CONNECTOR HOUSING, PROCESS FOR PRODUCING THE SAME AND A MOLD FOR USING IN THE PROCESS

Abstract

The present invention relates to an FPC connector housing, more particular to a DDRS connector housing. The invention also relates to a method for producing the connector housing as well as to a cavity mold suitable for the production of the connector housing. The cavity mold comprises a double gating system with centrally positioned injection gates. The connector housing can be used in a connector for mounting on a flexible printed circuit (FPC) assembled in various kinds of electrical and/or electronic devices.

Claims

1. Cavity mold for use in an injection molding process, the cavity mold comprising at least one cavity for forming a connector housing by injection molding, and injection channels with a double gating system with two injection gates for each of the at least one cavity, wherein the two injection gates are located at opposite sides of the cavity and at a position near the middle of the length direction of the cavity that is the position that is closer to the middle than to one of the ends of the connector housing or at the middle of the length direction of the cavity that is the position at equidistance from the two ends of the connector housing.

2. Cavity mold according to claim 1, wherein the cavity mold comprises hot runners in connection to the two injection gates.

3. Cavity mold according to claim 1, wherein the cavity mold comprises one or more cavities, and the cavity or the cavities, have been designed for forming a DDR5 connector housing.

4. Cavity mold according to claim 1, wherein the cavity mold has at least 4, suitably 8 to 32 cavities, preferably 8 or 16 cavities for forming a connector housing by injection molding, and two injection gates for each of the cavities, the two injection gates located at opposite sides of for each of the cavities and at a position near or at the middle of the length direction of each of the cavities.

5. Process for producing an injection molded connector housing, comprising injection molding of an injection molding material into a cavity mold as defined in claim 1.

6. Process according to claim 5, wherein the injection molding material is a thermoplastic polyamide composition, preferably a thermoplastic polyamide composition comprising a semi-crystalline semi-aromatic polyamide (PPA), or a fiber reinforced flame retardant polyamide composition, more preferably a fiber reinforced flame retardant composition comprising a PPA.

7. Process according to claim 5, wherein the mold has at least 4 cavities, preferably 8 to 32 cavities, more preferably 8 or 16 cavities.

8. Injection molded connector housing for an electrical connector, obtainable by an injection molding process using a cavity mold as defined in claim 1, wherein the injection molded connector housing has gating marks located at opposite sides of the housing and at a position near the middle of the length direction of the cavity that is the position that is closer to the middle than to one of the ends of the connector housing or at the middle of the length direction of the housing that is the position at equidistance from the two ends of the connector housing.

9. Injection molded connector housing according to claim 8, wherein the housing is made of an injection molding material comprising a semi-crystalline semi-aromatic polyamide.

10. Use of an injection molded connector housing according to claim 8 in an electrical connector or in an electrical and/or electronic device.

11. Electrical connector comprising a connector housing and metallic elements, wherein the connector housing is injection molded connector housing as defined in claim 8.

12. Electrical connector according to claim 11, wherein the connector is a DDR4 or DDR5 connector.

13. Electrical and/or electronic device comprising an electrical connector comprising a connector housing and metallic elements mounted on a printed circuit board (PCB), wherein the connector housing is an injection molded connector housing as defined in claim 11.

14. Electrical and/or electronic device according to claim 13, wherein the connector is a DDR5 connector.

15. Electrical and/or electronic device according to claim 13, wherein the device is a computer server, a laptop or a desktop.

Description

[0070] The invention is further illustrated with the following figures.

[0071] FIG. 1 is a part isometric view of a DDR connector.

[0072] FIG. 2 is a part isometric view of a DDR connector showing the position of conventional injection gates.

[0073] FIGS. 3 and 4 are schematic drawings 2 of a DDR connector showing the position of conventional injection gates.

[0074] FIG. 5 is a part isometric view of a DDR connector showing the position of the injection gates according to the present invention.

[0075] FIGS. 6 and 7 are schematic drawings 2 of a DDR connector showing the position of injection gates according to the present invention.

[0076] FIG. 1 shows a part isometric view of a DDR connector housing.

[0077] FIG. 2 shows a part isometric view of a DDR connector housing showing the position of conventional injection gates.

[0078] FIGS. 3 and 4 are schematic drawings 2 of a DDR connector housing showing the position of conventional injection gates.

[0079] FIG. 5 shows a part isometric view of a DDR connector housing showing the position of the injection gates according to the present invention.

[0080] FIGS. 6 and 7 are schematic drawings 2 of a DDR connector housing showing the position of injection gates according to the present invention.

[0081] FIG. 1 shows a part isometric view of a DDR connector housing (1). Herein the connector housing (1) has elongated body with two end parts (2) and (3), two opposing sides being a front side (10) and a back side (20), a bottom (30) and a top side (40). The shape of housing is defined by three main dimensions, being the length (L), the width (W) and the thickness (T), wherein L is much larger than T and W.

[0082] FIG. 2 shows a part isometric view of a DDR connector housing (1) showing the conventional positioning of injection gates (4) and (5) at one end part (2) of the connector housing (1).

[0083] FIG. 3 is a schematic top view of a DDR connector housing (1) showing the conventional positioning of injection gates (4) and (5) at one end part (2) of the connector housing (1).

[0084] FIG. 4 is a schematic side view of a DDR connector housing (1) showing the conventional positioning of injection gates (4) and (5) at one end part (2) of the connector housing (1).

[0085] FIG. 5 shows a part isometric view of a DDR connector housing (1) showing the positioning of injection gates (6) and (7) at opposite sides (10) and (20) of the connector housing (1) at a position at the middle or near the middle of the connector housing (1).

[0086] FIG. 6 is a schematic top view of a DDR connector housing (1) showing the positioning of injection gates (6) and (7) at opposite sides (10) and (20) of the connector housing (1) at a position at or near the middle of the connector housing (1).

[0087] FIG. 7 is a schematic side view of a DDR connector housing (1) showing the position of an injection gate mark (6a) at one side (10) of the connector housing (1) at a position at or near the middle of the connector housing (1). The gate mark of the other injection position is not visible in this view since the gate mark is located at the opposite side (20) not visible in this view.