1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a board connector assembly, and more particularly to a board connector assembly that has a receptacle connector and a plug connector. Each of the receptacle connector and the plug connector has an insulative housing and a metal reinforcing member mounted on the insulative housing to prevent the insulative housing from being damaged due to repetitive engagements and disengagements between the receptacle connector and the plug connector. Therefore, structural strength and durability of the board connector assembly are improved.
2. Description of Related Art
A board connector assembly is used to connect different circuit boards and has a receptacle connector and a plug connector mounted respectively on the circuit board. By means of the board connector assembly, the circuit boards are electrically connected. Board connector assemblies on portable devices such as smart phones are downsized greatly such that structural strength and lifespan of each of the receptacle connectors and plug connectors of the board connector assemblies are lowered.
Taiwan patent application No. 095127280 discloses a board connector assembly that has a receptacle connector and a plug connector. The receptacle connector has a first insulative housing and multiple first terminals mounted on the first insulative housing. The plug connector has a second insulative housing and multiple second terminals mounted on the second insulative housing. However, none of the first and second insulative housings has any reinforcing elements. After repetitive engagements and disengagements, the receptacle connector and the plug connector are easily ruptured and damaged.
Taiwan patent application No. 102145411 discloses a board connector assembly that has a first insulative housing and multiple first terminals mounted on the first insulative housing. The plug connector has a second insulative housing and multiple second terminals mounted on the second insulative housing. Furthermore, both the receptacle connector and plug connector have guiding members to ensure the two connectors are engaged with each other precisely and correctly. However, none of the receptacle connector and plug connector has any reinforcing elements such that the board connector assembly is ruptured easily after repetitive engagements and disengagements of the receptacle connector and plug connector.
To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention provides a board connector assembly, a receptacle connector and a plug connector thereof to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.
The main objective of the invention is to provide a board connector assembly that has a receptacle connector and a plug connector. Each of the receptacle connector and the plug connector has an insulative housing and a metal reinforcing member mounted on the insulative housing to prevent the insulative housing from being damaged due to repetitive engagements and disengagements between the receptacle connector and the plug connector. Therefore, structural strength and durability of the board connector assembly are improved. A board connector assembly in accordance with the present invention comprises a receptacle connector and a plug connector. The receptacle connector has a first insulative housing, two sets of first terminals and two first metal reinforcing members mounted respectively on two opposite ends of the first insulative housing. The plug connector is detachably engaged with the receptacle connector and has a second insulative housing, two sets of second terminals and two second metal reinforcing members mounted respectively on two opposite ends of the second insulative housing. The first and second metal reinforcing members enhance structural strength and durability of the receptacle connector and plug connector.
Other objectives, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
With reference to
With further reference to
The first insulative housing 10 has a cavity 100, an assembling ridge 15, two end mounting portions and two airflow slots 141.
The cavity 100 is defined in the first insulative housing 10 and has two opposite mounting slots 105 defined in the cavity 100.
The assembling ridge 15 is foamed on and protrudes from an inner surface of the cavity 100 and is located between the mounting slots 105.
The end mounting portions are formed respectively on two opposite ends of the first insulative housing 10, and each end mounting portion is U-shaped and has an end mounting section 11 and two side sections 12. The side sections 12 are connected to the end mounting section 11 and each side section 12 has a mounting protrusion 123 formed on an outer surface of the side section 12.
Each airflow slot 141 is formed between one of two opposite sides 14 and a bottom 107 of the first insulative housing 10.
The sets of the first terminals 20 correspond to and are mounted oppositely and respectively in the mounting slots 105 of the first insulative housing 10. Each first terminal 20 has a first mounting section 21, an embedding section 22, two opposite resilient hooks 23, 24 and a first soldering section 25.
The first mounting section 21 is mounted on the bottom 107 of the first insulative housing 10 and is located under one of the airflow slots 141.
The embedding section 22 is formed on and protrudes from the first mounting section 21 and is embedded in the first insulative housing 10.
The resilient hooks 23, 24 are formed on and protrude from the first mounting section 21 and are mounted in a corresponding mounting slot 105 of the first insulative housing 10.
The first soldering section 25 is formed on and protrudes from the first mounting section 21 and extends out of the first insulative housing 10. Furthermore, the first soldering section 25 protrudes from the bottom 107 of the first insulative housing 10 instead of being flush with the bottom 107.
The first metal reinforcing members 30 correspond to and are mounted respectively on the end mounting portions of the first insulative housing 10 and each first metal reinforcing member 30 has a central section 31 and two opposite extension sections 32.
The central section 31 is mounted on the end mounting section 11 of a corresponding end mounting portion and has an outside end clamping tab 311 and at least one inside end clamping tab 312. The outside end clamping tab 311 is formed on and protrudes from the central section 31, is embedded on an outer wall 111 of the end mounting section 11 and has two positioning protrusions 313 formed on and protruding from two opposite sides of the outside end clamping tab 311 and embedded in the outer wall 111 of the end mounting section 11. The at least one inside end clamping tab 312 is formed on and protrudes from the central section 31, is embedded in an inner wall of the end mounting section 11 and cooperates with the outside end clamping tab 311 to clamp the end mounting section 11.
The extension sections 32 are formed on and protrude respectively from two opposite ends of the central section 31 and correspond to and are embedded respectively in the side sections 12 of the corresponding end mounting portion. Each extension section 32 has an outside clamping plate 321 and an inside clamping plate 322. The outside clamping plate 321 is formed on and protrudes from the extension sections 32, is embedded in an outside wall 121 of a corresponding side section 12 and has a through hole 323 defined through the outside clamping plate 321 and mounted around the mounting protrusion 123 of the corresponding side section 12. The inside clamping plate 322 is formed on and protrudes from the extension section 32, is embedded in an inside wall of the corresponding side section 12 and has a positioning notch 324 defined in the inside clamping plate 322.
The plug connector B is engaged detachably with the receptacle connector A and comprises a second insulative housing 50, two sets of multiple second terminals 60 and two second metal reinforcing members 70.
The second insulative housing 50 is engaged detachably with the first insulative housing 10 and has two mounting ribs 52, an assembling slot 500 and two end assembling portions 51.
The mounting ribs 52 are formed on the second insulative housing 50 and are mounted detachably and respectively in the mounting slots 105 of the first insulative housing 10.
The assembling slot 500 is defined between the mounting ribs 52 and detachably receives the assembling ridge 15.
The end assembling portions 51 are formed respectively on two opposite ends of the second insulative housing 50 and each end assembling portion 51 has an outer end wall 511 and two outer side walls 512.
The sets of the second terminals 60 correspond to and are mounted respectively on the mounting ribs 52 of the second insulative housing 50. The second terminals 60 correspond to and are engaged respectively with the first terminals 20, and each second terminal 60 has a second soldering section 61 and a resilient arm 62.
The second soldering section 61 extends out of a corresponding mounting rib 52.
The resilient aim 62 is U-shaped, is formed on and protrudes from the second soldering section 61, is mounted on the corresponding mounting rib 52, is engaged detachably with the resilient hooks 23, 24 of a corresponding first terminal 20, and has a hooking recess 621 and a notched surface 622. The hooking recess 621 is defined in the resilient arm 62 and is engaged with one of the two resilient hooks 23, 24 of the corresponding first terminal 20. The notched surface 622 is defined in the resilient arm 62 opposite the hooking recess 621 and is engaged with the other one of the two resilient hooks 23, 24 of the corresponding first terminal 20.
The second metal reinforcing members 70 correspond to and are embedded respectively in the end assembling portions 51 of the second insulative housing 50 and correspond to the first metal reinforcing members 30, and each second metal reinforcing member 70 has an upper covering plate 71, an end covering plate 73 and two opposite side covering plates 72.
The upper covering plate 71 is embedded in a top of a corresponding end assembling portion 51.
The end covering plate 73 is formed on the upper covering plate 71 and is embedded in the outer end wall 511 of the corresponding end assembling portion 51 and has two thorns 731 formed respectively on two opposite sides of the end covering plate 73 and puncturing into the second insulative housing 50.
The side covering plates 72 are formed on the upper covering plate 71, are embedded respectively in the outer side walls 512 of the corresponding end assembling portion 51 and correspond to the inside clamping plates 322 of a corresponding first metal reinforcing member 30. Each side covering plate 72 has a positioning boss 725, an extensive embedding tab 723 and a soldering leg 721. The positioning boss 725 is formed on the side covering plate 72 and is engaged with the positioning notch 324 of a corresponding inside clamping plate 322 of the corresponding first metal reinforcing member 30. The extensive embedding tab 723 is formed on and protrudes from the side covering plate 72 and is embedded in the outer side wall 512 of the corresponding end assembling portion 51. The soldering leg 721 is formed on the side covering plate 72.
The board connector assembly in accordance with the present invention has the following advantages.
1. The first metal reinforcing members 30 three-dimensionally covering the end mounting portions of the first insulative housing 10 and the second metal reinforcing members 70 three-dimensionally covering the end assembling portions 51 of the second insulative housing 50 entirely protect the end mounting portions and the end assembling portions 51. The structural strength and durability of the first and second insulative housings 10, 50 are therefore improved. Thus, the downsized receptacle connector A and plug connector B still maintain sufficient structural strength and are able to bear the pressure along a direction of engagement and disengagement. The board connector assembly allows repetitive plugging and pulling operations without being damaged.
2. Metal composition of the first metal reinforcing members 30 of the receptacle connector A and the second metal reinforcing members 70 of the plug connector B may be changed based on different purposes such as large power supply over 3 Amp or signal transmission. The soldering leg 721 of the second metal reinforcing member 70 may be soldered on a circuit board to securely attach the plug connector to the circuit board. The thorns 731 of the second metal reinforcing member 70 securely mount the second metal reinforcing member 70 to the second insulative housing 50 to prevent inadvertent separation.
3. The airflow slots 141 of the first insulative housing 10 of the receptacle connector A and the protruding first soldering sections 25 allow the first terminals 20 to dissipate heat efficiently and prevent solder from climbing along the sides of the first insulative housing 10 due to capillary action. Therefore, heat dissipation and soldering processing are improved.
Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only. Changes may be made in the details, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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201510421189.6 | Jul 2015 | CN | national |