The present application relates generally to the field of electrical connectors, and more particularly to a high voltage electrical connector.
The following description is provided to assist the understanding of the reader. None of the information provided or references cited are admitted to be prior art.
Various types of connectors are used for forming connections between a wire and any manner of electronic or electrical component. These connectors are typically available as sockets, plugs, and shrouded headers in a vast range of sizes, pitches, and plating options. Traditionally, an electrical connection between a wire and printed circuit board (PCB) is formed by soldering the core of the wire onto an electrical pad of the PCB. This process can be tedious, inefficient, and undesirable and result in a high scrap rate, which may be expensive. Moreover, once a solder has been made, the connection is not reparable, and a replacement would require new components. This is undesirable in applications where components cannot be easily reachable (e.g., a connection to a vehicle's PCB). Thus, a quick, efficient, and reliable means of connecting high-voltage wires with interlocks to printed circuit boards is needed.
The systems, methods, and devices of this disclosure each have several innovative aspects, no single one of which is solely responsible for the desirable attributes disclosed herein.
An electrical connector is disclosed. The electrical connector includes a first electrical contact. The first electrical contact includes a transition portion, a female end, and a press-fit end. The transition portion includes a female-end base and a press-fit base. The female end includes a first contact tine portion extending from the female-end base to a first distal end and a second contact tine portion that extends from the female-end base to a second distal end. The press-fit end includes at least a first compliant pin that extends from the press-fit base to a third distal end. The first distal end and the second distal end are separated by a first distance, and the first contact tine portion at the female-end base and the second contact tine portion at the female-end base are separated by a second distance. The second distance is greater than the first distance. That is, the first distal end and the second distal end create a compression point that may receive and compress a corresponding electrical prong, contact tine, pin, etc.
In an embodiment, the first contact tine portion extends at an interior angle relative to the female-end base that is equal to a second interior angle that the second contact tine portion extends relative to the female-end base. Further, the first contact tine portion may include multiple prongs (i.e., smaller contact tines) that extend in a first prong plane, and the second contact tine portion may include multiple prongs (i.e., smaller contact tines) that extend in a second prong plane. In alternative embodiments, the first contact tine portion may extend away from the female-end base to a distance and curve back toward the female-end base and toward the second contact tine portion to the distal end. Similarly, the second contact tine portion may extend away from the female-end base to the same distance and curve back toward the female-end base and toward the first contact tine portion to the distal end. In this way, the first and second distal ends create a barb-like retention of a corresponding prong or contact tine when the corresponding prong or contact tine is compressed into the female end. The female-end base of the transition portion may extend along a first plane and the press-fit base may extend along a second plane. The first and second planes may be parallel or perpendicular.
The transition portion may also include a connecting portion that connects the female-end base to the press-fit base and aligns the female-end base in the first plane and aligns the press-fit base in the second plane. The press-fit end may also include retention ribs that extend outwardly from the proximal end of the compliant pin and that are configured to stabilize the electrical contact relative to either an insulative housing or a base housing. In an embodiment, the retention ribs extend substantially perpendicular to the direction that the first compliant pin extends and in a second plane which the press-fit base extends. The first contact tine portion extends away from the female-end base to a distance and curves back toward the female-end base and toward the second contact tine portion to the distal end, and wherein the second contact tine portion extends away from the female-end base to the distance and curves back toward the female-end base and toward the first contact tine portion to the distal end.
An embodiment of the electrical connector may include a first electrical contact, a second electrical contact, a first interlocking contact, and a second interlocking contact. Each of the electrical contacts may include a female end, a transition portion, and a press-fit end. The electrical connector may also include an insulative housing. The insulative housing includes a first recess configured to receive at least a portion of the first electrical contact, a second recess configured to receive at least a portion of the second electrical contact, a third recess configured to receive at least a portion of to the first interlocking contact, and a fourth recess configured to receive at least a portion of the second interlocking contact. In an embodiment, the insulative housing may also include a first and second electrical contact retention opening that are each configured to receive and retain one of the press-fit ends.
In an operation, a bottom of an electrical connector is aligned adjacent to a printed circuit board and the press-fit compliant pins of the electrical connector are compressed into respective conductive holes of the printed circuit board. The compression causes the press-fit compliant pins to squeeze (via a slot in the middle of the pins) as the press-fit compliant pins are forced into the conductive holes. The press-fit compliant pins then expand once they are fully inserted into the conductive holes and a stable, reliable, and corrosion-resistant electrical and mechanical connection is formed therebetween. In a second operation, a plug is aligned adjacent to a side of the electrical connector, and the plug and the electrical connector are compressed together. The compression causes a first electrical prong to enter into a female end of a first electrical contact and for the contact tines of the female end to compress the first electrical prong in order to form a mechanical and electrical connection therebetween. Similarly, the compression causes a second electrical prong to enter into a female end of a first electrical contact and a mechanical and electrical connection form therebetween. Additionally, the compression causes a first interlock prong to enter into a female end of a first interlock contact and a second interlock prong into a female end of a second interlock contact in order to form electrical and mechanical connections therebetween. In this way, the first and second electrical prongs and the first and second interlock pins are electrically connected to their respective conductive holes of the printed circuit board.
The electrical connector is not limited by its number of wire openings or other components. Particular embodiments of electrical connectors are described in greater detail below by reference to the examples illustrated in the various drawings.
Reference will now be made to various embodiments, one or more examples of which are illustrated in the figures. The embodiments are provided by way of explanation of the invention and are not meant as a limitation of the invention. For example, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment may be used with another embodiment to yield still a further embodiment. It is intended that the present application encompass these and other modifications and variations as come within the scope and spirit of the invention.
Disclosed herein is an electrical connector. The electrical connector can be used with a variety of corresponding connectors and electrical components. For example, the electrical connector may be used with a printed circuit board (PCB) and/or an electrical plug. In an embodiment, the electrical connector includes two electrical contacts, two interlock contacts, and an insulative housing. Each of the electrical contacts and the interlock contacts includes a female end, a transition portion, and a press-fit end. The insulative housing includes a plurality of recesses which retain and support the electrical contacts when in use. Such an electrical contact may be used to efficiently and reliably mechanically and electrical couple a wire with interconnects (or a plug that that is connected to the wires) to a printed circuit board. Specifically, the electrical connector allows for a male-end plug to be connected to the female ends of the contacts and further connected to components of the PCB via the press-fit end of the electrical contacts. Further, the insulative housing provides rigidity and reliability to the connections while also providing safety to the user. The unique design of the electrical contacts increases the versatility of the electrical connector. Specifically, the transition portion aligns the female end and the press-fit end to ensure proper positioning of the electrical contacts during use in a particular application (e.g., in vehicles where PCB connections are exposed to thermal expansion and vibrations and are positioned in unreachable places). Further, the transition portion provides support the electrical contacts within the insulative housing to ensure a reliable and robust electrical connection between the plugs/wires and the PCB. Traditionally, a user must manually handle each wire and solder the wire to a contact pad of the PCB or the PCB must be pre-fabricated to accept a particular plug. However, the design of this wire guide allows a user to plug in a variety of plugs and simply guide the press-fit pins into their respective holes on a printed circuit board.
Various embodiments of an electrical connectors and various corresponding electrical components are illustrated throughout
The insulative housing 101 includes a first recess 110, a second recess 111, a third recess 112, and a fourth recess (not depicted). The insulative housing 101 also includes a center portion 140. The center portion 140 separates the first recess 110 (and corresponding electrical contact 102) from the second recess 111 (and corresponding electrical contact 103). Additionally, the center portion 140 includes the third recess 112 and the fourth recess (not depicted). The third recess 112 is positioned above the fourth recess (not depicted) in a plane that is parallel to the plane which the center portion 140 extends. The third and fourth recesses 112 and (not depicted) are configured to receive a portion (e.g., the female end) of their respective interlock contacts. In an embodiment, the third and fourth recesses 112 and (not depicted) extend entirely through the center portion 140 of the insulative housing 101.
The first recess 110 houses at least a portion of the first electrical contact 102. The second recess 111 houses at least a portion of the second electrical contact 103. In alternative embodiments, the third recess 112 may house and retain at least a portion of the first interlock contact 104 and the fourth recess (not depicted) may house and retain at least a portion of the second interlock contact 105. That is, in an alternative embodiment, the third recess 112 and the fourth recess (not depicted) of the insulative housing 101 may house interlock contacts instead of the secondary housing 106. In yet alternative embodiments, the first interlock recess 160, second interlock recess 161, third recess 112, and/or fourth recess (not depicted) may house at least a portion of a respective interlock contact.
Insulating housing 101 includes an opening 120 that is configured to allow a corresponding electrical component to enter the housing in order to mechanically and electrically connect to the first electrical contact 102. The insulating housing 101 also includes a back ridge 121 and a contact retention opening 122. The back ridge 121 provides support to a corresponding electrical contact that is disposed within the first recess 110. The contact retention opening 122 is an elongated opening that allows for a portion of the corresponding electrical contact 102 to extend there through. The contact retention opening 122 provides stability to a portion (e.g., a transition portion and a press-fit end) of the first electrical contact 102 while the insulative housing 101 is positioned relative to a corresponding electrical component. Further, the contact retention opening 122 may also include an interlock support 123. The interlock support 123 may include two support members 124 that are configured to mechanically touch a portion of a corresponding interlock contact in order to provide rigidity to the corresponding interlock contact while the insulative housing 101 is positioned relative to a corresponding electrical component. In alternative embodiments, other components may be used in order to provide rigidity to the interlock contact from the insulative housing 101.
Similarly, the insulative housing 101 includes a second opening (not depicted) that is configured to allow a corresponding electrical component to enter the housing in order to mechanically and electrically connect to the second electrical contact 103. The insulative housing 101 also includes a back ridge 131 with a contact retention opening 132. The back ridge 131 provides support to corresponding electrical contact 103 that is disposed within the second recess 111. The contact retention opening 132 is an elongated opening that allows for a portion of the corresponding electrical contact 103 to extend therethrough. The contact retention opening 132 provides stability and rigidity to a portion (e.g., a transition portion and a press-fit end) of the second electrical contact 103 while the insulative housing 101 is positioned relative to a corresponding electrical component. Further, the contact retention opening 132 may also include an interlock support 133. The interlock support 133 includes two support members 134 that are configured to mechanically touch a portion of a corresponding interlock contact in order to provide rigidity and support to the corresponding interlock contact while the insulative housing 101 is positioned relative to a corresponding electrical component. In alternative embodiments, other support components may be used in order to provide rigidity to the interlock contact from the insulative housing 101.
As will be discussed in greater detail below, the first electrical contact 102 includes a female end 150, a transition portion 151, and a press-fit end 152. Similarly, the second electrical contact 103 includes a female end 153, a transition portion 154, and a press-fit end 155. The first interlock contact 104 includes an interlock female end (not depicted), an interlock transition portion 156, and an interlock press-fit end 157. Similarly, the second interlock contact 105 includes an interlock female end (not depicted), an interlock transition portion 158, and an interlock press-fit end 159. The transition portions 151 and 154 are designed to traverse the back ridges 121 and 131 of the first and second recesses 110 and 111 in order to provide mechanical support and rigidity to the first and second electrical contacts 102 and 103. Further, the transition portions 151 and 154 are designed to align the respective female ends 150 and 153 relative to the press-fit ends 152 and 155 such that each electrical contact is positioned properly and secured within the electrical housing (within the recesses 110 and 111 and within the contact retention openings 122 and 123).
The insulative housing 200 and 250 may also include a first interlock support 251, a second interlock support 252, and a third interlock support 253. In alternative embodiments, there may be more or fewer interlock supports. The interlock supports 251, 252, and 253 are positioned below (i.e., in a centerline closer to the bottom of the insulative housing where the PCB will be) the interlock recesses 212 and (not depicted) of the insulative housing 200 and 250 and/or below the interlock recesses of a secondary housing (not depicted). The interlock supports 251, 252, and 253 may include a back member 290 and two lateral support members 291. The back member 290 and the two lateral support members 291 provide support to a portion (e.g., a transition portion) of interlocking contacts (not depicted) in order for the press-fit pins of the interlock contacts (not depicted) to be compressed into corresponding PCB holes without damaging the PCB or the interlock contacts.
Still referring generally to
Referring generally now to
Referring generally now to
Referring generally now to
Referring generally now to
The first and second interlock contacts 604 and 605 include a female end 670, a transition portion 671, and a press-fit end 672. The base housing 606 includes four openings 629 that are each configured to receive the press-fit end 672 of one of the first or second interlock contacts 602 and 603. The base housing 606 allows for the electrical connector to be used in a straight (i.e., 180 degree) configuration of an electrical plug or component and a printed circuit board. In an embodiment, the press-fit end 672 extends in a parallel (or substantially parallel) but opposite direction relative to the female end 670 and/or openings 610, 611, 612, and 613 of the insulative housing 601. The press-fit end 672 also extends through and beyond respective interlock openings 629 such that the interlock contacts 604 and 605 extend from both sides of the base housing 606.
Referring generally now to
Referring again generally to
In an operation 902, the press-fit compliant pins of the electrical contact connector are inserted into respective conductive holes of the printed circuit board. The insertion of the electrical connector and the printed circuit board together causes the press-fit compliant pins to compress while being compressed into the hole and to exert a constant force against the inner circumference of the respective conductive holes. In this way, a mechanical and electrical connection is made between the press-fit compliant pins and the printed circuit board.
Additionally, the squeezing and expanding of each of the press-fit compliant pins ensures that a tight, resilient, and reliable connection is made to each respective conductive hole.
In an operation 903, a plug (e.g., a plug as depicted in
In an operation 903, the plug is compressed together with the electrical connector. The compression causes the first prong to enter the first female end of a first electrical contact and the second prong to enter the second female end of a first electrical contact. The compression also causes the first interlock prong to enter the first female end of a first interlock contact and the second interlock prong to enter the second female second of a first interlock contact. In general, the female ends of the contacts compress the respective prong between two contact tines in order to form a mechanical and electrical connection therebetween. As a general depiction of an embodiment, the result of the method is depicted by
With respect to the use of substantially any plural and/or singular terms herein, those having skill in the art can translate from the plural to the singular and/or from the singular to the plural as is appropriate to the context and/or application. The various singular/plural permutations may be expressly set forth herein for sake of clarity.
It will be understood by those within the art that, in general, terms used herein, and especially in the appended claims (e.g., bodies of the appended claims) are generally intended as “open” terms (e.g., the term “including” should be interpreted as “including but not limited to,” the term “having” should be interpreted as “having at least,” the term “includes” should be interpreted as “includes but is not limited to,” etc.) It will be further understood by those skilled in the art that if a specific number of an introduced claim recitation is intended, such an intent will be explicitly recited in the claim, and in the absence of such recitation no such intent is present. For example, as an aid to understanding, the following appended claims may contain usage of the introductory phrases “at least one” and “one or more” to introduce claim recitations. However, the use of such phrases should not be construed to imply that the introduction of a claim recitation by the indefinite articles “a” or “an” limits any particular claim containing such introduced claim recitation to inventions containing only one such recitation, even when the same claim includes the introductory phrases “one or more” or “at least one” and indefinite articles such as “a” or “an” (e.g., “a” and/or “an” should typically be interpreted to mean “at least one” or “one or more”); the same holds true for the use of definite articles used to introduce claim recitations. In addition, even if a specific number of an introduced claim recitation is explicitly recited, those skilled in the art will recognize that such recitation should typically be interpreted to mean at least the recited number (e.g., the bare recitation of “two recitations,” without other modifiers, typically means at least two recitations, or two or more recitations). Furthermore, in those instances where a convention analogous to “at least one of A, B, and C, etc.” is used, in general such a construction is intended in the sense one having skill in the art would understand the convention (e.g., “a system having at least one of A, B, and C” would include but not be limited to systems that have A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, and/or A, B, and C together, etc.) In instances where a convention analogous to “at least one of A, B, or C, etc.” is used, in general such a construction is intended in the sense one having skill in the art would understand the convention (e.g., “a system having at least one of A, B, or C” would include but not be limited to systems that have A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, and/or A, B, and C together, etc.) It will be further understood by those within the art that virtually any disjunctive word and/or phrase presenting two or more alternative terms, whether in the description, claims, or drawings, should be understood to contemplate the possibilities of including one of the terms, either of the terms, or both terms. For example, the phrase “A or B” will be understood to include the possibilities of “A” or “B” or “A and B.”
The foregoing description of illustrative embodiments has been presented for purposes of illustration and of description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or limiting with respect to the precise form disclosed, and modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings or may be acquired from practice of the disclosed embodiments. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the claims appended hereto and their equivalents.
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/816,619 (now U.S. Pat. No. 11,450,978), filed Mar. 12, 2020, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/819,022, filed Mar. 15, 2019, the entire disclosure of each of which is incorporated herein by reference in their entireties, for any and all purposes.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 16816619 | Mar 2020 | US |
Child | 17946228 | US |