JPH09190860A - Board mounting device and electric connector using the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a base board mounting device of high reliability which can be fabricated simply and provide an electric connector incorporating a mounting device of such a type. SOLUTION: A base board mounting device 10 is equipped with the first cylinder part 30 having a slot 32 stretching in the direction and barbs 33, 34 on the outer surface and the second cylinder part 20 having two slots 22 opposing to each other and a barb 23 on the outer surface. The first cylinder 30 is fitted by pressure in an opening 45 provided in a connector housing 40 while the second cylinder 20 is fitted by pressure into a mounting hole provided in the base board.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a board mounting device (board lock), and more particularly to a device for mounting an electric component such as an electric connector on a board (printed circuit board) and an electric connector using the same.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, electrical or electromechanical parts such as electrical connectors and switches are generally mounted on a board using a mounting tool such as a screw, but workability, reliability, and automatic (robot) mounting Various board mounting devices have been proposed in order to achieve further simplicity, low cost, and high reliability for reasons such as compatibility.

An example of a conventional board mounting device is disclosed in US Pat. No. 5,257,947. This known board mounting device is a mounting peg (rod-shaped body) having a slit, and is integrally molded with a dielectric housing. The slot of each peg has an integrally molded rib that extends inwardly from one side wall of the peg toward the other side wall and engages an opposing and inwardly extending rib. These ribs are
When the pegs are inserted into the mounting holes (through holes) of the printed circuit board, they engage with each other.

Further, in this known board mounting device, a metal holding member is arranged between the ribs to reinforce the holding force. This mounting peg does not always have sufficient strength to mount the electrical connector on the board. Therefore, a metal holding member is used. Further, the peg without the metal holding member does not include means for biting into the board or engaging in other ways to positively frictionally engage, so that the peg will come off when vibration or shock is applied to the electrical connector. was there. Furthermore, since the number of working steps is increased to combine the peg and the metal holding member, the total cost is increased.

Therefore, another board mounting device is disclosed in US Pat. No. 4,435,031. This board mounting device is a snap-latch type board mounting for an electrical connector. The snap latch member includes a central flange configured with elastically deflectable legs extending upwardly from the electrical connector and down toward the printed circuit board.

Although this snap-latch device is pre-connected (attached) to an electrical connector or printed circuit board, the retaining barbs formed on the flexible legs are aligned with the surface of the electrical connector or the opposite surface of the board. And the holding force must act. This creates special dimensional constraints that limit the use of snap latch devices to secure the connector to the board due to dimensional constraints. Furthermore, since this snap latch device is made of a plastic material, it occupies a large area and is not as effective as a metal substrate mounting device.

Yet another (third) conventional board mounting device is disclosed in US Pat. No. 5,115,375. In this conventional example, a snap-in type holding sleeve is used and is used for connecting electric parts. The holding sleeve is soldered after the electrical components are completely connected. This retaining sleeve requires multiple bends on the elastic legs. These legs engage the substrate. A folding tab is also required, which extends above the electrical connector or electrical component. This is expensive and the production rate of the holding sleeve is low due to the folds. In addition, the bend on the deflectable leg must engage the opposite side of the substrate. Therefore, the substrate has a dimensional restriction between the holding sleeve and the substrate, and if there is a deviation in this dimension, an effective holding force cannot be obtained.

[0008]

As described above, various types of board mounting devices have already been proposed. However, there is a demand for a board mounting device which can obtain a highly reliable holding force, can be effectively and easily manufactured and assembled on boards having various plate thicknesses, and an electric connector using the same.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a board mounting device and an electrical connector using the same which satisfy these needs.

[0010]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems and to achieve the above-mentioned objects, the board mounting apparatus of the present invention generally has the following structure formed by punching and bending an elastic metal plate. That is, one slot is formed in the longitudinal direction,
A first tubular portion having a relatively small diameter, which has two rows of barbs protruding to the outer surface, and a first tubular portion formed integrally with the first tubular portion and facing each other.
A second cylindrical portion having a plurality of slots and a barb on the outer surface and having a relatively large diameter. The first tubular portion is press-fitted and fixed in an opening having a predetermined diameter and length of the connector housing, and the second tubular portion is press-fitted and fixed in a mounting hole of the board.

The electrical connector of the present invention has, for example, a connector housing having a recess formed from the mating surface and the rear surface and having an opening having a predetermined diameter and length, and an outer surface having a size capable of being press-fitted into the opening of the housing. First with barbs formed
An integral board mounting device having two cylindrical slots and two opposing slots formed so as to be press-fitted into the mounting holes of the board and barbs on the outer surface. The electric connector, which is obtained by previously press-fitting and fixing the board mounting device into the opening of the connector housing, can be press-fitted and fixed into the mounting hole of the board.

[0012]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Preferred embodiments of a board mounting device and an electrical connector using the same according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a front view of a preferred embodiment of a board mounting device (or board lock) 10 of the present invention, in which one of a plurality of board mounting devices manufactured by connecting to a carrier strip 12 is turned upside down. Let me show you. This will be described below with reference to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 when viewed from a right angle direction. The board mounting device 10 includes a lower portion (second cylindrical portion) 20 that engages with a substrate (printed circuit board) and an upper portion (first cylindrical portion) 30 that engages with an electric connector housing. Details of these will be described later. The lower portion 20 includes an introduction taper portion 21 which is aligned with the mounting hole of the substrate.

The lower portion 20 also includes a lower slot 22, a barb (upside down barb) 23 and a transition 24 between the lower portion 20 and the upper portion 30. Since the introduction taper portion 21 presses and engages with the edge of the mounting hole of the substrate, it acts as a cam follower surface to some extent. As a result, the lower portion 20 bends and the lower slot 22 acts so as to become narrow.

The upper portion 30 includes an introduction taper portion 31, an upper slot 32, a double barb group 33, and an upper barb group 34.
Contains. The lead-in taper 31 acts to some extent as a cam surface which presses into the edge of the mounting opening in the housing of the electrical connector. When this happens, the upper slot 3
The width of 2 becomes narrower. The lower slot 22 is, as shown in FIG.
It extends laterally on both sides of the lower part 20. But the top 3
The 0 slot 32 only penetrates one wall of the upper portion 30 as shown in FIG. Therefore, when the lower portion 20 is pressed into the mounting hole of the board, the lower portion 20 acts so that both halves 20a and 20b move toward each other to reduce the diameter of the cylinder.
At the same time, the halves 20a and 20b of the lower part 20 are
It can be deflected in the longitudinal direction like two cantilever beams that move with respect to each other. In contrast, the pressing action of the electrical connector opening closes the upper portion 30 and reduces the diameter of the tubular body when the upper slot 32 narrows.

Therefore, it should be noted that in the fully assembled condition of the board mounting apparatus 10, the upper and lower portions 20, 30 are pushed into a relatively small outer diameter. When the outer shell of the board mounting device 10 becomes narrow (small in diameter), a stress distribution in the elastic region occurs in the shell, and the elastic deflection of the outer shell of the board mounting device 10 causes the shell thickness at both the upper and lower portions 20 and 30. It will occur along the direction. When the force vector F shown in FIG. 1 is inserted into the mounting hole of the board and the opening of the housing of the electric connector, the upper and lower slots 22, 32 of the board mounting device 10 are inserted.
Represents the force acting on. This force distributes stress on the shell along the upper and lower portions 20,30. However, it should be noted that the end portion of the slot 22 near the introduction taper portion 21 becomes gradually narrower than the neck portion 22a of the slot 22. Therefore, when the lower portion 20 is inserted into the mounting hole of the substrate, the half bodies 20a and 20b of the lower portion 20 are bent like a cantilever. As a result, when the board mounting device 10 is completely inserted into the mounting hole of the board and also completely inserted into the opening of the housing of the electrical connector, the entire board mounting device 10 including the upper and lower portions 20 and 30 is included. The compressive force acts and the resulting stress load is distributed in the shell of the board mounting device 10.

Next, description will be made with reference to FIG. The surface P of the slot 22 substantially coincides with the surface of the slot 32 of the upper portion 30. In this preferred example, the plane P coincides with the minimum outer diameter of the board mounting device 10, and the barb 23 of the lower portion 20 is substantially orthogonal to the plane P. However, it is also possible for the plane P to coincide with the maximum outer diameter of the lower part 20, in which case the maximum outer diameter is measured from the outer limit of the edge of the slot 2 of the lower part 20. The advantage or advantage of this configuration is that when inserted into the board mounting holes, the board mounting apparatus 10 has four friction contact points with the board mounting holes, two of which are at the edge of the slot 22 and the rest. 2 are orthogonal to the plane P by the barbs 23.

Next, an electrical connector using the board mounting device 10 will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5. For convenience of description, the entire electrical connector is omitted here, and only a part of the connector housing (hereinafter simply referred to as a housing) 40 is shown. However, the electrical connector may have any existing shape as long as it is a board-mounted type. Of course it is good. The housing 40 includes a fitting surface 44 having upper and lower recesses 42, 43 and a rear surface (or a back surface opposite to the fitting surface) 41 having an opening 45. As best shown in Figure 4,
The slot 32 in the upper portion 30 is elastically compressed so that the barb 33 is latched behind the edge of the opening 45. Further, some of the upper rows of barbs 34 bite into the housing 40 and the rest latch into the surface of the recess 42.
This enables reliable and reliable mechanical engagement between the board mounting device 10 and the housing 40. The same applies to the barbs 33 in the lower row. Further, as described above, the force acting on the upper portion 30 is generated by the engagement with the housing 40, and the resulting stress is distributed within the shell of the substrate mounting apparatus 10.

Next, referring to FIG. 5, the barb 33 of the board mounting device 10 bites into the housing 44, and the barb 34 is in latch engagement with the surface of the upper recess 42. The force vector F indicates the force pressed by the edge of the mounting hole of the board, and this force acts on the halves 20a, 20b of the lower part 20 of the board mounting device 10 to cause these halves 2 to
It shows that the reaction of 0a and 20b occurs like a cantilever. In this respect, the neck-shaped transition portion 24 reinforces the base portion (base) from which the cantilever-shaped halves 20a and 20b extend.

Therefore, the area of the introduction taper portion 21 of the lower slot 22 becomes smaller than that of the neck 2 slot 22a. The substrate mounting apparatus 10 of the present invention is highly reliable because the stress is distributed within its elastic limits throughout its shell and the flexibility of the substrate mounting apparatus 10 is maximized around the slots 22 and 32. Since the board mounting device 10 does not require tab bending or other manufacturing processes other than the neck portion 24, the manufacturing process is simple and inexpensive. Further, it is possible to use a material plated in advance, which contributes to cost reduction. Also, because the upper portion 30 is sized to fit into the generally circular opening of the housing 40, the board mounting apparatus 10 can be used around conventional mounting screws. Finally, by combining the above-described structure with the barbs 23, it can be applied to substrates of various thicknesses.

The preferred embodiments of the board mounting device of the present invention and the electrical connector using the same have been described above. However, it should be understood that the present invention should not be limited to only the embodiment, and various modifications and changes can be made according to the application without departing from the gist of the present invention.

[0022]

As can be understood from the above description, the substrate mounting apparatus of the present invention has the integral first tubular portion and second tubular portion which are easily formed by punching and bending an elastic metal plate, for example. Have. Not only is this structure easy and inexpensive to manufacture, it is also securely press-fitted into the opening of the electrical connector housing for assembly, and it is easily and highly reliable to be mounted in the mounting holes of boards of various thicknesses with sufficient elasticity. It is possible.
In addition, it is possible to stably fix the board even if it is repeatedly inserted and removed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an inverted front view of a board mounting device according to the present invention manufactured by a series of manufacturing steps.

2 is a side view of the board mounting device of FIG. 1 viewed from a direction perpendicular to FIG.

3 is a top view of the board mounting device of FIG. 1. FIG.

FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged view of the board mounting device of FIG. 1 press-fitted and fixed in an opening of a connector housing.

5 is a view seen from another direction of FIG. 4;

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Board Mounting Device (Board Lock) 20 Second Cylindrical Part 22, 32 Slots 23, 33, 34 Barb 30 First Cylindrical Part 40 Connector Housing 45 Opening

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A slot is formed in the longitudinal direction,
A first tubular portion having a relatively small diameter and having two rows of barbs protruding to the outer surface, and two slots formed integrally with the first portion and facing each other, and having barbs on the outer surface A board mounting device for mounting an electric component in a board mounting hole, the board mounting device having a second cylindrical portion having a relatively large diameter. 2. A connector housing in which an opening having a predetermined diameter and length is formed, and a first cylindrical shape formed in a cylindrical shape having a size capable of being press-fitted into the opening of the housing and having a plurality of barbs formed on an outer surface thereof. And a board mounting device including a second tubular portion formed in a tubular shape having a size capable of being press-fitted into a mounting hole of the board and having two opposing slots and barbs.