Electrical connector retention device

Details Electrical connector retention device Electrical connector retention device

1999-09-21

2001-01-02

Paumen, Gary F. (Department: 2833)

Electrical connectors

With supporting means for coupling part

Having resilient means engaging panel opening

Utility Patent

active

06168463

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an electrical connector retention device for retaining an electrical connector on a circuit board.
Electrical connectors are generally connected to a circuit board by board locks. Referring to
FIG. 1
, a conventional board lock
7
comprises a base
71
and a pair of spring legs
72
extending from one edge of the base
71
with a gap
74
defined therebetween. A projection
73
is provided at a free end of each leg
72
. Accordingly, an electrical connector mounted to a circuit board
9
comprises a dielectric housing
8
having a pair of recesses
81
. The housing
8
further defines a cavity
83
in communication with the recess
81
and a shoulder
82
between the cavity
83
and the recess
81
. The circuit board
9
defines a pair of through holes
91
corresponding to the cavities
83
of the housing
8
. In operation, the board lock
7
joins the housing
8
and the circuit board
9
together with the base
71
received in the recess
81
and the legs
72
extending through both the cavity
83
and the through hole
91
. The base
71
abuts against the shoulder
82
and the projections
73
engage with a bottom face of the circuit board
9
thereby retaining the housing
8
on the circuit board
9
.
However, as seen in
FIG. 2
, the conventional board lock
7
does not function properly when the housing
8
is mounted to another circuit board
9
′ having a smaller thickness than the circuit board
9
. The projections
73
are distanced from a bottom face of the circuit board
9
′. Thus, the board lock
7
is vertically movable and connection between the housing
8
and the circuit board
9
′ is not reliable. Hence, an improved electrical connector is required to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector retention device for mounting a connector to circuit boards having different thicknesses.
Accordingly, an electrical connector retention device for retaining a connector on a circuit board comprises a mounting portion connected to a housing of the connector and an engaging portion received in an aperture of the circuit board. The engaging portion comprises first and second legs each having left and right interfering portions positioned at different vertical levels. The interfering portions on the same sides of the first and second legs are also positioned at different vertical levels. When the connector is mounted to a circuit board having a smaller thickness, the interfering portions of the engaging portion positioned at a high vertical level engage with a periphery of the aperture of the housing to establish reliable engagement therebetween. When the connector is mounted to a circuit board having a larger thickness, the interfering portions of the engaging portion positioned at both high and low vertical levels engage with a periphery of the aperture of the housing to establish reliable engagement therebetween.
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: 5407364 (1995-04-01), Tzeng et al.
patent: 5520551 (1996-05-01), Broschard, III
patent: 5591048 (1997-01-01), Hahn
patent: 5664965 (1997-09-01), Clark et al.
patent: 5738541 (1998-04-01), Tseng
patent: 5899771 (1999-05-01), Clark et al.

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