear direction.
  3. The connector assembly as recited in claim 2, wherein: the spring portion (404) has a first portion and a second portion: the first portion extends in the front-rear direction; the second portion extends from the first portion in a direction intersecting with the front-rear direction; the second contact portion (405) is supported by the second portion; the fixed member (40) has a first distance between the at least one second contact portion and the first contact portion in the front-rear direction when the fixed member is viewed alone; the flange portion (25) has a second distance between the first receiving portion and the second receiving portion in the front-rear direction; and the first distance is smaller than the second distance.
  4. The connector assembly as recited in one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: the fixed member (40) has two of the spring portions (404); the two spring portions support the two second contact portions (405), respectively; and under the connected state, the two spring portions press the two second contact portions against the two second receiving portions (254), respectively.
  5. The connector assembly as recited in one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: the first contact portion (402) comprises at least one protrusion: the protrusion protrudes rearward in the front-rear direction from the main portion; and the protrusion is located between the two projecting portions (27) in the lateral direction under the connected state.
  6. The connector assembly as recited in one of claims 1 to 5, wherein: the fixed member (40) is formed with two fixing holes (45); each of the fixing holes passes through the fixed member in the up-down direction; each of the fixing members (60) is a screw: each of the projecting portions (27) is formed with a screw hole (28); and each of the fixing members is screwed into the screw hole through the fixing hole of the fixed member and the passing hole (72) of the substrate under the connected state.
  7. The connector assembly as recited in one of claims 1 to 5, wherein: the fixed member (40) and the two fixing members are integrally formed with each other; each of the fixing members is a press-fit portion (46C); each of the projecting portions (27) is formed with a press-fit hole; and each of the press-fit portions is press-fit into the press-fit hole through the passing hole (72) of the substrate under the connected state.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a connector assembly which is configured to be connected to a substrate. For example, JPB 6853655 (Patent Document 1) discloses a connector assembly which is configured to be connected to a substrate. Referring to Figs. 34 and 35, a substrate-connector connection structure 900 of Patent Document 1 has a substrate 950 and a connector 910, or a connector assembly 910. Specifically, the connector assembly 910 is connected to the substrate 950. The substrate 950 has a signal pattern 952, or a signal line 952, a first ground layer 954 and a plating layer 956. Specifically, the plating layer 956 is located just below the signal line 952 and is formed at a region including an end surface of the first ground layer 954. The connector assembly 910 comprises a coaxial connector 920 and two screws 930, or fixing members 930. The coaxial connector 920 has a center conductor 922, or a center terminal 922, and an outer conductor 924, or an outer terminal 924. When the connector assembly 910 is connected to the substrate 950, the outer terminal 924 is brought into contact with the plating layer 956 which is electrically connected to the first ground layer 954. By this structure, the substrate-connector connection structure 900 of Patent Document 1 is configured to reduce reflection characteristics of signal propagating between the substrate 950 and the connector assembly 910. In the substrate-connector connection structure 900 of Patent Document 1, it is difficult for the outer terminal 924 of the coaxial connector 920 to be stably connected to the plating layer 956 of the substrate 950 when the connector assembly 910 is connected to the substrate 950. Accordingly, the substrate-connector connection structure 900 of Patent Document 1 might not make a reliable electrical connection between the outer terminal 924 and the first ground layer 954. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a connector assembly which enables an outer terminal of a coaxial connector of the connector assembly to be stably connected to a ground layer of a substrate. One aspect of the present invention provides a connector assembly configured to be connected to a substrate. The substrate is formed with two passing holes. Each of the passing holes passes through the substrate in an up-down direction. The substrate has an upper surface and a lower surface in the up-down direction. The upper surface of the substrate is formed with a signal line. The signal line is located between the two passing holes in a lateral direction perpendicular to the up-down direction. The lower surface of the substrate is formed with a ground layer. The connector assembly comprises a coaxial connector, a fixed member and two fixing members. The coaxial connector is configured to be attached to a distal end of a coaxial cable. The coaxial connector comprises an outer terminal and a center terminal. The outer terminal has a flange portion and two projecting portions. The flange portion has a first receiving portion and two second receiving portions. The first receiving portion faces forward in a front-rear direction perpendicular to both the up-down direction and the lateral direction. Each of the two second receiving portions faces at least rearward in the front-rear direction. The two projecting portions are apart from each other in the lateral direction. Each of the two projecting portions extends forward in the front-rear direction from the flange portion. The fixed member is made of metal. The fixed member is located below the substrate in the up-down direction under a connected state where the connector assembly is connected to the substrate. The ground layer of the substrate is electrically connected to the first receiving portion of the flange portion via the fixed member under the connected state. The fixed member has a main portion, a first contact portion, at least one spring portion and two second contact portions. The main portion extends in a predetermined plane. The first contact portion is provided at the main portion. The first contact portion is located, at least in part, between the two second contact portions. The spring portion extends from the main portion and is resiliently deformable. The two second contact portions are apart from each other in the lateral direction. At least one of the two second contact portions is supported by the spring portion and is movable in the predetermined plane. Under the connected state, the spring portion presses the second contact portion against the second receiving portion while the second contact portion receives reaction force from the second receiving portion by the pressing of the spring portion. The first contact portion is pressed against the first receiving portion along the front-rear direction by the reaction force under the connected state. Under the connected state, the two fixing members are fixed to the two pr