Electrical connectors – With supporting means for coupling part – Having resilient means engaging panel opening
Reexamination Certificate
2002-07-08
2003-06-03
Ta, Tho D. (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
With supporting means for coupling part
Having resilient means engaging panel opening
C439S079000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06572404
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a board lock for locking or securing two components, such as an electrical connector and a printed circuit board (PCB) together.
2. Description of Related Art
Electrical connectors always should be mounted on PCBs to electrically connect with other electrical elements. Generally, the electrical connectors have mounting devices, such like board locks for securing the electrical connectors to the PCBs. Referring to
FIG. 7
of the present application, a board lock
6
is received in a housing
5
of an electrical connector and mounted on a PCB
7
. The board lock
6
has a body portion
63
engaging with the housing
5
and a pair of legs
61
extending downwardly from the body portion
63
. The two legs
61
each have an outwardly extending barb
62
. The legs run through a through hole
71
defined in the PCB
7
and the barbs
62
abut against a bottom surface
72
of the PCB
7
. Thus, the board lock
6
locks the housing
5
of the connector on the PCB
7
.
However, when a distance D from a mating face of the connector to the leg
61
is long, the connector is likely to rotate relative to the PCB
7
about direction A when the connector is subject to a mating force from a mated complementary connector. The rotation adversely affects the soldering joints (hence the electrical connections) between the connector and the PCB
7
.
To solve the problem mentioned above, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/938,442 invented by the same inventor and assigned to the same assignee of the instant invention, discloses an improved board lock having two pairs of legs extending downwardly from the body section of the board lock. The two pairs of legs are received in two corresponding through holes of the PCB to prevent the connector from rotating when the connector is mated with a complementary connector. However, the design of the two pairs of legs is relatively complex and the PCB must be provided with more through holes. Hence, a further improved board lock is required to overcome the disadvantages of the conventional board locks.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an objective of the present invention to provide a board lock for preventing an electrical connector from rotating relative to a PCB on which the electrical connector is mounted, when the connector is subject to a push force coming from a mated complementary connector.
In order to achieve the object above-mentioned, a board lock in accordance with the present invention for holding an electrical connector to a PCB comprises a body section. The body section has a first end and a second end. The first end has a connector engaging portion for engaging into the connector. The second end has a pair of legs extending downwardly therefrom and adapted to extend into the PCB, and an additional beam extending downwardly therefrom adapted for abutting against an edge of the PCB. Each of the legs has an outer edge and a latch portion extending laterally from the outer edge adapted to latch to a bottom surface of the PCB. The additional beam also has a latch portion extending laterally toward the legs and adapted to latch the bottom surface of the PCB.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4681389 (1987-07-01), Nakazawa et al.
patent: 5468154 (1995-11-01), Yip et al.
patent: 5827089 (1998-10-01), Beck, Jr.
patent: 6012931 (2000-01-01), Michaux et al.
patent: 6257925 (2001-07-01), Jones
patent: 6280255 (2001-08-01), Wu et al.
patent: 6454599 (2002-09-01), Wu
Chung Wei Te
Hon Hai - Precision Ind. Co., Ltd.
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