Patent Grant
9385500
Electrical connectors used to transmit data signals and/or electrical power, such as alternating current (AC) power and/or direct current (DC) power, may include a plurality of power contacts and a plurality of signal contacts mounted in an electrically insulative housing. In a typical application, the connector may be configured to be mounted onto a substrate, such as a printed circuit board, and configured to mate with a complementary electrical component, which can be a power cable or complementary electrical connector, for example. Specifically, each contact within the housing may include one or more header and/or receptacle contacts that mate with opposed receptacle and/or header contacts, respectively, of the complementary electrical component.
A typical contact includes multiple terminals or pins extending from a bottom portion for electrically connecting the contact to a substrate, such as a printed circuit board. In the case of power contacts, high voltage levels traveling through the terminals can produce arcing across the terminals, which can also be referred to as leaking or creeping. It is known, therefore, that under otherwise constant conditions, for instance the same substrate material and the number of terminals, spacing the terminals away from each other can reduce the instances of arcing. However, spacing the terminals farther apart while maintaining the number of terminals adds to the overall footprint of the connector, thereby occupying valuable space on the circuit board.
In accordance with one embodiment, an electrical connector is configured to mate with at least one complementary electrical connector. The electrical connector includes a dielectric connector housing including a housing body that defines a mounting interface configured to be mounted onto a substrate and a mating interface configured to mate with at least one complementary electrical connector along a mating direction. A plurality of electrical contacts are supported by the connector housing and spaced apart from each other along a lateral direction that is substantially perpendicular to the mating direction. The electrical contacts include 1) a mating portion that is configured to mate with a complementary electrical contact of the complementary electrical connector, and 2) a mounting portion configured to electrically connect to the substrate. The electrical connector can further include at least one electrically insulative fin supported by the housing body. The fin can be disposed between first and second electrical contacts of the plurality of electrical contacts along the lateral direction. The mounting portion of each of the first and second electrical contacts can terminate at a mounting end that is spaced from the housing body a first distance along the transverse direction that is perpendicular to each of the mating direction and the lateral direction. The at least one fin can extend from the housing body along the transverse direction and can terminate at a distal end that is spaced from the housing body a second distance along the transverse direction, wherein the second distance is no less than the first distance.
For convenience, the same or equivalent elements in the various embodiments illustrated in the drawings have been identified with the same reference numerals. Certain terminology is used in the following description for convenience only and is not limiting. The words “left,” “right,” “front,” “rear,” “upper,” and “lower” designate directions in the drawings to which reference is made. The words “forward,” “forwardly,” “rearward,” “inner,” “inward,” “inwardly,” “outer,” “outward,” “outwardly,” “upward,” “upwardly,” “downward,” and “downwardly” refer to directions toward and away from, respectively, the geometric center of the object referred to and designated parts thereof. The terminology intended to be non-limiting includes the above-listed words, derivatives thereof and words of similar import.
Referring initially to
Referring also to
Referring also to reference to
In accordance with the illustrated embodiment, the complementary electrical connector 202 can be constructed as a right-angle header connector that defines a second or complementary mating interface 212 and a second or complementary mounting interface 214 that extends substantially perpendicular to the complementary mating interface 212. The mating interface 112 of the electrical connector 102 can be configured to mate with the complementary mating interface 212 of the complementary electrical connector 202. The first and complementary mounting interfaces 114 and 214, respectively, can be configured to mount onto underlying substrates, such as the substrate 104 and the complementary substrate. The mating interface 112 of the electrical connector 102 can include receptacle openings 116 that are defined by the connector housing 106, such that the complementary electrical contacts 208 of the complementary electrical connector 202 can be received in the receptacle openings 116 when the electrical connector 102 is mated with the complementary electrical connector 202.
As shown in the illustrated embodiment, the electrical connector 102 can be configured as a receptacle connector and the complementary electrical connector 202 can be configured as a header connector, such that the connector housing 106 is configured to receive the complementary connector housing 206 so as to mate the first and complementary electrical connectors 102 and 202, respectively.
Various structures are described herein as extending horizontally along a first or longitudinal direction “L” and a second or lateral direction “A” that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction L, and vertically along a third or transverse direction “T” that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal and lateral directions L and A, respectively. As illustrated, the longitudinal direction “L” extends along a forward/rearward direction of the electrical connector 102, and defines the mating direction M along which one or both of the electrical connector 102 and the complementary electrical connector 202 are moved relative to the other so as to mate the electrical connector assembly 100 with the complementary electrical connector assembly 200, and thus to mate the electrical connector 102 with the complementary electrical connector 202. For instance, the mating direction M of the illustrated electrical connector 102 is in a forward direction along the longitudinal direction L, and the electrical connector 102 can be unmated from the complementary electrical connector 202 by moving the electrical connector 102 in an opposed longitudinally rearward direction relative to the complementary electrical connector 202. As illustrated, the electrical connector 102 can be moved relative to the substrate 104 along the transverse direction T that defines the mounting direction, and the lateral direction “A” extends along a width of the electrical connector 102.
Thus, unless otherwise specified herein, the terms “lateral,” “longitudinal,” and “transverse” are used to describe the orthogonal directional components of various components. The terms “inboard” and “inner,” and “outboard” and “outer” and like terms when used with respect to a specified directional component are intended to refer to directions along the directional component toward and away from the center of the apparatus being described. It should be appreciated that while the longitudinal and lateral directions are illustrated as extending along a horizontal plane, and that while the transverse direction is illustrated as extending along a vertical plane, the planes that encompass the various directions may differ during use, depending, for instance, on the orientation of the various components. Accordingly, the directional terms “vertical” and “horizontal” are used to describe the electrical connector assembly 100 and its components as illustrated merely for the purposes of clarity and convenience, it being appreciated that these orientations may change during use.
With continuing reference to
Referring to
The mounting portions 120 can be configured to electrically connect to the substrate 104 when the connector housing 106 is mounted onto the substrate 104. The mounting portion 120 can include one or more mounting terminals 124 that are disclosed proximate to the mounting interface 114 and are configured to electrical connect to the substrate 104. In one embodiment, the mounting terminals 124 are inserted through plated through-holes 126 of the substrate 104 and the mounting terminals 124 define press-fit tails. The through-holes 126 can define mounting locations 128 that define a footprint constructed as described with respect to the footprint 130 described below with respect to
In accordance with the illustrated embodiment, the mating portion 118 extends forward from the intermediate portion 122 along the longitudinal direction L and terminates at a mating end 132, and the mounting terminals 124 extend downward from the intermediate portion 122 along the transverse direction and terminate at a mounting end 134. The mounting ends 134 can be configured to be placed in electrical communication with the substrate 104 when the mounting interface 114 is mounted to the substrate 104. The illustrated mating portions 118 extend in a direction substantially perpendicular to the mounting terminals 124 such that the electrical contacts 108 can be referred to as right-angle contacts. Alternatively, the electrical contacts 108 can be constructed as a “vertical” or “mezzanine” arrangement whereby the mating portions 118 extend in a direction parallel to the mounting terminals 124.
Because the mating ends 132 of the electrical contacts 108 are configured to receive their complementary contacts 208, they can be referred to as “receptacle” contacts, and the electrical connector 102 can be referred to as a “receptacle” connector.
Referring to
The mounting terminals 124 can define through-hole, solder-to-board pins (as shown in
The housing body 110, and thus the connector housing 106, can define receptacle openings 116 that are configured to receive at least one electrically conductive component along the longitudinal direction L, which can be referred to as the mating direction M. The openings 116 can be disposed at the front end 110a. The electrical contacts 108 can be supported by the connector housing 106 and can be configured to contact the complementary electrical contacts 208 when the complementary electrical connector 202 is received in the openings 116. In accordance with the illustrated embodiment, the receptacle openings 116 are disposed at the front end 110a of the connector housing 106, thus the front end 110a of the connector housing can define the openings 116. The connector housing can further define first and second electrically insulative arms 150a and 150b that are spaced apart from each other along the lateral direction A and that are supported by the housing body 110. The first and second arms 150a and 150b can abut the first and second side walls 136 and 138, respectively, such that the first and second side walls 136 and 138 are at least partially disposed within the receptacle opening 116. Thus, the first and second arms 150a and 150b can further define the receptacle opening 116. In particular, the mating portion 118 of each electrical contact 108 can be disposed within the opening 116 such that the mating portion 118 contacts the complementary electrical contact 208 when the complementary electrical connector 202 is received in the receptacle opening 116. The arms 150a and 150b can extend from the housing body 110 forwardly along the longitudinal direction L. Alternatively, the arms 150a and 150b can be monolithic with the housing body 110.
The first arm 150a can define a first arm body 153a and a first barb 151a that extends along the lateral direction A from the arm body 153a so as to be disposed in front of the mating end 132 along the longitudinal direction L. Similarly, the second arm 150b can define a second arm body 153b and a second barb 153b that extends along the lateral direction A from the arm body 153b so as to be disposed in front of the mating end 132 along the longitudinal direction L. Thus, the barbs 151a and 151b can be disposed at the front end 110a of the connector housing 106, and barbs 151a and 151b can contact the mating end 132 along the lateral direction A such that the mating ends 132 are touch proof, and thus the mating ends 132 are blocked from human contact or humans are otherwise prevented from touching the mating ends 132 with their fingers. As used herein, touch-proof can also refer to compliance with a standardized test that is published in IEC 60950, which verifies that contact parts, such as mating ends or mounting ends, cannot be touched by a test finger. Thus, the mating ends 132 can be touch-proof such that the mating ends 132 cannot be touched by a test finger, which represents a human finger, from every reasonable position. Further, at least one arm, for instance the first and second arms 150a and 150b, can be supported by the housing body 110. The at least one arm can extend beyond the mating portions 118 in the mating direction M such that the mating portions 118 terminate at a location 152 along the mating direction M that is disposed inward with respect to a location 154 in which the arm terminates along the mating direction M.
With particular reference to
Thus, the connector housing 106 can include an inner surface 107 that defines at least one opening 116 such that at least one of the plurality of electrical contacts 108 are disposed in the opening. The inner surface 107 can at least substantially surround the at least one of the plurality of electrical contacts 108, and the inner surface 107 can extend out from the housing body 110 along the mating direction M past the mating end 132 of the at least one of the plurality of electrical contacts 108, wherein at least one of the electrical contacts terminates at the mating end 132. Thus, the electrical contacts 108, and thus the electrical connector 102, can be touch-proof at the mating end 132. Thus, the connector housing 106 can extend beyond the mating ends 132 of the electrical contacts 108 along the mating direction M.
With particular reference to
Thus, the electrical contacts 108 can include first and second electrical contacts 108 that are supported by the connector housing 106 and spaced apart from each other along the lateral direction that is substantially perpendicular with respect to the longitudinal and transverse directions L and T, respectively. Each of the first and second electrical contacts 108 can define at least one mounting terminal 124 that is placed in electrical communication with the substrate 104 when the first and second electrical contacts 108 are mounted to the substrate 104. Further, the connector housing 106 can define the electrically insulative fin 156 that can be disposed between the first and second electrical contacts 108 along the lateral direction A. Thus, the fin 156 can define a maximum height of the electrical connector 102 along the transverse direction T. For instance, the bottom end 110d can be spaced from the top end 110c in a downward direction that is substantially parallel to the transverse direction T, and the mounting terminals 124 can terminate at the mounting end 134 along the downward direction and the fin 156 can terminate at a location that is spaced from the mounting end 134 in the downward direction. Thus, the fin 156 can extend through the slot 148 in the substrate 104 in the downward direction when the electrical connector 102 is mounted to the substrate 104.
Further, in accordance with the illustrated embodiment, referring particularly to
The fin 156 can be longer in a major direction that includes at least one of the longitudinal direction L and the lateral direction A with respect to a minor direction that is perpendicular to the major direction and does not include the transverse direction T. For instance, the major direction can include each of the longitudinal direction L and the lateral direction A. Thus, the fin 156 can be longer in one of the longitudinal and the lateral directions L and A than the other of the longitudinal direction L and the lateral direction A. Further, the fin 156 can define a first dimension in the one of the longitudinal and the lateral directions L and A, and a second dimension in the other of the longitudinal and the lateral directions L and A, and the first dimension can be least five times greater than the second dimension. In accordance with the illustrated embodiment, the first dimension is in the longitudinal direction L. Alternatively, it will be understood that the first dimension can be the lateral direction.
Referring to
Referring to
The mounting terminals 124 of the electrical contacts 108 defines a footprint 130 taken from a portion of a bottom plan view of the electrical connector 102. The illustrated footprint 130 is illustrated as including three electrical contacts 108, though any number of electrical contacts 108 can be provided as desired. The mounting terminals 124 of the electrical contacts 108 are arranged in a plurality of columns. For instance, the first mounting terminals 124a of each electrical contact 108 are arranged in a first column (column 1) of the respective contact 108, and the second mounting terminals 124b of each electrical contact 108 are arranged in a second column (column 2) of the respective contact 108. Columns 1 and 2 of each electrical contact 108 are disposed laterally adjacent each other and extend along a direction, for instance the longitudinal direction L, that is substantially parallel to each other. The electrical contacts 108 are further arranged such that the first column (C1) of one electrical contact 108 is disposed laterally adjacent to the second column (C2) of its adjacent electrical contact 108, and the fin 156 is disposed between the first column (C1) of one electrical contact 108 and the second column (C2) of its adjacent electrical contact 108.
Each electrical contact 108 can define a centerline disposed at the midpoint between the first and second side walls 136 and 138 along the lateral direction A. The spacing between the centerlines of adjacent electrical contacts 108 may be referred to as the column pitch CP. The first and second columns can define a centerline disposed at the midpoint between the first and second columns along the lateral direction A. The spacing between the centerlines of adjacent column midpoints may be substantially equal to the column pitch CP. In the illustrated embodiment, the column pitch CP can be between 1 and 7 mm, such as between 5 and 6 mm, such as between, for instance approximately 5.0 mm or more particularly 5.08 mm. It should be further appreciated the electrical contacts 108 can be arranged and constructed so as to define any column pitch as desired.
One or more, up to all as illustrated in
Thus, the mounting terminals 124a and 124b of adjacent columns 1 and 2 of adjacent electrical contacts 108 are spaced apart a greater creepage distance than if there is no slot 148 disposed between them along the lateral direction A. Thus, the illustrated connector 102 provides increased creepage distance between the mounting terminals without increasing the footprint of the mounting interface of the connector with respect to a similarly constructed connector that does not include the fins 156.
It should further be appreciated that the increased creepage distance between the mounting terminals 124a and 124b allows the electrical contacts 108 to carry an increased working voltage (for instance 400V or greater) with respect to conventional terminals, while at the same time reducing or preventing arcing across the mounting terminals 124a and 124b during operation. The electrical contacts 108 can further carry greater current than other contacts, and the electrical contacts 108 are configured to be touch-proof.
Stated yet another way, the electrical connector 102 can include an electrical housing 106 and a first electrical contact 108 comprising a first mating end 132 and a plurality of first mounting terminals 124 each having a respective first mounting end 134. The second electrical contact 108 can be positioned immediately adjacent to the first electrical contact 108, the second electrical contact 108 comprising a second mating end 132 and a plurality of second mounting terminals 124 each having a respective second mounting end 134. The first mounting ends 134 of the first mounting terminals 124 can configured to extend from the substrate 104 and remain exposed, and the second mounting terminals 134 can configured to extend from the substrate 104 and remain exposed. Further, the electrical connector 102 can be touch proof as described above, for instance touch proof according to the IEC 60950 test finger probe procedure, at the first mating end 132, at the second mating end 132, at the first mounting end 134 of each of the first mounting terminals 124, and at the second mounting end 134 of each of the second mounting terminals 124. The electrical housing 106 can further comprise an electrically insulative fin 156 positioned between the first mounting terminals 124 and the second mounting terminals 124 and the electrically insulative fin 156 can extend in a length beyond the first mounting ends 134 of the first mounting terminals 124 and the second mounting ends 134 of the second mounting terminals 124. The electrical housing 106 can extend beyond the first mating end 132 of the first electrical contact 108 and the second mating end 132 of the second electrical contact 108.
Referring to
In operation, a method of establishing an electrical connection with an electrical connector that has 1) a connector housing including a housing body and a fin that extends out from the housing body, the housing body defining a mating interface configured to mate with a complementary connector housing of a complementary electrical connector, and a mounting interface configured to be mounted onto a substrate, and 2) a plurality of electrical contacts supported by the connector housing, each of the electrical contacts defining a mounting portion and a mating portion, can include the bringing the connector housing toward the substrate. During the bringing step, the fin can be inserted at least into a slot in the substrate. After the inserting step and during the bringing step, the mounting portion can be inserted into the substrate so as to place the electrical contacts in electrical communication with the substrate. A relative movement between the electrical connector and the complementary electrical connector can be established along the mating direction so as to cause the mating portions of the electrical contacts to mate with complementary electrical contacts of the complementary electrical connector. The complementary connector housing can be received in a gap that extends into the housing body.
In accordance with one embodiment and in accordance with the description above, a method can include offering for sale a first electrical connector, for instance the electrical connector 102, that includes at least one electrically insulative fin, for instance a plurality of electrically insulative fins 156.
The embodiments described in connection with the illustrated embodiments have been presented by way of illustration, and the present invention is therefore not intended to be limited to the disclosed embodiments. Furthermore, the structure and features of each the embodiments described above can be applied to the other embodiments described herein, unless otherwise indicated. Accordingly, the invention is intended to encompass all modifications and alternative arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the invention, for instance as set forth by the appended claims.
This Application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/870,030, filed Aug. 26, 2013, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference as if set forth in its entirety herein.
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| Number | Date | Country | |
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| 20150056868 A1 | Feb 2015 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
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| 61870030 | Aug 2013 | US |
