Electrical connector

Abstract

An electrical connector includes an insulating body. At least one accommodating hole runs through the insulating body vertically, and each accommodating hole has a stopping portion and a position limiting portion. Each accommodating hole accommodates a terminal and an electrical conductor. The terminal is in contact with the electrical conductor. The terminal upward abuts the stopping portion. The terminal is connected to a first strip downward, and is mounted into the accommodating hole upward from bottom. The electrical conductor upward abuts the position limiting portion. The electrical conductor is connected to a second strip downward, and is mounted into the accommodating hole upward from bottom. The terminal upward abuts the stopping portion and thus does not excessively move upward, and the electrical conductor upward abuts the position limiting portion and thus does not excessively move upward.

Claims

1. An electrical connector, comprising: an insulating body, wherein at least one accommodating hole runs through the insulating body vertically, and each of the at least one accommodating hole has a stopping portion and a position limiting portion; wherein each of the at least one accommodating hole accommodates a terminal and an electrical conductor, and the terminal is in contact with the electrical conductor; wherein the terminal upward abuts the stopping portion, and the terminal is configured to be connected to a first strip downward and is mounted into the accommodating hole upward; wherein the electrical conductor upward abuts the position limiting portion, and the electrical conductor is configured to be connected to a second strip downward and is mounted into the accommodating hole upward; and wherein the accommodating hole is further provided with a stopping block, the terminal has a base accommodated in the accommodating hole, the base bends and extends to form a blocking portion, and the blocking portion upward abuts the stopping block.

2. The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the terminal has a first elastic arm extending upward and a second elastic arm extending downward, the first elastic arm is in contact with a mating component, at least one first abutting portion extends from the first elastic arm toward the electrical conductor, the first abutting portion is in contact with the electrical conductor, at least one second abutting portion extends from the second elastic arm to the electrical conductor, and the second abutting portion is in contact with the electrical conductor.

3. The electrical connector according to claim 2, wherein the first elastic arm has a first contact portion; before the mating component presses the first contact portion, the first abutting portion and the electrical conductor in contact with each other have a first contact position; and after the mating component presses the first contact portion, the first abutting portion and the electrical conductor in contact with each other have a second contact position.

4. The electrical connector according to claim 2, wherein the electrical conductor has a main body portion, an extending portion extends from the main body portion, the first abutting portion and the second abutting portion are in contact with the extending portion, and the main body portion is configured to be soldered to a circuit board.

5. The electrical connector according to claim 4, wherein the extending portion has a second strip connecting portion connected to the second strip, and the second strip connecting portion is located above the main body portion.

6. The electrical connector according to claim 4, wherein the second elastic arm is in contact with the main body portion; before the circuit board upward abuts the main body portion, the second abutting portion and the extending portion in contact with each other have a third contact position; and after the circuit board upward abuts the main body portion, the second abutting portion and the extending portion in contact with each other have a fourth contact position.

7. The electrical connector according to claim 2, wherein the first elastic arm has two first contact portions, a first slot is provided between the two first contact portions, the two first contact portions are both in contact with the mating component, the second elastic arm has two second contact portions, and a second slot is provided between the two second contact portions.

8. The electrical connector according to claim 7, wherein the first slot runs through a plate thickness of the first elastic arm and extends to the first abutting portion, and the second slot runs through a plate thickness of the second elastic arm and extends to the second abutting portion.

9. The electrical connector according to claim 2, wherein the terminal is provided with at least one first strip connecting portion connected to the first strip, the second elastic arm has a second contact portion, and the second contact portion is lower than the first strip connecting portion.

10. An electrical connector, comprising: an insulating body, wherein at least one accommodating hole runs through the insulating body vertically; wherein each of the at least one accommodating hole accommodates a terminal and an electrical conductor, and the terminal is in contact with the electrical conductor; wherein the terminal is configured to be electrically connected to a mating component, and is configured to be connected to a first strip downward and is mounted into the accommodating hole upward; and wherein the electrical conductor is configured to be conductively connected to a circuit board, and is configured to be connected to a second strip downward and is mounted into the accommodating hole upward; and wherein the terminal has a base accommodated in the accommodating hole, a first elastic arm extends upward from the base, the first elastic arm has at least one contact portion conductively connected to the mating component, a first abutting portion extends downward from each of the at least one contact portion, a second elastic arm extends downward from the base, the second elastic arm has a second contact portion in contact with the electrical conductor, and a second abutting portion extends upward from the second contact portion; each electrical conductor has a main body portion, the main body portion is electrically connected to the circuit board, the main body portion is in contact with the second contact portion, an extending portion extends from the main body portion, and the first abutting portion and the second abutting portion are in contact with the extending portion.

11. The electrical connector according to claim 10, wherein the accommodating hole is provided with a stopping portion and a position limiting portion, the stopping portion stops the terminal downward, and the position limiting portion stops the electrical conductor downward.

12. The electrical connector according to claim 10, wherein the accommodating hole is protrudingly provided with a stopping block, the first elastic arm has a blocking portion, and the stopping block abuts the blocking portion to limit the terminal from moving downward.

13. An electrical connector, comprising: an insulating body, wherein at least one accommodating hole runs through the insulating body vertically, and each of the at least one accommodating hole has a stopping portion and a position limiting portion; wherein each of the at least one accommodating hole accommodates a terminal and an electrical conductor, and the terminal is in contact with the electrical conductor; wherein the terminal upward abuts the stopping portion, and the terminal is configured to be connected to a first strip downward and is mounted into the accommodating hole upward; wherein the electrical conductor upward abuts the position limiting portion, and the electrical conductor is configured to be connected to a second strip downward and is mounted into the accommodating hole upward; and wherein the terminal has a first elastic arm extending upward and a second elastic arm extending downward, the first elastic arm is in contact with a mating component, at least one first abutting portion extends from the first elastic arm toward the electrical conductor, the first abutting portion is in contact with the electrical conductor, at least one second abutting portion extends from the second elastic arm to the electrical conductor, and the second abutting portion is in contact with the electrical conductor.

14. The electrical connector according to claim 13, wherein the first elastic arm has a first contact portion; before the mating component presses the first contact portion, the first abutting portion and the electrical conductor in contact with each other have a first contact position; and after the mating component presses the first contact portion, the first abutting portion and the electrical conductor in contact with each other have a second contact position.

15. The electrical connector according to claim 13, wherein the electrical conductor has a main body portion, an extending portion extends from the main body portion, the first abutting portion and the second abutting portion are in contact with the extending portion, and the main body portion is configured to be soldered to a circuit board.

16. The electrical connector according to claim 15, wherein the extending portion has a second strip connecting portion connected to the second strip, and the second strip connecting portion is located above the main body portion.

17. The electrical connector according to claim 15, wherein the second elastic arm is in contact with the main body portion; before the circuit board upward abuts the main body portion, the second abutting portion and the extending portion in contact with each other have a third contact position; and after the circuit board upward abuts the main body portion, the second abutting portion and the extending portion in contact with each other have a fourth contact position.

18. The electrical connector according to claim 13, wherein the first elastic arm has two first contact portions, a first slot is provided between the two first contact portions, the two first contact portions are both in contact with the mating component, the second elastic arm has two second contact portions, and a second slot is provided between the two second contact portions.

19. The electrical connector according to claim 18, wherein the first slot runs through a plate thickness of the first elastic arm and extends to the first abutting portion, and the second slot runs through a plate thickness of the second elastic arm and extends to the second abutting portion.

20. The electrical connector according to claim 13, wherein the terminal is provided with at least one first strip connecting portion connected to the first strip, the second elastic arm has a second contact portion, and the second contact portion is lower than the first strip connecting portion.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The accompanying drawings illustrate one or more embodiments of the disclosure and together with the written description, serve to explain the principles of the disclosure. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers are used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like elements of an embodiment, and wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective sectional view of an electrical connector according to certain embodiments of the present invention.

(3) FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the electrical connector of FIG. 1 being 180 inverted.

(4) FIG. 3 is a front view of the electrical connector of FIG. 1 before a chip module is pressed downward.

(5) FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the electrical connector and strips of FIG. 3 in an A-A direction.

(6) FIG. 5 is a front view of the electrical connector of FIG. 1 after the chip module is pressed downward.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(7) The present invention is more particularly described in the following examples that are intended as illustrative only since numerous modifications and variations therein will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Various embodiments of the invention are now described in detail. Referring to the drawings, like numbers indicate like components throughout the views. As used in the description herein and throughout the claims that follow, the meaning of a, an, and the includes plural reference unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Also, as used in the description herein and throughout the claims that follow, the meaning of in includes in and on unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Moreover, titles or subtitles may be used in the specification for the convenience of a reader, which shall have no influence on the scope of the present invention.

(8) It will be understood that when an element is referred to as being on another element, it can be directly on the other element or intervening elements may be present therebetween. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being directly on another element, there are no intervening elements present. As used herein, the term and/or includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

(9) Furthermore, relative terms, such as lower or bottom and upper or top, may be used herein to describe one element's relationship to another element as illustrated in the Figures. It will be understood that relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in addition to the orientation depicted in the Figures. For example, if the device in one of the figures is turned over, elements described as being on the lower side of other elements would then be oriented on upper sides of the other elements. The exemplary term lower, can therefore, encompasses both an orientation of lower and upper, depending of the particular orientation of the figure. Similarly, if the device in one of the figures is turned over, elements described as below or beneath other elements would then be oriented above the other elements. The exemplary terms below or beneath can, therefore, encompass both an orientation of above and below.

(10) As used herein, around, about or approximately shall generally mean within 20 percent, preferably within 10 percent, and more preferably within 5 percent of a given value or range. Numerical quantities given herein are approximate, meaning that the term around, about or approximately can be inferred if not expressly stated.

(11) As used herein, the terms comprising, including, carrying, having, containing, involving, and the like are to be understood to be open-ended, i.e., to mean including but not limited to.

(12) The description will be made as to the embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in FIGS. 1-5. In accordance with the purposes of this invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, this invention, in one aspect, relates to an electrical connector.

(13) Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 3, an electrical connector 10 according to certain embodiments of the present invention is used to mate with a mating component 20 and is connected to a circuit board 30. The mating component 20 has a plurality of pads 201 thereon, the circuit board 30 has a plurality of conducting sheets 301 thereon, and the pads 201 and the conducting sheets 301 are both electrically connected to the electrical connector 10. The electrical connector 10 has an insulating body 1 in a lengthwise direction, and a plurality of terminals 2 and a plurality of electrical conductors 3 are provided on the insulating body 1 to be electrically connected to the mating component 20 and the circuit board 30 respectively.

(14) Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the insulating body 1 has an upper surface 11 and a lower surface 12. A plurality of accommodating holes 13 run through the upper surface 11 and the lower surface 12 of the insulating body 1. A stopping block 131 and a position limiting portion 132 protrude from the inner wall of each of the accommodating holes 13. A stopping portion 133 is concavely provided on from the inner wall of each of two sides of the accommodating hole 13. The position limiting portion 132 is used for limiting the electrical conductor 3 from moving, and the stopping block 131 and the stopping portion 133 are used for limiting the position of the terminal 2. A plurality of supporting posts 14 are protrudingly provided on the lower surface 12 to support the electrical connector 10 onto the circuit board 30.

(15) Referring to FIG. 1, the terminals 2 and the electrical conductors 3 are correspondingly accommodated in the accommodating holes 13. Each accommodating hole 13 accommodates one terminal 2 and one electrical conductor 3. In the present embodiment, the electrical conductors 3 are preferably made of a metal material, and can also be made of other non-metal conductive material such as conductive plastics.

(16) Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 3, each terminal 2 has a base 21 accommodated in the corresponding accommodating hole 13, and a side portion 211 protrudes from each of two sides of the base 21. When the terminal 2 is accommodated in the accommodating hole 13, the stopping portion 133 stops the side portion 211 downward to limit the terminal 2 from moving upward. The base 21 bends upward and extends to form a first elastic arm 22 exposing from the insulating body 1. The first elastic arm 22 forms a blocking portion 221 at the bending position to abut the stopping block 131. The position where the blocking portion 221 abuts the stopping block 131 is a bending and rotating pivot point of the first elastic arm 22, and the pivot point provides a supporting force for the first elastic arm 22 to support the rotation of the first elastic arm 22. The first elastic arm 22 bends to form two first contact portions 222, and the two first contact portions 222 simultaneously upward abut the pads 201 upward. Such design structure increases the paths for transmitting electrical signals to the terminal 2 and ensures the stability of the mating component 20 in contact with the terminal 2. A first abutting portion 23 extends downward from each of the two first contact portions 222 to be in contact with the electrical conductor 3. The free ends of the two first abutting portions 23 are connected to each other. A first slot 223 is provided between the two first contact portions 222, and the first slot 223 extends from the first contact portions 222 to the first abutting portions 23. The first slot 223 runs through the plate thickness of the first elastic arm 22. The first slot 223 reduces the hardness of the first elastic arm 22, but increases the elasticity of the first elastic arm 22, thereby generating a larger elastic force enabling the first abutting portions 23 to abut the electrical conductor 3.

(17) Referring to FIG. 1, FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, two first strip connecting portions 212 extend from a lower end of the base 21, and the first strip connecting portions 212 are connected to a first strip 4. An orthographic projection of the stopping portion 133 downward from top partially overlaps with the projection of the first strip connecting portions 212, thereby ensuring that the width of the accommodating hole 13 does not increase while the terminal 2 is fixed. A second elastic arm 24 extends downward from the base 21. An end of the second elastic arm 24 bends to form two second contact portions 241 in contact with the electrical conductor 3, and the second contact portions 241 are lower than the first strip connecting portions 212. Since the second elastic arm 24 is elastic, the second contact portions 241 compress and abut the electrical conductor 3. When the second contact portions 241 are lower than the first strip connecting portions 212, an arm of force of the second elastic arm 24 can be increased to increase the elasticity, thereby increasing the abutting force between the second contact portions 241 and the electrical conductor 3. A second abutting portion 25 extends upward from each of the two second contact portions 241 to be in contact with the electrical conductor 3. The free ends of the two second abutting portions 25 are connected to each other. A second slot 242 is provided between the two second contact portions 241, and the second slot 242 extends from the second contact portions 241 to the second abutting portions 25. The second slot 242 also runs through the plate thickness of the second elastic arm 24 to increase the elasticity of the second elastic arm 24, thereby generating a larger elastic force enabling the second abutting portions 25 to urge the electrical conductor 3.

(18) Referring to FIG. 1, FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, each electrical conductor 3 has a main body portion 31. The main body portion 31 is flat plate shaped, and is upward in contact with the two second contact portions 241 and soldered to the conducting sheet 301 via a solder 5. Since the second contact portions 241 are elastic structures, if the second contact portions 241 are directly soldered to the circuit board 30, the elastic force borne by the second contact portions 241 inevitably causes the second contact portions 241 to slip on the circuit board 30, causing the solder 5 to fall off and resulting in poor contact. Thus, the contact between the main body portion 31 and the circuit board 30 achieves the purpose of electrical conduction and ensures that the second contact portions 241 are still elastic. In other embodiments, the main body portion 31 can also be electrically connected to the conducting sheet 301 by surface adhesion technology. An extending portion 32 extends vertically upward from a side of the main body portion 31, and the first abutting portions 23 and the second abutting portions 25 simultaneously abut the plate surface of the extending portion 32, thereby increasing the paths of signal transmission and ensuring the stability of signal transmission. The extending portion 32 includes a second strip connecting portion 321, a protruding portion 322 and a resisting portion 323 sequentially from bottom to top. A second strip 6 is connected to a side of the second strip connecting portion 321. Since the main body portion 31 is located below the second strip connecting portion 321, when the electrical conductor 3 is mounted from bottom to top, the width of the accommodating hole 13 does not need to increase for the main body portion 31. The protruding portion 322 and the resisting portion 323 protrude from the side of the extending portion 32. The position limiting portion 132 upward abuts the resisting portion 323, and downward abuts the protruding portion 322 to limit the position of the electrical conductor 3.

(19) Referring to FIG. 3, FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, the first strip 4 is connected to the terminal 2 and mounted into the accommodating hole 13 upward from bottom. The stopping portion 133 stops the side portions 211 to limit the terminal 2 from moving upward, and the stopping block 131 abuts the blocking portion 221 such that the first elastic arm 22 is deformed. When the blocking portion 221 passes beyond the stopping block 131, the stopping block 131 abuts the base 21, and the first elastic arm 22 is restored from the deformation, such that the lower side of the blocking portion 221 abuts the stopping block 131 and the stopping block 131 limits the terminal 2 from moving downward. The second strip 6 is connected to the electrical conductor 3 and also mounted into the accommodating hole 13 upward from bottom. During mounting, the resisting portion 323 abuts the position limiting portion 132 under stress, and the resisting portion 323 is deformed to give way to the position limiting portion 132. After the resisting portion 323 passes beyond the position limiting portion 132, the resisting portion 323 is restored from the deformation, and the position limiting portion 132 is located between the resisting portion 323 and the protruding portion 322. The position limiting portion 132 abuts the protruding portion 322 to limit the electrical conductor 3 from moving upward, and abuts the resisting portion 323 to limit the electrical conductor 3 from moving downward. After mounting, the first elastic arm 22 and the first contact portions 222 expose upward from the insulating body 1. The free ends of the two first abutting portions 23 and the free ends of the two second abutting portions 25 abut the plate surface of the extending portion 32, and the second contact portions 241 downward abut the main body portion 31.

(20) Referring to FIG. 3 and FIG. 5, when the electrical connector 10 is mounted on the circuit board 30, the main body portion 31 is soldered and fixed to the conducting sheet 301, and the second elastic arm 24 is deformed under stress, such that the two second abutting portions 25 slide upward on the extending portion 32, and the free ends of the second abutting portions 25 gradually move away from the extending portion 32. Before the circuit board 30 abuts the main body portion 31, the second abutting portion 25 and the extending portion 32 in contact with each other have a third contact position c, and before the circuit board 30 abuts the main body portion 31, and after the circuit board 30 urges the main body portion 31, the second abutting portion 25 and the extending portion 32 in contact with each other have a fourth contact position d. The third contact position c is located above the fourth contact position d, such that the second elastic arm 24 is compressed to generate a large force to abut the main body portion 31. When the mating component 20 presses the electrical connector 10, the first contact portions 222 are in contact with the pads 201 to move downward under stress, and the first elastic arm 22 is deformed, such that the first abutting portions 23 slide downward on the extending portion 32, and the free ends of the first abutting portions 23 gradually move away from the extending portion 32. Before the mating component 20 presses the first contact portions 222, the first abutting portion 23 and the extending portion 32 in contact with each other have a first contact position a before the mating component 20 presses against the first contact portions 222, and after the mating component 20 presses the first contact portions 222, the first abutting portion 23 and the extending portion 32 in contact with each other have a second contact position b. The first contact position a is located below the second contact position b. This movable elastic contact method prevents the situation that the mating component 20 crushes the terminal 2 or presses the terminal 2 to be fatigued. On the other hand, the position of the terminal 2 inevitably has tolerance or is inaccurate during machining, such that the movable contact method enables the terminal 2 to be in stable contact with the mating component 20 to avoid the phenomenon of poor contact due to excessive tolerance.

(21) To sum up, the electrical connector 10 according to certain embodiments of the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

(22) 1. The accommodating hole 13 has the stopping portion 133 and the position limiting portion 132. The base 21 is connected to the first strip 4 downward, and the electrical conductor 3 is also connected to the second strip 6 downward, such that the terminal 2 and the electrical conductor 3 are both mounted into the accommodating hole 13 upward from bottom. The base 21 upward abuts the stopping portion 133 and thus does not excessively move upward, and the electrical conductor 3 upward abuts the position limiting portion 132 and thus does not excessively move upward, thereby ensuring that the terminal 2 and the electrical conductor 3 are accurately positioned on the circuit board 30. During soldering, the solder 5 sufficiently flows back to the soldered section of the terminal 2 and the soldered section of the electrical conductor 3 to ensure that both the terminal 2 and the electrical conductor 3 are stably soldered to the circuit board 30, thereby avoiding the phenomena of empty soldering and missing soldering.

(23) 2. When the mating component 20 is mated with the electrical connector 10, electrical signals on the mating component 20 can be conducted to the circuit board 30 through three paths. In the first path, the electrical signals are transmitted from the pads 201 to the bases 21 through the first contact portions 222, then to the second contact portions 241, and then to the main body portion 31 from the second contact portions 241, and finally to the circuit board 30. In the second path, the electrical signals are transmitted from the pads 201 to the first abutting portions 23 through the first contact portions 222, and then to the extending portion 32, and finally to the circuit board 30 from the main body portion 31. In the third path, the electrical signals transmitted to the extending portion 32 are also transmitted to the second abutting portions 25 and then transmitted to the second contact portions 241, and finally transmitted to the circuit board 30 through the main body portion 31. Compared with the single-path transmission mode, the multi-path electrical signal conduction method according to certain embodiments of the present invention increases the guarantee for the normal use of the electrical connector 10, and ensures stable transmission of the electrical signals.

(24) The foregoing description of the exemplary embodiments of the invention has been presented only for the purposes of illustration and description and is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching.

(25) The embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain the principles of the invention and their practical application so as to activate others skilled in the art to utilize the invention and various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. Alternative embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains without departing from its spirit and scope. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description and the exemplary embodiments described therein.