Electrical connectors – With supporting means for coupling part – Having resilient means engaging panel opening
Reexamination Certificate
2000-08-24
2001-08-28
Patel, Tulsidas (Department: 2839)
Electrical connectors
With supporting means for coupling part
Having resilient means engaging panel opening
C439S575000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06280246
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a securing structure suitable for securing a connector housing having a plurality of terminals to a printed board for example.
2. Description of Related Art
As a securing structure for a connector of this kind, there are proposed a solder-securing type structure shown in
FIGS. 1
to
3
, and a screw-securing type structure shown in FIG.
4
.
As shown in
FIGS. 1
to
3
, a solder-securing type connector
1
includes a box-like female connector housing
2
provided with substantially U-shaped male terminals
3
projecting from inside to outside of the housing
2
in a plurality of rows.
One ends
3
a
of the male terminals
3
projecting outside from the connector housing
2
are allowed to pass through terminal through holes
4
a
formed in a printed board
4
and secured to the printed board
4
(this portion is shown with a symbol H in the drawings) by solder. The other ends
3
b
of the terminals
3
exposed inside of the connector housing
2
are fitted into female terminals (not shown) of a companion male connector
5
to which a wire harness is connected.
In the case of a screw-securing type connector
6
, as shown in
FIG. 4
, the connector
6
includes a box-like female connector housing
7
provided with substantially bar-like male terminals
8
projecting from inside to outside of the housing
7
in a plurality of rows. A pair of flanges
7
a
and
7
a
projecting from opposite sides of the connector housing
7
are respectively provided with screw inserting holes
7
b
and
7
b.
When the connector
6
is secured to the printed board
4
, one ends
8
a
of the terminals
8
are allowed to pass through terminal through holes
4
a
of the printed board
4
and in this state, screws
9
a
are inserted through screw-insertion holes
7
b
of the pair of flanges
7
a
and
7
a
, and through screw-insertion holes
4
b
and
4
b
of the printed board
4
, and the connector
6
and the printed board
4
are fastened and secured to each other through nuts
9
b
and
9
b.
A similar technique concerning the securing structure of the solder-securing type connector
1
is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-open No. H6-60067.
However, in the case of the above-described conventional securing structure of the solder-securing type connector
1
, an operator must keep holding the connector
1
with his or her hand or a jig etc., so that the connector
1
will not come off until the soldering operation is completed, and the operability is inferior. Further, as shown in
FIG. 3
, the connector
1
and the printed board
4
is secured to each other while a gap t remains therebetween in some cases, and the reliability is inferior.
Further, in the case of the securing structure of the screw-securing type connector
6
, the plurality of separate parts exclusively used for securing operation such as the screws
9
a
,
9
a
and the nuts
9
b
,
9
b
are absolutely necessary and thus, the number of parts is increased, and the weight and cost are increased.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been accomplished to solve the above problems, and it is an object of the invention to provide a securing structure of a connector having excellent operability and reliability in which the number of parts is reduced, its weight and cost are reduced, and a connector housing can easily and reliably be secured to a board.
According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a securing structure of a connector: comprising a connector housing; a terminal projecting outside from the connector housing; and a board having a terminal through hole through which one end of the terminal is inserted; wherein a tip end of the terminal closer to one end is formed with a hook which is bent into inverted V-shape, the hook is passed through the terminal through hole of the board, a tip end of the hook is engaged with a face of the board around the terminal through hole and secured to the board by soldering.
According to this securing structure of the connector, when the connector housing is secured to the board, the hook on the one end of the terminal projecting outward from the connector housing is inserted through the terminal through hole and engaged with the face of the board, the connector housing can be temporarily be secured to the board by inserting the hook on the one end of the terminal projecting outward from the connector housing through the terminal through hole and engaged with the face of the board. Therefore, the one end of the terminal and the board can easily and reliably be soldered to each other. Thus, separate parts used exclusively for securing operation are unnecessary, the number of parts can be reduced correspondingly, the entire weight and costs can be reduced, and the operability and the reliability can be enhanced.
Especially, since the engagement is achieved by the hook
13
which was folded into V-shape, the engagement is less prone to be disengaged, and the temporarily securing force is strong. Thus, if the hook once engages, the temporarily secured state is not disengaged nor loosened, and the soldering operation is facilitated. Further, since the entire hook including space (gap) inside the hook is soldered, the amount of solder is increased, and soldering strength and conductivity are improved.
According to a second aspect of the invention, in the securing structure of a connector of the first aspect, the terminal is made resiliently deformable by bending the entire terminal into substantially U-shape, and the connector housing is biased and pushed against the board by resilience of the entire terminal and resilience of the hook.
According to this securing structure of the connector, the connector housing is pushed and biased toward the board by the resilience of the entire male terminals and the resilience of the hooks, no gap is generated between the connector housing and the printed board when they are temporarily secured to each other, the connector housing can easily and reliably be secured to the board temporarily, and faulty solder is not caused.
According to a third aspect of the invention, in the securing structure of a connector of the first aspect, the terminal is provided plurally and arranged in the connector housing in a plurality of rows, a pair of terminals of the plurality of terminals located at opposite ends of the connector housing are formed with the hooks, the hooks of the pair of terminals are inserted through terminal inserted holes formed in opposite ends of the connector housing and then, the hooks are projected toward the board.
According to this securing structure of the connector, since the hooks of the pair of terminals located at the opposite ends of the connector housing are reliably positioned into the terminal through holes of the board through the terminal insertion holes, it is possible to easily and reliably secure the connector housing to the board temporarily, and the operability and the reliability can further be enhanced.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4676565 (1987-06-01), Reichardt
patent: 5586008 (1996-12-01), Kozel et al.
patent: 5622508 (1997-04-01), Nagahata et al.
patent: 5700159 (1997-12-01), Albeck
patent: 6-60067 (1994-08-01), None
Finnegan Henderson Farabow Garrett & Dunner L.L.P.
Patel Tulsidas
Yazaki -Corporation
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