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JP-2026075356-A - Connector connection structure

JP2026075356AJP 2026075356 AJP2026075356 AJP 2026075356AJP-2026075356-A

Abstract

[Objective] The present invention provides a connection structure that can eliminate a partially connected state. [Configuration] The connection structure comprises a floating connector FC and a mating connector MC2. The floating connector FC has a connector portion FC2 that can connect to and disconnect the mating connector MC2 in the Y-Y' direction. The connector portion FC2 is supported by a support portion so as to be movable in a direction that includes at least a component in the Y-Y' direction. The connector portion FC2 is transitionable from a semi-connected state to a fully connected state relative to the mating connector MC2. The connector portion FC2 is provided with a rotating lever 600 that allows it to rotate between a first state and a second state. In the semi-connected state, the rotating lever 600 is rotated from the first state to the second state, and the contact portion 14 of the mating connector MC2 is pressed from the Y direction side with the rotating lever 600, thereby moving the connector portion FC2 relative to the mating connector MC2 in the Y direction and transitioning from a semi-connected state to a fully connected state. [Selection Diagram] Figure 2D

Inventors

  • 岩本 侑大

Assignees

  • ホシデン株式会社

Dates

Publication Date
20260508
Application Date
20241022

Claims (11)

  1. It is equipped with a floating connector and a mating connector. The floating connector comprises a connector portion that can be connected to and disconnected from the mating connector in a first direction, and a support portion that supports the connector portion so as to be movable in a direction that includes at least the component of the first direction. The connector portion is capable of transitioning from a partially connected state to a fully connected state with respect to the mating connector. The aforementioned semi-connected state is a state in which the connector portion is at least mechanically semi-connected to the mating connector from one side in the first direction, but the connector portion is movable relative to the mating connector in the other direction in the first direction. The fully connected state is a state in which the connector portion is mechanically and electrically fully connected to the mating connector from one side in the first direction, and the connector portion cannot move relative to the mating connector in the other side in the first direction. Either the connector portion or the mating connector is equipped with a rotating lever that can rotate between a first state and a second state, and the other connector is equipped with a contact portion. A connector connection structure comprising: rotating the rotary lever from the first state to the second state in the semi-connected state, and pressing the contact portion with the rotary lever from the other connector side having the contact portion in the first direction, thereby moving the connector portion relative to the mating connector in the other direction in the first direction and transitioning from the semi-connected state to the fully connected state.
  2. In the connector connection structure according to claim 1, The connector portion is equipped with the rotating lever, the rotating lever has a lever body, and on one side of the lever body in the second direction, there is a substantially arc-shaped locking groove recessed on the other side in the second direction, the locking groove has a first wall surface, a second wall surface, a third wall surface, an inner circumferential surface, an outer circumferential surface, an opening, a guide portion, a rear portion, and an intermediate portion between the guide portion and the rear portion, the second direction is substantially perpendicular to the first direction and is the axial direction of the rotation axis of the rotating lever, In the first state, the rotating lever is positioned such that the first wall surface is located on one side of a third direction substantially perpendicular to the first and second directions, and the second wall surface is located on the other side of the third direction, or in the first state, the rotating lever is positioned such that the first wall surface is located on the other side of the third direction, and the second wall surface is located on one side of the third direction, and the second wall surface has a facing region facing the first wall surface and a non-facing region that is continuous with the facing region and does not face the first wall surface. With the rotating lever in the first state, the third wall surface is located on one side in the first direction relative to the second wall surface. The first wall surface, the second wall surface, and the third wall surface each have a first end on the other side of the first direction when the rotating lever is in the first state, and a second end on the one side of the first direction when the rotating lever is in the first state. The inner circumferential surface is a curved surface extending from the second end of the second wall surface to the first end of the third wall surface, and has an opening-side region on the second wall surface side and an inner-side region on the third wall surface side. The outer peripheral surface is a curved surface extending from the second end of the first wall surface to the second end of the third wall surface, and has a rear region on the third wall surface side that is opposite to the rear region of the inner peripheral surface. The opening is the space between the opposing regions of the first wall surface and the second wall surface, and the rotating lever opens to the other side in the first direction when in the first state. The guide portion is a space from the second end of the first wall to the second end of the second wall, partitioned by the non-opposing region of the second wall and the opening-side region of the inner circumferential surface, wherein the rotating lever is positioned on one side in the first direction relative to the opening in the first state, and has a first space on the opening side and a second space on the opening-side region side of the inner circumferential surface. The aforementioned rear portion is a space partitioned by the rear region of the inner circumferential surface, the rear region of the outer circumferential surface, and the third wall surface. The first linear distance in the first direction from the second end of the first wall surface to the second end of the second wall surface in the first state of the rotating lever is greater than the dimension of the contact portion in the first direction. In the first state of the rotating lever, the second straight-line distance in the first direction from the first end to the second end of the third wall surface is smaller than the first straight-line distance. The third straight-line distance from the inner circumferential surface to the outer circumferential surface in the direction normal to the inner circumferential surface gradually decreases from the second end of the first wall surface to the second end of the third wall surface. The mating connector has the contact portion, and the contact portion is a projection that is convex on the other side in the second direction. When the rotating lever is in the first state and the connector is connected to the mating connector from one side in the first direction in the fully connected state, the contact portion is inserted into the second space of the guide portion from the opening, and when the rotating lever is rotated from the first state to the second state with the contact portion inserted into the second space, the contact portion is moved relative to the inner or intermediate portion from the second space within the lock groove. A connector connection structure wherein, when the rotating lever is in the first state and the connector portion is connected to the mating connector from one side in the first direction in the semi-connected state, the contact portion is at least partially inserted from the opening into the first space of the guide portion, and with the contact portion at least partially inserted into the first space, the rotating lever is rotated from the first state to the second state, thereby moving the contact portion relative to the mating connector from the other side in the first direction by pressing the contact portion with the outer circumferential surface of the lock groove from the other side in the first direction, thereby moving the connector portion relative to the mating connector to the other side in the first direction and transitioning from the semi-connected state to the fully connected state.
  3. In the connector connection structure according to claim 2, A connector connection structure in which the central axis of the inner circumferential surface substantially coincides with the rotation axis of the rotation lever, but in the first state of the rotation lever, the central axis of the outer circumferential surface is offset by a fourth linear distance to the other side in the first direction relative to the rotation axis.
  4. In the connector connection structure according to claim 3, The fifth linear distance in the first direction from the second end of the second wall surface to the first end of the third wall surface in the first state of the rotating lever is approximately twice the radial dimension of the inner circumferential surface. A connector connection structure in which the difference between the radial dimension of the outer circumferential surface and the radial dimension of the inner circumferential surface, plus the fourth linear distance, is greater than the sixth linear distance in the first direction from the other end of the contact portion of the mating connector in the first direction to the tip surface of the mating connector in the first direction.
  5. In the connector connection structure according to claim 1, The mating connector is equipped with the rotating lever, the rotating lever has a lever body, and on one side of the lever body in the second direction, there is a substantially arc-shaped locking groove recessed to the other side in the second direction, the locking groove has a first wall surface, a second wall surface, a third wall surface, an inner circumferential surface, an outer circumferential surface, an opening, a guide portion, a rear portion, and an intermediate portion between the guide portion and the rear portion, the second direction is substantially perpendicular to the first direction and is the axial direction of the rotation axis of the rotating lever, In the first state, the rotating lever is positioned such that the first wall surface is located on one side of a third direction substantially perpendicular to the first and second directions, and the second wall surface is located on the other side of the third direction, or in the first state, the rotating lever is positioned such that the first wall surface is located on the other side of the third direction, and the second wall surface is located on one side of the third direction, and the second wall surface has a facing region facing the first wall surface and a non-facing region that is continuous with the facing region and does not face the first wall surface. With the rotating lever in the first state, the third wall surface is located on the other side in the first direction relative to the second wall surface. The first wall surface, the second wall surface, and the third wall surface each have a first end on which the rotating lever is located on one side of the first direction in the first state, and a second end on which the rotating lever is located on the other side of the first direction in the first state. The inner circumferential surface is a curved surface extending from the second end of the second wall surface to the first end of the third wall surface, and has an opening-side region on the second wall surface side and an inner-side region on the third wall surface side. The outer peripheral surface is a curved surface extending from the second end of the first wall surface to the second end of the third wall surface, and has a rear region on the third wall surface side that is opposite to the rear region of the inner peripheral surface. The opening is the space between the opposing regions of the first wall surface and the second wall surface, and the rotating lever opens to one side in the first direction in the first state. The guide portion is a space from the second end of the first wall to the second end of the second wall, partitioned by the non-opposing region of the second wall and the opening-side region of the inner circumferential surface, wherein the rotating lever is positioned on the other side in the first direction relative to the opening in the first state, and has a first space on the opening side and a second space on the opening-side region side of the inner circumferential surface. The aforementioned rear portion is a space partitioned by the rear region of the inner circumferential surface, the rear region of the outer circumferential surface, and the third wall surface. The first straight-line distance in the first direction from the second end of the first wall surface to the second end of the second wall surface in the first state of the rotating lever is greater than the dimension of the contact portion in the first direction. In the first state of the rotating lever, the second straight-line distance in the first direction from the first end to the second end of the third wall surface is smaller than the first straight-line distance. The third straight-line distance from the inner circumferential surface to the outer circumferential surface in the direction normal to the inner circumferential surface gradually decreases from the second end of the first wall surface to the second end of the third wall surface. The connector portion has the contact portion, and the contact portion is a projection that is convex on the other side in the second direction. When the rotating lever is in the first state and the connector is connected to the mating connector from one side in the first direction in the fully connected state, the contact portion is inserted into the second space of the guide portion from the opening, and when the rotating lever is rotated from the first state to the second state with the contact portion inserted into the second space, the contact portion is moved relative to the inner or intermediate portion from the second space within the lock groove. A connector connection structure wherein, when the rotating lever is in the first state and the connector portion is connected to the mating connector from one side in the first direction in the semi-connected state, the contact portion is at least partially inserted into the first space of the guide portion from the opening, and when the rotating lever is rotated from the first state to the second state with the contact portion at least partially inserted into the first space, the contact portion is moved relative to the rear or intermediate portion from the first space within the lock groove, and the contact portion is pressed from one side in the first direction by the outer circumferential surface of the lock groove, thereby moving the connector portion relative to the mating connector to the other side in the first direction and transitioning from the semi-connected state to the fully connected state.
  6. In the connector connection structure according to claim 5, A connector connection structure in which the central axis of the inner circumferential surface substantially coincides with the rotation axis of the rotation lever, but in the first state of the rotation lever, the central axis of the outer circumferential surface is offset from the rotation axis to one side in the first direction by a fourth linear distance.
  7. In the connector connection structure according to claim 6, The fifth linear distance in the first direction from the second end of the second wall surface to the first end of the third wall surface in the first state of the rotating lever is approximately twice the radial dimension of the inner circumferential surface. A connector connection structure wherein the value obtained by adding the fourth linear distance to the difference between the radial dimension of the outer circumferential surface and the radial dimension of the inner circumferential surface is greater than the seventh linear distance in the first direction from one end of the contact portion of the connector portion in the first direction to the other end surface of the connector portion in the first direction.
  8. In the connector connection structure according to claim 2 or 5, The connector portion comprises a body made of an insulating material, It has a holding portion for at least one terminal and a contact portion for at least one terminal, The held portion of at least one of the terminals is held by the body, The contact portion of the at least one terminal extends from the held portion of the at least one terminal in the other direction of the first direction, and is at least partially protruding or exposed from the body so that it is visible from the other side of the first direction. The aforementioned mating connector has a body made of an insulating material, It comprises at least one terminal made of a conductive material, The at least one terminal of the mating connector has a retained portion held by the body of the mating connector, A contact portion extending in one direction from the holding portion of at least one terminal of the mating connector, and at least partially protruding or exposed from the body of the mating connector so as to be visible from one side in the first direction, The mating connector has lead portions arranged on one side in the first direction, one side in the third direction, or the other side in the third direction relative to the body of the mating connector. In the semi-connected state, the contact portion of at least one terminal of the connector portion is in contact with the contact portion of at least one terminal of the mating connector, and in the semi-connected state, the contact portion is pressed against the outer circumferential surface of the lock groove, causing the connector portion to move relative to the mating connector in the other direction of the first direction, and the contact portion of at least one terminal of the connector portion slides on the contact portion of at least one terminal of the mating connector, or A connector connection structure wherein, in the semi-connected state, the contact portion of at least one terminal of the connector portion is not in contact with the contact portion of at least one terminal of the mating connector, and in the semi-connected state, the contact portion is pressed against the outer circumferential surface of the lock groove, causing the connector portion to move relative to the mating connector in the other direction of the first direction, and the contact portion of at least one terminal of the connector portion to come into contact with the contact portion of at least one terminal of the mating connector.
  9. In the connector connection structure according to claim 8, The connector portion comprises a conductive shell and It further comprises a housing made of an insulating material that holds the shell, The shell is substantially annular or U-shaped in cross-sectional views along the second and third directions, and has a shell body extending in the first direction, with the body of the connector portion at least partially housed within the shell body. The housing is substantially annular or U-shaped in cross-sectional views along the second and third directions, and has a housing body extending in the first direction, with the shell body of the connector portion housed within the housing body. A connector connection structure wherein the rotating lever is rotatably mounted on the housing and the contact portion is provided on the body of the mating connector, or the rotating lever is rotatably mounted on the body of the mating connector and the contact portion is provided on the housing.
  10. In the connector connection structure according to claim 1, The aforementioned connector further comprises a first stopper and a second stopper, The aforementioned rotating lever has a lever body, and the lever body has a disc portion and a knob extending from the disc portion. If the connector portion comprises the rotating lever, the first stopper portion and the second stopper portion, the first stopper portion is located on the other side in the first direction relative to the knob of the rotating lever in the first state and contacts the knob from the other side in the first direction, and the second stopper portion is located on the other side in the first direction relative to the knob of the rotating lever in the second state and contacts the knob from the other side in the first direction, A connector connection structure in which, when the mating connector comprises the rotating lever, the first stopper, and the second stopper, the first stopper is located on one side in the first direction relative to the knob of the rotating lever in the first state and contacts the knob from one side in the first direction, and the second stopper is located on one side in the first direction relative to the knob of the rotating lever in the second state and contacts the knob from one side in the first direction.
  11. In the connector connection structure according to claim 8, The device further comprises a first mating connector, a first substrate, and a second substrate positioned at a distance from the first substrate on one side in the third direction. The floating connector further comprises a first connector portion, At least one of the terminals of the floating connector is an intermediate terminal, The first connector portion comprises a first body made of an insulating material, It has a first holding portion of at least one relay terminal and a first contact portion of at least one relay terminal, The first held portion of the at least one relay terminal is held by the first body, The first contact portion of the at least one relay terminal extends from the first held portion of the at least one relay terminal in the other direction in the first direction, and is at least partially protruding or exposed from the first body so that it is visible from the other side in the first direction. The connector portion of the floating connector is a second connector portion, The body of the connector portion of the floating connector is the second body of the second connector portion, which is spaced apart from the first body on the other side in the third direction. The retained portion of at least one terminal of the connector portion of the floating connector is the second retained portion of at least one relay terminal of the second connector portion. The contact portion of at least one terminal of the connector portion of the floating connector is the second contact portion of at least one relay terminal of the second connector portion. The support portion has an elastically deformable portion of at least one relay terminal, and the elastically deformable portion is provided between the first held portion and the second held portion. The elastic deformation portion of at least one relay terminal is elastically deformed in a direction including at least the first direction component, thereby displacing the second connector portion relative to the first connector portion in a direction including at least the first direction component. The first mating connector comprises a first body made of an insulating material, It comprises at least one first terminal made of a conductive material, The at least one first terminal of the first mating connector has a first retained portion held by the first body of the first mating connector, A first contact portion extending from the first retained portion of at least one first terminal in one direction and at least partially protruding or exposed from the first body of the first mating connector so as to be visible from one side in the first direction, It has a first lead portion that is positioned on one side in the first direction, one side in the third direction, or the other side in the third direction relative to the first body of the first mating connector and is connected to the first substrate, With the first mating connector connected to the first connector portion of the floating connector from the other side in the first direction, the first contact portion of at least one terminal of the floating connector is in contact with the first contact portion of at least one first terminal of the first mating connector. The aforementioned mating connector is a second mating connector, The body of the mating connector is the second body of the second mating connector, The at least one terminal of the mating connector is at least one second terminal of the second mating connector, The retained portion of at least one terminal of the mating connector is the second retained portion of at least one second terminal of the second mating connector, The contact portion of at least one terminal of the mating connector is the second contact portion of at least one second terminal of the second mating connector, A connector connection structure in which the lead portion of at least one terminal of the mating connector is the second lead portion of at least one second terminal of the second mating connector, and is connected to the second substrate.

Description

This invention relates to a connector connection structure. Patent Document 1 below describes a conventional connector connection structure. This connection structure comprises a floating connector mounted on a circuit board and a mating connector. A floating connector has a housing and multiple terminals. Inside the housing, multiple housing spaces are formed, each accommodating one of the terminals. Multiple upper openings are formed on the upper wall of the housing, each communicating with one of the housing spaces. Each terminal has a fixed portion, a lower contact portion, an inverted Ω-shaped upper contact portion, and a roughly L-shaped spring portion. The fixed portion is fixed to the lower part of the corresponding housing space of the housing and is positioned on the lower wall of the housing. The lower contact portion extends forward from the fixed portion and is bent downward so that its lower surface is at the same height as the bottom surface of the housing's lower wall. The bottom surface of the housing's lower wall rests on a substrate and the lower contact portion is connected to the substrate. The upper contact portion has a roughly U-shaped body, a first end on the front side, and a second end on the rear side. The spring portion has a first spring element and a second spring element. The first spring element is a plate-like portion hanging down from the second end of the upper contact portion and extends in the vertical and horizontal directions. The second spring element is a plate-like portion extending from the lower end of the first spring element to the fixed portion and extends in the vertical and horizontal directions. The mating connector may be connected to the floating connector while displaced forward of its predetermined connection position. In this case, multiple terminals of the mating connector are inserted from above into multiple housing spaces within the housing through multiple upper openings in the floating connector's housing, and are also inserted into the body of the upper contact portion of the multiple terminals of the floating connector. At this time, the first spring elements of the multiple terminals of the floating connector elastically deform to tilt forward, and the second spring elements of the multiple terminals elastically deform to float upward, causing the body of the upper contact portion of the multiple terminals to displace forward in accordance with the multiple terminals of the mating connector. Furthermore, the mating connector may be connected to the floating connector while displaced rearward from its predetermined connection position. In this case, multiple terminals of the mating connector are inserted from above into multiple housing spaces within the housing through multiple upper openings in the housing of the floating connector, and are also inserted into the body of the upper contact portion of the multiple terminals of the floating connector. At this time, the first spring elements of the multiple terminals of the floating connector elastically deform so as to tilt backward, and the second spring elements of the multiple terminals elastically deform so as to sink downward, causing the body of the upper contact portion of the multiple terminals to displace rearward in accordance with the multiple terminals of the mating connector. In this way, the floating connector is designed so that the upper contact portion of the multiple terminals floats in response to the displacement of the mating connector in the front-to-back direction, due to the elastic deformation of the spring portion of the multiple terminals. Japanese Patent Publication No. 2023-139357 This diagram shows a perspective view of the connector connection structure (combination) according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, from the back, top, and left side, in the state before connecting the floating connector, the first mating connector mounted on the first substrate, and the second mating connector mounted on the second substrate, and with the rotary lever in the unlocked position.This figure shows a perspective view of the connector connection structure (combination) according to Embodiment 1, from the back, top, and left side, in a state where the floating connector, the first mating connector mounted on the first substrate, and the second mating connector mounted on the second substrate are connected, and the rotation lever is in the locked position.This is a cross-sectional view taken along line 2A-2A in Figure 1B of the connector connection structure of Example 1.This is a cross-sectional view taken along line 2B-2B in Figure 1B of the connector connection structure of Example 1.This is a cross-sectional view taken along line 2C-2C in Figure 1B of the connector connection structure of Example 1.This is a 2D-2D cross-sectional view of the connector connection structure of Example 1 in Figure 1B.This is an enlarged perspective view from one side showing the connect