Stacked electrical connector assembly

Details Stacked electrical connector assembly Stacked electrical connector assembly

1999-12-29

2001-05-22

Paumen, Gary F. (Department: 2833)

Electrical connectors

With supporting means for coupling part

Supporting plural, independent coupling parts

C439S101000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06234834

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an electrical connector assembly, and particularly to a triple-stacked electrical connector assembly which provides sets of new and improved contacts and an improved spacer.
With the trend toward miniaturization in computer technology, a variety of stacked electrical connectors have been developed. A typical stacked connector comprises a lower and an upper dielectric housing arranged in an overlapped relationship for reducing the space occupied in a computer, plus a terminal module received in each housing. Each terminal module has a plurality of conductive terminals parallel to one another and each terminal comprises an integrally formed retaining portion depending downward for inserting into a corresponding through-hole of a printed circuit board. Additionally, a spacer is used to keep the terminals in correct alignment and pitch. Therefore, the retaining portions of the terminal module assembled in the upper dielectric housing are comparatively long, resulting in difficult positioning. Furthermore, the two-level terminal modules must be separately manufactured, thereby complicating the manufacturing process and the assembly/disassembly of the stacked electrical connector. In addition, the stacked housings may not be correctly positioned because they lack suitable retaining means.
Hence, an improved stacked electrical connector is required to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A first object of the present invention is to provide a triple-stacked electrical connector which comprises two sets of transition contacts separately manufactured to facilitate the assembly and disassembly of the electrical connector;
Another object of the present invention is to provide a triple-stacked electrical connector which provides a spacer for positioning the transition contacts and fixing the stacked housings thereto.
Yet still another object of the present invention is to provide a stacked electrical connector which provides a one-piece grounding contact for simplifying the manufacture of the electrical connector.
A stacked electrical connector in accordance with the present invention comprises triple stacked dielectric housings with a similar structure, a bottom, a middle and a top conductive terminal groups and two sets of transition contacts engaging with the middle and the top terminal groups, a one-piece grounding contact having three contacting arms inserting into the three stacked housings, a spacer and a conductive shield enclosing the stacked housings and the two sets of the transition contacts. The middle and the top terminal groups have a same structure, thereby simplifying the manufacture of the stacked electrical connector. An upper and a lower retaining blocks are prepared for fastening to the middle and the top housings. The spacer forms a pair of latching posts engaging with the lower retaining block for fixing the stacked housings against the spacer and defines a plurality of grooves to position the two sets of transition contacts.
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: 5417585 (1995-05-01), Morin et al.
patent: 5613880 (1997-03-01), Wang
patent: 5709554 (1998-01-01), Savage, Jr.

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