Electrical connector

Details Electrical connector Electrical connector

2000-01-11

2001-03-20

Paumen, Gary (Department: 2833)

Electrical connectors

With supporting means for coupling part

Having resilient means engaging panel opening

C439S607070

Reexamination Certificate

active

06203367

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates an electrical connector.
2. The Prior Art
Electrical connections between electrical systems are usually provided by means of electrical connectors, which may be classified as receptacle connectors and plug connectors mating with each other to form the desired electrical connection.
In
FIG. 1
of the attached drawings, a conventional D-type electrical connector
10
is shown, which comprises an insulative housing
16
fixed to a circuit board
22
by means of board lock members
12
. The housing
16
defines a plurality of channels
21
each receiving a conductive pin
20
therein. Each of the pins
20
has an extension soldered to the circuit board
22
. A spacer
24
is attached to the housing
16
by means of resilient barbs
26
to hold the pins
20
in position. A shielding shell
18
is fit over the housing
16
and fasteners
14
extend through the board lock members
12
, the housing
16
and the shell
18
to secure them together.
The conventional connector has several disadvantages, such as:
(1) The connector
10
is completely located on a top face
22
a
of the circuit board
22
whereby the connector
10
occupies a large amount of space on the circuit board
22
.
(2) Since the connector
10
is mounted on the top face
22
a
of the circuit board
22
, the electronic elements associated with the circuit board
22
must also be arranged on the top face
22
a
in order to be electrically connected to the connector
10
thereby preventing utilization of a bottom side face
22
b
of the circuit board
22
.
(3) In the conventional design, the pins
20
must be in proper alignment with the respective channels
21
of the housing
16
in order to correctly insert the pins
20
therein. Incorrect insertion of pins or undesired deformation of the pins frequently results which leads to inefficient productivity.
(4) With the number of pins accommodated in the housing increased, the size of the pin receiving channels is reduced which complicates the manufacture the housing.
(5) In the conventional design, the connector is mounted to the circuit board by means of the board lock members that rigidly attach the connector to the circuit board so that adjustment of the spatial relationship between the shielding shell
18
that is fit over the housing
16
and a casing of the circuit board is difficult which may lead to an improper physical engagement between the shielding shell and the casing and thus no grounding may be obtained.
It is desirable to have an electrical connector which has a structure that overcomes the problems discussed above.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector which allows a plurality of conductive pins to be simultaneously inserted into a housing thereof so as to enhance the manufacturing efficiency of the connector and to reduce the likelihood of damage to the pins.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector wherein a housing of the connector has a simplified structure so as to reduce the manufacturing cost and to facilitate the manufacture thereof.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector wherein the board lock members thereof allow a portion of the connector to be located on an opposite side of a circuit board from which the connector is mounted so as to reduce the space occupied by the connector on the circuit board.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector which is mounted to a circuit board by means of elastically deformable parts thereby allowing the spatial relationship between a shielding shell and the circuit board and thus a casing of the circuit board to be adjustable, whereby the electrical engagement between the shielding shell and the circuit board may be properly maintained.
To achieve the above objects, an electrical connector in accordance with the present invention comprises an insulative housing defining a slot for receiving a plurality of pins therein each having a U-shaped section. A pin retainer comprises a plurality of blocks integrated together and received in the slot. Each of the blocks has an insert portion fit into the U-shaped section of each of the pins thereby securing the pin in the slot. Two board locks, each having a channel-like portion receiving an expanded end of a fastener therein with an elongate fastener body extending through holes defined in the housing, secure the connector to a circuit board. The channel-like portion of the board lock has a first side defined by two spaced fingers which receive and retain the fastener body therebetween and an opposite second side from which a support section extends. A circuit board engaging section extends from the support section and is received in a slot defined on the circuit board with the support section directly positioned on the circuit board. The second side of the channel-like portion is dimensioned to have the support section substantially located at a central position with respect to the connector whereby a portion of the connector is located below the circuit board when the connector is supported on the circuit board by the support section. The second side of the channel-like portion and the support section provide sufficient resiliency that allows the spatial relationship between the connector and the circuit board to be adjustable.


REFERENCES:
patent: 5125853 (1992-06-01), Hashiguchi
patent: 5407364 (1995-04-01), Tzeng et al.
patent: 5709556 (1998-01-01), Tan et al.
patent: 5797769 (1998-08-01), Yang et al.
patent: 5807135 (1998-09-01), Clark
patent: 5921811 (1999-07-01), Hsu
patent: 6022243 (2000-02-01), Yang et al.
patent: 6036537 (2000-03-01), Wu et al.

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