JP2013247018A - Connector, electronic equipment, and inserting/extracting force adjustment method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a connector capable of adjusting a plug insertion / extraction force according to a use.
[Solution]
A leaf spring 12b is formed on a portion of the connector that forms the outer surface of the socket 12. The socket 12 is sandwiched between the fixing member 16 and the fixed object 14, and the fixing member 16 is fixed to the fixed object 14 with only a part of the leaf spring 12 b exposed to the opening of the fixing member 16 or the recess 16 a By doing so, the socket 12 is fixed to the fixed object 14.
[Selection] Figure 6

Description

  Embodiments relate to a connector and an electronic apparatus having the connector.

  Electronic devices such as personal computers often incorporate a USB (Universal Serial Bus) connector as a connector for connecting peripheral devices. The USB connector means a connector conforming to the USB standard. There are two types of USB connectors, A type and B type. Usually, the A type USB connector is provided on the personal computer side, and the B type USB connector is provided on the peripheral device side.

  The socket of the A type USB connector is built into the personal computer, and the plug is attached to one end of the USB cable. The plug of the A type USB connector includes a long and narrow quadrangular prism-shaped metal member, and the socket has a quadrangular prism shape adapted to the shape of the plug. In the present specification, the socket of the A type USB connector may be simply referred to as a socket, and the plug of the A type USB connector may be simply referred to as a plug.

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which a socket 2 of an A type USB connector is incorporated in a housing 4 of an electronic device.

  Two cutouts 2 a are provided on one surface of a square columnar metal plate constituting the socket 2. When a plug (not shown) is inserted into the socket 2, the inner portion of the notch 2a functions as a leaf spring 2b, and the tip portion of the leaf spring 2b engages with the recess of the plug to fix the plug. It is like that.

  In order to attach the socket 2 to the housing 4 of the electronic device, as shown in FIG. 1, a fixing member 6 (formed by bending a metal plate) that covers a part of the socket 2 is put on the socket 2. The socket 2 is sandwiched between the fixing member 6 and the housing 4. Then, the socket 2 is generally fixed to the housing 4 by screwing the fixing member 6 to the housing 4.

  2 to 4 are cross-sectional perspective views of the socket 2 when the plug 8 is inserted into the socket 2. 2 shows a state before the plug 8 is inserted into the socket 2, FIG. 3 shows a state in the middle of inserting the plug 8 into the socket 2, and FIG. 4 shows a state where the plug 8 is completely inserted into the socket 2. .

  Before the plug 8 is inserted into the socket, the leaf spring 2b formed on the socket 2 is not deformed as shown in FIG. 2, and the tip 2c of the leaf spring 2b protrudes toward the inside of the socket 2. Yes.

  When the plug 8 is inserted into the socket 2, first, the tip portion of the plug 8 comes into contact with the tip 2c of the leaf spring 2b. When the plug 8 is further inserted into the socket 2, the tip 2 c of the leaf spring 2 b is on the outer surface of the plug 8 as shown in FIG. 3. At this time, the tip 2 c of the leaf spring 2 b is pushed upward by the plug 8, so that the leaf spring 2 b is deformed outward of the socket 2.

  The fixing member 6 is provided so as to cover the outer surface of the socket 2 in the direction in which the leaf spring 2b is deformed, but the opening 6a is formed in the fixing member 6, and the leaf spring 2b is in the opening 6a. It can be transformed so that it enters.

  When the plug 8 is completely inserted into the socket 2, as shown in FIG. 4, the tip 2 c of the leaf spring 2 b enters and engages with a recess 8 a formed on the outer surface of the plug 8. When the tip 2c of the leaf spring 2b is engaged with the recess 8a of the plug 8, a connection force is generated in the plug 8. That is, in order for the plug 8 to move in the extraction direction, the leaf spring 2b must be deformed to move the tip 2c from the recess 8a. At this time, the tensile force required to move the plug 8 corresponds to the connecting force of the plug 8. Therefore, the connecting force of the plug 8 depends on the elastic deformation force of the leaf spring 2b.

  As described above, the leaf spring 2b formed by the notch 2a of the socket 2 has the tip 2c positioned outside the socket 2 when the plug 8 is inserted. For this reason, if the fixing member 6 covers the portion where the notch 2a is provided (the portion where the leaf spring 2 is formed), the leaf spring 2b cannot be deformed so as to protrude outward. Therefore, an opening 6a is provided in a part of the fixing member 6 that faces the notch 2a (that is, the leaf spring 2b). The opening 6a is sized to cover the entire leaf spring 2b formed by the notch 2a, and the entire leaf spring 2b protrudes into the opening 6a and can be deformed.

JP 2007-95671 A JP 2007-324057 A

  The notch 2a formed in the socket 2 has a predetermined dimension, and the leaf spring 2b formed by the notch 2a also has a predetermined dimension. Therefore, the force that presses the plug 8 with the elastic force of the leaf spring 2b corresponds to the connection force of the USB connector, and is a constant force determined by the shape and dimensions of the leaf spring 2b. That is, the connection force when the plug 8 is connected to the socket 2 cannot be adjusted for each socket. The connection force here corresponds to an insertion / extraction force when a plug is inserted into or removed from the socket 2.

  However, there are cases where it is desired to change the connection force of the USB connector depending on the size of the electronic device and the intended use. For example, when the electronic device itself frequently moves or when there is a possibility that a tensile force is applied to the USB cable, it is preferable to increase the connection force of the USB connector. In addition, for example, when the electrical device is a stationary type and the USB connector is connected once and hardly inserted or removed, the connection force of the USB connector may not be so strong.

  In consideration of the above conditions, it is preferable to make the connector such that the plug insertion / extraction force of the connector can be greatly adjusted according to the application.

  According to the embodiment, a socket in which a leaf spring is formed in a portion forming an outer surface, a fixing member that covers at least a part of the socket, and a part of the fixing member are formed on the socket. An opening or a recess formed in a portion facing only a part of the plate spring, the socket is sandwiched between the fixing member and a fixed object, and only a part of the plate spring is used for the fixing A connector for fixing the socket to the fixed object is provided by fixing the fixing member to the fixed object in a state of being exposed in the opening or recess of the member.

  Also, a method for adjusting the insertion / extraction force of the connector attached with the connector attachment structure described above, wherein the insertion / extraction force of the connector is adjusted by changing the shape dimension of the opening or recess formed in the socket. A method is provided.

  By covering a part of the leaf spring of the socket with the fixing member, the length of the deformable portion of the leaf spring changes, and the plug insertion / extraction force generated by the leaf spring can be adjusted.

It is a perspective view which shows the state which attached the socket of the USB connector to the housing | casing of a personal computer. It is a cross-sectional perspective view of a socket and a plug before inserting a plug into a socket. It is a cross-sectional perspective view of the socket and plug in the middle of inserting a plug into a socket. It is a cross-sectional perspective view of a socket and a plug after inserting a plug completely in a socket. 1 is a perspective view of a notebook personal computer that is an example of an electronic apparatus having a connector according to an embodiment. It is a perspective view which shows the part to which the socket was attached inside the housing | casing. It is a cross-sectional perspective view of a socket and a plug before inserting a plug into a socket. It is a cross-sectional perspective view of the socket and plug in the middle of inserting a plug into a socket. It is a cross-sectional perspective view of a socket and a plug after inserting a plug completely in a socket. It is a cross-sectional perspective view of a socket and a plug before inserting a plug in a socket when a leaf | plate spring is bent beforehand. It is a cross-sectional perspective view of the socket and plug in the middle of inserting a plug in a socket when a leaf | plate spring is bent previously. It is a cross-sectional perspective view of a socket and a plug after inserting a plug completely in a socket when a leaf | plate spring is bent previously.

  Next, embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a notebook personal computer 10 (notebook computer for short) which is an example of an electronic apparatus having a connector according to an embodiment. For example, a USB connector is incorporated in the notebook computer 10 so that an input device such as a mouse or a storage device such as a USB memory can be connected.

  The USB connector provided on the notebook personal computer side is usually an A type socket 12. The socket 12 is attached to the inner surface of the housing 14 such that the plug insertion opening opens on the side surface of the housing 14 of the notebook computer 10. The housing 14 corresponds to an example of a fixed object to which the socket 12 is attached.

  FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a portion where the socket 12 is attached inside the housing 14. In the present embodiment, two sockets 12 are incorporated in the notebook computer 10 side by side. The two sockets 12 are attached to the housing 14 together with the connector substrate 13 after being attached to the connector substrate 13. The socket 12 is attached to the housing 14 as follows.

  First, the two sockets 12 are mounted on the connector board 13, and the terminals of the socket 12 are connected to the circuit of the connector board 13. Next, the connector board 13 on which the two sockets 12 are mounted in advance is disposed at a predetermined position of the housing 14. Then, the fixing member 16 is placed on the socket 12, and screws 17 are inserted into screw holes at both ends of the fixing member 16 to be fixed to the housing 14. As a result, the socket 12 and the connector substrate 13 are sandwiched and fixed between the housing 14 and the fixing member 16. As described above, the socket 12 is attached to a predetermined position of the housing 14. As described above, the socket 12 is simply mounted by simply inserting the socket 12 between the fixing member 16 and the housing 14 and fixing the socket 12. As described above, the connector according to the present embodiment includes the socket 12 having a structure equivalent to the A-type socket of the USB connector, and the fixing member 16 for attaching the socket 12.

  Here, a part of the upper surface of the socket 12 is covered by the fixing member 16, but the portion of the socket 12 covered by the fixing member 16 is provided with a notch 12 a as shown in FIG. 1. The inner part of the notch 12a is a leaf spring 12b. And the front-end | tip 12c of the leaf | plate spring 12b is bent so that it may engage with the recessed part of a plug as mentioned above. The structure of the leaf spring 12b of the socket 12 is the same as that of the leaf spring 2b shown in FIG.

  In this embodiment, the fixing member 16 is formed by bending a metal plate. However, the fixing member 16 is formed of plastic or other material as long as a certain shape can ensure a certain degree of rigidity. May be.

  In the present embodiment, the fixing member 16 is provided with a relatively small opening 16a so that the leaf spring 12b can be deformed upward and protrude into the opening 16a. However, the shape dimension of the opening 16a is different from that of the opening 6a of the fixing member 6 shown in FIG. 1, and is set such that the portion where the leaf spring 12b can be deformed becomes small. That is, the opening 16a of the fixing member 16 has a shape and dimension that covers only a part of the leaf spring 12b on the tip 12c side, and is smaller than the opening 6a of the fixing member 6 shown in FIG.

  Therefore, in the present embodiment, the entire plate spring 12b cannot be deformed to the outside of the socket 12, and only the portion exposed facing the small opening 16a can be deformed. When the length of the deformed portion of the leaf spring 12b is shortened, the spring constant for bending deformation of the leaf spring 12b is correspondingly increased. Therefore, the elastic deformation force at the tip 12c of the leaf spring 12b is increased, and the plug connection force (insertion / removal force) depending on the elastic deformation force of the leaf spring 12b is increased.

  In other words, compared to the case where the entire leaf spring 2b is exposed to the opening 6a as shown in FIG. 1, the case where only a part of the leaf spring 12b is exposed to the opening 16a as shown in FIG. The insertion force for inserting the plug must be increased. Similarly, when only a part of the leaf spring 12b is exposed to the opening 16a as shown in FIG. 6, compared to the case where the entire leaf spring 2b is exposed to the opening 6a as shown in FIG. The pulling force when pulling the plug out of the socket 12 must be increased. That is, the insertion / extraction force can be increased by shortening the portion where the leaf spring 12b can be deformed. In the present embodiment, in order to shorten the portion where the plate spring 12b can be deformed, the opening 16a is made small, and the fixing member 16 presses a part of the base side of the plate spring 12b. The portion of the leaf spring 12b pressed by the fixing member 16 cannot be deformed, and the leaf spring 12b is substantially shortened.

  What is necessary is just to determine suitably the length of the part which can deform | transform the leaf | plate spring 12b based on required insertion / extraction force. That is, by changing the shape and size of the opening 16a provided in the fixing member 16, the length of the deformable portion of the leaf spring 12b can be changed and the insertion / extraction force can be adjusted.

  In the present embodiment, the opening 16a penetrating in the thickness direction of the fixing member 16 is provided, but the opening 16a does not need to be a penetrating opening. For example, the opening 16a may be a recess as long as a space that allows the leaf spring 12b to enter and be deformed can be formed. When the fixing member 16 is formed of a metal plate, a through-opening can be formed by punching with a press. However, a recess having the same planar shape as the opening 16a may be formed with a press without punching. it can.

  In the present embodiment, the two sockets 12 are attached to the housing 14 by using one fixing member 16, but the number of sockets 12 may be one or three or more. Good.

  In this embodiment, the USB connector is used as the connector. However, the connector is not limited to the USB connector, and may be another connector as long as the leaf spring is formed on the outer surface of the socket.

  7 to 9 are cross-sectional perspective views of the socket 12 when the plug 18 is inserted into the socket 12. 7 shows a state before the plug 18 is inserted into the socket 12, FIG. 8 shows a state in the middle of inserting the plug 18 into the socket 12, and FIG. 9 shows a state where the plug 18 is completely inserted into the socket 12. .

  Before the plug 18 is inserted into the socket 12, as shown in FIG. 7, the leaf spring 12 b formed on the socket 12 is not deformed, and the tip 12 c of the leaf spring 12 b projects toward the inside of the socket 12. ing.

  When the plug 18 is inserted into the socket 12, the tip end portion of the plug 18 first comes into contact with the tip end 12c of the leaf spring 2b. When the plug 18 is further inserted into the socket 2, as shown in FIG. 8, the tip 12 c of the leaf spring 12 b gets on the outer surface of the plug 18. At this time, the tip 12 c of the leaf spring 12 b is pushed upward by the plug 18, so that a portion of the leaf spring 12 b exposed to the opening 16 a is deformed toward the outside of the socket 12. Since only the portion of the leaf spring 12b exposed to the opening 16a can be deformed, the leaf spring 12b is substantially shortened, and the spring constant of the leaf spring 12b is increased. Therefore, the plug 18 is strongly pressed by the tip 12c of the leaf spring 12b, and a large insertion force is required to insert the plug 18 into the socket 12.

  When the plug 18 is completely inserted into the socket 12, as shown in FIG. 9, the tip 12 c of the leaf spring 12 b enters and engages with a recess 18 a formed on the outer surface of the plug 18. A connecting force is generated in the plug 18 by the engagement of the tip 12c of the leaf spring 12b and the recess 18a of the plug 18. That is, in order for the plug 18 to move in the extraction direction, the leaf spring 12b must be deformed to move the tip 12c from the recess 18a. At this time, the tensile force required to move the plug 18 corresponds to the connecting force of the plug 18. Therefore, the connecting force of the plug 18 depends on the elastic deformation force of the leaf spring 12b. That is, as the spring constant of the leaf spring 12b increases, the plug 18 is strongly pressed by the tip 12c of the leaf spring 12b, and a large pulling force is required to pull the plug 18 out of the socket 12.

  As described above, the insertion / extraction force of the plug 18 can be adjusted by changing the shape and size of the opening 16 a of the fixing member 16.

  In the above-described embodiment, only the tip 12c of the leaf spring 12b of the socket 12 is bent. However, the leaf spring 12b can be slightly bent inward of the socket 12 in advance. 10 to 13 are cross-sectional perspective views of the socket 12 when the plug 18 is inserted into the socket 12 when the leaf spring 12b is slightly bent inside the socket 12. FIG. 10 shows a state before the plug 18 is inserted into the socket 12, FIG. 11 shows a state in the middle of inserting the plug 18 into the socket 12, and FIG. 12 shows a state where the plug 18 is completely inserted into the socket 12. .

  When the leaf spring 12b is bent slightly inside the socket 12, the leaf spring 12b as a whole is separated from the fixing member 16 before the plug 18 is inserted into the socket 12, as shown in FIG. It is possible. Therefore, the entire plate spring 12b is deformed until the tip 12c is lifted and the plate spring 12b contacts the fixing member 16 after the tip of the plug 18 contacts the tip 12c of the plate spring 12b. The pressing force is small.

  When the plug 18 is further inserted and the leaf spring 12b comes into contact with the fixing member 16, as shown in FIG. 11, the deformable portion of the leaf spring 12b is only the portion exposed to the opening 16a. Accordingly, the spring constant of the leaf spring 12b is increased, and the pressing force to the plug 18 by the leaf spring 12b is increased. Therefore, the force (insertion force) required for inserting the plug 18 is also increased.

  Thereafter, the insertion force is the same as in the above-described embodiment, and when the plug 18 is completely inserted into the socket 12, the state shown in FIG. The state shown in FIG. 12 is the same as the state shown in FIG. 9, and the pulling force of the plug 18 is large as in the state shown in FIG.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Notebook personal computer 12 Socket 12a Notch 12b Leaf spring 12c Tip 13 Connector board 14 Case 16 Fixing member 16a Opening 17 Screw 18 Plug 18a Recessed part

Claims (7)

A socket in which a leaf spring is formed on the portion forming the outer surface;
A fixing member shaped to cover at least a part of the socket;
An opening or a recess formed in a part of the fixing member and facing only a part of the leaf spring formed in the socket;
The socket is sandwiched between the fixing member and a fixed object, and the fixing member is fixed to the fixed object in a state where only a part of the leaf spring is exposed in the opening or the recess of the fixing member. A connector for fixing the socket to the fixed object. The connector according to claim 1,
The fixing member is a connector formed of a metal plate. The connector according to claim 1 or 2,
The fixing member has a screw hole for being screwed to the fixed object. The connector according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The leaf spring formed in the socket is a connector that is deformed toward the inside of the socket. The connector according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The socket is a connector having the same structure as a USB connector A type socket.   An electronic apparatus comprising the connector according to claim 1. An insertion / extraction force adjusting method for adjusting an insertion / extraction force of the connector according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
The insertion / extraction force adjustment method which adjusts the insertion / extraction force of the said connector by changing the shape dimension of the said opening or recessed part formed in the said socket.

Images