CN1096126C - Electrical connector with integral supporting structure - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention discloses an electrical connector (10) having a one piece housing (12), a plurality of cavities (18,20,22,24) in the housing, arranged in two vertical stacks (14,16) of four cavities each, and a contact (26,28,30,32) in each cavity. The cavities in each stack are separated by thin walls (48,50,52) of the housing. Each of the contacts has a contact end (68) for mating with a mating connector, and a tail (78) that exits from the contact at a right angle to the mounting surface (36) of the connector. Some of the contacts (28,30,32) have support members (94,96,98,100,102,104) that extend from the contact to engage the floor (53) of the cavity while the upper surface of the contact is in engagement with the ceiling (51) of the cavity. There is a bearing structure established from the tails (78) through the support members and the thin walls (48,50,52) to the top surface (34) of the connector housing. This permits installation of the connector (10) to a circuit board (12) by applying an insertion force directly to the top surface of the housing.

Description

Electrical connector with composite support structure

The present invention relates to an electrical connector mounted to a circuit board with leads leading out of the connector at right angles and extending through holes in the circuit board. In particular, the invention relates to connectors that are assembled to a circuit board by aligning the leads with the holes and then applying sufficient force to the top of the connector housing to fully insert the press-fit leads into the holes.

Right-angle mounting of connectors with header leads that press-fit to plated through-holes on the circuit board to the circuit board typically requires the aid of special tools. The connector is positioned such that the leads of its connector align with their corresponding holes and the tool engages the shoulder or other mating surface of the connector. The tool is then moved toward the surface of the board, forcing the connector leads into the holes until the connector is fully seated on the board. Such a connector and tool assembly is disclosed in US Patent 4,550,962 issued November 5, 1985 to Czeschka. The '962 patent discloses a connector having a two-part housing and a plurality of terminal leads that exit the rear of the first part of the connector housing and are bent at right angles toward the circuit board. Each connector lead has two butt tabs extending from opposite sides of the connector lead and a pin that is press-fit into a corresponding hole in the circuit board. The insertion tool has a mating surface that engages the mating tab of each connector lead and forces its pin into the corresponding hole. A second portion of the housing is then fitted over the connector to cover the exposed leads. The disadvantage of this type of connector is that it has a separate cover housing which must be assembled by the user and which requires special tools for insertion. US Patent 5,252,080, issued to Pesson on October 12, 1993, discloses another connector that has a two-part housing but does not require special tools for assembly. The '080 patent teaches that the first connector housing has connector leads extending therefrom that are bent at right angles and terminate in terminal pins that are press-fit in their corresponding holes on the circuit board. There are a plurality of grooves in the second connector housing, the grooves are very consistent with the shape of the lead wires, the second connector housing is mounted to the first housing, and the lead wires are placed in their corresponding grooves. The connector pins are inserted into the holes in the circuit board by means of a tool with a flat surface, which engages the top surface of the second housing, pressing it against the circuit board. The grooves of the second housing support the leads, and the end pins are pressed into their corresponding holes. This connector utilizes a two-part housing that must be assembled after the connector is inserted into the cavity in one part, which adds to the cost of manufacturing the cap connector. Another related connector employing a two-part housing is disclosed in US Patent 5,199,886, issued April 6,1993 to Patterson. The base body of the connector joint is arranged vertically with respect to the insertion direction of the joint leads, that is, the width of the joint from one edge to the other is vertically arranged in the housing. Since the joint is installed in the housing at its edge, the overall height of the housing is directly related to the edge-to-edge width of the joint. When it comes to the joints that must carry power, this edge-to-edge width increases significantly, and therefore the height of the connector increases significantly.

European patent application 0549662A1 discloses a kind of electrical connector, it has a plurality of cavities vertically arranged in the insulating housing in groups, each cavity has an upper wall and a lower wall; also has a plurality of joints, each joint is located in a chamber. The fitting includes a base body having a support member extending therefrom and cooperating with the lower wall of the chamber. Each connector has a circuit board mounting connector portion extending at right angles to the base. The major axes of the three lowermost joint parts extend through the lower wall, the support member and the upper wall of each chamber located thereon. The joint of the connector has a cylindrical section.

What is therefore needed is a connector that has a one-piece housing in which the connector is positioned horizontally with its base so that the height of the connector is minimized and that can be easily assembled without the need for special tools to the circuit board.

The invention discloses an electrical connector, which is used for being installed on the mounting surface of a circuit board and interconnected with circuits on the circuit board. The connector has an insulating housing having a top surface and a bottom surface, the bottom surface defining a surface generally parallel to the top surface. The bottom surface is adapted to be mounted to a mounting surface of a circuit board. The housing has a plurality of separate chambers formed therein vertically stacked between the top and bottom surfaces and separated by thin walls such that each chamber has an upper wall and a lower wall. A plurality of contacts are arranged each in a corresponding chamber, each contact having a base, a contact portion extending from one end of the base, and a lead extending from the opposite end of the base to (a bottom surface defined by ) plane extends at right angles and is connected to the base at a bend. A portion of the base adjacent to the bend cooperates with the upper wall of its corresponding chamber. Each of the partial fittings has a support member extending from the fitting base to cooperate with the lower wall of its corresponding chamber to provide a vertical support structure between the upper and lower walls. The support member is arranged such that the longitudinal axis of each lead extends through a lower wall, the support member and the upper wall of each chamber above the vertical, thereby defining a vertical axis between the top surface and each lead. Support structure to insert the leads to mate with the circuit board.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

1, 2, 3 and 4 are respectively a side view, a rear view, a front view and a bottom view of a connector embodying the technology of the present invention;

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 5-5 in Figure 2;

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 6-6 in Figure 1;

7, 8, 9 and 10 are respectively a side view, a front view, a rear view and a top view of the connector housing shown in FIG. 1;

Fig. 11 is a sectional view taken along line 1-1 in Fig. 8;

Fig. 12 is an enlarged schematic view of a part represented by A in Fig. 9;

Figures 13 and 14 are side and plan views, respectively, of the joint shown in Figure 5;

Figure 15 is a side view of the connector housing in Figure 1 showing the connector before insertion into the housing;

Figures 16 and 17 show the connector of Figure 1 at different stages of assembly to a circuit board.

1-6 illustrate an electrical connector 10 having a single body insulating housing 12 . Housing 12 includes a plurality of cavities for receiving connectors. These chambers are arranged side by side in two vertical chamber stacks 14 and 16 , each stack having joint receiving chambers 18 , 20 , 22 and 24 . Each chamber 18 , 20 , 22 and 24 includes a respective receptacle power contact 26 , 28 , 30 and 32 , as best shown in FIG. 5 .

As shown in FIGS. 7-11 , the connector housing 12 includes a generally flat top surface 34 and a generally flat bottom surface 36 . Bottom surface 36 defines a plane 37 and is to be mounted to a flat mounting surface of a circuit board, as will be explained below. Each connector receiving chamber 18 - 24 is rectangular in cross-section and extends from front wall 38 to open rear portion 40 of housing 12 such that the chambers are parallel to each other and to bottom surface 36 and plane 37 . The two sets of chambers 14 and 16 are arranged side by side and generally perpendicular to plane 37, as best seen in FIGS. 8 and 9 . The housing includes two outer side walls 42 and 44 and an intermediate wall 46 separating the two sets of chambers 14 and 16 extending from the front wall 38 to the open end 40, the chambers 18-24 being separated by a thinner wall 48 , 50 and 52 are spaced apart, as can be clearly seen in FIG. 11 , thereby forming an upper wall 51 and a lower wall 53 in each chamber, respectively, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 12 . Each chamber 18-24 has a rectangular opening 54 through the front wall 38, the opening being located in the center of the chamber for receiving the post-shaped contact of a mating connector. A pair of guide rails 56 extend below the bottom surface and proximate the front wall 38 to be guided to mating connectors. Extending from bottom surface 36 are two separate locating pin bars 58 and 60 sized for sliding insertion into locating holes on the circuit board. These pin bars precisely position the connector housing relative to the circuit board, preventing sideways movement. A central needle bar 62 extends downwardly from the bottom surface 36 and is located between the needle bars 58 and 60, and is bifurcated by a slot 64 so that this needle bar has some resilience. The needle bar 62 is press fit with a hole on the circuit board for locking the connector 10 to the circuit board.

The structures of joints 26, 28, 30 and 32 are similar, so only joint 30 is shown and described in Figures 13 and 14, however, any differences between the joints are also described. Fitting 30 is stamped and formed from strip-shaped sheet stock, which includes a conventional support strip 66 and has a socket-type fitting portion 68 for mating with a not-shown rod-like fitting. Fitting 30 , which may be fabricated from any suitable fitting material, includes a base body 70 that is relatively flat and extends from fitting portion 68 to transition member 72 . The edge-to-edge width of the substrate 70 is selected as a function of the required power carrying capacity of the joint. In this embodiment, the contacts 26-32 each have a base 70 that is about 0.493 cm (0.194 inches) wide and about 0.030 cm (0.012 inches) thick, thereby providing a current carrying capacity of about 5 amps. Transition member 72 is shown in Figures 13 and 14, where the solid line is its flat shape before bending and the dashed line 74 shows its shape after bending. After bending, transition member 72 joins base body 70 at bend 76 and forms a right angle with respect to the base body. Extending from transition member 72 are three end pins 78 shaped to press fit with plated through holes on a circuit board, not shown. Three ribs 80 are formed in the transition member 72 to provide sufficient strength to withstand the insertion force required to insert the pins into corresponding holes on the circuit board. The length of transition member 72 will vary between joints 26, 28, 30 and 32 and is a function of their respective chambers 18-24. As best shown in FIG. 5 , joints 26 and 28 have shorter transition members 82 and 84 , respectively, than transition member 72 , while joint 32 has a longer transition member 86 . Transition members 72, 82, 84 and 86 end just short of plane 37 and their end pins 78 extend through this plane. A pair of barbs 88 extend transversely from each side of the base 70 to secure the connector in the housing 12 .

As shown in FIGS. 13 and 14 , adapter 30 includes a pair of opposing support members 94 and 96 extending from opposing edges of base 70 . As best shown in FIG. 6 , support members 94 and 96 are bent downwardly to form a C-shaped section with base 70 . The depth of support members 94 and 96 is about 0.152 cm (0.060 inches) in the present embodiment, and the selection of depth should make the lower edge of support members abut against lower wall 53, and the upper surface of base 70 abuts against upper wall 51, i.e. , the base body 70 and the support members 94 and 96 are tightly inserted into the cavity 22 . The lower edges of the support members 94 and 96 are rounded so as not to damage the lower wall 53 . Alternatively, the lower edge can be rolled over to form a box-shaped structure, however, then it may be more difficult to maintain tolerances in the manufacturing process, and this structure is not as strong as a C-shaped structure. It should be noted that the distance between the respective upper 51 and lower 53 walls of the chamber is approximately 0.157 cm (0.062 inches), which is greater than the thickness of the base 70 of the joint. As best shown in FIG. 5, the terminal pins 78 of the connectors 26, 28, 30 and 32 are spaced apart to accommodate the spacing between the rows of holes in the circuit board. Joint 28 has a pair of support members 98 and 100 that are shorter in length than support members 94 and 96, while joint 32 has a pair of support members 102 and 104 that are of greater length. The selection of these lengths should meet the following conditions: the support members 98 and 100 are positioned vertically above the centerline 106 of the end pin 78 of the bent portion 76 and joint 26; the support members 94 and 96 are positioned vertically between the support members 98 and 100, the bent portion 76 and the centerline 108 of the end pin 78 of the joint 28; the support members 102 and 104 are located vertically above the centerline 110 of the support members 94 and 96, the bend 76 and the end pin 78 of the joint 30 above. The support member of each joint extends to the right from a vertical line located to the left of a tangent to the bend 76 of the joint 26, as shown in Figures 5 and 15, and beyond the vertical line of the joint below it. Centerlines 106, 108 and 110. In this manner, a vertical support structure is established for each end pin 78 of each joint from end pin 78 to top surface 36 of housing 12 . For example, a support structure starts from end pin 78 of joint 26 and its bend 76, (to some extent) along centerline 106, through thin wall 48, support members 98 and 100, thin wall 50, support member 94 and 96 , the thin wall 52 , the support members 102 and 104 , and finally through the upper wall 51 of the uppermost chamber 24 to the top surface 34 . Similarly, other vertical support structures extend from end pins 78 of joints 28 , 30 and 32 to top surface 34 . These vertical support structures effectively transfer the insertion force applied perpendicularly to the top surface 34 of the housing 12 to each end pin of the connector 26-32.

As shown in FIG. 15, the connectors 26-32 are arranged in a row, aligned with their respective cavities 18-24, and inserted into their respective cavities in the positions shown in FIG. The dimensions of the cavity are selected such that the joint portion 68 will slide freely through the cavity to its final position where the barbs 88 snap into the narrowed portion of the cavity, thereby securing the joint in place. As shown in FIGS. 16 and 17, the connector 10 is assembled to the circuit board 112 by positioning such that the tail pins 78 are vertically aligned with the plated through holes 114 on the circuit board, which are connected to the circuit board. Circuit interconnection on the board. An insertion tool 116 having a flat surface 118 is placed directly over the connector 10 and is lowered until the flat surface 118 engages the top surface 34 of the connector. The tool 116 is lowered further, applying sufficient force to the top surface 34 , which force is transmitted to the end pin 78 through the support structure described above, until the end pin 78 is fully inserted into its corresponding hole 114 . Also, as described above, the needle bars 58, 60 and 62 fit into corresponding holes in the circuit board, and the middle needle bar 62, which is a press fit with its corresponding hole, secures the connector to the circuit board.

Although the contacts 26-32 of the connector 10 are power contacts in this embodiment, the teachings of the present invention may well be implemented with a connector having only signal contacts or a combination of power and signal contacts. Additionally, although a connector is disclosed having two sets of splice receiving chambers 14 and 16 arranged side-by-side, the teachings of the present invention are equally applicable to connectors having any number of such chamber sets.

An important advantage of the present invention is the use of a one-piece housing, thereby reducing the number of parts and the cost of manufacturing the connector. Furthermore, the connector is assembled to the circuit board such that the header pins are press-fit to their corresponding plated through holes by means of a simple tool with a flat support surface and no special tools are required. An additional advantage is that the horizontal orientation of the connector base allows for the formation of low volume connectors that accommodate electrical contacts.

Claims (5)

1. An electrical connector (10), used to be installed on a mounting surface of a circuit board (112), and electrically connected to a circuit on the circuit board, the connector (10) comprising: (a) an insulating shell body (12), it has a top surface (34) and a bottom surface (36), the bottom surface defines a plane (37) generally parallel to the top surface, the housing (12) has a plurality of formed therein vertically stacked chambers (18, 20, 22, 24) positioned between the top and bottom surfaces and separated by walls such that each chamber has an upper wall and a lower wall; and (b) a plurality of joints (26, 28, 30, 32), respectively disposed in their respective chambers, each joint having a base (70), a joint portion (68) extending from an end of the base, and a transition piece (72) extending from the opposite end of the base body at right angles to the plane (37) and connected to the base body (70) at a bend, a portion of the base body adjacent to the bend and its corresponding cavity Cooperate with the upper wall of the joint, some joints also have a support member, the support member extends from the joint base to cooperate with the lower wall of its corresponding chamber, to provide a vertical support structure between the upper wall and the lower wall, the support member is so arranged , that is, the longitudinal axis of each lowermost transition member (72) extends through a respective lower wall, the support member and the upper wall of each chamber vertically above, whereby between the top surface of the housing (12) and A vertical support structure is defined between each of the following transition parts (72) to insert the transition parts to cooperate with the circuit board (112), the connector (10) is characterized by: each joint is generally planar and parallel to the plane (37) of the bottom surface (36) of the housing (12); The support member includes two portions (94, 96) extending from opposite sides of the base (70) to engage the lower walls of their respective chambers. 2. Connector (10) according to claim 1, wherein the support part of each joint is arranged vertically above the transition parts of all joints in the chambers located therebelow. 3. The connector (10) according to claim 1, wherein each transition member (72) includes a rear portion extending from said bend and terminating in at least one solder tail pin (78), said solder tail A pin is adapted to extend into and press fit a hole (114) in said circuit board (112). 4. A connector (10) according to claim 3, wherein each rear portion of the sub-joints includes a rib (80) formed therein, the rib being disposed perpendicularly with respect to said plane. 5. The connector (10) according to claim 4, wherein the hole (114) on the circuit board (112) has a conductive surface interconnected with the circuit on the circuit board, and the solder tail pin (78) is suitable when being in the hole. To make electrical contact with conductive surfaces.

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