Patent Application
20090264014
The subject matter herein relates generally to electrical connectors, and more particularly, to electrical connectors mounted to a panel of an electrical device or system.
Some electrical systems and devices today are designed to include ports along the panels or walls of an electrical system or device, such as a portable computer. The ports may allows an operator of the system to establish a communication or transmission line to a peripheral device (e.g., an RF antenna). In addition, the ports may allows the operator to establish a power connection for the system or the peripheral device. The ports generally include a receptacle that holds contacts configured to mate with an electrical connector coupled to the peripheral device. The receptacle is typically mounted to either the front or back side of the panel using hardware, such as screws, clips, pins, and the like. However, using hardware may increase the amount of time and cost used to construct the system. But if hardware is not used to attach the receptacle to the panel, the receptacle may inadvertently disengage from the panel during normal use of the system.
In some known connector assemblies, a receptacle body is mounted to a panel having a cut-out. The receptacle body includes an arm that extends parallel to and alongside an interior surface of the panel. The arm has a projection that extends toward the interior surface. In order to mount the receptacle body to the panel, a portion of the receptacle body is inserted through the cut-out. As the portion extends therethrough, the arm projection engages the interior surface of the panel causing the arm to flex backward. The receptacle body is then moved in a lateral direction alongside the panel such that the arm projection drags along the interior surface. When the arm projection clears an edge of the cut-out, the arm projection snaps into a locked position. As such, both a portion of the receptacle body and the arm projection extend through the cut-out. However, because the projection is exposed to a surrounding exterior, the projection may be inadvertently triggered causing the receptacle body to disengage from the panel. In addition, because the arm projection engages the interior surface before the receptacle body is moved laterally, the stored energy within the arm may make mounting the receptacle body more difficult.
Thus, there is a need for an electrical connector assembly that may be mounted to a panel without using hardware. There is a need for an electrical connector assembly that may be mounted to a panel with a reduced risk of being inadvertently disengaged. There is a need for an electrical connector assembly that may be easier for a user to mount to a panel than the known mountable connector assemblies described above.
In one embodiment, an electrical connector assembly for mounting to a panel is provided. The panel includes a cut-out and a latch element that projects outward from a first side of the panel. The connector assembly is configured to move alongside the panel in a locking direction from an inserted position to a locked position. The connector assembly includes a connector body that has a mating end configured to interface with the panel and mate with another electrical connector through the cut-out. The connector assembly also includes at least one tab that extends away from the body. The tab is oriented to engage a second side of the panel when in the locked position. Also, the connector assembly includes a wing member that extends away from the body and is oriented to move along the first side when moved in the locking direction. The wing member includes an end portion and a latch opening that is configured to receive the latch element. The wing member is configured to flex away from the first side when the end portion engages the latch element and resile toward the first side when the latch opening receives the latch element.
Optionally, the end portion may include a lip that projects at a non-orthogonal angle away from the first side. The lip may be configured to engage the latch element when the wing member is moved in the locking direction. Also, the tab may be positioned forward of the wing member such that when the connector body is in the inserted position the wing member is engaged with the first side and the tab has cleared the second side. Also optionally, the connector assembly may include a frame that surrounds and holds the connector body. The tab and the wing member may be coupled to and extend from the frame. In addition, the wing member may include a planar section that extends from the body to the end portion. The planar section may include the latch opening and be oriented to abut the first side when in the locked position.
In another embodiment, a frame for holding an electrical connector body is provided. The frame is configured to mount a panel having a cut-out and a latch element projecting outward from a first side of the panel. The frame is also configured to move along the panel in a locking direction from an inserted position to a locked position. The frame includes a mating end that is configured to interface with the panel when mounted thereto and at least one tab that extends away from the mating end. The tab is oriented to engage a second side of the panel when in the locked position. The frame also includes a wing member that extends away from the mating end and is oriented to slide along the first side when moved in the locking direction. The wing member includes an end portion and a latch opening that is configured to receive the latch element. The wing member is configured to flex away from the first side when the end portion engages the latch element and resile toward the first side when the latch opening receives the latch element.
Optionally, the frame is stamped and formed from sheet metal. Also, the mating end of the frame may include a front edge. The tab and the wing member may be coupled to and extend from the front edge.
The module 100 is configured to engage and mate with the connector body 108. The module 100 is in electrical communication with another system or device, such as an RF antenna 101. The module 100 may include a plug body 110 that is configured to mate with a cavity 124 (shown in
In the illustrated embodiment, the connector assembly 102 includes the frame 106 and the connector body 108, which has an opening 125 leading into the cavity 124. The cavity 124 may include one or more mating ports 127 having mating contacts (not shown) configured to engage the plug contacts of the plug body 110 (
In an alternative embodiment, rather than the connector body 108 having one cavity 124 with the plurality of mating ports 127, the connector assembly 102 may include a plurality of separate connector bodies held within the frame 106. Each separate connector body may include one or more cavities for holding the mating contacts.
Also shown in
In the illustrated embodiment the connector assembly 102 has a substantially rectangular cross-sectional shape and is formed from a plurality of sides 120-123. More specifically the connector assembly includes opposing top and bottom sides 120 and 121, respectively that extend widthwise and parallel to a lateral axis 190 and opposing sides 122 and 123 that extend parallel to another lateral axis 191. In an exemplary embodiment, the lateral axis 190 may define a horizontal axis and the lateral axis 191 may define a vertical axis. The sides 120-123 may extend parallel with respect to each other and form a passage (not shown) therebetween for holding the connector body 108. The sides 120-123 may extend a depth D from the mating end 114 to the loading end 116. Further, the opposing sides 120 and 121 may extend a width W1 of the connector assembly 102, and the opposing sides 122 and 123 may extend a height H. Alternatively, the connector assembly 102 may be formed to have other cross-sectional shapes, such as a circle, an octagon, a semi-circle, and the like.
While the illustrated embodiment is designed for horizontal mounting to the panel 104 with the side 120 generally upward facing and the side 121 generally downward facing, it is realized that alternative mounting orientations are possible, such as vertical mounting or mounting up-side down. As such, the terms top, bottom, upper, lower, upward, downward and the like are relative and based on the orientation of the illustrated embodiment, and are not intended to be restrictive. For example, if the connector assembly 102 were mounted upside down, the side 120 may be positioned generally vertically below the side 121. Additionally terms such as forward facing or extending forward generally refer to a direction toward the exterior of the host system, and terms such as rearward facing or extending rearward generally refer to a direction toward the interior of the electrical system. Likewise, although the exemplary embodiment illustrates a rear-mounting type mechanism such that the connector assembly 102 is substantially within the interior of the system, the connector assembly 102 may also be mounted on a front side 202 of the panel 104 such that the connector assembly 102 is substantially in the exterior of the system.
As will be described in further detail, the mating end 114 is configured to engage and interface with the panel 104 along an interface plane that is formed by the horizontal and vertical axes 190 and 191. When properly mounted and aligned with the panel 104, the mating end 114 allows access to the cavity 124. In some embodiments, the mating end 114 includes a front end 130 of the connector body 108. The front end 130 may include a forward-facing portion 132 that defines a perimeter of the opening 125. When mounted to the panel 104, the front end 130 may project forward through the cut-out 200 into the exterior of the system. Alternatively, the front end 130 may be flush with the mating end 114 of the frame 106 or be configured to reside within the cavity 124 such that the frame 106 of the mating end 114 of the frame 106 extends beyond the front end 130 of the connector body 108.
The mating end 114 may also include parts and features of the frame 106. More specifically, the frame 106 may include a front edge 134 that extends around the connector body 108 proximate to the forward-facing portion 132 of the connector body 108. In the exemplary embodiment, the front edge 134 is located a distance Y behind the forward-facing portion 132 of the connector body 108. The connector assembly 102 also includes a plurality of tabs 140-147 and a pair of wing members 148 and 150 that extend away from the connector body 108. In the exemplary embodiment the tabs 140-147 and the wing members 148 and 150 are coupled to and extend away from the front edge 134. However, in other embodiments, the tabs 140-147 and wing members 148 and 150 are coupled to and extend away from the sides 120-123. The distance Y may be substantially equal to a thickness T of the panel 104 or a distance X (shown in
As shown, the wing members 148 and 150 may extend away from each other in opposing directions. The wing member 148 includes an end portion 152 and a planar section 154 that extends from the front edge 134 to the end portion 152. The planar section 154 includes a latch opening 156 that has a shape configured to receive and engage the latch element 222 (
In some embodiments, the end portion 152 forms a lip 162 that extends in a rearward direction and away from the panel 104 when the connector assembly 102 is mounted thereto. As will be described in detail below, the lip 162 may engage the latch element 222 when the connector assembly 102 is moved in a locking direction. Alternatively, the end portion 152 does not include the lip 162, but may, for example, only form an edge of the planar section 154.
Optionally, the wing members 148 and 150 may include a fastener hole 158 formed through the planar section 154 and 160, respectively. The fastener holes 158 may align and cooperate with a fastener hole 206 and a panel notch 220 in the panel 104 to facilitate coupling the module 100 to the panel 104. As one example, the fastener holes 158 may be configured to receive a screw from the module 100. However, the fastener hole 158 may be configured to receive and engage other types of fasteners, such as clips, pins, plugs, and the like.
Also in
The upper edge 208 and the lower edge 210 are separated by a substantially similar distance as the height H of the connector assembly 102. However, in the exemplary embodiment, the side edges 212 and 214 are separated by a width W2 (
As shown in
However, in alternative embodiments, the distance X between the exterior and interior planes 290 and 291 may be slightly less than the thickness T. In embodiments where the distance X is slightly less than the thickness T, the tabs 140 and 142 and the wing members 148 and 150 are configured to flex backward thereby increasing the distance X between the exterior and interior planes 290 and 291 and allowing the tabs 141 and 143 to clear the front side 202 when inserted through the cut-out 200. As such, a friction fit may be formed between the tabs 141 and 143 and the tabs 140 and 142.
As shown in
When the lip 162 is in a flexed condition, the stored energy may push the connector assembly 102 rearward. In the exemplary embodiment, the panel 104 and the tabs 141 and 143 may be configured such that when the wing member 148 is in a flexed condition, the rearward facing surfaces of the tabs 141 and 143 have moved directly in front of a portion of the front side 202 of the panel 104. As such, the tabs 141 and 143 may prevent the connector assembly 102 from being pushed back into the plane of the cut-out 200.
As shown in
Also shown, a rearward surface of the wing member 148 may be a distance Z3 away from the rear side 204 of the panel 104. In one embodiment, the distance Z2 is greater than the distance Z3 such that the latch element 222 projects beyond the rearward surface of the wing member 148 when the wing member 148 is in the locked position.
Embodiments described herein include mountable electrical connector assemblies and frames that hold electrical connectors. In some embodiments, the connector assembly or the frame may provide a slide-and-lock type mounting mechanism that does not require additional hardware to attach the connector assembly or frame to a panel. Furthermore, the mounting mechanism may reduce the risk of the frame or connector assembly inadvertently disengaging from the panel by covering or hiding the release mechanism within an interior of a system. Also, the mounting mechanism may make the connector assembly and the frame easier to mount to a panel than known electrical connector assemblies.
Thus, it is to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. As such, the above-described embodiments (and/or aspects thereof) may be used in combination with each other. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from its scope. For example, in one alternative embodiment, the connector assembly 102 is inserted through the cut-out 200 from the interior of the system. However, the wing member 148 is configured to advance through the cut-out 200 where the wing member 148 engages and slides along the front side 202 of the panel 104.
Dimensions, types of materials, orientations of the various components, and the number and positions of the various components described herein are intended to define parameters of certain embodiments, and are by no means limiting and are merely exemplary embodiments. Many other embodiments and modifications within the spirit and scope of the claims will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. The scope of the invention should, therefore, be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. In the appended claims, the terms “including” and “in which” are used as the plain-English equivalents of the respective terms “comprising” and “wherein.” Moreover, in the following claims, the terms “first,” “second,” and “third,” etc. are used merely as labels, and are not intended to impose numerical requirements on their objects. Further, the limitations of the following claims are not written in means—plus-function format and are not intended to be interpreted based on 35 U.S.C. §112, sixth paragraph, unless and until such claim limitations expressly use the phrase “means for” followed by a statement of function void of further structure.
