Patent Application
20070232131
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electrical connectors and more particularly, to an electrical connector set.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional electrical connector set is known comprising a base frame, a first electrical connector and a second electrical connector mounted in the base frame, fastening devices for securing the electrical connector set to a circuit board, and bottom plate that secures the end portions of the terminals of the first electrical connector and the second electrical connector. The fastening devices each are comprised of a first fastening member and a second fastening member. The first fastening member is symmetrically fastened to retaining grooves at upright supports of the base frame. The second fastening member is fastened to the bottom plate. The first fastening member, the second fastening member and the bottom plate constitute a triangular configuration. According to this design, the first fastening member and second fastening member of each fastening device are two separated members. This design complicates the installation procedure of the electrical connector set, and also relatively increases the cost.
The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is the main object of the present invention to provide an electrical connector set, which is easy to install.
To achieve this and other objects of the present invention, the electrical connector set comprises a base frame, a first electrical connector and a second electrical connector mounted in the base framed at different elevations, and at least one retaining device adapted to secure the electrical connector set to a circuit board. The at least one retaining device each has an integral first retaining portion and an integral second retaining portion respectively connectable to the base frame.
Referring to FIGS. 1˜9, an electrical connector set in accordance with the present invention is shown comprising a base frame 1, a first electrical connector 2 and a second electrical connector 3 arranged in a stack on the base frame 1, and two retaining devices 4 that secure the electrical connector set to a circuit board (not shown).
The base frame 1 has a substantially H-shaped profile when viewed from the front side, or a L-shaped profile when viewed from one lateral side. The base frame 1 has a flat base 13, two upright supports 11 perpendicularly upwardly extending from the flat base 13 and arranged in parallel, and a transverse connecting portion 12 connected between the two upright supports 11. The upright supports 11 each have a U-shaped top notch 111, and at least one, for example, two protruding blocks 112 disposed at two sides of the U-shaped top notch 111 respectively engaged into a respective groove 211 on the electrically insulative housing 21 of the first electrical connector 2. The base frame 1 further defines a top receiving space 121 between the two upright supports 11 above the transverse connecting portion 12 for accommodating the first electrical connector 2, and a bottom receiving space 122 between the two upright supports 11 below the transverse connecting portion 12 for accommodating the second electrical connector 3. The base frame 1 has a plurality of locating grooves 131, at least one first through hole 132, and at least one second through hole 133. According to this embodiment, the base frame 1 has one first through hole 132 and one second through hole 133.
The retaining devices 4 have a substantially L-shaped profile when viewed from one lateral side. Each retaining device 4 has a first retaining portion 41, a second retaining portion 42, a vertical wall 43, and a horizontal wall 44. The first retaining portion 41 extends vertically downwardly from the bottom side of the vertical wall 43. The second retaining portion 41 extends vertically downwardly from one end of the horizontal wall 44 remote from the vertical wall 43. The first retaining portion 41 and the second retaining portion 42 are respectively engaged into the first through hole 132 and the second through hole 133. The horizontal wall 44 is engaged into the locating grooves 131 to prohibit the respective retaining device 4 from vertical displacement relative to the base frame 1.
During installation, the first electrical connector 2 and the second electrical connector 3 are respectively mounted in the top receiving space 121 and the bottom receiving space 122, and then the retaining devices 4 are respectively mounted in the base frame 1 to force the first retaining portion 41 and the second retaining portion 42 into the first through hole 132 and the second through hole 133 respectively and to engage the horizontal wall 44 into the locating grooves 131 to prohibit the respective retaining device 4 from vertical displacement relative to the base frame 1, and then fasteners (for example, screws) 5 are used to affix the first electrical connector 2 and the retaining devices 4 to the U-shaped top notches 111 of the base frame 1, and therefore the electrical connector set is assembled.
A prototype of electrical connector set has been constructed with the features of
Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.
