Electrical connector having terminal inserts

Details Electrical connector having terminal inserts Electrical connector having terminal inserts

2001-12-07

2003-09-16

Bradley, P. Austin (Department: 2833)

Electrical connectors

Preformed panel circuit arrangement, e.g., pcb, icm, dip,...

Distinct contact secured to panel circuit

C439S567000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06619968

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 terminal inserts individually assembled for accurately positioning terminals in an insulating housing thereof.
2. Description of Related Art
As shown in
FIG. 6
, a conventional electrical connector comprises an insulating housing
8
including a base
80
and a shroud
82
forwardly projecting from a front face of the base
80
, a spacer
200
located at a rear, lower portion of the housing
8
, and an integral terminal module
90
received in the housing
8
. The housing
8
defines a plurality of terminal receiving channels (not shown) in the shroud
82
, and an opening
84
extending through the base
80
in communication with the terminal receiving channels. The integral terminal module
90
includes a first and a second terminal inserts
91
,
92
interconnected together. The first terminal insert
91
has a first insulating portion
910
with first protrusions
9100
formed on a top face thereof, and a plurality of terminals
100
secured to the first insulating portion
910
. The second terminal insert
92
has a second insulating portion
920
with second protrusions (not shown) formed on a bottom face thereof, and a plurality of terminals
100
secured to the second insulating portion
920
. The first and the second terminal inserts
91
,
92
are fixed together via locking members (not shown) formed on a bottom face of the first insulating portion
910
and a top face of the second insulating portion
920
. The terminals
100
are assembled to the housing
8
by inserting the integral terminal module
90
into the opening
84
to reach a position in which the first protrusions
9100
and the second protrusions fit into corresponding holes
800
defined in the base
80
, mating portions
100
a
of the terminals
100
are received in the receiving channels, and tail portions
100
b
of the terminals
100
extend through the spacer
200
.
However, the inevitable assembling tolerance between the first and the second terminal inserts
91
,
92
may result in a misalignment between the mating portions
100
a
of the terminals
100
and the terminal receiving channels, thus making the terminals
100
incorrectly and unreliably positioned in the housing
8
. As a result, the electrical connection between the electrical connector and a complementary connector may be adversely affected.
Hence, an electrical connector having terminal inserts individually assembled is required to overcome the disadvantages of the related art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, the main object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector having terminal inserts individually assembled for accurately positioning terminals in terminal receiving channels of an insulating housing thereof.
In order to achieve the object set forth, an electrical connector in accordance with the present invention comprises an insulating housing defining a plurality of terminal receiving channels and a first and a second openings in communication with the terminal receiving channels, and a pair of terminal inserts respectively inserted into the first and the second openings. Each terminal insert includes an insulating portion and a plurality of terminals retained in the insulating portion. The insulating portion is formed with a plurality of protrusions on a top and a bottom faces thereof. Each terminal includes a mating portion received in a corresponding terminal receiving channel of the housing. The housing defines a plurality of holes and the partition defines a plurality of recesses on a top and a bottom faces thereof for locking the protrusions of the terminal inserts therein. The partition is formed with a plurality of ribs on a top and a bottom faces thereof projecting into the first and the second openings for abutting against the first and the second terminal inserts. Thus, the mating portions of the terminals are accurately positioned in the terminal receiving channels of the housing.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.


REFERENCES:
patent: 6077115 (2000-06-01), Yang et al.
patent: 6203367 (2001-03-01), Wu
patent: 6210218 (2001-04-01), Chang
patent: 6379181 (2002-04-01), Chang et al.

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