JP7608271B2 - Connector Assembly - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a connector assembly formed by mating a first connector with a second connector.

Among connector assemblies, there are connector assemblies that are formed by fitting two connectors together, such as the connector assembly described in Patent Document 1 (hereinafter referred to as connector assembly 1).

As shown in FIG. 25, the connector assembly 1 is composed of a receptacle connector 2 and a plug connector 3. The plug connector 3 fits into the space inside the first shell 4 of the receptacle connector 2, thereby forming the connector assembly 1.

JP 2019-192656 A

In the above connector assembly 1, after the connectors are mated, the plug connector 3 may be displaced relative to the receptacle connector 2 in a direction intersecting the mating direction of the connectors. In this case, the second shell 5 of the plug connector 3 comes into contact with the inner wall surface of the first shell 4, and an external force acts from the first shell 4 to the second shell 5. This external force causes the second shell 5 to deform so as to be displaced inward.

On the other hand, the second shell 5 is attached to the housing 7 in a state in which it surrounds the housing 7 that holds the contacts 6. When the second shell 5 is deformed by an external force, it hits the side wall of the housing 7 and presses against the side wall, and there is a risk that the side wall of the housing 7 will be deformed or damaged by the pressing force from the second shell 5.

The present invention was made in consideration of the above circumstances, and aims to achieve the following objectives. The present invention aims to provide a connector assembly that solves the problems of the above-mentioned conventional technology and can suppress deformation and damage to the connectors that can occur when one of the connectors is displaced when the connectors are mated.

In order to achieve the above object, the connector assembly of the present invention is a connector assembly formed by fitting the first connector to the second connector with one of the first and second connectors entering inside the other, the first connector having a protruding portion that protrudes toward the side where the second connector is arranged in the fitting direction of the first and second connectors, the second connector having a restricting portion that restricts the displacement of the second connector in a cross direction that intersects with the fitting direction, and when the first connector is fitted to the second connector, the restricting portion restricts the displacement of the second connector by contacting the protruding portion in the cross direction.

In the connector assembly of the present invention, when the first connector is mated with the second connector, the restricting portion restricts the displacement of the second connector by contacting the protruding portion in a direction intersecting the mating direction. This suppresses the external force generated by the displacement of the second connector, and as a result, deformation and damage to the second connector that may be caused by the external force are effectively suppressed.

The first connector may have a first contact, a first housing that holds the first contact, and a first shell that surrounds the first housing. The second connector may have a second contact connected to the first contact, a second housing that holds the second contact, and a second shell that surrounds the second housing. The first shell may have an opening at one end of the first shell in the mating direction, and a bottom wall at an end opposite the opening in the mating direction. In this case, it is preferable that the protruding portion protrudes from the bottom wall toward the side where the opening is located.
According to the above configuration, since the protruding portion protrudes from the bottom wall of the first shell, the protruding portion can be easily provided inside the first connector.

It is also preferable that, in a state in which the first connector is mated with the second connector, the restricting portion is positioned outward from the protruding portion in the intersecting direction.
According to the above configuration, since the restricting portion is located outside the protruding portion in the transverse direction, when the second connector is displaced in the transverse direction, the restricting portion is located in the direction of the displacement as viewed from the protruding portion, thereby making it possible to effectively restrict the displacement of the second connector.

In the above configuration, the intersecting direction may include a first intersecting direction and a second intersecting direction that are perpendicular to each other. Each of the first connector and the second connector may extend longer in the second intersecting direction than in the first intersecting direction. In this case, it is more preferable that the restricting portion is located outside the protruding portion in the first intersecting direction when the first connector is mated with the second connector.
According to the above configuration, the displacement of the second connector in the first intersecting direction can be effectively restricted.

In the above configuration, when the first connector is mated with the second connector, a shield may be provided inside the connector assembly along the first intersecting direction. In this case, it is more preferable that the protrusion is disposed closer to the corner of the first connector than the shield in the second intersecting direction.
According to the above configuration, the displacement of the second connector in the first intersecting direction (more specifically, the displacement in the direction of rotation about an axis along the fitting direction) can be more effectively restricted.

The protruding portion may include two protruding portions arranged at positions spaced apart from each other in the first intersecting direction, and it is preferable that the restricting portion includes two restricting portions arranged at positions corresponding to the two protruding portions in the first intersecting direction.
According to the above configuration, since two protrusions and two restricting portions are provided, the displacement of the second connector in the first intersecting direction can be restricted more effectively.

Also, the first housing may be attached to the first shell by being sandwiched between two protrusions.
According to the above configuration, the first housing is attached to the first shell by press-fitting the first housing between the two protrusions. That is, the protrusions are used to restrict the displacement of the second connector together with the restricting portion, as well as to attach the first housing to the first shell. This makes it possible to reduce the number of components of the connector assembly compared to a case in which parts (sections) are provided separately for each purpose.

The protrusion may be made of the same material as the bottom wall and may be integral with the bottom wall, i.e., the protrusion and the bottom wall may be integrally molded, which reduces the number of components of the first connector compared to when the protrusion and the bottom wall are separate parts.
In the above configuration, the protruding portion and the bottom wall may be formed from the same metal plate.

The second shell may have an extending wall extending in the fitting direction and a curved wall curved from an end of the extending wall in the fitting direction toward the inside in the intersecting direction. In this case, it is more preferable that a restricting portion is provided at an end portion on the inside of the curved wall in the intersecting direction.
According to the above-described configuration, a part of the curved wall of the second shell (specifically, an inner end portion in the intersecting direction) can be used to provide the restricting portion.

In the above configuration, it is more preferable that a notch is formed in an inner end portion of the curved wall in the intersecting direction, and that the portion of the curved wall in which the notch is formed constitutes the restricting portion.
According to the above configuration, the restricting portion can be provided by utilizing the portion of the curved wall where the notch is formed. Also, according to the above configuration, interference between the protrusion and the curved wall can be easily avoided when the connectors are mated with each other, so that the connectors can be mated with each other smoothly.

In addition, the second connector may be inserted inside the first connector and the first connector may be fitted to the second connector, the second housing may have a sidewall at an end of the second housing in the cross direction, and the second connector may further include a reinforcing member having higher rigidity than the second housing. It is more preferable that a portion of the reinforcing member is attached to the sidewall in a state where it is inserted between an outer wall surface located on the side of the sidewall facing the second shell and an inner wall surface located on the opposite side to the outer wall surface.
According to the above configuration, a portion of the reinforcing member is inserted between the outer wall surface and the inner wall surface of the side wall of the second housing and attached to the side wall. With this configuration, when an external force acts on the side wall of the housing from the second shell, the portion of the reinforcing member attached to the side wall resists the external force, thereby suppressing deformation and damage of the side wall.

The present invention provides a connector assembly that can suppress deformation and damage to the second connector that may occur when the second connector is displaced in a direction intersecting the mating direction when the connectors are mated.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a first connector according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a second connector according to one embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a perspective view of a connector assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a plan view of a connector assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a side view of a connector assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a cross section taken along line II of FIG. 5. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line JJ in FIG. 5. FIG. 2 is a plan view of a first connector according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the first connector according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a side view of a first connector according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a front view of a first connector according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a first connector according to one embodiment of the present invention, showing the first connector as viewed from below. FIG. 2 is an exploded equipment view of a first connector according to one embodiment of the present invention. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the first housing is press-fitted between two protrusions. FIG. FIG. 2 is a plan view of a second connector according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a bottom view of a second connector according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a side view of a second connector according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a front view of a second connector according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an exploded equipment view of a second connector according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a shield. 2 is a perspective view showing a first connector and a second connector in a mated state, excluding a housing and a contact; FIG. 1 is a plan view showing the first connector and the second connector in a mated state, excluding the housing and the contacts. FIG. FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of the vicinity of the protruding end portion of FIG. 6 . 13A and 13B are diagrams showing modified examples of the protruding end portion. FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a conventional connector assembly.

Below, one embodiment of the connector assembly of the present invention will be described with reference to the configuration example shown in the attached drawings.

The embodiment described below is merely an example given to facilitate understanding of the present invention, and is not intended to limit the present invention. In other words, the present invention may be modified or improved from the following embodiment without departing from the spirit of the present invention.
The material, shape, design dimensions, etc. of each part constituting the connector assembly of the present invention can be set according to the application of the present invention and the state of the art at the time of carrying out the present invention. The present invention also includes equivalents thereof.

Furthermore, in the following, the three mutually orthogonal directions are defined as the X, Y, and Z directions, with the X direction being the width direction of the connector assembly, the Y direction being the front-to-rear direction of the connector assembly, and the Z direction being the up-to-down direction of the connector assembly. Here, the Z direction corresponds to the mating direction of the first connector and the second connector, and the X and Y directions correspond to intersecting directions that intersect with the mating direction. Furthermore, the intersecting directions include a first intersecting direction and a second intersecting direction that are orthogonal to each other, with the X direction corresponding to the first intersecting direction and the Y direction corresponding to the second intersecting direction.

In the following, the +Z side will be described as the upper side of the connector assembly, and the -Z side will be described as the lower side of the connector assembly. Here, the +Z side is the side where the second connector is located when viewed from the first connector in the Z direction.

In addition, in this specification, "orthogonal" and "parallel" include the range of error generally accepted in the technical field of the present invention, and also include states where the deviation is within a range of less than a few degrees (e.g., 2 to 3 degrees) from strict perpendicular and parallel.

For ease of explanation, hereinafter, mating of the first connector with the second connector will be referred to as "connector mating," and the state in which the first connector is mated with the second connector will be referred to as the "connector mated state."

<<Configuration example of connector assembly>>
An overview of the configuration of a connector assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter, connector assembly 100) will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 7. Figure 6 shows a cross section taken along line II in Figure 5, where the II cross section is an XZ plane passing through a blocking plate 80, which will be described later. Figure 7 shows a cross section taken along line JJ in Figure 5, where the JJ cross section is an XY plane passing through a protrusion 42, which will be described later.

The connector assembly 100 has as its components a first connector 10 shown in FIG. 1 and a second connector 50 shown in FIG. 2. In the connector assembly 100, the first connector 10 is a receptacle connector, and the second connector 50 is a plug connector. The second connector 50 fits inside the first connector 10, and the connectors fit together to form the connector assembly 100.

The first connector 10 is mounted on a board, with its -Z end fixed by solder to the surface of the board (not shown). As shown in FIG. 1, the first connector 10 has a roughly rectangular appearance in a plan view, and extends longer in the Y direction than in the X direction. The first connector 10 has a symmetrical structure with respect to the center positions in both the X and Y directions.

As shown in FIG. 1, the first connector 10 has first contacts 12, 14, a first housing 20 that holds the first contacts 12, 14, a first shell 30 that surrounds the first housing 20, and an insulating shield piece 40 that constitutes the insulating shield 120.

The first contact 12 held in the center of the first housing 20 in the Y direction (housing center 21) is a contact for low-frequency signal transmission or power supply. In the configuration shown in FIG. 1, multiple (six in FIG. 1) first contacts 12 are held in the housing center 21. The first contacts 14 held at both ends of the first housing 20 in the Y direction (housing end 22) are contacts for high-frequency signal transmission, that is, terminals for RF (Radio Frequency). High frequency refers to a frequency band of, for example, 6 GHz or higher, including the 28 GHz band used for 5G (5th Generation). In the configuration shown in FIG. 1, one first contact 14 is held at each of the housing ends 22 on the +Y side and the -Y side.

The first housing 20 is a molded product made of an insulating resin material, and is assembled to the first shell 30 while being disposed inside the first shell 30. The first shell 30 is a metal frame body having a rectangular shape in a plan view, and the end on the +Z side is an open end. That is, the first shell 30 has an opening M at one end in the mating direction of the connectors, as shown in FIG. 1. When the connectors are mated, the second connector 50 enters the inside of the first connector 10 through the opening M. Then, in the mated state, the entire second connector 50 is accommodated in the inner space of the first shell 30, as shown in FIGS. 3, 4, and 7.

As shown in FIG. 1, two blocking shield pieces 40 are attached to each of the housing ends 22 on the +Y side and the -Y side. The two blocking shield pieces 40 attached to each housing end 22 form a pair, are positioned at the same position in the Y direction, and are spaced apart from each other in the X direction.

The second connector 50 is mounted on a substrate, with its +Z end fixed by solder to the surface of the substrate (not shown). As shown in FIG. 2, the second connector 50 has a generally rectangular appearance in a plan view, and extends longer in the Y direction than in the X direction. The second connector 50 has a symmetrical structure with respect to the center positions in the X and Y directions.

As shown in FIG. 2, the second connector 50 has second contacts 52, 54, a second housing 60 that holds the second contacts 52, 54, a second shell 70 that surrounds the second housing 60, and a blocking plate 80 that constitutes the blocking shield 120.

The second housing 60 has a center portion (housing center portion 61) in the Y direction that holds the same number of second contacts 52 as the first contacts 12 (six in FIG. 2). Each second contact 52 is disposed at a position corresponding to the first contact 12, and is electrically connected to the corresponding first contact 12 when the connectors are mated. This allows low-frequency signals to be transmitted between the connectors. Each of the +Y side and +Y side ends (housing ends 62) of the second housing 60 holds one second contact 54 for transmitting high-frequency signals. Each second contact 54 is disposed at a position corresponding to the first contact 14, and is electrically connected to the corresponding first contact 14 when the connectors are mated. This allows high-frequency signals to be transmitted between the connectors.

The second housing 60 is a molded product made of an insulating resin material, and is assembled to the second shell 70 while being disposed inside the second shell 70. The second shell 70 is a metal frame body having a rectangular shape in a plan view, and when the connector is mated, the outer wall surface of the second shell 70 is adjacent to the inner wall surface of the first shell 30 as shown in FIG. 4.

The blocking plate 80 is a metal plate extending in the X direction as shown in FIG. 2, and is attached to the second housing 60 by, for example, insert molding. A plurality of blocking plates 80 (two in FIG. 2) are provided in the Y direction between the second contacts 54 held at the housing ends 22 on the +Y and -Y sides. Each blocking plate 80, together with the blocking shield piece 40, constitutes a blocking shield 120 in the connector mated state (see FIGS. 20 to 22).

The blocking shields 120 are provided inside the connector assembly 100 when the connectors are mated, and multiple (specifically, two) are arranged between the high-frequency signal contacts, one on the +Y side and one on the -Y side. Each blocking shield 120 extends along the X direction to suppress signal crosstalk between the high-frequency signal contacts (see Figures 21 and 22).

<<Detailed configuration of the first connector>>
The detailed configuration of the first connector 10 will be described with reference to Figures 8 to 14. Figure 14 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the first housing 20 is press-fitted between the two protrusions 42, and this cross section is an XZ plane passing through the protrusions 42.

The first housing 20 has multiple portions aligned in the Y direction, specifically a housing central portion 21, and housing end portions 22 on the +Y side and -Y side. As shown in Figures 8 and 13, the housing central portion 21 has a central convex portion 23 located in the center in the X direction, and side convex portions 24 located on both sides of the central convex portion 23 in the X direction. The central convex portion 23 and the two side convex portions 24 extend along the Y direction, and a fitting groove 25 is provided between the central convex portion 23 and the side convex portions 24. Multiple first contacts 12 (three in Figure 1) are fitted into each fitting groove 25 at intervals in the Y direction.

As shown in Figures 8 and 13, the housing end portions 22 on the +Y and -Y sides of the first housing 20 each have a fitting recess 26 formed in the center in the X direction, recessed inward in the Y direction. The fitting recess 26 has an open end at the outer end in the Y direction, and the other ends are closed by a wall surface that rises vertically to the +Z side. As can be seen from Figures 12 and 13, the first contact 14 is press-fitted inward in the Y direction into the fitting recess 26.

As shown in Figures 8 and 13, each housing end 22 has an engagement recess 27 formed at each of the +X and -X ends, recessed outward in the Y direction. The inner end of the engagement recess 27 in the Y direction is an open end, and the other ends are closed by a wall surface that rises vertically to the +Z side. The blocking shield piece 40 fits into the engagement recess 27, and engages with the wall surface located at the outer end of the engagement recess 27 in the Y direction.

The blocking shield piece 40 is a metal piece that is bent into an approximately S-shape when viewed from the side and protrudes toward the +Z side. As shown in Figures 8, 9, 12, and 13, the blocking shield piece 40 is provided outside the first contact 12 held in the housing center portion 21 in the Y direction, and is positioned approximately in the same position as the first contact 14 held in the housing end portion 22.

In addition, in this embodiment, the blocking shield piece 40 is integrated with the first shell 30 and is made of the same metal plate as the first shell 30. Specifically, as shown in Figures 12 and 13, the blocking shield piece 40 is formed by raising a portion of the bottom wall 31 of the first shell 30, which has been punched into a predetermined shape, toward the +Z side and bending it into a roughly S-shape.

The first shell 30 is in contact with a conductive pattern for grounding (not shown) on the board on which the first connector 10 is mounted, and is connected to a ground potential. This allows the first shell 30 to perform a shielding function, blocking external influences (electromagnetic interference) on the first contacts 12, 14.

As shown in Figures 8 to 14, the first shell 30 has a bottom wall 31 provided at the end on the -Z side (i.e., the end opposite the opening M) and a side wall 32 rising from the outer edge of the bottom wall 31 to the +Z side. As shown in Figure 8, the side wall 32 is rectangular in plan view and has a pair of long side portions 33 extending in the Y direction and a pair of short side portions 34 extending in the X direction. As shown in Figures 8 and 12, the pair of long side portions 33 and the pair of short side portions 34 are connected seamlessly and without breaks. In other words, the side wall 32 is seamlessly continuous around the entire circumference of the first shell 30.

In addition, the end (upper end) on the +Z side of the side wall 32 is bent toward the outside of the first shell 30 to form a flange portion 35, as shown in Figures 12 and 13. The flange portion 35 is provided so as to surround the opening M in the first shell 30. Since the upper end of the side wall 32 is bent toward the outside of the first shell 30 to form the flange portion 35 in this manner, the second connector 50 is appropriately guided inside the first shell 30 when the connectors are mated.

In addition, as shown in Figures 8 and 12, the side wall 32 is partially provided with a raised portion 36 that is raised on the inside of the first shell 30 by pushing the wall body of the side wall 32 inward.

The bottom wall 31 is made of a flat plate along the XY plane, and extends toward the inside of the first shell 30 as shown in Figures 9 and 12. The first housing 20 is placed on the upper surface (+Z side surface) of the bottom wall 31, and the lower surface (-Z side surface) of the bottom wall 31 is fixed to the substrate.

In this embodiment, the bottom wall 31 is integrally formed with the side wall 32, and more specifically, is made of the same metal plate as the side wall 32. In other words, the first shell 30 shown in Figures 8 to 13 is made of a single metal plate, and can be manufactured by applying drawing to this metal plate (strictly speaking, square tube drawing). The material of the metal plate is not particularly limited, but copper alloys such as brass and bronze, or stainless steel, for example, can be used. The thickness of the metal plate is not particularly limited, but is set to, for example, 0.06 mm to 0.15 mm.

In this embodiment, most of the bottom wall 31 is punched out, and the bottom wall 31 is composed of an edge portion 37, a corner portion 38, and a connecting portion 39. As shown in Figures 9 and 12, the edge portion 37 is a narrow portion provided along the outer edge of the inner space of the first shell 30. The corner portions 38 are present in the form of roughly rectangular fragments at the four corners of the first shell 30.

The connecting portion 39 is a portion that extends linearly in the X direction and connects between the end portion on the +X side and the end portion on the -X side of the edge portion 37, and a plurality of them (specifically, two) are provided at positions spaced apart from each other in the Y direction as shown in Figures 9 and 12. The connecting portions 39 provided on the +Y side and the -Y side are disposed between the corner portion 38 on the +Y side and the corner portion 38 on the -Y side in the Y direction.
The aforementioned blocking shield pieces 40 are continuous with the connecting portions 39, and two blocking shield pieces 40 extend to the +Z side from each of the connecting portions 39 on the +Y side and the -Y side. In other words, the position where the connecting portions 39 are provided in the Y direction corresponds to the position where the blocking shield 120 is provided in the connector mated state.

As shown in Figures 8 and 13, the inside of the first shell 30 is provided with a protrusion 42 that protrudes from the bottom wall 31 toward the +Z side, that is, toward the side where the second connector 50 is located when viewed from the first connector 10. The protrusion 42 is a columnar convex portion that protrudes from the bottom wall 31 toward the side where the opening M is located, and the amount of protrusion (more specifically, the amount of protrusion from the upper surface of the bottom wall 31) is approximately 0.1 mm. Two protrusions 42 are arranged at positions separated from each other in the X direction, and as shown in Figures 8 and 13, one pair of two protrusions 42 is provided on the +Y side and one pair on the -Y side.

The two protrusions 42 provided on the +Y side and the -Y side, respectively, are symmetrical with respect to the center of the first connector 10 in the X direction, and each of the two protrusions 42 is located at the same position in the Y direction. The distance between the two protrusions 42 in the X direction is approximately the same as the width of the housing end 22 of the first housing 20. Furthermore, as shown in Figures 13 and 14, the inner end face of the protrusion 42 in the X direction (i.e., the end face facing the paired protrusion 42) bulges out in a mountain shape.

As shown in Figures 8 and 13, each protrusion 42 is provided within the first shell 30 near the four corners of the first shell 30 (in other words, the corners of the first connector 10). To be more specific, the two protrusions 42 provided on the +Y side are provided at positions closer to the +Y side corners of the first connector 10 than the +Y side connecting portion 39, i.e., the blocking shield 120 provided on the +Y side. Also, the two protrusions 42 provided on the -Y side are provided at positions closer to the -Y side corners of the first connector 10 than the -Y side connecting portion 39, i.e., the blocking shield 120 provided on the -Y side.

In this embodiment, each protrusion 42 is made of the same material as the bottom wall 31 and side wall 32 of the first shell 30, and more specifically, is made of the same metal plate as the bottom wall 31 and side wall 32. Specifically, the protrusion 42 is formed by cutting and bending the top (inner end) of each corner 38 and standing it up on the +Z side. This makes the bottom wall 31 and side wall 32 of the first shell 30, the protrusion 42, and the blocking shield piece 40 all integrated together. As a result, the number of components of the first connector 10 is reduced compared to when each of these parts is separate. However, this is not limited to this, and the protrusion 42 may be formed of a separate part from the first shell 30.

The protrusions 42 described above are used to attach the first housing 20 to the first shell 30. More specifically, the first housing 20 is inserted into the first shell 30 from the opening M side and placed in a predetermined position. At this time, as shown in FIG. 14, the housing end 22 is pressed between the two protrusions 42 and sandwiched between the protrusions 42. In this way, the first housing 20 is attached (assembled) to the first shell 30.

<<Detailed configuration of the second connector>>
The detailed configuration of the second connector 50 will be described with reference to FIGS.

The second housing 60 has multiple portions aligned in the Y direction, specifically a housing center portion 61, and housing end portions 62 on the +Y side and -Y side. As shown in Figures 15 and 19, the housing center portion 61 has a contact holding portion 63 that rises on the -Z side and extends in the Y direction. Two contact holding portions 63 are provided with a gap between them in the X direction. Each contact holding portion 63 has multiple recesses formed with a gap between them in the Y direction, and the second contacts 52 are press-fitted into each recess.

As shown in Figures 15 and 19, the housing end 62 has a contact holding portion 64 and side walls 65, 66 arranged on the outside of the contact holding portion 64. The contact holding portion 64 has a recess formed on the inside in the Y direction, and the second contact 54 is press-fitted into the recess.

The side walls 65 are walls that rise vertically to the -Z side, and are erected on the edge portions of each housing end 62. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 19, a side wall 65 (hereinafter, X-direction side wall 65) is erected on the edge portion in the X direction of the housing end 62. The X-direction side wall 65 forms the end portion (side end portion) in the X direction of the second housing 60. In addition, two side walls 66 (hereinafter, Y-direction side walls 66) are erected at an interval in the X direction on the outer edge portion in the Y direction of the housing end 62. The recess into which the second contact 54 is press-fitted is provided between the Y-direction side walls 66 in the X direction, as shown in FIGS. 15 and 19.

Each side wall 65, 66 has a thickness and has an outer wall surface S1 located on the side facing the second shell 70 in the thickness direction, and an inner wall surface S2 located on the opposite side to the outer wall surface S1 (see FIG. 23). The outer wall surface S1 is a flat surface parallel to the Z direction and is adjacent to the inner wall surface of the second shell 70. In this embodiment, a small gap is provided between the outer wall surface S1 and the inner wall surface of the second shell 70 (see FIG. 23). However, this is not limited, and the gap may be infinitesimally small, or the outer wall surface S1 may be adjacent to the inner wall surface of the second shell 70.

As shown in FIG. 19, a sidewall recess 67 is provided on the inside of the sidewall 65 in the X direction, recessed in a trapezoidal shape on the outside in the X direction. When the second housing 60 is attached to the second shell 70, as shown in FIG. 15, the sidewall recess 67 and the restricting portion 78 of the second shell 70 overlap in the Z direction. In more detail, the sidewall recess 67 and the restricting portion 78 overlap such that their respective outer edges coincide with each other.

As shown in FIG. 19, an engagement recess 68 is provided on the inside of the Y-direction side wall 66, recessed outward in the Y-direction. As shown in FIG. 15, an engagement piece 77 of the second shell 70 engages with the engagement recess 68.

The second shell 70 is made of a metal plate, for example, a copper alloy such as brass or bronze, or a stainless steel plate. The thickness of the metal plate constituting the second shell 70 is set to, for example, 0.06 mm to 0.15 mm. The +Z side end of the second shell 70 contacts a conductive pattern for grounding (not shown) on the board on which the second connector 50 is mounted, and is connected to the ground potential. This allows the second shell 70 to perform a shielding function, blocking external influences (electromagnetic interference) on the second contacts 52, 54. The second shell 70 is fixed to the board around its entire circumference by soldering.

As shown in Figs. 15 and 19, the second shell 70 of this embodiment is divided into two pieces in the Y direction. To explain in more detail, the two pieces, each of which is roughly C-shaped in plan view, are arranged so that their lip-side ends (open ends) face each other to form the second shell 70. However, this is not limited thereto, and the second shell 70 may be a single continuous, indivisible frame body.

The structure of the two pieces constituting the second shell 70 is symmetrical in the Y direction. As shown in Figs. 15 to 19, each piece has a pair of first walls 71 arranged parallel to each other with a gap in the X direction, and a second wall 72 located between the pair of first walls 71 in the X direction. As shown in Fig. 17, the first wall 71 has an extending wall 73 that rises perpendicularly to the Z direction and extends in the Y direction, and a curved wall 74 that curves in an arc shape from the -Z side end of the extending wall 73 toward the inside in the X direction. A predetermined portion of the end of the extending wall 73 on the +Z side is cut out in a substantially rectangular shape as shown in Fig. 17. As shown in Fig. 17, the X direction end of the blocking plate 80 (more specifically, the end of the extending portion 81) faces into this cutout.

15 and 19, in each of the pair of first wall portions 71, a trapezoidal cutout is formed in a plan view at an end portion on the outer side in the Y direction and the inner side in the X direction of the curved wall 74. Note that the shape of the cutout is not limited to a trapezoid and may be, for example, a rectangular or semicircular shape.
The above-mentioned cutout is provided for the purpose of preventing the protrusion 42 of the first connector 10 from interfering with the second shell 70, more specifically, with the curved wall 74 of the first wall portion 71, when the connectors are fitted together. For this reason, the above-mentioned cutout is disposed at a position corresponding to the protrusion 42 in the X and Y directions.

Specifically, the first connector 10 has two protrusions 42 spaced apart from each other in the X direction on both the +Y side and the -Y side. Correspondingly, the second connector 50 has the above-mentioned notches formed in the curved walls 74 of a pair of first wall portions 71 aligned in the X direction on both the +Y side and the -Y side.

The portion of the curved wall 74 where the notch is formed is used to regulate the displacement (misalignment) of the second connector 50 in the X and Y directions when the connectors are mated. In other words, the portion of the curved wall 74 where the notch is formed constitutes a regulating portion 78 that regulates the displacement of the second connector 50. As shown in FIGS. 15 and 19, the regulating portion 78 is provided at the end of the curved wall 74 on the inner side in the X direction. As described above, the regulating portion 78 is disposed at a position corresponding to each of the two protrusions 42 that are spaced apart from each other in the X direction. In other words, two regulating portions 78 are provided at the ends of the +Y side and -Y side of the second shell 70, respectively, spaced apart in the X direction.

As shown in Figures 15 and 19, the restricting portions 78 are provided in the second shell 70 near the four corners of the second shell 70 (in other words, the corners of the second shell 70). To be more specific, the two restricting portions 78 provided on the +Y side are provided at positions closer to the +Y side corners of the second connector 50 than the +Y side blocking plate 80, i.e., the blocking shield 120 provided on the +Y side. The two restricting portions 78 provided on the -Y side are provided at positions closer to the -Y side corners of the second connector 50 than the -Y side blocking plate 80, i.e., the blocking shield 120 provided on the -Y side.

As shown in FIG. 18, the second wall portion 72 has an extending wall 75 that rises perpendicularly in the Z direction and extends in the X direction, and a curved wall 76 that curves in an arc shape from the -Z end of the extending wall 75 toward the inside in the Y direction. As shown in FIG. 16, both ends of the extending wall 75 in the X direction have portions that bend at approximately right angles and extend toward the inside in the Y direction (hereinafter, extending wall end portions 75A). As shown in FIG. 16, the extending wall end portions 75A are positioned parallel to and adjacent to the extending wall 73 of the first wall portion 71 in the X direction.

In addition, as shown in Figures 15 and 19, the curved wall 76 is formed with an engagement piece 77 that is curved in an inverted J shape from the inner end in the Y direction toward the -Z side. In addition, each of the first wall portion 71 and the second wall portion 72 is provided with a protrusion 79 that protrudes in a bead shape from the outer surface of the extending walls 73, 75, as shown in Figures 17 to 19.

The second shell 70 configured as described above is attached to the -Z side end of the second housing 60 by inserting the engagement piece 77 into the engagement recess 68 as shown in FIG. 15.

The blocking plate 80 is made of a material with higher rigidity than the second housing 60, specifically a metal material, for example, a copper alloy plate such as brass or bronze. The thickness of the metal plate that constitutes the blocking plate 80 is designed to be within the range of 0.06 mm to 0.15 mm, for example. In this embodiment, the blocking plate 80 is attached to the second housing 60 by insert molding, as described above. However, this is not limited to this, and the blocking plate 80 may be attached to the second housing 60 by providing a recess (not shown) in the second housing 60 and pressing the blocking plate 80 into the recess.

The blocking plate 80 constitutes the blocking shield 120 together with the blocking shield piece 40 when the connector is mated, but in this embodiment, it also functions as a reinforcing member that reinforces the second housing 60. This reinforcing function will be explained later.

As shown in FIG. 15, the +Y side blocking plate 80 is disposed between the second contacts 52 held by the contact holding portion 63 and the second contacts 54 held by the +Y side contact holding portion 64. The -Y side blocking plate 80 is disposed between the second contacts 52 held by the contact holding portion 63 and the second contacts 54 held by the -Y side contact holding portion 64. The bottom surface (+Z side surface) of each blocking plate 80 is fixed to the board along the X direction by solder. The blocking plate 80 may be soldered continuously over the entire range from the +X side end to the -X side end, or may be soldered intermittently in the X direction.

The blocking plate 80 has an extension portion 81 that extends linearly along the X direction at the end on the +Z side (see FIG. 6). The extension portion 81 is a prism-shaped portion that is embedded in the bottom of the second housing 60. The end face on the +Z side of the extension portion 81 is exposed from the bottom of the second housing 60 and is fixed to the board with solder.

A tongue-shaped first blocking portion 82 that rises vertically toward the -Z side is provided in the center of the extension portion 81 in the X direction and is continuous with the extension portion 81 (see FIG. 6). As shown in FIG. 19, second blocking portions 83 that rise while curving toward the +Z side are provided on both sides of the first blocking portion 82 in the X direction. The second blocking portions 83 located on the +X side and -X side are curved in an S-shape when viewed from the side and have elasticity.

The blocking plate 80 has a protruding end portion 84 that protrudes from the end face on the -Z side of the extending portion 81 and is continuous with the extending portion 81 at a position outside the second blocking portion 83 in the X direction (see Figures 6 and 23). The protruding end portion 84 is provided on each of both ends of the blocking plate 80 in the X direction and protrudes obliquely from the extending portion 81.

The blocking plate 80 is attached to the second housing 60 by insert molding, so that each protruding end 84 is embedded in the X-direction side wall 65 of the second housing 60 (see FIG. 6). Specifically, the +X-side protruding end 84 is embedded in the +X-side side wall 65, and the -X-side protruding end 84 is embedded in the -X-side side wall 65. In other words, the protruding end 84, which is a part of the blocking plate 80, is attached to the side wall 65 in a state in which it is inserted between the outer wall surface S1 and the inner wall surface S2 of the side wall 65 in the X direction. Incidentally, since the protruding end 84 protrudes in an oblique direction as described above, it is embedded in the side wall 65 in a state in which it is difficult to come out.

<<About the connector mating state>>
The first connector 10 and the second connector 50 in the connector mated state will be described with reference to Figures 20 to 24. Figure 20 is a cross-sectional view showing the blocking shield 120, and this cross-section is a YZ plane passing through the blocking shield piece 40 and the blocking plate 80. Figures 21 and 22 are views showing the first connector 10 and the second connector 50 in the connector mated state, respectively, excluding the housing and contacts. Figure 23 is an enlarged view of the vicinity of the protruding end 84 in Figure 6, and Figure 24 is a view corresponding to Figure 23, and shows a modified example of the protruding end 84.

In the connector mated state, the entire second connector 50 is housed inside the first shell 30. In addition, in the connector mated state, the second shell 70 contacts the first shell 30 in the X direction and the Y direction. More specifically, the protrusion 79 on the second shell 70 contacts the inner wall surface of the side wall 32 of the first shell 30 (see FIG. 6). In addition, the raised portion 36 on the side wall 32 contacts the outer wall surface of the second shell 70 (see FIG. 6).

In addition, as shown in Figures 20 to 22, when the connectors are mated, each of the two second blocking portions 83 of the blocking plate 80 elastically deforms while abutting against the corresponding blocking shield piece 40 and maintaining contact with the blocking shield piece 40. As a result, the blocking plate 80 and the blocking shield piece 40 form the blocking shield 120.

In addition, as shown in Figures 21 and 22, when the connectors are mated, each of the two protrusions 42 located on the +Y side and -Y side of the first connector 10 faces a restricting portion 78 provided on the curved wall 74 of the second shell 70. To be more specific, the restricting portion 78 is located at a position outside each of the protrusions 42 in the X direction, and the edges of the protrusions 42 and the restricting portion 78 are adjacent to each other with a small clearance between them (see Figure 7).

To explain in more detail, in the connector mated state, as shown in Figures 21 and 22, in the X direction, the protrusion 42 fits inside the cutout portion that forms the restricting portion 78 in the curved wall 74. Note that in the normal connector mated state, that is, when the second connector 50 is placed in the correct position in the first shell 30, the protrusion 42 is separated from the edge of the restricting portion 78 by approximately 0.05 mm.

With the above configuration, in the connector mated state, the restricting portion 78 can restrict the displacement of the second connector 50 in the X direction relative to the first connector 10. To be more specific, in the connector mated state, for example, the second connector 50 may be displaced in a direction twisted about the Z axis relative to the first connector 10 (the direction indicated by the thick arrow in FIG. 4). At this time, the restricting portion 78 (strictly speaking, the restricting portion 78 on the same side as the direction in which the second connector 50 is displaced as viewed from the protrusion 42) contacts the protrusion 42 in the X direction. More specifically, the portion of the edge of the notch that constitutes the restricting portion 78 that is located at the end in the X direction engages the protrusion 42. This restricts the displacement of the second connector 50.

Then, the displacement of the second connector 50 is restricted by the restricting portion 78, so that the deformation and damage of the second connector 50 caused by the displacement can be suppressed. In more detail, in the connector mated state, the outer wall surface of the second shell 70 is in contact with the inner wall surface of the first shell 30 (see FIG. 6). Therefore, when the second connector 50 is displaced in the above-mentioned torsional direction, the second shell 70 is pressed inward in the X direction by the first shell 30, and the first wall portion 71 of the second shell 70 is displaced inward in the X direction. Then, the second shell 70 abuts against the X-direction side wall 65 of the second housing 60, and an external force inward in the X direction (hereinafter, external force during torsion) acts on the side wall 65 from the second shell 70. Since the side wall 65 is a resin molded product, it is deformed so as to bend inward in the X direction when an external force during torsion is applied, and if the amount of deformation becomes large, there is a risk of damage or breakage.

In contrast, in the connector assembly 100 of this embodiment, the protrusion 42 abuts against the restricting portion 78, thereby restricting the displacement of the second shell 70 in the X direction. This prevents the external force acting on the side wall 65 during torsion, and suppresses deformation and damage to the side wall 65. In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 21 and 22, the protrusion 42 is positioned closer to the corner of the first connector 10 than the shield 120, and the restricting portion 78 is positioned closer to the corner of the second connector 50 than the shield 120. With this configuration, the protrusion 42 and the restricting portion 78 can effectively restrict the displacement of the second connector 50 in the torsional direction.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the strength of the second housing 60 against external forces, more specifically, the strength of the side wall 65 in the X direction, is increased by the blocking plate 80. To explain in more detail, as shown in FIG. 23, the protruding end 84 of the blocking plate 80 fits between the outer wall surface S1 and the inner wall surface S2 of the side wall 65. This allows the protruding end 84 to receive the external force acting on the side wall 65 during twisting. As a result, deformation of the side wall 65 is restricted, thereby suppressing damage and breakage of the side wall 65 and protecting the second connector 50.

In addition, in this embodiment, the protruding end 84 extends outward in the X direction, and its tip surface (the end surface on the outer side in the X direction) is disposed on the same plane as the outer wall surface S1 of the side wall 65 in the X direction as shown in FIG. 23, and is continuous with the outer wall surface S1. With this configuration, the effect of the blocking plate 80 in resisting external forces during torsion is more appropriately exerted.

The tip surface of the protruding end 84 needs only to be on the same plane as the outer wall surface S1 and to be exposed while being surrounded by the outer wall surface S1. For example, a gap may be provided between the tip surface of the protruding end 84 and the outer wall surface S1. As shown in FIG. 24, the tip surface of the protruding end 84 may protrude outward from the outer wall surface S1 in the X direction. Although not specifically shown, the tip surface of the protruding end 84 may be located inside the outer wall surface S1 in the X direction and between the outer wall surface S1 and the inner wall surface S2.

In addition, in this embodiment, the blocking plate 80 is fixed to the substrate along the X direction by soldering, and a protruding end 84 is provided at the X direction end of the blocking plate 80. Because the external force during torsion acts along the X direction, the effect of the blocking plate 80 in resisting the external force during torsion is more effectively exerted in combination with the bonding force with the substrate by the solder.

In addition, in this embodiment, the second shell 70 is in contact with the first shell 30 when the connectors are mated, and the second shell 70 receives a contact force from the first shell 30 and is easily deformed inward in the X direction. Therefore, the side wall 65 in the X direction is easily subjected to an external force during torsion, and the effect of the blocking plate 80 in resisting the external force during torsion becomes more significant.

<<Other embodiments>>
The connector assembly of the present invention has been described above using specific examples, but the above-described embodiment is merely an example provided to facilitate understanding of the present invention, and embodiments other than those described above may also be considered.

In the above embodiment, a configuration has been described in which the first connector having a protrusion is a receptacle connector, the second connector having a restricting portion is a plug connector, and the second connector fits inside the first connector. However, this is not limited to this, and the first connector having a protrusion may be a plug connector, the second connector having a restricting portion is a receptacle connector, and the first connector may fit inside the second connector.

In addition, in the above-described embodiment, the protrusion contacts the edge of the restricting portion in the X direction to restrict the displacement of the second connector in the X direction. However, this is not limited to this, and the protrusion and the restricting portion may be configured so that the protrusion contacts the restricting portion in the Y direction to restrict the displacement of the second connector in the Y direction.

In addition, in the above-described embodiment, when the connectors are in a mated state, the restricting portion is disposed outside the protruding portion in the cross direction (specifically, the X direction), and when the second connector is displaced, the protruding portion comes into contact with the restricting portion on the outside of the protruding portion. However, this is not limited to this, and the restricting portion may be disposed inside the protruding portion in the cross direction, and the protruding portion may come into contact with the restricting portion on the inside of the protruding portion.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the outer shape of each of the first shell 30 and the second shell 70 is rectangular in a plan view, but this is not limited to this, and may be circular, trapezoidal, rhombus or other quadrangle in a plan view, or a polygonal shape other than a quadrangle.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Connector assembly 2 Receptacle connector 3 Plug connector 4 First shell 5 Second shell 6 Contact 7 Housing 10 First connector 12, 14 First contact 20 First housing 21 Housing center portion 22 Housing end portion 23 Central protrusion 24 Side protrusion 25 Fitting groove 26 Fitting recess 27 Engagement recess 30 First shell 31 Bottom wall 32 Side wall 33 Long side portion 34 Short side portion 35 Flange portion 36 Raised portion 37 Edge portion 38 Corner portion 39 Connecting portion 40 Shielding piece 42 Protrusion 50 Second connector 52, 54 Second contact 60 Second housing 61 Housing center portion 62 Housing end portion 63, 64 Contact holding portion 65, 66 Side wall 67 Side wall recess 68 Engagement recess 70 Second shell 71 First wall portion 72 Second wall portion 73, 75 Extension wall 75A Extension wall end portion 74, 76 Curved wall 77 Engagement piece portion 78 Restriction portion 79 Protrusion portion 80 Blocking plate 81 Extension portion 82 First blocking portion 83 Second blocking portion 84 Protruding end portion 100 Connector assembly M Opening S1 Outer wall surface S2 Inner wall surface

Claims (10)

A connector assembly configured by fitting one of a first connector and a second connector into the other, the first connector being fitted into the second connector,
the first connector has a first contact, a first housing that holds the first contact, a first shell that surrounds the first housing, and a protruding portion that protrudes toward a side on which the second connector is disposed in a fitting direction of the first connector and the second connector,
the second connector includes a second contact connected to the first contact, a second housing that holds the second contact, a second shell that surrounds the second housing, and a restricting portion that restricts displacement of the second connector in a direction intersecting the mating direction,
The second shell has an extending wall extending in the fitting direction and a curved wall curved from an end of the extending wall in the fitting direction toward the inside in the intersecting direction,
A notch is formed at an inner end of the curved wall in the intersecting direction,
A portion of the curved wall where the notch is formed constitutes the restriction portion,
A connector assembly in which, when the first connector is mated with the second connector, the regulating portion regulates displacement of the second connector by contacting the protrusion that is inserted into the notch in the intersecting direction. the first shell has an opening at one end of the first shell in the fitting direction, and a bottom wall at an end opposite to the opening in the fitting direction;
The connector assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the protrusion protrudes from the bottom wall toward a side where the opening is located. The connector assembly according to claim 2, wherein when the first connector is mated with the second connector, the restricting portion is located outside the protruding portion in the cross direction. The intersecting direction includes a first intersecting direction and a second intersecting direction that are perpendicular to each other,
each of the first connector and the second connector extends longer in the second intersecting direction than in the first intersecting direction;
The connector assembly according to claim 3 , wherein the restricting portion is located outwardly of the protruding portion in the first intersecting direction when the first connector is mated with the second connector. When the first connector is mated with the second connector, a shield is provided inside the connector assembly along the first intersecting direction,
The connector assembly according to claim 4 , wherein the protrusion is disposed at a position closer to the corner of the first connector than the blocking shield is in the second intersecting direction. The protrusion includes two protrusions arranged at positions spaced apart from each other in the first intersecting direction,
6. The connector assembly according to claim 4, wherein the restricting portion includes two restricting portions arranged at positions corresponding to the two protruding portions, respectively, in the first intersecting direction. The connector assembly according to claim 6, wherein the first housing is attached to the first shell by being sandwiched between the two protrusions. The connector assembly according to any one of claims 2 to 7, wherein the protrusion is made of the same material as the bottom wall and is integral with the bottom wall. The connector assembly according to any one of claims 2 to 8, wherein the protrusion and the bottom wall are made of the same metal plate. The second connector is inserted inside the first connector, and the first connector is fitted to the second connector,
the second housing has a side wall at an end of the second housing in the transverse direction,
the second connector further includes a reinforcing member having higher rigidity than the second housing,
10. A connector assembly as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 9, wherein a portion of the reinforcing member is attached to the side wall in a state where it is sandwiched between an outer wall surface located on the side of the side wall facing the second shell and an inner wall surface located opposite the outer wall surface.