CONNECTION DEVICE OF CONNECTOR FOR PORTABLE ELECTRONIC INSTRUMENT

Abstract

A portable electronic instrument that has a connection port for inserting a connector and includes a built-in spring having a protrusion portion protruding in a lateral direction inside the connection port, a connector 10 has an insertion portion 12 which is inserted in the connection port 16 and includes connection members 31, 32 which respectively have hooking portions 23, 24 able to be hooked at the protrusion portions of the built-in springs inside a main body.

Claims

1. A connection device of a connector for a portable electronic instrument that has a connection port for inserting the connector and includes a built-in spring having a protrusion portion which protrudes in a lateral direction inside the connection port, wherein the connector has an insertion portion which is inserted in the connection port of the portable electronic instrument, and includes a connection member which has a hooking portion able to be hooked at the protrusion portion of the built-in spring inside a main body, and wherein the connector is configured to include an operation member which is provided in the main body so as to be slidable in an insertion direction of the insertion portion in order to move the connection member in the lateral direction, an engagement member which is integrally provided with the operation member in order to convert a slide operation of the operation member into a movement of the connection member in the lateral direction, and a cam portion which is provided in the connection member so as to engage with the engagement member.

2. The connection device of a connector for a portable electronic instrument according to claim 1, wherein the connection member is formed with a pair of right and left opening/closing levers, and each of the opening/closing levers is configured to have the hooking portion at a tip end portion, to have the cam portion on a side of a base end portion, to have a fulcrum between the tip end portion and the base end portion, and to be able to pivot around the fulcrum.

3. The connection device of a connector for a portable electronic instrument according to claim 1, wherein the pair of right and left opening/closing levers has a bilaterally symmetrical shape including the hooking portions respectively provided at the tip end portions so as to be oriented toward the right and left sides and including the cam portions respectively provided on the right and left side surfaces of the base end portions, and each of the cam portion is configured to be on the base end portion side beyond the fulcrum provided between the tip end portion and the base end portion and to have a form in which the width is the lateral direction is widened in a direction toward the fulcrum.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an example of a connector for a portable electronic instrument, in which a connection device according to the present invention is applied.

[0017] FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating an example of a usage state of the device;

[0018] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the device;

[0019] FIG. 4 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the internal structure of the connector device and;

[0020] FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view illustrating the connection device when connected to the portable electronic instrument.

[0021] 10 CONNECTOR

[0022] 11 MAIN BODY

[0023] 12 INSERTION PORTION

[0024] 13 OPERATION MEMBER

[0025] 14 STRAP ATTACHMENT PORTION

[0026] 15 PORTABLE ELECTRONIC INSTRUMENT

[0027] 16 CONNECTION PORT

[0028] 17, 16 BUILT-IN SPRING

[0029] 19, 20 PROTRUSION PORTION

[0030] 21 SPRING BODY

[0031] 22 OUTER WALL PART

[0032] 23, 24 HOOKING PORTION

[0033] 25, 26 INWARD CURVE PORTION

[0034] 27, 28 CAM PORTION

[0035] 29, 30 FULCRUM

[0036] 31, 32 OPENING/CLOSING LEVERS (CONNECTION MEMBER)

[0037] 33 STRINGER

[0038] 34 MEMBER

[0039] 35, 36 SPINDLE

[0040] 37, 38 ENGAGEMENT MEMBER

[0041] 39 OPENING

[0042] 40, 41 TWO MEMBERS CONFIGURING MAIN BODY

[0043] 42 FITTING MEANS

[0044] 43 FITTING MATE

[0045] 44 FLANGED LOCKING PORTION

[0046] 45 FIXING PORTION

[0047] 46 STRAP ATTACHMENT PORTION

[0048] 47 STRAP

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0049] With reference to an embodiment illustrated below, the present invention will be described in more detail. FIG. 1 illustrates the appearance of a connector 10 in which a connection device according to the present invention is applied. FIG. 1 includes a main body 11 of the connector, an insertion portion 12, an operation member 13, and a strap attachment portion 14. The main body 11 is configured to have two members 40, 41 in the front and the rear (or foreside and backside). FIG. 2 illustrates iPhone (brand name) as a portable electronic instrument 15, and the connector 10 is for Lightning Connector (brand name) included in the portable electronic instrument 15.

[0050] The connector 10 according to the present invention is connected to the portable electronic instrument 15, and a connection state is illustrated in FIG. 5 in detail. The portable electronic instrument 15 of the embodiment is configured to include a connection port 16 and right and left built-in springs 17, 18 which are disposed so as to pinch a part of the connector 10 (specifically, the below-described insertion portion 12) connected to the connection port 16 (FIG. 5), and the built-in springs 17, 18 respectively have protrusion portions 19, 20. A spring body 21 itself is fixed to a member 34, and the member 34 is attached to the inside of the connection port 16 which is open at an outer wall part 22 of the portable electronic instrument 15.

[0051] A pair of the built-in springs 17, 16 in the illustrated example is formed as a portion of the spring body 21 having a substantially Ω-shaped front surface shape. Both end portions having bilaterally symmetric shapes shapes are oriented toward the connection port 16, and the protrusion portions 19, 20 are provided near the end portions. The protrusion portions 19, 20 are disposed so as to face each other in a lateral direction and protrude toward the center of the spring body 21. A pair of the protrusion portions 19, 20 has an uneven structure forming a shape in which a part protrudes inward (convex shape) and a part on an inner side (deep side) of the protrusion portions 19, 20 is recessed (concave shape). The present invention utilizes the uneven structure as a portion of the connection device of the connector.

[0052] The connection device of the present invention is inserted in the portable electronic instrument 15 through the connection port 16 and includes a connection member to be connected, inside the main body. The connection member includes the insertion portion 12 and hooking portions 23, 24 which can be hooked at the protrusion portions 19, 20 of the pair of built-in springs 17, 18. The connection member has a basic configuration in which the hooking portions 23, 24 are movable in the lateral direction so as not to be hooked at the protrusion portions 19, 20 of the built-in springs 17, 18 when the insertion portion 12 is inserted in the connection port 16, and to be hooked after passing through the protrusion portions 19, 20. The expression “being hooked” denotes a state of not being able to be detached as it stands.

[0053] In the case of the embodiment, the connection member is configured to include a pair of right and left opening/closing levers 31, 32. The pair of opening/closing levers 31, 32 has the hooking portions 23, 24 at tip end portions thereof and has cam portions 27, 28 on a side of base end portions. The pair of opening/closing levers 31, 32 has fulcrums 29, 30 at arbitrary positions between the tip end portions and the base end portions and is configured to be able to pivot around the fulcrums 29, 30. The hooking portions 23, 24 are at the tip end portions of the opening/closing levers 31, 32 and protrude to the right and left sides within a range of the insertion portion 12 so as to form inward curve portions 25, 26 allowing the protrusion portions 19, 20 to be housed, thereby forming the substantially L-shaped tip end portions.

[0054] The hooking portions 23, 24 protrude to the sides beyond the range of the insertion portion 12 due to an operation of a slide button 13 which is an operation member. Therefore, small openings 12a, 12b are formed on both the right and left sides of the insertion portion 12. Portions below the inward curve portions 25, 26 extend in a direction toward the fulcrums 29, 30 via crank portions 25a, 26a, and each of the back surface comes into contact with a stringer 33 at a central portion in a state where the opening/closing levers 31, 32 are closed. The fulcrums 29, 30 are configured to engage with spindles 35, 36 attached to the main body 11 such that the opening/closing levers 31, 32 can pivot. The fulcrums 29, 30 are formed so as to have cut forms inclined downward toward the central portion and also serve as one type of means biasing the opening/closing levers 31, 32 in a closing direction.

[0055] The connection device of the present invention is configured to include the operation member 13 which is provided in the main body 11 so as to be slidable in an insertion direction (referred to as vertical direction) of the insertion portion 12 in order to move the connection member in the lateral direction, and engagement members 37, 38 which are integrally provided with the operation member 13 in order to convert a movement of the operation member 13 in the vertical direction into a movement of the connection member in the lateral direction, and the above-described cam portions 27, 28 which are provided in the connection member so as to engage with the engagement members 37, 38.

[0056] The operation member 13 is provided so as to be movable in the vertical direction in an opening 39 which is a long hole in the vertical direction formed in the member 40, that is, one of the two members 40, 41 configuring the main body 11. The illustrated operation member 13 includes a base portion 13b which is disposed on the inner surface of the member 40 on one side, and a protrusion portion 13a which is provided in a convex shape on the outer surface thereof. The operation member 13 has a structure in which the protrusion portion 13a is exposed to the outside through the opening 39 and the engagement members 37, 38 are attached to the inner surface of the base portion 13b.

[0057] In a state where the opening/closing levers 31, 32 are closed, the cam portions 27, 28 are respectively provided with gaps so as to be able to engage with the engagement members 37, 38 (refer to FIG. 4). In the cam portions 27, 28, curved surfaces which close the base end portions of the opening/closing levers 31, 32 by engaging with the engagement members 37, 38 are formed. The curved surfaces have parts 27a, 28a which become curved surfaces convex outward from the central portion, and have parts 27b, 28b which become curved concave surfaces closing the opening/closing levers 31, 32 at, the base end portions by engaging with the engagement members 37, 38, and retaining the opening/closing levers 31, 32 in an open state at the tip end portions (refer to FIG. 5).

[0058] As for the size of the connector 10 according to the present invention, the external size of each of the hooking portions 23, 24 is approximately 0.5×2.5 mm. The width of each of the opening/closing levers 31, 32 is approximately 3 mm and the length thereof is a little over 16 mm. In regard to the insertion portion 12 illustrated in FIG. 1, the width is approximately 6 mm, the height is approximately 8 mm, and the overall length to the strap attachment portion 14 is a little less than 30 mm. In this manner, it is understood that the device of the present invention belongs to the field of precise processing technology.

[0059] The main body 11 illustrated as the embodiment is formed with the two front and rear members 40, 41 illustrated in FIG. 3 in detail. Each of the two members 40, 41 is provided through plastic molding and has a structure in which the connection member, and a member and a mechanism for operating the connection member are assembled inside thereof. The two members 40, 41 have fitting means 42 formed to be a convex portion and a fitting mate 43 formed to be a concave portion which are fitted to each other. The two members 40, 41 are integrally combined together through the fitting. Tip end portions 12A, 12B of the two members are integrally combined together, thereby configuring the insertion portion 12.

[0060] In the connection device of the present invention, in the connector 10, the insertion portion 12 is provided on one end side of the main body 11 so as to be the connection side with respect to the portable electronic instrument 15, and the strap attachment portion 14 is provided at a position opposite to the main body 11. The attachment portion 14 is attached to a fixing portion 45 attached to the inside of the main body 11, and is attached to a strap attachment portion 46 by flanged locking portions 44, 44 which are provided on one end side thereof in two lines. The connector 10 of the present invention and the strap attachment portion 14 are attached to each other through such a dual locking structure. Therefore, even in the event where the main body 11 is split, the strap attachment portion 14 still remains being locked by the fixing portion 45, and the strap attachment portion 14 is prevented from falling. In the illustrated example, the attachment portion 14 is attached to the main body 11 so as to be able to pivot, and a strap 47 can be attached to the attachment portion 14.

[0061] Since the connection device of a connector for a portable electronic instrument according to the present invention is configured as described above, the operation member 13 is operated to slide in a direction toward the base end portion such that the opening/closing levers 31, 32 are at closed positions. Then, the insertion portion 12 of the connector 10 is inserted in the connection port 16 of the portable electronic instrument 15. In this manner, the hooking portions 23, 24 at the tip ends of the opening/closing levers 31, 32 can enter the innermost portion of the spring body 21 without much resistance. Subsequently, when the operation member 13 is operated to slide in a direction toward the tip end portion, the tip end portions of the opening/closing levers 31, 32 act so as to open due to the cam-engagement of the engagement members 37, 38 and the cam portions 27, 28. Therefore, the hooking portions 23, 24 enter the concave structure deep inside the protrusion portions 19, 20 of the built-in springs 17, 18, and the opening/closing levers 31, 32 pinch the protrusion portions 19, 20. In addition, on the base end portion side, the engagement members 37, 38 move so as to engage with the parts 27b, 28b of the curved concave surfaces. At the same time, it is possible to achieve click feeling (FIG. 5), The built-in springs 17, 18 act as an elastic reaction force for the pinching thereof and are in a state of being locked due to the elastic reaction force.

[0062] In order to release the connector 10 from the coupled state, the operation portion 13 is caused to slide in the direction toward the base end portion, and the width between the hooking portions 23, 24 is narrowed within the width of the insertion portion 12. Thereafter, the connector 10 may be pulled out. According to the present invention having such a configuration, the connected connector 10 does not simply detached from the portable electronic instrument 15. In addition, the strap 47 can be attached to the connector 10 in a manner described above. Thus, on the contrary, the portable electronic instrument 15 can be prevented from falling off from the strap 47.