Connector having improved pivoting member design

• US 7,828,570 B2
• Filed: 11/19/2008
• Issued: 11/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DDK Limited (Fujikura Limited)
• Original Assignee: DDK Limited (Fujikura Limited)
• Inventors: Nakano, Yuki, Suzuki, Masayuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Prasad; Chandrika
• Application Number:
  US12/274,305
• Publication Number:
  US 20090130881A1
• Time in Patent Office: 720 Days
• Field of Search: 439/260, 439/261, 439/262, 439/267, 439/492, 439/494, 439/495, 439/327, 439/328, 439/329
• US Class Current: 439/260
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/79 connecting to rigid printed circuits or like structures
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/82 connected with low or zero insertion force
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/88 acting manually by rotating or pivoting connector housing parts

Abstract

A connector to be detachably fitted with a connecting object, includes a required number of contacts, a housing, and a pivoting member acting upon the contacts to bring them into contact with a connecting object. In case of having many contacts, at least one contact is provided with an extended portion at a tip of its pressure receiving portion to extend toward its connection portion, and instead of a pushing portion of the pivoting member acting upon the contact, the pivoting member is provided with an engaging rod to engage the extending portion of the contact. The contact is arranged at an optional position so as to prevent the pivoting member from being warped. The contacts are arranged in a single row, or alternately arranged to be staggered. With the connector thus constructed, the pivoting member is not damaged when pivotally moving after the connecting object has been inserted to achieve a stable electrical connection even with very small pitches of contacts and very thin walls of the housing.

Claims

1. A connector to be detachably fitted with a connecting object, said connector including a required number of contacts each having a contact portion adapted to contact said connecting object and a connection portion to be connected to a substrate, a housing having inserting holes for arranging and holding said contacts inserted in said inserting holes and a fitting opening into which said connecting object is inserted, and a pivoting member mounted on said housing on an opposite side of said fitting opening and acting upon said contacts to bring them into contact with said connecting object,

wherein said contacts consist of two kinds, wherein said contacts of a first kind termed as first contacts each comprises a first piece having at one end a contact portion and at another end a pressure receiving portion, a second piece having at an outer end said connection portion, and an elastic portion and a fulcrum portion positioned between said contact portion and said connection portion and jointing said first piece and the another end of said second piece, and said contact portion, said elastic portion, said fulcrum portion and said connection portion being arranged substantially in the form of a crank,

wherein said pivoting member is provided with anchoring grooves independent from one another for receiving the pressure receiving portions of said first contacts, respectively, and said pivoting member is further provided with pushing portions formed by bottoms of said anchoring grooves, said pushing portions acting upon said pressure receiving portions of said first contacts, respectively, when said pivoting member is being pivotally moved (rotated),

wherein said contacts of a second kind termed as second contacts each comprise a first piece having at one end said contact portion and at the another end a pressure receiving portion provided with an extended portion at the tip of the pressure receiving portion and a second piece, an elastic portion and a fulcrum portion are likewise with said first contacts, and said pivoting member is further provided with an anchoring hole or holes independent from one another each for receiving the pressure receiving portion of said second contact, and said pivoting member is further provided with an engaging rod or rods each engaging said extended portion of said second contact,

wherein said first and second contacts are alternately arranged to be staggered,

wherein the anchoring grooves have a different shape from the anchoring hole or holes, and

wherein the pushing portions have a different second shape from the engaging rod or rods.

2. The connector as claimed in claim 1 wherein said engaging rods are each formed as a cam portion having a substantially L-shaped cross-section including the rod portion, and when said pivoting member is pivotally moved about the rod portions of said cam portions as a center of the pivotal movement, the pressure receiving portions of said second contacts are raised by said cam portions.

3. The connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first contacts and said second contacts are each provided with an extension portion extending from said fulcrum portion to a location facing to said contact portion or said pressure receiving portion.

4. The connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein said pressure receiving portion is provided with an extended surface adapted to contact a surface of said pushing portion of said pivoting member.

5. A connector to be detachably fitted with a connecting object, said connector including a required number of contacts each having a contact portion adapted to contact said connecting object and a connection portion to be connected to a substrate, a housing having inserting holes for arranging and holding said contacts inserted in said inserting holes and a fitting opening into which said connecting object is inserted, and a pivoting member mounted on said housing on the opposite side of said fitting opening and acting upon said contacts to bring them into contact with said connecting object,

wherein said contacts each comprise a first piece having at one end said contact portion and at the other end a pressure receiving portion, a second piece having at an outer end said connection portion, and an elastic portion and a fulcrum portion positioned between said contact portion and said connection portion and jointing said first piece and the other end of said second piece, and said contact portion, said elastic portion, said fulcrum portion and said connection portion being arranged substantially in the form of a crank, and such type of contacts are named as first contacts,

wherein said pivoting member is provided with anchoring grooves independent from one another for receiving the pressure receiving portions of said first contacts, respectively, and said pivoting member is further provided with pushing portions formed by bottoms of said anchoring grooves, said pushing portions acting upon said pressure receiving portions of said first contacts, respectively, when said pivoting member is being pivotally moved (rotated),

wherein when the number of said contacts is a predetermined number or less, said first contacts only are installed in said housing,

wherein when the number of said contacts is more than said predetermined number, one or more of said first contacts are each provided with an extended portion located at the tip of the pressure receiving portion of said first contact and extending toward said connection portion, such type of contacts being named as second contacts, and said pivoting member is further provided with an anchoring hole or holes independent from one another each for receiving the pressure receiving portion of said second contact, and said pivoting member is further provided with an engaging rod or rods each engaging said extended portion of said second contact,

wherein said second contact is arranged instead of at least one of said first contacts at an arbitrary location so as to prevent said pivoting member from being warped,

wherein the anchoring grooves have a different shape from the anchoring hole or holes, and

wherein the pushing portions have a different second shape from the engaging rod or rods.

6. The connector as claimed in claim 5, wherein said first contacts and said second contacts are alternately arranged to be staggered.

7. The connector as claimed in claim 5, wherein said pushing portions are substantially plate-shaped, and when said pivoting member is being pivotally moved, during initial stage of which said pushing portions do not contact said first contacts, and in the state that the pivotal movement of said pivoting member has been completed, surfaces of said pushing portions cause the pressure receiving portions of said first contacts to be raised.

8. The connector as claimed in claim 5, wherein in the case that said engaging rods each comprises a rod portion only, a spacing between the contact portions of said second contacts and said housing is smaller than the thickness of said connecting object.

9. The connector as claimed in claim 5, wherein said engaging rods are each formed as a cam portion having a substantially L-shaped cross-section including the rod portion, and when said pivoting member is pivotally moved about the rod portions of said cam portions as a center of the pivotal movement, the pressure receiving portions of said second contacts are raised by said cam portions.

10. The connector as claimed in claim 5, wherein said first and second contacts are each provided with an extension portion extending from said fulcrum portion to a location facing to said contact portion or said pressure receiving portion.

11. A connector to be detachably fitted with a connecting object, said connector including a required number of contacts each having a contact portion adapted to contact said connecting object and a connection portion to be connected to a substrate, a housing having inserting holes for arranging and holding said contacts inserted in said inserting holes and a fitting opening into which said connecting object is inserted, and a pivoting member mounted on said housing on the opposite side of said fitting opening and acting upon said contacts to bring them into contact with said connecting object,

wherein said contacts each comprise a first piece having at one end said contact portion and at the other end a pressure receiving portion, a second piece having at one end said connection portion, and an elastic portion and a fulcrum portion positioned between said contact portion and said connection portion and jointing said first piece and the other end of said second piece, and said contact portion, said elastic portion, said fulcrum portion and said connection portion being arranged substantially in a U-shape, and such type of contacts are named as first contacts,

wherein said pivoting member is provided with anchoring grooves independent from one another for receiving the pressure receiving portions of said first contacts, respectively, and said pivoting member is further provided with pushing portions formed by bottoms of said anchoring grooves, said pushing portions acting upon said pressure receiving portions of said first contacts, respectively, when said pivoting member is being pivotally moved (rotated),

wherein when the number of said contacts is a predetermined number or less, said first contacts only are installed in said housing,

wherein when the number of said contacts is more than said predetermined number, one or more of said first contacts are each provided with an extended portion located at the tip of the pressure receiving portion of said first contact and extending toward said housing, such type of contacts being named as second contacts, and said pivoting member is further provided with an anchoring hole or holes independent from one another each for receiving the pressure receiving portion of said second contact and said pivoting member is further provided with an engaging rod or rods each engaging said extended portion of said second contact,

wherein said first and second contacts are alternately arranged to be staggered so as to prevent said pivoting member from being warped,

wherein the anchoring grooves have a different shape from the anchoring hole or holes, and

wherein the pushing portions have a different second shape from the engaging rod or rods.

12. The connector as claimed in claim 11, wherein said pushing portions are substantially plate-shaped, and when said pivoting member is being pivotally moved, during initial stage of which said pushing portions do not contact said first contacts, and in the state that the pivotal movement of said pivoting member has been completed, surfaces of said pushing portions cause the pressure receiving portions of said first contacts to be raised.

13. The connector as claimed in claim 11, wherein in the case that said engaging rods each comprises a rod portion only, a spacing between the contact portions of said second contacts and said housing is smaller than the thickness of said connecting object.

14. The connector as claimed in claim 11, wherein said engaging rods are each formed as a cam portion having a substantially L-shaped cross-section including the rod portion, and when said pivoting member is pivotally moved about the rod portions of said cam portions as a center of the pivotal movement, the pressure receiving portions of said second contacts are raised by said cam portions.

15. The connector as claimed in claim 11, wherein said first and second-contacts are each provided with an extension portion extending from said fulcrum portion to a location facing to said contact portion or said pressure receiving portion.

16. A connector to be detachably fitted with a connecting object, said connector including a required number of contacts each having a contact portion adapted to contact said connecting object and a connection portion to be connected to a substrate, a housing having inserting holes for arranging and holding said contacts inserted in said inserting holes and a fitting opening into which said connecting object is inserted, and a pivoting member mounted on said housing on the opposite side of said fitting opening and acting upon said contacts to bring them into contact with said connecting object,

wherein said contacts each comprise a first piece having at one end said contact portion and at the other end a pressure receiving portion, a second piece having at one end said connection portion, and an elastic portion and a fulcrum portion positioned between said contact portion and said connection portion and jointing said first piece and the other end of said second piece, and said contact portion, said elastic portion, said fulcrum portion and said connection portion being arranged substantially in a U-shape, and such type of contacts are named as first contacts,

wherein said pivoting member is provided with anchoring grooves independent from one another for receiving the pressure receiving portions of said first contacts, respectively, and said pivoting member is further provided with pushing portions formed by bottoms of said anchoring grooves, said pushing portions acting upon said pressure receiving portions of said first contacts, respectively, when said pivoting member is being pivotally moved (rotated),

wherein when the number of said contacts is a predetermined number or less, said first contacts only are installed in said housing,

wherein when the number of said contacts is more than said predetermined number, one or more of said first contacts are each provided with an extended portion located at the tip of the pressure receiving portion of said first contact and extending toward said housing, such type of contacts being named as second contacts, and said pivoting member is further provided with an anchoring hole or holes independent from one another each for receiving the pressure receiving portion of said second contact and said pivoting member is further provided with an engaging rod or rods each engaging said extended portion of said second contact,

wherein said second contact is arranged instead of at least one of said first contacts at an arbitrary location so as to prevent said pivoting member from being warped,

wherein the anchoring grooves have a different shape from the anchoring hole or holes, and

wherein the pushing portions have a different second shape from the engaging rod or rods.

17. The connector as claimed in claim 16, wherein in the case that said engaging rods each comprises a rod portion only, a spacing between the contact portions of said second contacts and said housing is smaller than the thickness of said connecting object.

18. The connector as claimed in claim 16, wherein said engaging rods are each formed as a cam portion having a substantially L-shaped cross-section including the rod portion, and when said pivoting member is pivotally moved about the rod portions of said cam portions as a center of the pivotal movement, the pressure receiving portions of said second contacts are raised by said cam portions.

19. A connector to be detachably fitted with a connecting object, said connector including a required number of contacts each having a contact portion adapted to contact said connecting object and a connection portion to be connected to a substrate, a housing having inserting holes for arranging and holding said contacts inserted in said inserting holes and a fitting opening into which said connecting object is inserted, and a pivoting member mounted on said housing on an opposite side of said fitting opening and acting upon said contacts to bring them into contact with said connecting object,

wherein said contacts consists of two kinds, wherein said contacts of said first kind termed as first contacts each comprises a first piece having at one end a contact portion and at another end a pressure receiving portion, a second piece having at an outer end said connection portion, and an elastic portion and a fulcrum portion positioned between said contact portion and said connection portion and jointing said first piece and the another end of said second piece, and said contact portion, said elastic portion, said fulcrum portion and said connection portion being arranged substantially in the form of a crank,

wherein said pivoting member is provided with anchoring grooves independent from one another for receiving the pressure receiving portions of said first contacts, respectively, and said pivoting member is further provided with pushing portions formed by bottoms of said anchoring grooves, said pushing portions acting upon said pressure receiving portions of said first contacts, respectively, when said pivoting member is being pivotally moved (rotated),

wherein said contacts of a second kind each comprise a first piece having at one end a contact portion and at the other end a pressure receiving portion, a second piece having at one end said connection portion, and an elastic portion and a fulcrum portion positioned between said contact portion and said connection portion and jointing said first piece and the another end of said second piece, and said contact portion, said elastic portion, said fulcrum portion and said connection portion being arranged substantially in a U-shape, and such type of contacts are named as second contacts,

wherein said pivoting member is provided with anchoring grooves independent from one another for receiving the pressure receiving portions of said second contacts, respectively, and said pivoting member is further provided with pushing portions formed by bottoms of said anchoring grooves, said pushing portions acting upon said pressure receiving portions of said second contacts, respectively, when said pivoting member is being pivotally moved (rotated),

wherein said first and second contacts are alternately arranged to be staggered.

20. The connector as claimed in claim 19, wherein said engaging rods are each formed as a cam portion having a substantially L-shaped cross-section including the rod portion, and when said pivoting member is pivotally moved about the rod portions of said cam portions as a center of the pivotal movement, the pressure receiving portions of said second contacts are raised by said cam portions.