Electrical connectors – With coupling movement-actuating means or retaining means in... – Coupling part for receiving edge of planar board moving...
Patent
1996-09-06
1998-10-27
Vu, Hien
Electrical connectors
With coupling movement-actuating means or retaining means in...
Coupling part for receiving edge of planar board moving...
439570, H01R 1362
Patent
active
058270850
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to an electrical connector and a metal latch thereof, and more particularly to a connector for electrically connecting one circuit board with another and a metal latch used in the connector.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Various electric connectors for connecting a main board with a sub-board, such as a single in-line memory module etc., are well known. For example, an electric connector disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Application "KOKAI" Publication No. 2-95183 (Japanese Utility Model Application No. 1-4128) comprises a resin housing to be attached to a main board, and a pair of metal latches for engaging with a sub-board.
An opening for receiving the sub-board is formed in an upper surface of the housing, and contact terminals for contacting the main and sub-boards with each other are arranged in the opening. Each of the metal latches is constituted by an engaging portion to be engaged with one of longitudinal ends of the housing, a spring portion projecting upward from the engaging portion, and a latch portion extending from she spring portion to be engaged with the sub-board. The engaging portion has a three-dimensional shape having three inner surfaces which contact the upper and both longitudinally side surfaces of the housing.
The metal latch is fixed to the housing by engaging the engaging portion with the housing, such that the engaging portion clamps the housing in a width direction of the housing. The sub-board is obliquely inserted into the opening, and then is rotated so as to be positioned between the pair of latches. During this step, the latches are pressed outward by side edges of the sub-board to be elastically bent in a direction in which the distance between the latches is increased. Then, when the sub-board reaches a predetermined position between the latches, the latches are elastically restored to an initial shape and clamp the sub-board. As a result, the sub-board is maintained in the predetermined position.
However, to attach the metal latch to the housing, it is necessary to press the three inner surfaces of the engaging portion of the metal latch against the upper and both side surfaces of the housing with strong force and this attachment requires force in three directions. For this reason, the process of attaching the metal latch to the housing is complicated and requires much time.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide an electric connector in which a metal latch can be easily attached to a housing. Another object of the present invention is to provide a metal latch which can be easily attached to a housing.
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electric connector for connecting a first circuit board to a second circuit board through a plurality of contact terminals. The electric connector comprises an integrally molded non-conductive housing and a pair of metal latches attached to the housing, each latch being formed of one piece of metal.
The housing includes an elongated opening being provided with the plurality of contact terminals and being adapted to receive the second circuit board, a restricting wall for restricting a rotation of the second circuit board when the second circuit board is inserted in the opening, and attachment posts respectively mounted at one and the other end portions of the opening.
Each attachment post is provided with a slot defined by four walls to have a rectangular cross section, and a main wall of the four walls, located nearer to the corresponding one end portion of the opening than the other three walls and opposed to the corresponding one end portion of the opening, has an engaging projection projecting in the slot with gaps being produced between the engaging projection and the two walls located on both sides of the main wall.
Each metal latch includes a fork portion shaped to be engaged with the engaging projection and the gaps located at both sides of the engaging projection in the slot of the housing,
REFERENCES:
patent: 5169333 (1992-12-01), Yang Lee
patent: 5174779 (1992-12-01), Chung
Berg Techology, Inc.
Vu Hien
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