Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6244878
-
Patent Number
6,244,878
-
Date Filed
Tuesday, October 26, 199925 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, June 12, 200123 years ago
-
Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
- Bradley; Paula
- Nguyen; Truc
Agents
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 439 79
- 439 761
- 439 637
- 439 660
- 439 634
- 439 741
- 439 870
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
An input/output connector adapted for a mobile electric device. The input/output connector includes a connector body and at least one pair of terminals. The connector body is exposed to the outside and having at least one pair of terminal holes. Each terminal hole is provided with an engaging block at a position adjacent to the outside respectively. A contact portion is formed at one end of the terminal, and an engaging portion is formed at the other end. Each engaging portion engages with the engaging block, and the opposing contact portions hold a printed circuit board of the mobile electric device. Therefore, the printed circuit board is capable of electrically communicating with the external electric device.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an input/output connector, particularly to an input/output connector adapted for a mobile electric device, such as a mobile phone.
2. Description of Prior Art
An input/output connector disposed inside a mobile electric device can communicate with an external electric device. Conventionally, terminals of the input/output connector are directly welded onto the printed circuit board. Accordingly, when a plug is inserted into the input/output connector or an inserted plug is pulled out from the input/output connector, the terminals of the input/output connector are easily damaged due to a friction between the plug and the input/output connector.
FIG. 1
shows a conventional mobile phone, in which reference numeral
1
represents an upper shell of the mobile phone, reference numeral
2
represents a lower shell that detachably engages with the upper shell
1
, and reference numeral
3
represents a printed circuit board disposed in the lower shell
2
. An input/output connector
4
is usually mounted at the bottom of the lower shell
2
and electrically connected to the printed circuit board
3
.
FIG. 2
a
and
FIG. 2
b
show the details of the input/output connector
4
. Being different from the previous welding manner, the input/output connector
4
holds the printed circuit board. The input/output connector
4
consists mainly of a body portion
5
and a plurality of terminals
6
. The body portion
5
is provided with a plurality of terminal holes
51
for receiving the terminals
6
. The body portion
5
is provided with a plurality of bulges
52
on its periphery. Each bulge
52
can abut against the lower shell
2
of the mobile phone so that the input/output connector is fixed inside the mobile phone. Each terminal
6
is provided with a contact portion
61
and a positioning portion
62
respectively, wherein each contact portion
61
is substantially “Λ” in shape so as to abut against the body portion
5
before the printed circuit board
3
is inserted into the input/output connector. After the printed circuit board
3
is inserted into the input/output connector, the contact portions
61
of the terminals
6
are in contact with the printed circuit board
3
. Furthermore, each positioning portion
62
of the terminal
6
abuts against a positioning block
53
of the body portion
5
, respectively. Each positioning portion
62
is made of metal and thus can electrically communicate with an external electric device.
The defect of the input/output connector as shown in
FIGS. 2
a
-
2
c
is that the terminals
6
are easily moved. Since each terminal
6
is disposed in the body portion
5
by the spring force of the contact portion
61
of the terminal
6
itself, the terminal
6
is easily moved or pushed out of the body portion
5
when the printed circuit board
3
is inserted into the input/output connector, as shown in
FIG. 2
c
. As a result, the quality of the input/output connector is unstable. Furthermore, the terminals
6
disposed in the body portion
5
are arranged in a single array, thus the input/output connector occupies a large space in the mobile phone.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems and provide an input/output connector adapted for a mobile electric device, for example a mobile phone. The input/output connector comprises a connector body and at least one pair of terminals, wherein the connector body is exposed to the outside of the shell and provided with at least one pair of terminal holes, and an engaging block is located inside each terminal hole at a position adjacent to the outside. Furthermore, a contact portion is formed at one end of each terminal and an engaging portion is formed at the other end. Each engaging portion respectively engages with the engaging block and the contact portions of each pair of the terminals hold the printed circuit board of the mobile electric device. Any portion of each contact portion exposed to the outside of the shell can communicate with an external electrical device.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The objects, features and advantages of the present invention can be more fully understood by reading the subsequent detailed description and examples with reference made to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1
is a schematic diagram of a mobile phone;
FIG. 2
a
is a three-dimensional diagram of a conventional input/output connector, wherein one terminal is not inserted into the body portion;
FIG. 2
b
is a plane diagram of the conventional input/output connector;
FIG. 2
c
is a three-dimensional diagram of the conventional input/output connector, wherein one terminal is pushed out of the body portion by a printed circuit board;
FIG. 3
a
is a three-dimensional diagram of a connector body of the present invention;
FIG. 3
b
is a three-dimensional diagram of the connector body of the present invention in a different view;
FIG. 3
c
is a plane view of the connector body of the present invention;
FIG. 3
d
is a plane view of the connector body of the present invention;
FIG. 3
e
is a side view of the connector body of the present invention;
FIG. 4
is a schematic view showing the input/output connector of the present invention mounted on the mobile phone;
FIG. 5
a
is a three-dimensional diagram of terminals of the present invention, wherein the terminals are not bent;
FIG. 5
b
is a three-dimensional diagram of the terminals of the present invention in a different view, wherein the terminals are bent;
FIG. 5
c
is a plane view of the terminals of the present invention;
FIG. 5
d
is a plane view of the terminals of the present invention;
FIG. 5
e
is a side view of the terminals of the present invention;
FIG. 6
a
is an exploded view of the input/output connector of the present invention;
FIG. 6
b
is a three-dimensional diagram of the input/output connector of the present invention;
FIG. 6
c
is a three-dimensional diagram of the input/output connector of the present invention in a different view;
FIG. 6
d
is a plane view of the input/output connector of the present invention;
FIG. 6
e
is a plane view of the input/output connector of the present invention;
FIG. 6
f
is a sectional diagram along a line A—A in
FIG. 6
e;
FIG. 7
a
is a schematic diagram showing the connection between the input/output connector of the present invention and the printed circuit board before the connection is completed; and
FIG. 7
b
is a schematic diagram showing the connection between the input/output connector of the present invention and the printed circuit board after the connection is completed.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
An input/output connector of the present invention is described below referring to
FIGS. 3
a
-
3
e
,
4
,
5
a
-
5
e
and
6
a
-
6
f.
An input/output connector according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a connector body and a plurality of terminals.
FIGS. 3
a
-
3
e
show the connector body
20
of the present invention. The connector body
20
is further provided with a plurality of partitions
21
, a plurality of engaging blocks
22
, a plurality of terminal holes
23
, two plates
26
and a shaft
27
connecting the plates
26
. Each partition
21
is connected with the shaft
27
and separated from each other by a distance. Each engaging block
22
is substantially rectangular in shape and arranged between the partitions
21
or between the plate
26
and the partition
21
. Furthermore, each terminal hole
23
is formed between the engaging block
22
and the shaft
27
so as to receive a terminal, which will be described afterward.
The connector body
20
is also provided with a slot
24
. A printed circuit board of a mobile phone can be inserted into the slot
24
. The connector body
20
is also provided with at least one bulge
25
on its peripheral so that the input/output connector can be disposed inside the mobile phone, as shown in FIG.
4
.
FIGS. 5
a
-
5
e
show the terminals of the present invention. Each terminal
30
is provided with a contact portion
31
and an engaging portion
32
. A front end of each contact portions
31
is bent into a convex portion
311
respectively. The convex portions
311
are substantially “>” and “<” in shape so as to hold the printed circuit board firmly. Before being fixedly disposed on the connector body
20
, the engaging portions
32
are shown in
FIG. 5
a
. When the terminals
30
are fixedly disposed on the connector body
20
through the terminal holes
23
, the engaging portions
32
are bent by a tool into the shape shown in
FIG. 5
b
. Accordingly, the engaging portions
32
of the terminals
30
surround the engaging blocks
22
of the connector body
20
so that the terminals
30
can be fixedly disposed on the connector body
20
.
FIGS. 6
a
-
6
f
show an input/output connector of the present invention.
FIG. 6
a
shows an input/output connector in which the terminals
30
are not disposed on the connector body
20
and the engaging portions
32
of the terminals
30
are not bent.
FIGS. 6
b
-
6
f
are respectively a perspective view, plan views and a sectional view of the input/output connector of the present invention, wherein the engaging portions
32
of the terminals
30
are bent, and each engaging portion
32
surrounds the outer surface of the engaging block
22
of the connector body
20
.
FIGS. 7
a
-
7
b
are schematic diagrams showing the connection between the input/output connector of the present invention and the printed circuit board
3
. When the printed circuit board
3
engages with the input/output connector
10
, one end of the printed circuit board
3
abuts against the connector body
20
, and the contact portions
31
of the terminals
30
hold the printed circuit board
3
and the terminals
30
are thus electrically connected with the circuits on the printed circuit board
3
.
Referring to FIG.
4
and
FIG. 7
b
, the input/output connector is disposed inside the lower shell
2
of the mobile phone by means of the bulges
25
of the connector body
20
. Any portion of each engaging portion
32
exposed to the outside can electrically communicate with the external electric device. The input/output connector
10
holds the printed circuit board
3
by means of the slot
24
of the connector body
20
and the contact portions
31
of the terminals
30
.
In this embodiment, the terminals are made of metal. However, it should be noted that the terminals could also be made of other conductive materials capable of carrying electric signals.
The following are the advantages of the present invention:
(1) The input/output connector of the present invention occupies fewer space in a mobile electric device. The terminals of the present invention are arranged in two rows, while the terminals of the conventional input/output connector are arranged in one row. Thus, the input/output connector of the present invention can leave more space for other devices in the mobile electric device.
(2) Because the terminals are not welded to the printed circuit board, the insertion and the extraction of the plug will not damage the welding points on the printed circuit board.
(3) Since each terminal surrounds the engaging block of the connector body, the terminals are tightly connected to the connector body and will not be pushed out of the connector body easily.
Although this invention has been described in its preferred embodiments, it is understood that the present disclosure of the preferred embodiments can be modified in the details of contraction. The scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and not by the specific examples given herein.
Claims
- 1. A connector comprising:(a) a body formed of an insulating material, said body including a plurality of partitions and a plurality of engaging blocks, each engaging block being disposed adjacent at least one partition; and (b) a plurality of terminals disposed in said body between said partitions, each terminal comprising an elongated strip of metal which is formed having: (i) a elongate portion having a convex contact portion at or adjacent a first end thereof; and (ii) a series of relatively flat metal surfaces adjacent or at a second end of said elongate portion, the series of relatively flat surfaces engaging at least two opposed surfaces of one of said engaging blocks to inhibit removal of the terminal from said body, at least one of said flat surfaces providing a relatively flat contact portion.
- 2. The connector of claim 1 wherein said engaging blocks are essentially rectangular in cross section.
- 3. The connector of claim 1 wherein said plurality of partitions are essentially planar members disposed in an essentially parallel relationship to one another and being spaced from one another by said engaging blocks and also being spaced from one another by a longitudinal shaft member, the longitudinal shaft member having a major axis arranged essentially orthogonally to said planar members.
- 4. The connector of claim 3 wherein said longitudinal shaft member is rectangular in cross section adjacent said planar members and has a first surface which is disposed essentially parallel to the relatively flat contact portions of said plurality of terminals.
- 5. The connector of claim 4 wherein said longitudinal shaft member has a series of parallel surfaces arranged between said planar members, said parallel surfaces defining one or more planes intersecting a plane associated with said first surface, a portion of each of said connectors disposed against an associated one of said parallel surfaces of said longitudinal shaft member.
- 6. The connector of claim 1 including an opening for receiving a printed circuit board, the convex contact portions of the terminals engaging said printed circuit board.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
87218951 |
Nov 1998 |
TW |
|
US Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Name |
Date |
Kind |
3289148 |
Antes |
Nov 1966 |
|