The present invention relates to an electrical connector, especially to an electrical connector and a connector assembly including the electrical connectors.
A conventional connector assembly includes a male connector and a female connector. The male connector is used to be inserted into the female connector for electrical connection. In order to the need for insertion, the male connector and the female connector have different shapes and structures. Consequently, it needs two molds and different production lines for manufacturing the male connector and the female connector, causing high manufacturing cost.
To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention provides an electrical connector and a connector assembly including the electrical connectors to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.
The main objective of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector that has a base, at least one male terminal mounted in the base, and at least one female terminal mounted in the base. The at least one female terminal is configured to be connected with the at least one male terminal of another electrical connector.
The main objective of the present invention is to provide a connector assembly that includes two said electrical connectors. Each one of the electrical connectors is configured to be connected with the other one of the electrical connectors.
Since it needs only one mold to manufacture the two electrical connectors for two different purposes, manufacturing cost for the two electrical connectors of the connector assembly can be greatly reduced.
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.
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Specifically, the base 10 is formed by injection molding process. With the through hole 12 separately formed in the base 10, the at least one male terminal 20 and the at least one female terminal 30 are electrically insulated.
With the above-mentioned structure, the electrical connector of the present invention can be used as a male connector or a female connector. It can be understood that the electrical connector is used as a male connector when being inserted in one direction, and the electrical connector may be used as a female connector by being flipped 180 degrees. By connecting two electrical connectors of the present invention, the connector assembly in accordance with the present invention for electrical connection is accomplished. It needs only one mold to manufacture the two electrical connectors for two different purposes. Accordingly, manufacturing cost for the two electrical connectors of the connector assembly is greatly reduced and it is easy to connect the two electrical connectors.
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Specifically, each of the male terminals 20 has a contact pad 21 disposed on the first end of the male terminal 20. Each of the female terminals 30 has a contact pad 31 disposed on the first end of the female terminal 30. Each of the conductive sheet 40 is resilient and has a conductive bump 41. The conductive bump 41 protrudes toward and resiliently contacts with a respective one of the contact pads 21, 31. The conductive bump 41 and the contact pads 21, 31 of the male and female terminals 20, 30 ensure good electrical connection between the conductive sheets 40 and the male terminals 20 and between the conductive sheet 40 and the female terminals 30.
It should be noted that when the conductive sheets 40, the male terminals 20 and the female terminals 30 are assembled on the base 10, the conductive sheets 40 are resilient deformed, such that the conductive bump 41 of each of the conductive sheets 40 resiliently contacts with the respective one of the contact pads 21, 31 in a restoring direction. It should be noted that in addition to form the conductive bump 41, the conductive sheets 40 may be connected with the contact pads 21, 31 of the male and female terminals 20, 30 by riveting or soldering.
Specifically, the base 10 further has multiple positioning slots 11 separately formed through the base 10. The conductive sheets 40 are mounted in the positioning slots 11 respectively. Each of the conductive sheets 40 has a limiting protrusion 42. The limiting protrusion 42 engages in a respective one of the positioning slots 11, so as to prevent the conductive sheets 40 from moving relative to the base 10 in the positioning slots 11.
Each of the at least one female terminal 30 is provided with a conductive resilient structure 32. With the conductive structures 32, the at least one male terminal 20 is forced to keeps contact with the at least one female terminal 30 of said another electrical connector.
Specifically, the base 10 further has at least one insertion recess 15. The at least one insertion recess 15 is formed in an outer surface of the base 10 and corresponds in position to at least one of the through holes 12 that is for mounting the at least one female terminal 30. Each of the at least one female terminal 30 includes a mounting recess 33 formed in the second end of the female terminal 30. The conductive resilient structure 32 includes a conductive pin 321 and a resilient element 322. The conductive pin 321 is mounted in the mounting recess 33 and protrudes out of the base 10 through a corresponding one of the at least one insertion recess 15. The resilient element 322 is mounted in the mounting recess 33 and is disposed between the conductive pin 321 and the first end of the female terminal 33. The resilient element 322 resiliently pushes the conductive pin 321 to protrude out of the second end of the female terminal 30 and the base 10. Thus, the at least one male terminal 20 of said another electrical connector may be inserted in a corresponding one of the at least one insertion recess 15 of the base 10, so as to abut against the conductive pin 321 in a respective one of the at least one female terminal 30.
The electrical connector and the connector assembly including the electrical connectors as described has the following advantages. Since it needs only one mold to manufacture the two electrical connectors for two different purposes, manufacturing cost for the two electrical connectors of the connector assembly can be greatly reduced.
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 features 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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202210277600.7 | Mar 2022 | CN | national |