High-speed electrical connector

Details High-speed electrical connector High-speed electrical connector

2001-12-14

2002-08-27

Ta, Tho D. (Department: 2833)

Electrical connectors

With insulation other than conductor sheath

Metallic connector or contact secured to insulation

C439S857000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06439934

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the art of electrical connectors, and more particularly to a high-speed electrical connector having retention mechanism for retaining contacts in a housing of the connector.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A conventional high-speed electrical connector
500
commonly has a plurality of electrical contacts
52
as shown in
FIGS. 4-5
, each of which has a press-fit retaining portion
524
. When the connector
5
is mounted to a printed circuit board (PCB)
53
, the retaining portions
524
of the contacts
52
are inserted into through holes
531
in the PCB
53
. Each through hole
531
has a diameter less than a dimension of the retaining portion
524
. The connector
500
can be mounted on the PCB
53
by pressing the retaining portions
524
of the contacts
52
into the through holes
531
without additional soldering process.
When the connector
5
is mounted to the PCB
53
, the retaining portions
524
of the contacts
52
confront sidewalls of the PCB
53
around the through holes. The contacts
52
are retained in passageways
513
of the housing
51
by barbs
523
protruding from opposite sides of each contact
52
. However, the barbs
523
are insufficient to securely retain the contacts
52
in the passageways
513
if the insertion force during the mating process is too high. The contacts
52
will slide upwardly along the passageways
513
as the housing
51
is pressed toward the PCB
53
, which leads to the contacting portion
521
of the contacts
52
resisting an inner face
518
of a top wall of the housing
51
. Under such condition, the contacting portions
521
will bias from their proper position, thereby failing to electrically connect with corresponding contacts of a mating connector (not shown). In addition, the insertion force acted on the retaining portion
524
of the contact
52
may subject the retaining portion
524
to a force in a direction perpendicular to the insertion direction which alters the pitch of the contacts thereby adversely affecting insertion of the contacts
52
into the holes
531
defined in the PCB
53
.
Therefore, an improved connector and compliant contacts are required having an improved retention mechanism for retaining the contacts within a housing of the connector without undue deformation of the contacts.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an improved connector with contacts having retaining mechanisms for positioning the contacts in true positions when the connector is mounted to a PCB.
In order to achieve the object set forth, an electrical connector in accordance with the present invention includes an insulative housing defining a plurality of passageways therethrough and a plurality of contacts received in the passageways. Each passageway has an indentation in an inner wall thereof forming a downwardly facing stopping surface. Each contact has a base portion and a pair of arm portions received in the passageway of the housing and a press-fit tail portion extending downwardly from the bottom surface of the housing. A retaining portion is defined between the base portion and the tail portion. Each retaining portion has a pair of retaining arms extending from opposite ends of the retaining portion and resisting against the stopping surface of the indentation of the passageway. Thus, when the contacts of the connector are inserted into through holes in a PCB, the contacts are prevented by the indentations from sliding upwardly along the passageways.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will be drawn from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the present invention with attached drawings, in which:
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is an exploded view of an electrical connector in accordance with the present invention together with a PCB;
FIG. 2
is a cross-sectional view of the electrical connector, taken along line II—II of
FIG. 1
;
FIG. 3
is a perspective view of a contact of the electrical connector of
FIG. 1
;
FIG. 4
is an exploded view of a conventional electrical connector together with a PCB; and
FIG. 5
is a cross-sectional view of the connector and the PCB taken along line V—V of FIG.
4
.


REFERENCES:
patent: 3621444 (1971-11-01), Stein
patent: 6171126 (2002-01-01), Wu et al.

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