Electrical connector

Details Electrical connector Electrical connector

2001-03-05

2002-06-11

Paumen, Gary (Department: 2833)

Electrical connectors

With insulation other than conductor sheath

Plural-contact coupling part

C439S607070

Reexamination Certificate

active

06402562

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrical connector, and particularly to an electrical connector which is capable of enduring an accidentally high voltage.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring to
FIG. 4
, a conventional electrical connector
9
comprises an insulative housing
90
, a terminal module
92
and a conductive shield
94
covering at least a top face of the insulative housing
90
. The terminal module
92
comprises a dielectric spacer
920
and a plurality of electrical terminals
921
extending through the dielectric spacer
920
. Each electrical terminal
921
comprises a fixing portion
921
a
embedded in the dielectric spacer
920
, a contacting portion
921
b
extending beyond a front face of the dielectric spacer
920
from one end of the fixing portion
921
a
to electrically connect with electrical terminals of a complementary electrical connector (not shown), and a mounting portion
921
c
extending beyond the dielectric spacer
920
from an opposite end of the fixing portion
921
a
to be mounted to a printed circuit board (not shown). The contacting portions
921
b
of the electrical terminals
921
are bent at an angle relative to the fixing portions
921
a
, thereby defining curved portions
921
d
therebetween. When the terminal module
92
and the conductive shield
94
are assembled with the insulative housing
90
, the curved portions
921
d
of the electrical terminals
921
and a top wall
940
of the conductive shield
94
are separated from each other by air therebetween. The electrical connector
9
can be easily destroyed by an overvoltage condition, such as that caused by a nearly lightning strike, since the dielectric properties of the air between the curved portions
921
d
and the top wall
940
break down under a high voltage. Therefore, an improved electrical connector is desired to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A major object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector which can endure a relatively high voltage generated by lightning strike or other natural or man-made events in the connector's environment.
An electrical connector in accordance with the present invention comprises an insulative housing, first and second terminal modules, first and second covers, a pair of board locks and a conductive shield. The insulative housing comprises a front wall, a pair of side walls, an intermediate wall and a rear wall. The first and second terminal modules each comprises a dielectric spacer and a plurality of electrical terminals extending through the dielectric spacer. The terminal modules and the covers are assembled with the insulative housing and are retained by the side and intermediate walls. The covers abut against the front wall of the insulative housing and each comprises a plurality of passageways accommodating forward portions of electrical terminals extending beyond a front face of the dielectric spacer of one corresponding terminal module. A top wall of the conductive shield is separated from the electrical terminals by the spacers and the covers.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present embodiment when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.


REFERENCES:
patent: 5478261 (1995-12-01), Bogese, II
patent: 5759070 (1998-06-01), Belopolsky
patent: 6010367 (2000-01-01), Wu
patent: 6183308 (2001-02-01), Laity
patent: 6210237 (2001-04-01), Chang
patent: 6213809 (2001-04-01), Viklund

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Electrical connector does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Electrical connector, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Electrical connector will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2892149