Electrical connectors – Preformed panel circuit arrangement – e.g. – pcb – icm – dip,... – Within distinct housing spaced from panel circuit arrangement
Reexamination Certificate
2002-04-04
2004-10-26
Gushi, Ross (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
Preformed panel circuit arrangement, e.g., pcb, icm, dip,...
Within distinct housing spaced from panel circuit arrangement
C439S079000, C439S082000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06808397
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mounting structure of a connector for use with a circuit board contained in an electrical junction box for motor vehicles or the like, and more particularly, to the mounting structure in which the connector is fixed to the circuit board, and at the same time, the connector is supported on wiring boards thereby to reinforce fixation force of the connector.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 7
shows an example of a conventional mounting structure of a connector for use with a circuit board.
The connector
51
for use with the circuit board (hereinafter referred to as “board side connector”) is incorporated into an electrical junction box (not shown) in a state fixed to a vertical circuit board
7
by means of male screw members
40
. The board side connector
51
is vertically positioned, and horizontally projecting fixing parts
8
are fixed to the circuit board
7
by means of the above mentioned male screw members
40
such as small screws, bolts, etc.
Threaded portions (shaft portions)
40
a
of the male screw members
40
are screwed into the fixing parts
8
respectively through holes formed in the circuit board
7
, with their heads
40
b
pressed on one face of the circuit board
7
while the fixing parts
8
are pressed on the other face of the circuit board
7
, thereby clamping the circuit board
7
between the heads
40
b
and the fixing parts
8
. The fixing parts
8
are formed of synthetic resin integrally with a connector housing
52
and provided with holes having a smaller diameter than the threaded portions
40
a
, into which the threaded portions
40
a
are forcibly screwed in a tap-like manner. It is also possible to provide nuts which are female screw members and embedded in the fixing parts
8
. Because this incurs an increase of cost, however, the tap-like screwing method has been generally employed.
The board side connector
51
is of a female type having a connector engaging chamber
53
. A male type connector
37
to be mated is inserted for engagement into the connector engaging chamber
53
through an upper opening
53
a
. The male type connector
37
is attached to an end of a wire harness for example, and contains female type terminals (not shown) insider
In the connector engaging chamber
53
of the board side connector
51
, are positioned one of electrical contact portions
26
of a plurality of plate-like or pin-like male type terminals
25
which are bent in a substantially L-shape, protruding in a vertical direction. Portions rectilinearly continued from the one electrical contact portions
26
are passed through a bottom wall of the connector housing
52
, and bent at an angle of 90° outside the connector housing
52
. The other electrical contact portions
27
extending in a horizontal direction are passed through holes in the circuit board
7
to be fixed for connection to a printed circuit on the circuit board
7
by soldering
41
. The printed circuit is formed in a desired pattern on a board face at a side where the heads
40
b
of the male screw members
40
are adapted to contact. In place of the printed circuit, it is possible to form other types of circuits such as a copper foil circuit. The one portions
26
of the male type terminals
25
are fixed to the bottom wall
54
of the connector housing
52
by pressure fitting or insert molding.
The circuit board
7
is contained in the electrical junction box in a state supported by a lower case
5
, and the board side connector
51
is engaged in a hole in an upper case (not shown) so as to project slightly upward of the hole. A plurality of bus bar wiring boards
4
are stacked and horizontally arranged above the lower case
5
. The lower case
5
and the upper case constitute a junction box body formed of synthetic resin.
However, in the conventional mounting structure of the connector for use with the circuit board as described above, when the mating male type connector
37
is inserted into the board side connector
51
from the above, the board side connector
51
is pressed downward by an action of leverage at joints between the fixing parts
8
and the male screw members
40
as fulcrums, and tends to be flexed. In this case, there has been such an anxiety that the male type terminals
25
may be flexed integrally, and may strain the soldered parts
41
between the circuit board
7
and the male type terminals
25
, causing cracks in the soldered parts.
Moreover, there has been such an anxiety that excessive force may be exerted on the joints between the fixing parts
8
of the board side connector
51
and the male screw members
40
, and the circuit board
7
may be likely to be deformed or damaged. Further, because the board side connector
51
pushed by the mating connector
37
is slightly inclined together with the one electrical contact positions
26
of the terminals
25
, insertion of the mating connector
37
into the connector engaging chamber
53
cannot be smoothly performed. As the results, insertion force of the connector
37
will be increased to deteriorate its insertion ability, and at the same time, both the connectors
37
and
51
as well as the terminals in the connectors
31
,
51
may be pried by each other and apt to be damaged.
The above described problems may also occur, when the circuit board
7
or the board side connector
51
is arranged horizontally instead of vertically, and the mating connector
37
is engaged with the board side connector
51
from the side.
In view of the above, an object of the present invention is to provide a mounting structure of a connector for use with a circuit board which facilitates smooth engagement and connection of the connector with a mating connector, without straining soldered parts between the circuit board and terminals, the terminals themselves, the fixing parts of the connector, or the circuit board.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In order to attain the above described object, there is provided, according to the present invention, a mounting structure of a connector for use with a circuit board comprising a fixing part provided on one side of the connector and fixed to the circuit board, terminals contained in the connector and connected to the circuit board by soldering, at least one wiring board arranged adjacent to the circuit board, and a supporting part provided on the other side of the connector and projected from the connector, wherein the supporting part is abutted against the wiring board enabling the connector to be supported by both the supporting part and the fixing part.
In the above described structure, because one side of the connector for use with the circuit board is supported by the circuit board at the fixing part, while the other side of the connector is supported by the wiring board at the supporting part, the connector can be supported on both sides and prevented from being inclined with respect to the fixing part as a fulcrum when the connector is engaged with a mating connector. As the results, excessive force will not be exerted on soldered joints between the terminals and the circuit board, and cracks, of the soldered joints, damage or deformation of the circuit board at the fixing part, etc. will be prevented. Accordingly, smooth engagement with the mating connector can be performed without prying.
In the mounting structure of the connector for use with the circuit board according to another aspect of the present invention, the fixing part and the supporting part are projected in directions intersecting at a right angle, and the supporting part is abutted against the wiring board in a direction in which the mating connector is engaged with the connector.
In the above described structure, the projecting direction of the supporting part is in conformity with a direction of the pressure of the mating connector when the mating connector is engaged with the connector. Therefore, since no bending force is applied to the supporting part, the supporting part will not be flexed, but can firmly receive
Armstrong Kratz Quintos Hanson & Brooks, LLP
Gushi Ross
Hammmond Briggitte R.
Yazaki -Corporation
LandOfFree
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