Electrical connectors – Preformed panel circuit arrangement – e.g. – pcb – icm – dip,... – With provision to conduct electricity from panel circuit to...
Reexamination Certificate
2001-02-26
2002-12-24
Ta, Tho D. (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
Preformed panel circuit arrangement, e.g., pcb, icm, dip,...
With provision to conduct electricity from panel circuit to...
C439S358000, C439S031000, C439S862000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06497580
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector and a connecting structure of circuit boards therewith, wherein two crossing or perpendicularly arranged circuit boards are electrically connected with a connector having surface contact-type terminals.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIGS. 19
,
20
show a connecting structure of a connector and a circuit assembly disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 11-67340.
In this structure, as shown in
FIG. 19
, a wiring harness
98
, namely a circuit assembly, is arrange between a door, panel
95
and a door trim
96
of a motor vehicle through a waterproof sheet
97
, and a connector
99
of the wiring harness
98
and a connector
101
of a switch unit
100
, namely one of accessories to be assembled to the door trim, are connected.
As shown in
FIG. 20
, the connector
99
on a side of the circuit assembly projects toward the door trim
96
in a state of provisional engagement with a holder
102
. The holder
102
is fixed to the door panel
95
. The connector
101
on a side of accessory
100
has a plurality of male terminals
103
inside thereof, the connector
102
on a side of the circuit assembly has a plurality of female terminals
104
inside thereof, and the female terminals
104
are pressure-welded to the respective electric wires
105
of the circuit assembly.
Upon assembling the accessory
100
to the door trim
96
(
FIG. 19
) in a state that the door trim
96
has been assembled to the door panel
95
, the connector
101
is coupled with the connector
99
, while both the connectors
99
,
101
enter the holder
102
. The above structure is applicable to a case of an instrument panel, not limited to a door of a motor vehicle.
With respect to the above prior art, however, when connecting the circuit assembly
98
with the accessory
100
, the circuit assembly should be of a flexible wire (i.e. a wiring harness) especially so as to absorb a possible position divergence. Therefore, much man-hour is required for arrangement work of the circuit assembly
98
since the circuit assembly
98
is complicated, and also the structure is not compact and the cost is fairly large. Specifically, pressure-welding work between the electric wires
105
as the circuit assembly
98
and the terminals
104
and inserting work of the terminals
104
into the connector
99
require much man-hour, and also assembling workability is not good.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing, an object of the present invention is to provide a connector and a connecting structure of circuit boards therewith, wherein circuit boards as a circuit assembly can be easily and securely connected compactly with good workability, without using a flexible electric wire.
In order to achieve the above object, as a first aspect of the present invention, a connector for connecting orthogonally arranged circuit boards comprises: a first circuit board; a second circuit board orthogonally arranged relative to the first circuit board; a terminal having first and second contact portions for the respective first and second circuit boards; and a housing to accommodate the terminal.
As a second aspect of the present invention, an engaging member for attaching the housing to the first circuit board projects from the housing, and the first contact portion projects in a same direction as-the engaging member.
As a third aspect of the present invention, the engaging member is pivotable.
As a fourth aspect of the present invention, the engaging member is longitudinally movable at an engaging portion provided on the first circuit board.
As a fifth aspect of the present invention, the housing consists of a pair of housings turnable about a hinge, and a second contact portion of the terminal is accommodated between the housings.
As a sixth aspect of the present invention, a shaft portion of the hinge is formed integrally with the engaging member.
As a seventh aspect of the present invention, the housings are supported by an elastic member in an opened state, and the opened state supported by the elastic member is removed by an end of the second circuit board.
As an eighth aspect of the present invention, the housings have respective opposite sloping portions on which the end of the second circuit board abuts for closing the housings.
As a ninth aspect of the present invention, a holding portion to hold a middle portion of the terminal is provided on the first the housing.
As a tenth aspect of the present invention, the housing consists of a fixed-side housing having the engaging member for the first circuit board and a moving-side housing movable relative to the fixed-side housing, and the terminal is accommodated in the moving-side housing.
As an eleventh aspect of the present invention, a shaft portion is provided on either one of the fixed-side housing and the moving-side housing, and a shaft engaging portion to movably engage the shaft portion is provided on the other of the fixed-side housing and the moving-side housing.
As a twelfth aspect of the present invention, the moving-side housing is movable in the fixed-side housing in an axial direction of the shaft portion.
As a thirteenth aspect of the present invention, in a connecting structure of the circuit boards with the connector, the first circuit board is resilient, and a connector engaging portion to engage the engaging member is bored through both of the first circuit board and the panel so that the panel is supported by the engaging member.
As a fourteenth aspect of the present invention, a moving-side housing engaging portion is provided on the first circuit board, and an engaging portion for the moving-side housing engaging portion is provided on the moving-side housing.
As a fifteenth aspect of the present invention, a plurality of slots are provided on the first circuit board so as to permit the first circuit board to be bent.
As a sixteenth aspect of the present invention, the first circuit board is securely put between the fixed-side housing and the panel in a state that the engaging member engages the connector engaging portion of the panel.
As a seventeenth aspect of the present invention, the terminal is formed generally in a L-shape, and the first and second contact portions of the terminal are first and second elastic contact portions, respectively.
As an eighteenth aspect of the present invention, a positioning portion to engage the first elastic contact portion of the terminal is provided on an front end portion of the housing.
As a nineteenth aspect of the present invention, the positioning portion is provided on one of the pair of housings of the fifth aspect, the one of the pair of housings being one not accommodating the terminal.
As a twentieth aspect of the present invention, the positioning portion is a groove to receive the first elastic contact portion therein.
As a twenty-first aspect of the present invention, the front end portion of the housing having the positioning portion is a circular-arc surface formed about the hinge as a center thereof.
According to the above-described structures of the present invention, the following advantages are provided.
(1) Since a flexible electric wire is not required for connecting circuit boards, the connecting structure is simplified and compact-sized, and manufacture man-hour is reduced, thereby reducing the costs.
(2) Since the second circuit board is put into contact with the second contact portion of the connector in a state that the connector is secured to the first circuit board by the engaging member and the first contact portion is put into electrical contact with the first circuit board, the connecting work can be facilitated and working man-hour can be reduced.
(3) Since the engaging member is turnable, a position divergence between the connector and circuit boards can be absorbed, thereby assuring the electric connection between the contact portions of the connector and the circuit boards.
(4) Since the connector is movable in a longitudinal direction of the first circuit b
Kato Mitsunobu
Watanabe Hiroshi
Armstrong Westerman & Hattori, LLP
Ta Tho D.
Yazaki -Corporation
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