Electrical connectors – With coupling movement-actuating means or retaining means in... – Retaining means
Reexamination Certificate
2003-03-20
2004-08-10
Gushi, Ross (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
With coupling movement-actuating means or retaining means in...
Retaining means
Reexamination Certificate
active
06773293
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cable end connector, and particularly to a cable end connector with a locking member for locking with a complementary connector.
2. Description of Related Art
Complementary electrical connectors typically include dielectric housings respectively receiving a plurality of terminals or contacts which, when the connectors are mated, establish an electrical connection therebetween. The complementary connectors may be male and female connectors or plug and receptacle connectors. In some instances, the connectors have complementary latches for locking the connectors together when mated. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,445,534, 5,775,931, 5,924,886 and 6,431,887 disclose different forms of latch structures to provide a reliable mechanical and electrical connection between complementary connectors.
There exists in the art an electrical connector known as a Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (Serial ATA) connector which is generally used for disk drives and storage peripherals. Especially, the Serial ATA connectors according the Serial ATA standard are featured in fewer electrical contacts than other conventional electrical connectors and are relatively tiny in configurations. It is desirable for the Serial ATA connector to have latching means for providing a reliable mechanical and electrical connection with a complementary connector. However, the latch structures disclosed in the above-mentioned patents are not fully suitable for the Serial ATA connector. For example, the latch structure of U.S. Pat. No. 5,445,534 is used for locking a male component in a female housing. The other latch structures are relatively complex or cannot used in the Serial ATA connector because of the specific structure of Serial ATA.
Therefore, assignee of the present application has proposed several solutions to satisfy current demands in, for example, U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 10/301,221, 10/280,515, 10/271,064, and 10/241,551, filed respectively on Nov. 20, 2002, Oct. 24, 2002, Oct. 15, 2002 and Sep. 11, 2002, and respectively entitled “ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR ASSEMBLY HAVING LOCKING MEMBER”, “CABLE END CONNECTOR WITH LOCKING MEMBER”, “CABLE END CONNECTOR WITH LOCKING MEMBER” and “CABLE END CONNECTOR WITH LOCKING MEMBER”.
The Serial ATA cable end connector of the above-mentioned applications generally comprises a housing, a plurality of terminals, a cable comprising a plurality of conductors respectively electrically connecting to the terminals, a cover over-molded with the housing and the cable, and a locking member. The locking member comprises a pushing portion received in a recess of the cover and a locking portion for releasing/locking the cable end connector from/with the complementary connector conveniently by way of the pushing portion. However, sometimes Serial ATA connectors are used in a chassis of a host computer. In such a condition, once the cable end connector has been engaged with the complementary connector, it doesn't need to separate the cable end connector often from the complementary connector. Thus, a suitable type of locking member is needed to satisfy this different demand.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object, therefore, of the present invention is to provide a cable end connector with a locking member for locking the connector with a complementary connector permanently.
In order to achieve the objects set forth, a cable end connector for mating with a complementary connector comprises an insulative housing, a plurality of contacts disposed in the housing, a cable comprising a plurality of conductors electrically connected to the contacts, a cover partially enclosing the housing, and a locking member. The locking member comprises a securing portion fixedly secured to the insulative housing, and a latching portion movably extending from the securing portion and out of the insulative housing for locking with the complementary connector and providing a mechanical connection therebetween.
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: 5435744 (1995-07-01), Derstine et al.
patent: 5445534 (1995-08-01), Ishizuka et al.
patent: 5672071 (1997-09-01), Ceru
patent: 5775931 (1998-07-01), Jones
patent: 5924886 (1999-07-01), Achammer et al.
patent: 6257914 (2001-07-01), Comerci et al.
patent: 6431887 (2002-08-01), Yeomans et al.
patent: 6585536 (2003-07-01), Wu
Chung Wei Te
Gushi Ross
Hon Hai - Precision Ind. Co., Ltd.
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