CONNECTOR PAIR

• US 20160181728A1
• Filed: 10/02/2015
• Published: 06/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Japan Aviation Electronics Industry Limited
• Original Assignee: Japan Aviation Electronics Industry Limited
• Inventors: HASHIGUCHI, Osamu
• Granted Patent: US 9,680,252 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/2428 using meander springs
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6205 Two-part coupling devices held in engagement by a magnet
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2103/00 Two poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/005 requiring successive relative motions to complete the coupling, e.g. bayonet type

Abstract

A connector pair comprises a connector and a mating connector. A movement of the connector to a first position along a first direction and a subsequent movement of the connector from the first position to a second position along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction completes a connection between the connector and the mating connector. The connector comprises a magnetic portion, and the mating connector comprises a mating magnetic portion. When the connector is located at the first position, the magnetic portion receives a force, which urges the connector to be moved toward the second position, from the mating magnetic portion. When the connector is located at the second position, the magnetic portion receives a force, which binds the connector at the second position, from the mating magnetic portion.

Claims

1. A connector pair comprising a connector and a mating connector, wherein:

a movement of the connector to a first position along a first direction causes the connector to be mated with the mating connector;

another movement of the connector from the first position to a second position along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction completes a connection between the connector and the mating connector;

the connector comprises a face portion and a magnetic portion;

the face portion holds the magnetic portion which includes a north pole portion and a south pole portion arranged in the second direction;

the mating connector comprises a mating face portion and a mating magnetic portion;

the mating face portion holds the mating magnetic portion which includes a mating north pole portion and a mating south pole portion arranged in the second direction;

the face portion and the mating face portion face each other in the first direction not only when the connector is located at the first position but also when the connector is located at the second position;

when the connector is located at the first position, the magnetic portion receives a force, which urges the connector to be moved toward the second position, from the mating magnetic portion; and

when the connector is located at the second position, the magnetic portion receives a force, which binds the connector at the second position, from the mating magnetic portion.

2. The connector pair as recited in claim 1, wherein:

when the connector is moved from the first position to the second position, each of the north pole portion and the south pole portion is moved forward along the second direction;

each of the north pole portion, the south pole portion, the mating north pole portion and the mating south pole portion has a predetermined end which is located forward thereof in the second direction;

when the connector is located at the first position, the predetermined end of the north pole portion is placed rearward of the predetermined end of the mating south pole portion in the second direction, and the predetermined end of the south pole portion is placed rearward of the predetermined end of the mating north pole portion in the second direction; and

as the connector approaches the second position, the predetermined end of the north pole portion approaches the predetermined end of the mating south pole portion, and the predetermined end of the south pole portion approaches the predetermined end of the mating north pole portion.

3. The connector pair as recited in claim 2, wherein:

when the connector is located at the first position, one of the north pole portion and the south pole portion receives an attractive force from one of the mating north pole portion and the mating south pole portion and receives a repulsive force from a remaining one of the mating north pole portion and the mating south pole portion; and

each of the attractive force and the repulsive force urges the connector to be moved toward the second position.

4. The connector pair as recited in claim 1, wherein the north pole portion is a part of a magnet having the south pole portion.

5. The connector pair as recited in claim 1, wherein the north pole portion is a part of a magnet which is separated from another magnet having the south pole portion.

6. The connector pair as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the connector comprises a plurality of pairs each of which includes the north pole portion and the south pole portion; and

the mating connector comprises a plurality of pairs each of which includes the mating north pole portion and the mating south pole portion.

7. The connector pair as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the second direction is a linearly extending direction; and

the movement of the connector from the first potion to the second position is a linear movement along the second direction.

8. The connector pair as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the second direction is a circumference direction about a central axis extending in parallel to the first direction; and

the movement of the connector from the first potion to the second position is a rotational movement about the central axis.

9. The connector pair as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the connector comprises a stopped portion;

the mating connector comprises a stopping portion; and

when the connector is located at the second position, the stopping portion faces the stopped portion in the first direction to prevent a removal of the connector from the mating connector only along the first direction.

10. The connector pair as recited in claim 9, wherein when the connector is located at the second position, at least one of the stopped portion and the stopping portion extends along an oblique direction oblique to both the first direction and the second direction to allow a removal of the connector from the mating connector along the oblique direction.

11. The connector pair as recited in claim 9, wherein:

the connector pair comprises a plurality of stopping pairs each of which includes the stopped portion and the stopping portion; and

at least two of the stopping pairs are apart from each other in the second direction.

12. The connector pair as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the connector comprises a contact;

the contact has a spring portion and a contact portion; and

the contact portion is resiliently supported by the spring portion to be movable in the first direction.