Connector and method for using connector

• US 9,859,642 B2
• Filed: 05/10/2017
• Issued: 01/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Japan Aviation Electronics Industry Limited
• Original Assignee: Japan Aviation Electronics Industry Limited
• Inventors: Hashiguchi, Osamu
• Primary Examiner(s): GUSHI, ROSS N
• Application Number:
  US15/591,874
• Publication Number:
  US 20170338579A1
• Time in Patent Office: 237 Days
• Field of Search: 439909, 439 37, 439131, 439132
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/2457 consisting of at least two resilient arms contacting the same counterpart
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/2478 spherical
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/627 Snap or like fastening
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 31/005 Intermediate parts for distributing signals
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/06 Riveted connections by explosion H01R4/08

Abstract

A connector includes a first connector portion having a first contact point extending in a fitting direction and a second connector portion having a curved surface capable of inverting between a convex surface and a concave surface and a second contact point extending from the curved surface, the second contact point moving between a non-contacting position and a contacting position through inversion of the curved surface between the convex surface and the concave surface, the first connector portion being aligned with the second connector portion, with the second contact point being located at the non-contacting position, and the curved surface of the second connector portion being inverted so that the second contact point is switched to the contacting position, whereby the second contact point comes into contact with the first contact point to establish electrical connection between the first connector portion and the second connector portion.

Claims

1. A connector in which a first connector portion and a second connector portion are fitted with each other in a fitting direction,

wherein the first connector portion includes a first contact point extending in the fitting direction,

wherein the second connector portion includes a curved surface capable of inverting between a convex surface projecting in the fitting direction and a concave surface sinking with reference to the fitting direction, and a second contact point extending from the curved surface,

wherein the second contact point moves between a non-contacting position and a contacting position through inversion of the curved surface between the convex surface and the concave surface, and

wherein the first connector portion is aligned with the second connector portion, with the second contact point of the second connector portion being located at the non-contacting position, and the curved surface of the second connector portion is inverted so that the second contact point is switched to the contacting position, whereby the second contact point of the second connector portion comes into contact with the first contact point of the first connector portion to establish electrical connection between the first connector portion and the second connector portion.

2. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the second connector portion includes a plate spring that is composed of:

a flat plate member having a pair of arm portions whose one-end portions are integrally joined together and whose other-end portions are apart from each other; and

a fixing member for fixing the other-end portions of the pair of arm portions to each other, the other-end portions being in contact with each other due to curvature of the flat plate member.

3. The connector according to claim 2, wherein the first connector portion includes a convex portion that comes between the pair of arm portions at a time of fitting with the second connector portion and that projects in the fitting direction, and the first contact point is composed of an outer peripheral surface of the convex portion.

4. The connector according to claim 3,

wherein the second connector portion includes a pair of the second contact points each of which has a cantilever shape and which extend from opposing side edges of the pair of arm portions, and

wherein, when the first connector portion is fitted with the second connector portion, the pair of second contact points are each located at the contacting position and sandwich the outer peripheral surface of the convex portion, thereby coming into contact with the first contact point.

5. The connector according to claim 4,

wherein each of the pair of second contact points is disposed at a central portion of a corresponding one of the pair of arm portions.

6. The connector according to claim 3,

wherein the convex portion of the first connector portion has, at a tip end thereof in the fitting direction, an overhanging portion overhanging in a radial direction farther away from a root portion, and

wherein, when the first connector portion is fitted with the second connector portion, the pair of second contact points are in elastic contact with the first contact point while being located between the root portion and the overhanging portion of the convex portion.

7. The connector according to claim 2, wherein the first connector portion includes a second connector portion-accommodation portion that accommodates at least the second contact point of the second connector portion and that has an inner wall that faces the second contact point, and the first contact point is composed of the inner wall of the second connector portion-accommodation portion.

8. The connector according to claim 7,

wherein the second connector portion includes a pair of the second contact points each of which has a cantilever shape and which extend from side edges of the pair of arm portions, the side edges facing in opposite directions,

wherein the second connector portion-accommodation portion of the first connector portion has a pair of the inner walls respectively facing the pair of second contact points, and

wherein, when the first connector portion is fitted with the second connector portion, the pair of second contact points are each located at the contacting position and press the pair of inner walls toward an outside of the second connector portion-accommodation portion, thereby coming into contact with the first contact point.

9. The connector according to claim 8, wherein each of the pair of second contact points is disposed at a central portion of a corresponding one of the pair of arm portions.

10. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the second connector portion is fixed to cloth.

11. The connector according to claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of the first connector portions; and

a plurality of the second connector portions to be respectively fitted with the plurality of first connector portions,

wherein the plurality of second connector portions are arranged such that fitting directions thereof are aligned in a same direction and moving directions of positions of second contact points between the non-contacting position and the contacting position are aligned in a same direction, and

wherein the plurality of first connector portions are arranged in accordance with arrangement of the plurality of second connector portions.

12. The connector according to claim 11, wherein the plurality of second connector portions are joined together.

13. A method for using the connector of claim 1, comprising the steps of:

arranging a plurality of the second connector portions such that fitting directions thereof are aligned in a same direction and moving directions of positions of second contact points between the non-contacting position and the contacting position are aligned in a same direction; and

arranging a plurality of the first connector portions in accordance with arrangement of the plurality of second connector portions.