Device bay connector

Details Device bay connector Device bay connector

1998-10-29

2001-01-09

Bradley, Paula (Department: 2833)

Electrical connectors

With insulation other than conductor sheath

Metallic connector or contact secured to insulation

C439S381000, C439S598000, C439S599000, C439S695000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06171154

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a connector, and more particularly to a Device Bay connector having an alignment plate for ensuring correct alignment of contact pins assembled therein.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
Device Bay is a new form factor standard proposed by the Device Bay promoters, Compaq, Microsoft and Intel that leverages off two emerging industry standard serial interfaces USB and IEEE 1394. The Device Bay enables ease-of-use, modular expansion and security among other benefits. For manufacturers, Device Bay enables architectural flexibility. Device Bay can be implemented in many applications such as desktop/laptop computers, workstation, servers, consumer electronics, test/measurement, data acquisition, industrial control, medical, etc. Buckhead receptacle connector is used on systems with one or two bays where the bays opening are facing toward different directions of the system. Example Device Bays implementation please refer to FIG. 2, Page 8 of Device Bay Design Guide [V0.4 Draft], or web site http://www.device-bay.org/.
As shown in
FIGS. 1 and 2
, the buckhead receptacle connector
90
includes a power plug connector
91
for connection with a receptacle connector
92
. The Buckhead connector
90
further includes insulation displacement sections
95
for termination with a flat cable
96
. The Buckhead connector
90
forms a mating portion
97
for connection with a complementary connector (not shown).
The plug connector
91
utilizes a contact
91
a
having a U-shaped header portion
91
b
and a plate portion
91
c
. Three cantilevered arms
91
d
extend from the plate portion
91
c
for connecting with a complementary connector (not shown). In order to assemble the contact
91
a
to the plug connector
91
, the plug connector
91
defines six (6) passageways
91
f
for securely receiving the contacts
91
a
therein, as shown in
FIGS. 3 and 4
. Each passageway
91
f
defines a main channel
91
g
for receiving the header portion
91
b
, a flat channel
91
h
for receiving the plate portion
91
c
, and three channels
91
i
for receiving cantilevered arms
91
d
. In order to facilitate insertion of the contact
91
a
into the corresponding passageway
91
f,
the dimension of the passageway
91
f
is larger than the dimension of the contact
91
a
. Furthermore, in order to prevent the cantilevered arms
91
d
from being deformed during assembly, the contact
91
a
must be inserted into the passageway
91
f
along direction A. However, after insertion the header portion
91
b
can be moved transversely because clearance exists between walls of the header portion
91
b
and inner walls of the passageway
91
f
. If the header portion
91
b
is shifted from a correct position, engagement between the header portion
91
b
and the complementary receptacle (not shown) will be hindered.
FIG. 5
is a cross sectional view showing two contacts
91
a
assembled within the passageways
91
f
wherein lower portions of the header portions
91
b
are not firmly supported by the housing of the plug connector.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An objective of this invention is to provide a connector having an alignment plate for ensuring correct alignment of contact pins thereof.
Another objective of this invention is to provide a connector having an alignment plate assembled therein for enhancing engagement of contact pins with a housing of said connector.
In order to achieve the objectives set forth, an electrical connector comprises a dielectric housing defining a front face and a rear face opposite the front face. A mating portion extends from the rear face for mating with a complementary connector. A first contact section is integrally formed on the front face for connecting with a first connector. A second contact section is integrally formed on the front face for connecting with a second connector and includes at least a contact pin extending beyond the front face. An alignment plate having an opening for insertion of the contact pin is assembled to the front face for securely positioning the contact pin.
According to one aspect of a first embodiment of the present invention, a peripheral wall extends from the front face defining a receiving space for surrounding the contact pin therein and the alignment plate is interferentially engaged with inner faces of the peripheral wall. Recesses are defined in an inner face of the wall for retention of tabs of the alignment plate.
According to another aspect of the first embodiment of the present invention, the front face defines a recess for securely retaining the alignment plate therein and a pair of clips extend into the recess for retention of the alignment plate.
According to a second embodiment of the present invention, an electrical connector comprises a dielectric housing defining a front face and a rear face opposite the front face. A mating portion extends from the rear face for mating with a complementary connector. A first contact section is integrally formed on the front face for connecting with a first connector. A second contact section is integrally formed on the front face for connecting with a second connector and includes at least a pair of contact pins extending beyond the front face. An alignment plate having at least a pair of openings for insertion of the contact pins is assembled to the contact pins by interferential engagement between inner faces of the opening and body portions of the contact pins.
According to one aspect of the second embodiment of the present invention, a peripheral wall extends from the front face defining a receiving space for surrounding the contact pin therein. The alignment plate is interferentially engaged with inner faces of the peripheral wall. Recesses are defined in the inner faces of the wall for retention of tabs of the alignment plate.
These and additional objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent after reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention taken in conjunction with the appended drawings.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4721478 (1988-01-01), Sonobe

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