The present invention relates to a connector capable of connection of a plug provided on an end of a cable such as an optical fiber cable or the like, and an electronic apparatus having the connector.
Conventionally, an electronic apparatus generally has a jack (such as a mini jack) so as to be connected to the other electronic apparatus for carrying out sending and receiving of a signal. The connection between each electronic apparatus using a jack is realized by inserting a plug, provided on an end of a connection cable, into the respective jacks of the electronic apparatuses.
These jack and plug are disclosed in Japanese Registered Utility Model Publication No. 3041482 (Registered on Jul. 2, 1997), for example. FIG. 27 shows the structure of the jack and the plug. As shown in the figure, the plug 301 has a large diameter section 302 on its front end, and a small diameter section 303 (constriction section) below the large diameter section 302. Meanwhile, a jack 311 has a joining section 312, made of a spring leaf for example, for fixing the plug.
When the plug 301 is placed in the jack 311, the plug 301 is inserted into the jack 311 in a direction A. In the jack 311, the plug 301 comes in and pushes the joining section 312 so that the joining section 312 is shifted to a direction orthogonal to an insertion direction of the plug 301 by following the shape of the large diameter section 302 of the plug 301. Thereafter, when the large diameter section 302 passes over the joining section 312, the small diameter section 303 of the plug 301 fits in the joining section 312. The insertion of the plug 301 into the jack 311 is completed with this state.
Removal of the plug 301 from the jack 311 is performed with a reverse operation of the insertion operation. With the movement of the plug 301 to a removal direction (opposite direction of the direction A), the large diameter section 302 of the plug 301 directly affects on the joining section 312 of the jack 311. This removal is realized by exerting relatively small force on the plug 301. Conversely, when the plug 301 is pulled with force smaller than the necessary force for the removal, the plug 301 stays in the jack 311.
Note that, as shown in FIG. 28, the foregoing publication also discloses other type of jack (a jack 321) having an improved joining section 322; however, its basic structure and the operation for removing the plug 301 are the same as those of the jack 311.
The plug 301 and the jack 311 thus described have a simple structure and an affordable price, and also the plug 301 is easily inserted/removed into/from the jack 311. On the other hand, since the plug 301 is easily removed from the jack 311 with small force, sending/receiving of a signal between electronic apparatuses connected to each other with a cable is likely to cut off. Particularly, for a connection between stationary electric apparatuses, inadequate adaptation of the plug 301 and the jack 311 may cause removal of the plug 301 from the jack 311 due to vibration etc.
Meanwhile, in order to prevent the unwanted removal of the plug, a mechanical lock is used for a connection between the plug and the connector in the Ethernet(copyright), or in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication Tokukaihei 2000-147317 (published on May 26, 2000), for example.
In the teaching of the foregoing publication, as shown in FIG. 29, an optical fiber cable 333 has a plug 331 on an end, and the plug 331 includes a claw section 332 jutting out of the main body of the plug 331. The claw section 332 is joined to an engaging section 342 of the connector 341 when the plug 331 is placed in the connector 341. With this arrangement, it is possible to prevent the unwanted removal of the plug 331 from the connector 341. Note that, the removal of the plug 331 from the connector 341 is performed by pulling the plug 331 in a removal direction while pressing the claw section 332 to the main body of the plug 331.
However, the plug 331 shown in FIG. 29 includes the claw section 332 jutting out of its main body in addition to the main body for being inserted into the connector 341, and therefore the structure is difficult to be downsized. Further, the connector 341 requires the engaging section 342 to correspond to the claw section 332, which requires the electronic apparatus including the connector 341 to have some space for providing the engaging section 342.
Further, the mechanical lock, used for the Ethernet(copyright), for example, has a structure requiring a user to confirm the rotation direction of the lock system provided on the plug, thereby causing some inconvenience.
Meanwhile, in recent years, a plug having a moving section on a portion inserted into a connector has been proposed as a solution for the foregoing problems. A connector corresponds to this type of plug can have a structure such that the moving section affects on the mechanical lock system. However, there has not yet been a proposal for such a connector.
The present invention is made in view of the foregoing conventional problems, and an object is to provide a connector capable of connection of a plug having a moving section on a portion to be inserted into the connector, and an electronic apparatus having the connector.
In order to solve the foregoing problems, the connector of the present invention is capable of insertion and removal of a plug having a male engaging section and a moving section that is movable with respect to the male engaging section. The connector includes a plug fixing member for fixing the male engaging section when the moving section is shifted in a plug insertion direction with the insertion of the plug, and for releasing the male engaging section thus fixed when the moving section is shifted in a plug removal direction.
With the foregoing arrangement, the plug fixing member fixes the male engaging section when the moving section is shifted in the plug insertion direction with the insertion of the plug. Meanwhile, the plug fixing member releases the male engaging section thus fixed with the shifting of the moving section in the plug removal direction. Accordingly, the plug can be fixed and released by the movement of the moving section of the plug.
Further, an electronic apparatus of the present invention is provided with the described connector.
Additional objects, features, and strengths of the present invention will be made clear by the description below. Further, the advantages of the present invention will be evident from the following explanation in reference to the drawings.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds