Connector with securely retained contacts

Details Connector with securely retained contacts Connector with securely retained contacts

1999-11-29

2001-08-07

Paumen, Gary F. (Department: 2833)

Electrical connectors

With insulation other than conductor sheath

Plural-contact coupling part

C439S607070

Reexamination Certificate

active

06270379

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrical connector, and particularly to an improved electrical connector for electrically connecting a mating connector to a printed circuit board.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Examples of prior art connectors are disclosed in Taiwan patent application Nos. 84213272, 85210936, 85218284 and 86218866. Referring to
FIG. 11
, a conventional connector comprises an insulative housing
5
, a plurality of contacts
6
and a shield
7
. A plurality of contact receiving slots
51
are provided through the housing
5
for receiving the corresponding contacts
6
. Each contact
6
includes a retention portion
62
, a spring contact portion
63
for connecting with a mating connector, a solder tail
61
downwardly extending from the retention portion
62
for soldering to a printed circuit board. The connector defines a rectangular ring opening
52
in a top surface thereof wherein a mating connector may be inserted.
In the conventional connector described above, the contacts
6
have only the retention section
62
fixing then in the receiving slots
51
of the housing
5
so that they may be easily displaced from their position in the receiving slots
51
. The contact section
63
of each
62
contact is forwardly bent from the retention section so that there is a general U-shaped transition between the retention section
62
and the spring section
63
. When a mating connector is repeatedly inserted into the connector the U-shaped transition
65
may lose resiliency and permanently deform, thus causing poor electrical connection between the contact
6
and a terminal in a mating connector.
Accordingly, an improved electrical connector is required to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A first object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector whose contacts include a device for being received and fixed in the housing.
A second object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector having a shield defining a chamfer at the intersection of two walls and adjacent to a solder tab, so that solder area is increased and the soldering contact thus strengthened.
In view of the foregoing, the present invention includes an insulating housing, a plurality of contacts and a shield. The housing comprises a body portion defining a receiving cavity in a rear side thereof and a protruding portion at a front side thereof. The protruding portion defines a plurality of contact holding slots extending from the front wall of the body portion. A latching shelf is formed in a front portion of each of the holding slots in the protruding portion, each latching shelf extending rearward into a corresponding holding slot. Each contact includes a base section received in the contact receiving cavity, a solder tail extending rearward from a rear end of the base section, a horizontal section extending forward from a front end of the base section, and a spring contact section extending upward and rearward from a front end of the horizontal section. The horizontal section is provided at the front thereof with a notch for locking to the latching shelf of the protruding portion so that the contacts are fixed in the housing firmly. The contacts are produced using a stamping process, and the arc-shaped spring contact section has sufficient resiliency so that it does not easily deform when a mating connector is repeatedly inserted into the connector. That is one of advantages and novel features of the present invention. The shield is tabular in shape with a D-shaped cross section. Two pair of solder tabs are formed at a lower sides of the side plates thereof. A chamfer is formed between a bottom plate and each side plate of the plate of the shield adjacent a pair of solder tabs thereby increasing area of the shield.


REFERENCES:
patent: 5643013 (1997-07-01), Weidler et al.
patent: 5785557 (1998-07-01), Davis
patent: 5971809 (1999-10-01), Ho
patent: 5975954 (1999-11-01), Wu et al.
patent: 5993263 (1999-11-01), Sampson
patent: 6007379 (1999-12-01), Michaelis et al.
patent: 6007382 (1999-12-01), Wu

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Connector with securely retained contacts does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

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

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2487579