Electrical connectors – With insulation other than conductor sheath – Metallic connector or contact secured to insulation
Reexamination Certificate
1998-11-24
2001-01-23
Bradley, Paula (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
With insulation other than conductor sheath
Metallic connector or contact secured to insulation
C439S660000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06176748
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention generally relates to the art of electrical connectors and, particularly, to a system to facilitate positioning terminals in an overmolded housing.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Generally, a typical electrical connector includes an insulating or dielectric housing defining some form of mating configuration for mating the connector with a complementary mating connector or other connecting device. For example, the connector housing may define a male or plug connector, or the connector housing may define a female or socket connector. The dielectric housing may be a stand-alone component, or it may be adapted for mounting on a printed circuit board, in a panel or in association with other mounting structures.
One or more conductive terminals are mounted on or in the connector housing. The terminals can have a wide range of configurations depending on the use of the connector. However, the terminals typically have contact portions for engaging the contact portions of terminals in the complementary mating connecting device. One type of terminal is a stamped and formed terminal of sheet metal material, and such terminals may have a contact leg or blade of flat sheet metal material.
Some form of retention system must be employed to hold the terminals on or in the connector housing. The retention systems also vary widely. The terminals may be press-fit into terminal-receiving cavities, or the terminals may have latching portions for latching with complementary latches on the connector housing. One form of retention system involves overmolding a plastic housing about portions of the terminals to rigidify and hold the terminals on the housing.
One problem with overmolding terminals as described above concerns maintaining portions of the terminals, such as the contact portions, at proper positioning, spacing or pitch during the overmolding process. This is particularly problematic with the ever-increasing miniaturization of electrical connectors, whereby the terminals are very small and the contact portions of the terminals are extremely narrow and closely spaced. For instance, if the contact portions or other portions of the terminals are so closely spaced as to be touching each other, corresponding portions of the molding die may not even be able to be positioned between the terminal portions. The terminal portions actually can be damaged when the mold tooling is closed. In addition, when the molten dielectric (plastic) material is inserted into the mold, the material is under high pressure and can actually move or bend the terminal portions. The present invention is directed to solving these problems in such electrical connectors which include dielectric housings overmolded about metal terminals.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object, therefore, of the invention is to provide an electrical connector with a new and improved system to facilitate positioning terminals during an overmolding process.
In the exemplary embodiment of the invention, an electrical connector includes a housing molded of dielectric material and having a recess defined by opposed side walls having inner surfaces. A plurality of terminals are mounted on the housing and include contact sections along at least one of the opposed side walls and exposed at the inner surface thereof. The terminals have distal ends at an end of the recess. At least some of the terminals have a spacer tab projecting laterally from an edge of the contact section of the terminal to maintain at least a minimum spacing between the distal ends of the terminals prior to molding the dielectric housing.
As disclosed herein, the terminals are at least partially insert-molded in the housing. Preferably, each terminal has one of the spacer tabs projecting from each opposite edge of the contact section of the terminal. The distal ends of the terminals are bent at an angle to the contact sections of the terminals outwardly of the recess at the end thereof.
In one embodiment of the invention, the distal ends of the terminals are angled to define a tapered head to engage a correspondingly tapered recess in a wall of a mold cavity. In another embodiment of the invention, the distal ends of the terminals are curved to define a curved head to engage a correspondingly curved recess in a wall of a mold cavity. Preferably, the curved distal ends of the terminals are parabolic.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.
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Chee Kiat Keen
Poulose Sebastian Anjilikkal
Simmel George Marc
Wong Chui Ngor
Bradley Paula
Gilman Alexander
Molex Incorporated
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