Plug electrical connector

Details Plug electrical connector Plug electrical connector

2000-06-22

2001-11-20

Paumen, Gary (Department: 2833)

Electrical connectors

With coupling movement-actuating means or retaining means in...

Retaining means

Reexamination Certificate

active

06319040

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a plug electrical connector, and particularly to a plug connector with a reduced width.
Electrical components in a computer need to be smaller, thinner and shorter to meet the developmental trend toward miniaturization in computers. U.S. Pat. No. 5,934,942 discloses a prior art electrical connector
1
′ as shown in FIG.
4
. The electrical connector
1
′ comprises a base
20
′, an insulative housing
30
′ receiving a plurality of conductive contacts
50
′ and being partially received in the base
20
′, an upper cover
10
′ mating with the base
20
′ and a pair of latching members
40
′ partially retained in the base
20
′. Each latching member
40
′ comprises a retaining portion
42
′ retained in a slot (not labeled) defined in the base
20
′ and a resilient portion
41
′ extending from and aligned with the retaining portion
42
′. A barb (not shown) is formed on a free end of the resilient portion
41
′ of each latching member
40
′ for latching the electrical connector
1
′ with a mating connector (not shown). The upper cover
10
′ comprises a pressing portion
11
′ stamped and formed for pressing the resilient portions
41
′ of the latching members
40
′. In use, the pressing portion
11
′ is pressed downward against the resilient portions
41
′, causing the resilient portions
41
′ to bend downward. Thus, the barbs of the resilient portions
41
′ will bend downward at the same time to facilitate extraction of the plug connector
1
′ out of the mating connector. It can been easily seen that the width of the pressing portion
11
′ needs to be wider than the distance between the pair of resilient portions
41
′, and thus the width of the retaining portions
42
′ of the latching members
40
′, which unavoidably causes the entire electrical connector
1
′ to need a large overall width to accommodate the pressing portion
11
′.
Hence, an improved electrical connector is required to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art electrical connector.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A main object of the present invention is to provide a plug electrical connector having a reduced width.
A plug electrical connector of the present invention comprises an insulative housing, a plurality of conductive contacts received therein, a base defining a receiving space for receiving the housing, a cable end extending into the receiving space for electrical connection with the contacts, a pair of latching members and a cover. The latching members are received in a pair of slots defined in opposite side walls of the base and each comprises an upper lock arm and a lower retaining arm separated from the upper arm by a slit. The upper lock arm comprises a tab at a middle portion thereof and a barb at a free end thereof to latch with a mating connector. The tab extends first upward and then inward toward the receiving space of the base and then extends straight upward, thus forming an inclined transition portion and an abutment above the transition portion. The cover defines an operating portion for pressing the abutments and thus needs to be slightly wider than the distance between the abutments. Since the abutments are located inward with respect to the lock arms, respectively, the width of the cover and the base which designate an overall width of the plug connector can be reduced accordingly, in comparison with the conventional plug connector.


REFERENCES:
patent: 5934942 (1999-08-01), Patel et al.
patent: 6113413 (2000-09-01), Cronin et al.
patent: 6132231 (2000-10-01), Suzuki
patent: 6132233 (2000-10-01), Fukuda
patent: 6146180 (1999-08-01), Betker et al.

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