Electrical connectors – Coupling part with actuating means urging contact to move... – Expandable contact or spreadable contacts
Reexamination Certificate
2001-03-26
2002-12-03
Nguyen, Khiem (Department: 2839)
Electrical connectors
Coupling part with actuating means urging contact to move...
Expandable contact or spreadable contacts
C439S660000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06488521
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a connecting mechanism of a connector. More particularly, the present invention relates to a connecting mechanism of a connector in which a load given to the connector in the process of connection can be reduced.
In many portable notebook personal computers, a CD-ROM drive unit or floppy disk drive unit, which is provided as an optional product, is arranged separately from a main body of the notebook personal computer and in a base unit. In this type of product, in general, connector-connection is made when the main body of the personal computer and the base unit are connected with each other. In order for a user to easily connect and disconnect the connector, when the main body is attached to the base unit, the connectors respectively mounted on the main body of the notebook personal computer and the base unit are connected with each other.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1
is a view showing a conventional example in which the main body of a notebook personal computer is incorporated into the base unit.
FIG. 2
is a view showing a connecting mechanism of a connector of the conventional example.
FIG. 1
shows an example in which the main body of the notebook personal computer is attached to the base unit which is a docking station.
FIG. 2
is a cross-sectional view of the connector in the above conventional example.
In
FIG. 1
, the main body
1
of the portable notebook personal computer has a connector
2
. The base unit
3
such as a CD-ROM drive unit or floppy disk drive unit also has a connector
4
at a position corresponding to the connector
2
of the main body so that the connector
4
can agree with the connector
2
when the main body
1
is attached to the base unit
3
. The main body
1
of the personal computer is detachably attached to the base unit
3
at an appropriate positioning means
6
such as a groove or hook.
In order to attach the main body
1
of the personal computer to the base unit
3
, the main body
1
of the personal computer is hooked at the base unit
3
by the positioning means
6
, and when the main body
1
of the personal computer is rotated round this positioning means
6
, the connector
2
arranged in the main body is engaged with the connector
4
arranged in the base unit.
In the case of engagement, as shown in
FIG. 2
, the connector
2
arranged in the main body is formed into a recessed profile, and the connector
4
arranged in the base unit is formed into a protruded profile. In the protruded portion of the connector
4
, there is provided a contact terminal
5
made of spring steel. Accordingly, when the connector
2
arranged on the main body side is moved in a direction in which the connector
2
is engaged with the connector
4
on the base unit side, that is, when the connector
2
on the main body side is moved in the direction of arrow A, the contact terminals
7
of the connector
2
on the main body side come into contact with the contact terminals
5
of the connector
4
on the base unit side, In this moment, the contact terminals
5
are pushed inward to each other. In this connection, in
FIG. 2
, reference numeral
8
is a printed board on which the connector
4
is mounted, and reference numeral
9
is a wiring pattern connected with the contact terminals
5
.
However, the following problems may be encountered in the conventional connector connection mechanism composed as described above.
1. Due to the fluctuation of the mounting position of each connector, when the connectors are connected with each other, it is difficult for the connector
2
on the main body side and the connector
4
on the bass unit side to be accurately positioned to each other. Since the engaging positions of the connector
2
on the main body side and the connector
4
on the base unit side cannot be made to agree exactly with each other, the contact terminals are damaged.
2. It is difficult to estimate the frequency of connecting motions, because it depends upon the use of the connector by a user. Therefore, in the case of a heavy user of the connector, there is a possibility that the frequency of connecting motions exceeds the guaranteed frequency of connecting motions even in the period in which the product is guaranteed by a manufacturer. For the above reasons, abrasion and damage are caused in the connecting terminal of the connector.
3. In order to position the main body, in many cases, positioning is conducted by positioning means arranged on the front face or back face of the apparatus. In the process of positioning, rattling is caused, and the engaging position of the connector is warped, which results in damage to the connecting terminal of the connector.
4. In proportion to the fluctuation of the connecting terminal of the connector in the manufacture, the engaging force of the connector fluctuates. Therefore, in some cases, an intensity of the engaging force is abnormally increased, and it becomes necessary for a user to give an extremely strong force to connect the connectors. For the above reasons, the connecting terminals of the connector may be given an extremely strong force and damaged.
5. The connector is used for supplying control signals and power to a file device or an external interface. Therefore, the number of terminals is increased. In accordance with the increase In the number of terminals, the connecting pressure is increased.
6. In order to solve the above problems mentioned in items 1 to 5, contact lubricant is coated on the terminals of the connector in a factory of a connector maker or in an assembling site of the connector. However, it is difficult to keep a quantity of contact lubricant constant in the process of coating. Therefore, the quantity of contact lubricant to be coated fluctuates according to a coating device. For the above reasons, the durability of the connectors fluctuates.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In order to accomplish the above object, the present invention provides a connecting mechanism of a connector comprising a first connector having a first contact terminal; and a second connector having a second contact terminal, wherein these connectors are engaged with each other when they are moved in the mutual direction, so that the first contact terminal and second contact terminal can be contacted with each other, and the first contact terminal is movably attached to a main body of the first connector so that the first contact terminal can be located at a non-contact position with respect to the second contact terminal at the first stage of engagement of the first connector with the second connector and also the first contact terminal can be located at a contact position with respect to the second contact terminal at the latter stage of engagement of the first connector with the second connector.
According to the present invention, the contact portion is given a load only at the latter stage of engagement between the connectors. Therefore, even if connectors having multiple pins are connected with each other, connection can be accomplished under a light load.
The first contact terminal is made of leaf spring material, and the first contact terminal is pushed by a spring force of the first contact terminal itself so that the first contact terminal can be located at a non-contact position when the first connector and the second connector are not engaged with each other. Due to the foregoing, the structure of the first contact terminal can be simplified.
At the latter stage of the engagement between the first connector and the second connector, a portion of the first contact terminal is pushed by a main body of the second connector when the first and the second connector are moved in the mutual direction, so that the first contact terminal can be moved toward the second contact terminal resisting a spring force and contacted with the second contact terminal.
The first contact terminal is attached to a housing of the first connector in such a manner that the first contact terminal is capable of rotating round a shaft, and the f
Armstrong Westerman & Hattori, LLP
Fujitsu Limited
Nguyen Khiem
LandOfFree
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