Connector and connector system

• US 7,377,803 B2
• Filed: 09/22/2004
• Issued: 05/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Matsuoka, Hiroyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, HIEN D
• Application Number:
  US10/576,844
• Publication Number:
  US 20070134946A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,343 Days
• Field of Search: 439/492, 439/499, 439/497, 439/579, 439/607, 439/610
• US Class Current: 439/497
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/592 connections to contact elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/598 Each conductor being individually surrounded by shield, e.g. multiple coaxial cables in flat structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/716 Coupling device provided on the PCB
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/79 connecting to rigid printed circuits or like structures
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/658 High frequency shielding arrangements, e.g. against EMI [Electro-Magnetic Interference] or EMP [Electro-Magnetic Pulse] coaxial coupling devices specially adapted for high frequency H01R24/40; for flat or ribbon cable connectors H01R12/774; for coaxial cable H01R9/05
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 9/05 for coaxial cables

Abstract

A connector is provided with a terminal element including a conductor-connecting section connectable to a conductor of an electric wire and a contact section capable conductively contacting with a corresponding terminal element of a counterpart connector, an electrically insulating body for supporting the terminal element while exposing the conductor-connecting section and the contact section, and an abutting member assembled with the body and bringing the wire conductor into abutment with the conductor-connecting section under pressure. The body includes a fining portion capable of fining with a counterpart connector while positioning the contact section with respect to the corresponding terminal element. The conductor-connecting section and the contact section are arranged to be aligned with each other generally orthogonal to a connector fitting direction defined by the fitting portion.

Claims

1. A connector comprising:

a terminal element including a conductor-connecting section connectable with a conductor of an electric wire and a contact section capable of coming into conductive contact with a corresponding terminal element of a counterpart connector;

an electrically insulating body for supporting said terminal element while exposing said conductor-connecting section and said contact section wherein said conductor-connecting section protrudes outwardly from a first support member of said body; and

an abutting member assembled with said body to bring the conductor of the wire into abutment with said conductor-connecting section of said terminal element under pressure;

wherein said body includes a fitting portion capable of fitting to the counterpart connector while positioning said contact section of said terminal element with respect to the corresponding terminal element;

wherein said conductor-connecting section and said contact section of said terminal element are arranged to be aligned with each other in a direction intersecting a connector fitting direction determined by said fitting portion; and

wherein said contact section of said terminal element has a folded shape such that the contact section is capable of conductively contacting with the corresponding terminal element of the counterpart connector at a plurality of points simultaneously, and wherein said fitting portion of said body includes a protruding support surface along which said contact section of said terminal element is securely supported.

2. A connector according to claim 1, wherein said body includes a wire-holding section for locating the wire on a backside of said fitting portion as seen in said connector fitting direction, and wherein said connector fitting direction intersects an extending direction of the wire on said body, said extending direction defined by said wire-holding portion.

3. A connector according to claim 1, wherein said body includes a first support member having said fitting portion and supporting said terminal element, and a second support member having a bearing surface facing said conductor-connecting section of said terminal element supported on said first support member and supporting the wire while positioning the conductor on said bearing surface;

said first support member and said second support member being combined together in such a manner as to dispose said conductor between said conductor-connecting section and said bearing surface.

4. A connector according to claim 3, wherein said abutting member includes a pressing surface acting to press said conductor-connecting section of said terminal element supported on said first support member toward said bearing surface of said second support member, when said abutting member is assembled with said body.

5. A connector according to claim 3, further comprising a first shield member incorporated in said second support member and a second shield member incorporated in said abutting member in such a manner as to come into conductive contact with said first shield member;

said first and second shield members being arranged at a position substantially surrounding said conductor-connecting section of said terminal element and the conductor of the wire in a non-contacting manner.

6. A connector according to claim 5, wherein the wire is a coaxial cable, and wherein said first and second shield members are capable of being electrically connected to a shielding of the coaxial cable supported on said second support member.

8. A connector system comprising a connector according to claim 1 and a connector according to claim 7.

7. A connector comprising:

a plurality of terminal elements respectively including lead sections connectable with a circuit board and contact sections capable of coming into conductive contact with corresponding terminal elements of a counterpart connector; and

an electrically insulating body for supporting said plurality of terminal elements while exposing said lead sections and said contact sections;

wherein said body includes a fitting portion capable of fitting to the counterpart connector while positioning said contact sections of said terminal elements with respect to the corresponding terminal elements;

wherein each of said contact sections of said plurality of terminal elements includes a first contact point fixedly arranged on said fitting portion and a second contact point spaced to be oppositely facing said first contact point in an elastically displaceable manner, said second contact point protruding outwardly from said body toward said first contact point;

wherein said plurality of terminal elements are disposed on said fitting portion in a parallel arrangement with said contact sections being alternately reversed, in such a manner that, among two terminal elements arranged side-by-side, said first contact point of one terminal element is aligned with said second contact point of the other terminal; and

wherein said contact section of said terminal element has a folded shape such that the contact section is capable of conductively contacting with the corresponding terminal element of the counterpart connector at a plurality of points simultaneously, and wherein said fitting portion of said body includes a protruding support surface along which said contact section of said terminal element is securely supported.