Electrical connectors – With insulation other than conductor sheath – Plural-contact coupling part
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-22
2001-03-27
Gellner, Michael L. (Department: 2832)
Electrical connectors
With insulation other than conductor sheath
Plural-contact coupling part
C439S839000, C439S592000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06206732
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrical connector, particularly to a connector including terminals that can be reliably electrically connected to associated terminals of a circuit board even when there is a warp in the circuit board.
2. Prior Art
Referring to
FIGS. 5 and 6
, denoted
1
is an electrical connector that is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-open No. 55-164783 by the same assignee as the present application. The connector
1
has a connector housing
2
made of synthetic resin and a plurality of receptacle terminals
3
inserted in the connector housing
2
. The connector
1
is engageable with an instrument furnished case
5
that is made of synthetic resin and has a circuit board
4
such as a print circuit board.
The connector housing
2
has a plurality of receptacle terminal accommodating chambers
6
which are defined in upper and lower compartments in the connector housing
2
. The connector housing
2
has an outer wall
7
formed with an arm
9
having a lock protrusion
8
. In a forward part of the connector housing
2
, there are provided side walls
10
,
10
and an insertion space
12
that is defined so as to pass through partitions
11
separating the terminal accommodating chambers
6
for receiving the circuit board
4
.
The receptacle terminal
3
has an electrical contact portion
13
and a wire connection portion
14
disposed adjacent to the electrical contact portion
13
. The electrical contact portion
13
has a resilient contact piece
16
defined by a forward part of a base plate
15
thereof. The base plate
15
has locking holes
18
each engaged with one of lock protrusions
17
provided in the terminal accommodating chambers
6
. Furthermore, the wire connection portion
14
is so configured as to crimp an electrical wire
19
.
The circuit board
4
is provided with a plurality of short rectangular terminal connection portions
20
in the upper and rear faces thereof. Each terminal connection portion
20
is disposed so as to contact the resilient contact piece
16
of each receptacle terminal
3
. The circuit board
4
is formed with a cutout
21
in its fore end.
The instrument furnished case
5
has a recess
22
for receiving a lower forward part of the connector housing
2
. The recess
22
is formed with a lock opening
23
engageable with the lock protrusion
8
of the arm
9
.
In the above-described prior-art, the connector
1
is electrically connected to the circuit board
4
and is removably attached to the instrument furnished case
5
with ease.
However, for example, if there is a warp or a deformation in the circuit board
4
, the terminal connection portion
20
would not contact all the receptacle terminals
3
or would not obtain a sufficient contact force therebetween when the circuit board
4
is inserted in the connector housing
2
. This is a disadvantage of the above-described prior art. The receptacle terminal
3
is made of an electrically conductive material so that it is difficult to keep enough resilience to complement the warp or deformation. Thus, the electrical connector
1
decreases in reliability of electrical connection.
In addition, if the receptacle terminal
3
is made of a material having a more reliable resilience, the receptacle terminal
3
may decrease in electrical conductivity.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the above-described disadvantage, an object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector that can complement a warp or deformation of an associated opposing circuit board to establish an improved electrical connection thereto.
For achieving the above-described object, in a first aspect of the present invention, an electrical connector includes a connector housing, at least one terminal, and an elastic member. The connector housing has a holder arm for receiving the terminal and has first and second insertion spaces therein. The terminal has an electrical contact portion that contacts a terminal connection portion of a circuit board. The elastic member is inserted into the second insertion space so as to exert a force on the holder arm toward the first insertion space against deflection of the holder arm due to insertion of the circuit board into the first insertion space.
The holder arm has a flexibility so as to deflect perpendicularly to the insertion direction of the circuit board. The first and second insertion spaces are separated by the holder arm inside an outer wall of the connector housing. The electrical contact portion of the terminal can come into electrical contact with the terminal connection portion of the circuit board when the first insertion space has received the circuit board.
The connector having such a configuration can complement the terminal even if there is a warp or deformation in the circuit board. That is, for example, when the circuit board warps at each end portion thereof to become an arc shape, the circuit board can exert a sufficient force on the holder arm by way of the terminal.
In such a state, a prior-art terminal having insufficient resilience would provide different contact forces against such a circuit board between at the middle part and at each side part thereof. In the present invention, the holder arm having the flexible holder arm is pushed by the elastic member to complement the terminal against the warp or deformation of the circuit board. This allows to maintain a sufficient contact force between the terminal and the circuit board.
Thus configured connector does not require a terminal having a higher resilience but allows a terminal having a sufficient electrical conductivity. This improves significantly the terminal in reliable electrical contact with the circuit board.
In a second aspect of the electrical connector as described in the first aspect, the electrical connector has a plurality of the holder arms each corresponding to each of a plurality of said terminals.
Thus defined holder arms each complement each terminal in respect of the warp or deformation of the circuit board. This accomplishes a secure contact force between each terminal and the circuit board.
In a third aspect of the electrical connector as described in the first aspect, the elastic member is a spring piece that is formed by bending a short rectangular strip at an intermediate portion thereof.
The elastic member is fabricated with a low cost and can be easily inserted and mounted in the connector housing.
In a fourth aspect of the electrical connector as described in the third aspect, the spring piece has a plurality of transversely spaced resilient fingers so that the elastic member may be mounted in the connector housing by a onetime minimum work.
In a fifth aspect of the electrical connector as described in the first aspect, the electrical contact portion of the terminal is formed in a resilient arc shape so as to deflect the holder arm toward the second insertion space.
The arc-shaped electrical contact portion of the terminal allows a better electrical contact with the circuit board. The elastic member can be determined with ease in resilience.
In a sixth aspect of the electrical connector as described in the first aspect, the connector housing has an outer wall provided with a resilient arm having a lock protrusion that can engage with a lock opening of an associated connector receiving recess.
The provision of the resilient arm having the lock protrusion assures connection between the connector and the circuit board side and also allows an easy disengagement thereof.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4493526 (1985-01-01), Masuda
patent: 4846729 (1989-07-01), Hikami et al.
patent: 5203725 (1993-04-01), Brunker et al.
patent: 5460546 (1995-10-01), Kunishi et al.
patent: 5489216 (1996-02-01), Matsushita et al.
patent: 5769673 (1998-06-01), Ohta et al.
patent: 5975946 (1999-11-01), Watanabe
patent: 42 40 547 C2 (1993-06-01), None
Japanese U.M. Reg. Appln. laid-open No. 55-164783 published Nov. 26, 1999.
Japanese U.M. Reg. Appln. laid-open No. 57-136191 published Aug. 25, 1
Armstrong, Westerman Hattori, McLeland & Naughton
Gellner Michael L.
Lee Kyung S.
Yazaki -Corporation
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