Blind mate connector

Details Blind mate connector Blind mate connector

2000-04-20

2001-11-13

Paumen, Gary F. (Department: 2833)

Electrical connectors

With supporting means for coupling part

Coupling part or mating part extending into panel opening

C439S378000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06315606

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a blind mate connector in which a guiding means is formed on the blind mate connector to facilitate interconnection with a complementary connector.
2. The Prior Art
Blind mate connectors are used popularly for interconnection between two units of cables or between one unit of cable and a printed circuit board. Such connectors are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,342,221, where a male connector having a plurality of silos arranged in rows and extending from a front face thereof is engageable with a female connector having corresponding number of receptacles for mating with the silos. Since the silos of the male connector in rows have to be simultaneously inserted into the receptacles of the female connector, a registration procedure needs to be performed before engaging the male and female connectors thus causing inconvenience and time consuming. It is requisite to improve the structure of the blind mate connectors for solving the above problem.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The primary purpose of the present invention is to provide an improved blind mate connector which can be properly engaged with a complementary connector easily.
One aspect of the present invention is to provide a male connector having a dielectric housing which includes a rear surface and an opposite mating surface. A spacer plate integrally traverses an intermediate portion of the first housing. A pair of guiding posts extends from the spacer plate and beyond an imaginary plane of the mating surface of the dielectric housing for firstly engaging with a complementary connector when the male connector is initially engaged with a complementary connector.
Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a wire-to-board connection system comprising a male connector module and a female connector module connected to the male connector module, wherein the male connector module has a male connector fixed to a first board and the female connector module has a female connector fixed to a second board. The male connector comprises a first housing having a rear surface from which a plurality of electrical wires extend and a mating surface opposite to the rear surface, a spacer plate integrally traversing an intermediate portion of the first housing, and a pair of guiding posts extending from the spacer plate and beyond an imaginary plane of the mating surface of the first housing. The female connector comprises a second housing defining a reception cavity having two end portions for firstly receiving the two guiding posts of the male connector and a center portion for successively and immediately receiving a half portion of the first housing of the male connector when the male connector is engaged with the female connector.
Further another aspect of the present invention is to provide a wire-to-wire connection system comprising a male connector module adapted to engage with a female connector module, wherein the male connector module has a male connector fixed to a first board and the female connector module has a female connector fixed to a second board. The male connector comprises a first housing having a rear surface from which a plurality of first wires extend and a mating surface opposite to the rear surface, a spacer plate integrally traversing an intermediate portion of the first housing, and a pair of guiding posts extending from the spacer plate and beyond an imaginary plane of the mating surface of the first housing. The female connector comprises a second rear housing from which a plurality of second wires extend and a second front housing defining a reception cavity having two end portions for firstly receiving the two guiding posts of the male connector and a center portion for successively and immediately receiving a half portion of the first housing of the male connector when the male connector is engaged with the female connector.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4988308 (1991-01-01), Toedtman
patent: 5312264 (1994-05-01), Thomas et al.
patent: 5391091 (1995-02-01), Nations
patent: 5810614 (1998-09-01), Ruch

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