Connector having floating structure

• US 7,059,882 B2
• Filed: 08/09/2005
• Issued: 06/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Sugita, Masahiro, Yamada, Shimako
• Primary Examiner(s): TA, THO DAC
• Application Number:
  US11/199,086
• Publication Number:
  US 20060035500A1
• Time in Patent Office: 308 Days
• Field of Search: 439246-248
• US Class Current: 439/247
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6315 allowing relative movement between coupling parts, e.g. floating connection for coupling devices specially adapted for printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures, H01R12/91 takes precedence

Abstract

A connector having a floating structure includes a floating holder 4 for coupling a fitting coupling portion 5 connected to a portable electrical apparatus 30 to a base 3 through a floating mechanism 10. The floating holder 4 is molded of plastic as a separate part from a connector main body 2 provided with the fitting coupling portion 5. The floating holder 4 has a first holder 4A and a second holder 4B for pinching and supporting a coupling deck 8 of the connector main body 2 from opposite sides. The first holder 4A and the second holder 4B have locking hooks 18, 19 and are coupled to each other directly or through the connector main body 2. Moreover, the first holder 4A and the second holder 4B have integrally molded support portions 16, 22 for supporting the coupling deck 8 of the connector main body 2.

Claims

1. A connector having a floating structure, the connector comprising:

a plurality of connection terminals for soldering and provided to a lower portion;

a fitting coupling portion for a portable electrical apparatus and having contacts to be coupled to the connection terminals to be connected to the portable electrical apparatus; and

a floating holder for coupling the fitting coupling portion to a base through a floating mechanism,

wherein the connection terminals and the fitting coupling portion are provided to a connector main body, the floating holder is molded of plastic as a separate part from the connector main body independently of the connector main body,

the connector main body has a coupling deck for coupling the floating holder at its lower portion, the floating holder includes a first holder and a second holder for pinching and supporting the coupling deck of the connector main body from opposite sides, the first holder and the second holder have integrally molded locking hooks, to be coupled to each other directly or through the connector main body while pinching the coupling deck of the connector main body,

the first holder and the second holder have integrally molded support portions, for supporting the coupling deck of the connector main body when the holders, are coupled while pinching the coupling deck of the connector main body,

the connector main body is pinched between the first holder and the second holder of the floating holder, and the floating holder is coupled to the base through the floating mechanism.

2. A connector having a floating structure according to claim 1, wherein a metal sleeve is fixed in close contact with a periphery of the fitting coupling portion of the connector main body.

3. A connector having a floating structure according to claim 1, wherein the connector main body has the coupling deck at its lower portion and the coupling deck has a larger outside shape than the fitting coupling portion and is provided like a flange under the fitting coupling portion.

4. A connector having a floating structure according to claim 1, wherein the locking hook of the first holder hooks and locks the fitting coupling portion of the connector main body.

5. A connector having a floating structure according to claim 1, wherein the first holder has a concave portion into which the connector main body is put and the locking hooks of the pair on opposite sides of the concave portion.

6. A connector having a floating structure according to claim 1, wherein the first holder has a guide space for guiding the locking hook of the second holder outside the locking hook and the guide space has an integrally molded guide, rib for locking the locking hook of the second holder.

7. A connector having a floating structure according to claim 1, wherein the first holder has integrally molded support portions for pinching the coupling deck of the connector main body from opposite sides to support the coupling deck.

8. A connector having a floating structure according to claim 1, wherein the connection terminals are terminals to be coupled by soldering to a circuit board.

9. A connector having a floating structure according to claim 1, wherein an outside shape of the fitting coupling portion of the connector main body is a rectangular pole having a rectangular plan shape and the locking hooks of the first holder pinch shorter sides of the rectangle on opposite sides to thereby lock the fitting coupling portion.

10. A connector having a floating structure according to claim 1, wherein the locking hook of the second holder is locked to the first holder to thereby couple the second holder to the first holder.

11. A connector having a floating structure according to claim 1, wherein the floating mechanism couples the connector to the base by using an elastic ring which is a rubber-like elastic body put into a coupling hole in the connector so that the connector can be moved.

12. A connector having a floating structure according to claim 11, wherein the elastic ring is in a shape of a tube having flanges on its opposite ends and is inserted into the coupling hole so as not to withdraw.

13. A connector having a floating structure according to claim 12, wherein a setscrew is inserted into the elastic ring and couples the connector to the base.

14. A connector having a floating structure according to claim 1, wherein the coupling deck has an integrally molded support rib protruding from its outer periphery and the support rib is supported from below by the support portion provided to the floating holder.

15. A connector having a floating structure according to claim 14, wherein the coupling deck has support ribs along shorter sides of its rectangular shape.

16. A connector having a floating structure according to claim 14, wherein each the support rib has a bend chip (15A) formed by bending an outer peripheral edge of the support rib upward and is coupled by locking the bend chip (15A) by a hook ridge integrally molded on the floating holder.

17. A connector having a floating structure according to claim 1, wherein coupling holes for coupling to the base through a floating structure is formed in one or both of the first holder and the second holder of the floating holder.

18. A connector having a floating structure according to claim 17, wherein the first holder has the coupling holes for coupling to the base through the floating mechanism at its opposite end portions.