1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a contact arranged inside of a body of an electric connector and to an electric connector using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
A known contact of this type is a substantially L-shaped conductive member, including a main portion to be press-fitted into a terminal insertion hole formed inside a body of an electric connector, a bent portion continuous to the main portion, and a lead-out portion continuous to the bent portion, as disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication (JP-A) No. 2003-505826 (Translation of Published International Application No. WO01/006602).
Here, the main portion is press-fitted into the terminal insertion hole formed in the body by pressing the bent portion. In other words, the bent portion need be exposed outside the body in such a manner as to receive the force to press-fit the main portion into the terminal insertion hole formed in the body. Such exposure of the bent portion outside the body may lead to impedance mismatches between the bent portion and the main portion covered with the body of a dielectric material.
The bent portion of the contact may be pushed into the terminal insertion hole formed in the body by using a special tool, but workability will worsens, leading to an increased cost.
In a case where contacts are arranged in two rows in a zigzag manner, respective bent portions of the contacts in a lower row are located next to lead-out portions of contacts in an upper row, but bent portions of the contacts in the upper row are located next to bent portions of the other contacts in the upper row. As a consequence, a distance between any two of the bent portions of the contacts in the upper row is about twice a distance between any one of the bent portions of the contacts in the lower row and an adjacent one of the lead-out portions of the contacts in the upper row.
An increased distance between the adjacent contacts reduces an electrostatic capacitance, resulting in an increased impedance. That is to say, impedances of the contacts in the upper row are larger than those of the contacts in the lower row, and therefore, impedance mismatches are apt to be created in each contact in the upper row, which is a factor to induce degradation of transmission characteristics.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds