Electrical connector couple having mating indication device

Details Electrical connector couple having mating indication device Electrical connector couple having mating indication device

2001-12-04

2002-10-29

Paumen, Gary F. (Department: 2833)

Electrical connectors

With indicating or identifying provision

Connection indicating provision

C439S074000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06471539

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electrical connectors, especially to an electrical connector couple having mating indication device for indicating mating situation between the connector couple.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventional board to board (BTB) connector assembly comprises a first connector and a second connector. Due to space limitation, the configuration of the BTB connector is small and this results in that housing of the BTB connector is fragile, whereby when the first and second connectors are mating, inappropriate mating force will damage the connectors. The conventional BTB connector cannot indicate the mating situation of the connectors, so there will be two undesired conditions. One condition is that the connector has mated completely, but the user does not know and still pushes the BTB connectors together. This may result in damage of contacts and even housing of the BTB connector. The second condition is that the connector has not mated completely, but the user does not know and stops pushing the BTB connectors together. This may result in failure of electrical connection between the first and second connectors.
In Taiwan patent Application No. 84218771, a BTB connector is disclosed. However, when two such connectors are mated, the user cannot determine whether the connector couple (i.e., the two connectors) has completely mated, and this can result in the two conditions described above. Therefore, a BTB connector with mating situation indicating device is desired to overcome the shortcoming of the conventional BTB connector.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector couple having a mating indication device for indicating the mating situation of the connector couple.
To achieve the above object, an electrical connector in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a first connector and a second connector. The first connector comprises a first insulative housing and a plurality of first contacts. The first insulative housing has a plurality of contact-receiving passages. At least one contact-receiving passage is defined as locating slot. The locating slot comprises a first and second portions which are separated apart from each other along a horizon direction. The locating slot does not receive any first contact. The second connector comprises a second insulative housing and a plurality of second contacts. The second contact corresponding to the locating slot is defined as locating contact. During mating the first and the second connectors, the locating contact engages the locating slot to produce an audible indication by deflecting from the first portion to the second portion and hitting the second portion.


REFERENCES:
patent: 5167528 (1992-12-01), Nishiyama et al.
patent: 5904581 (1999-05-01), Pope et al.
patent: 6250935 (2001-06-01), Mochizuki et al.

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