Electrical connectors – With supporting means for coupling part – Having resilient means engaging panel opening
Reexamination Certificate
2001-07-16
2001-12-18
Ta, Tho D. (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
With supporting means for coupling part
Having resilient means engaging panel opening
C439S378000, C439S374000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06331122
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrical connector, and particularly to an electrical connector having a reduced longitudinal dimension.
2. Description of the Related Art
Computers are widely used in the fields of E-commerce, E-business, Home network, internet work station and so on. Each computer has a data storage center, e.g. hard disk, where computer software and business data information are saved. When the computer runs, the computer Central Processing Unit (CPU) continuously accesses the hard disk and takes data from the hard disk or saves data to the hard disk. The CPU is commonly connected to the hard disk via flat flexible cables (FFCs) and FFC connectors assembled to opposite ends of the FPCs. For compatibility, the hard disk driver interfaces are standardized. There are many hard disk driver interface standards and the SCSI families and ATA families are the most famous in the last decade. The electrical connector used in hard disk driver must comply with the corresponding interface standards. Last year, an organization, called the Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) Working Group and set up by APT Technologies Inc, Dell Computer Corporation, International Business Machines, Intel Corporation, Maxtor Corporation, Quantum Corporation, and Seagate Technology released a specification to define the SATA interface and the corresponding connectors. The specification defines a first type of SATA connector connecting to a cable and a second type of SATA connector mounting to a printed circuit board (PCB).
The second type of SATA connector defined by the specification includes an insulative housing, a plurality of contacts received in the housing and two board locks fixed to the housing for attaching the connector to the PCB. The housing provides a guiding post on each one of two opposite side faces of the housing for guiding the connector to mate with a mating connector. The housing also provides a retention portion on each of the opposite side faces connected to a corresponding guiding post. Since the guiding post is connected to the corresponding retention portion, the retention portion must further outwardly extend a certain distance beyond an outermost surface of the guiding post to provide a base for retaining the corresponding board lock. Thus, the connector has a relatively larger dimension. This design does not answer for the small dimension requirement in computer industry. Hence, an improved electrical connector is required to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector having a reduced longitudinal dimension.
To obtain the above object, an electrical connector includes an insulative housing, a number of contacts received in the housing and a pair of board locks attached to opposite side faces of the housing. The housing provides a pair of guiding blocks and a pair of retention portions outwardly extending from the side faces of the housing. The guiding blocks are located above the retention portions and a space is defined between each guiding block and a corresponding retention portion for facilitating assembly of the board lock to the retention portion. Each retention portion does not extend beyond a plane defined by an outermost surface of the guiding block in a longitudinal direction of the housing and the board lock is located between the outermost surface of the guiding block and the corresponding side face of the housing, thereby minimizing the longitudinal dimension of the connector.
As details of the above description, the blocks are integrally formed adjacent a mating surface of the housing and each has a section extending beyond the mating surface to sever as a guiding means. The retention portions are integrally formed adjacent the mounting surface of the housing and each has a section extending beyond the mounting surface to serve as a stand-off. Each retention portion defines a groove for securely receiving the corresponding fastener therein.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present embodiment when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4993965 (1991-02-01), Eck
patent: 5466171 (1995-11-01), Bixler et al.
patent: 6093046 (2000-07-01), Chiou et al.
Chung Wei Te
Hon Hai - Precision Ind. Co., Ltd.
Ta Tho D.
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