Male-female seat integrated elastic connector

Abstract

The application discloses a female-male seat integrated elastic connector, which comprises a female seat assembly and a male seat assembly. The female seat assembly comprises a base and a contact terminal, and the contact terminal is installed in the base. The male seat assembly comprises a bearing plate and an equal number of elastic bodies and metal guide columns as the contact terminal. The bearing plate is fixedly installed on the upper end of the base, the metal guide columns are insertedly installed on the bearing plate, the upper end of the metal guide column is provided with a metal contact block, the lower end is elastically in contact with the contact terminal, and the elastic body is sleeved on the metal guide column and installed between the contact terminal and the bearing plate. Therefore, the metal guide column is in stable contact with the contact terminal when being inserted or vibrated, stable electrical connection can be realized, power failure or instantaneous breakage does not occur, and stable digital signals can be carried. Meanwhile, under the action of external force, the elastic body is elastically compressed and provides stable reverse elastic force to the metal contact block, the metal contact block is stably in contact with the conductive contact piece in the whole process, and therefore, poor contact or breakage of the metal contact block and the conductive contact piece is effectively avoided.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of connector technology, and in particular to a flexible connector with an integrated male and female connector. Background Technology

[0002] As is well known, a flexible connector, commonly known as a spring connector or Pogo Pin connector, is a spring-type connector formed by riveting and pre-compressing three basic components: a pin, a spring, and a pin tube using precision instruments. Flexible connectors are precision flexible conductive connectors used in electronic products such as mobile phones, watches, and tablets. They are widely used for flexible conductive connections between mobile phone antennas, Bluetooth headsets, smartwatches, smart bracelets, magnetic charging devices, and circuit boards.

[0003] Existing flexible connectors generally consist of a base with flexible pins and conductive contacts. Magnets, snap-fit ​​devices, or fasteners are installed at the base and conductive contacts. Therefore, when the tip of a pin on the base contacts the conductive contact, the pin continues to move forward under the magnetic attraction, snap-fit ​​pull, or fastener pull, and is pulled taut. Because the spacing between multiple pins and the conductive contact is inconsistent, the reaction force of the spring ensures that all pins elastically contact the conductive contact, eliminating spacing errors and establishing a secure electrical connection. However, due to structural design flaws, existing flexible connectors are prone to power loss or momentary disconnections. Firstly, the gap fit between the pins and the pin housing for electrical connection can lead to poor contact (poor contact refers to intermittent electrical connection where the two contacting conductors are sometimes open and sometimes closed), resulting in frequent power outages or momentary interruptions. Consequently, it cannot be used in applications requiring stable electrical connections for digital signals. Furthermore, the contact area between the outer wall of the ejector pin and the inner wall of the needle tube is not only small when they move or tilt at different axes, but the contact area is also unstable, preventing stable large-area contact between the ejector pin and the needle tube. Additionally, most of the current is conducted through the spring, which is typically made of stainless steel or spring steel, resulting in high impedance and a low current carrying capacity; in reality, each circuit can only carry about 100 mA. Moreover, the processing precision and consistency requirements for elastic connectors are extremely high. During the insertion and removal of the male connector, the internal spring needs to reciprocate. The ejector pin can easily become eccentric and scrape against the inner wall of the needle tube, causing the internal spring to jam and fail to spring back. This results in the elastic connector not making contact with the conductive contacts, causing an open circuit. Therefore, we propose an integrated male and female elastic connector to solve these problems. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of the shortcomings of the prior art, the purpose of the present invention is to provide a flexible connector with an integrated male and female connector.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0006] A flexible connector with integrated male and female connectors includes a female connector assembly and a male connector assembly inserted and mounted on the female connector assembly. The female connector assembly includes a base and at least one contact terminal, with the contact terminal installed within the base. The male connector assembly includes a support plate and an elastomer and metal guide posts equal in number to the contact terminals. The support plate is fixedly mounted on the upper end of the base. The metal guide posts are movably inserted and mounted on the support plate. The upper end of each metal guide post is provided with a metal contact block, and the lower end makes elastic contact with the contact terminal. The elastomer is movably sleeved on the metal guide post and installed between the contact terminal and the support plate.

[0007] Preferably, the base is provided with a receiving cavity adapted to the contact terminal, and the upper end of the contact terminal is provided with a bending protrusion. The bending protrusion is located in the receiving cavity. When the metal guide post is inserted into the receiving cavity, the bending protrusion and the side wall of the receiving cavity can compress and fix the metal guide post.

[0008] Preferably, when the contact terminal has a hollow structure, the metal guide post is movably inserted into the contact terminal with an interference fit. The upper end of the terminal is provided with a guide portion with a flared structure. The circumferential side of the guide portion is provided with at least one deformation groove. The middle part of the guide portion is provided with a reduced diameter orifice with an inner diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the metal guide post. The lower end of the metal guide post is inserted into the reduced diameter orifice and is interference-fitted with the inner wall of the reduced diameter orifice.

[0009] Preferably, the elastomers and metal guide pillars are arranged in a linear array, adjacent elastomers are connected to each other and are provided with pre-set interval grooves, the bottom of the elastomers is provided with positioning grooves, the upper end of the bearing plate is provided with a convex ring coaxial with the metal guide pillars, the convex ring is inserted into the positioning groove, and a deformation joint is reserved between the bottom of the positioning groove and the upper end face of the convex ring.

[0010] Preferably, the bottom of the base is provided with a through hole that is adapted to the contact terminal. The inner diameter of the through hole is smaller than the outer diameter of the contact terminal. The peripheral side of the contact terminal is provided with a notch that penetrates the deformation groove. The lower end of the contact terminal is elastically inserted into the through hole through the notch. The lower end of the contact terminal is interference-fitted with the through hole.

[0011] Preferably, the lower end of the contact terminal is exposed on the bottom surface of the base and extends with a pin, the pin being exposed on the side of the base.

[0012] Preferably, the metal guide post has a shoulder on its peripheral side and on the bottom surface of the bearing plate.

[0013] Preferably, the surfaces of the metal guide post, metal contact block, and contact terminal are all provided with an electroplated layer.

[0014] Preferably, the elastomer is made of silicone, rubber, or elastic plastic.

[0015] Preferably, the lower edge of the metal guide post is provided with a rounded corner.

[0016] Due to the adoption of the above solution, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0017] 1. First, the lower end of the metal guide post is interference-fitted and movably inserted into the contact terminal and electrically connected to the contact terminal. Therefore, the lower end of the metal guide post is in stable contact with the inner wall of the contact terminal and provides a stable connection. This ensures that there will be no poor contact between the metal guide post and the contact terminal. As a result, the metal guide post and the contact terminal can achieve a very stable electrical connection without power failure or momentary interruption. This allows the product to carry digital signals that require a stable electrical connection, effectively increasing the reliability and application range of the product.

[0018] 2. Then, the elastomer is installed between the contact terminal and the carrier plate. Under the action of external force, when the metal contact at one end of the metal guide post touches the external conductive contact, the elastomer is elastically compressed and provides a reverse elastic force to the metal contact. Since the elastomer is made of elastic silicone or rubber, when the elastomer is compressed, it can provide a stable reverse elastic force to the metal contact. Therefore, the elastomer will not have the phenomenon of spring not returning. The metal contact can stably touch the external conductive contact, effectively avoiding the phenomenon of poor contact or open circuit between the metal contact and the external conductive contact. Thus, the metal contact can have stable electrical contact with the external conductive contact.

[0019] 3. Finally, due to the optimized design of the overall structure, the metal contact block and the external conductive contact can effectively increase the contact area when making stable electrical contact. The lower end of the metal guide post and the inner wall of the contact terminal can also effectively increase the contact area when making stable electrical contact. The values ​​of each contact area are stable. According to Ohm's law, increasing the area of ​​the conductor can reduce the resistance, thereby reducing the resistance when the current passes through the contact terminal, metal guide post, metal contact block and external conductive contact. The electrical properties will actively seek the path with the least resistance to conduct current, thus it can carry a large and stable current. Therefore, it has a variety of practical functions, greatly meeting the actual needs of users. Its structure is simple, easy to use, and has stable conductivity, making it highly practical. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 This is an isometric view of an embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the contact terminal structure according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the bent protrusion structure in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] In the picture:

[0025] 1. Female connector assembly; 2. Male connector assembly; 3. Base; 4. Contact terminal; 5. Carrier plate; 6. Elastomer; 7. Metal guide post; 8. Metal contact block; 9. Guide part; 10. Deformation groove; 11. Reduction in diameter; 12. Spacing groove; 13. Positioning groove; 14. Raised ring; 15. Expansion joint; 16. Through hole; 17. Notch; 18. Pin; 19. Shoulder; 20. Rounded corner; 21. Conductive contact piece; 22. Magnet; 23. Receiving cavity; 24. Bending protrusion. Detailed Implementation

[0026] The embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, but the present invention can be implemented in many different ways as defined and covered by the claims.

[0027] like Figures 1 to 3 As shown, the male-female integrated flexible connector provided in this embodiment includes a female connector assembly 1 and a male connector assembly 2 inserted and installed on the female connector assembly 1. The female connector assembly 1 includes a base 3 and at least one contact terminal 4. The contact terminal 4 is installed in the base 3. The male connector assembly 2 includes a support plate 5 and an elastic body 6 and a metal guide post 7, the same number as the contact terminal 4. The support plate 5 is fixedly installed on the upper end of the base 3. The metal guide post 7 is movably inserted and installed on the support plate 5. The upper end of the metal guide post 7 is provided with a metal contact block 8, and the lower end is in elastic contact with the contact terminal 4. The metal contact block 8 is installed on the upper end of the metal guide post 7 by welding. The elastic body 6 is movably sleeved on the metal guide post 7 and installed between the contact terminal 4 and the support plate 5 (e.g., Figure 2 (As shown).

[0028] In actual use, the support plate 5 is installed on the upper end of the base 3 by a snap-fit. The lower end of the metal guide post 7 is inserted into the contact terminal 4 with an interference fit and is electrically connected to the contact terminal 4. Therefore, the lower end of the metal guide post 7 is in stable contact with the inner wall of the contact terminal 4 and provides a stable connection. This ensures that there will be no poor contact between the metal guide post 7 and the contact terminal 4, so the metal guide post 7 and the contact terminal 4 can achieve a very stable electrical connection. There will be no power failure or momentary disconnection between the metal guide post 7 and the contact terminal 4. At the same time, the elastic body 6 is installed between the contact terminal 4 and the support plate 5, so that under the action of external force (which may be the magnetic attraction of the magnet 22, the pulling force of the snap-fit, the pulling force of the fastener and nut tightening, or zero force), the elastic body 6 can withstand the force of the snap-fit. (Due to the weight of the component itself, etc.), when the metal contact 8 at one end of the metal guide post 7 is pulled and pressed against the external conductive contact 21, the elastic body 6 is elastically compressed and provides a reverse elastic force to the metal contact 8. Since the elastic body 6 is made of elastic silicone or rubber, when the elastic body 6 is compressed, the elastic body 6 can provide a stable reverse elastic force to the metal contact 8. Therefore, the elastic body 6 will not exhibit the phenomenon of spring not returning. The metal contact 8 can stably press against the external conductive contact 21, effectively avoiding the phenomenon of poor contact or open circuit between the metal contact 8 and the external conductive contact 21. Thus, the metal contact 8 can stably make electrical contact with the external conductive contact 21, and the device can carry digital signals that require stable electrical connection, effectively increasing the reliability and application range of the product.

[0029] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the base 3 is provided with a receiving cavity 23 adapted to the contact terminal 4. A bending protrusion 24 is provided at the upper end of the contact terminal 4, and the bending protrusion 24 is located within the receiving cavity 23. When the metal guide post 7 is inserted into the receiving cavity 23, the bending protrusion 24 and the sidewall of the receiving cavity 23 can press and fix the metal guide post 24 (e.g., ...). Figure 4 As shown in the diagram, in the above structure, the metal guide post 7 is sheet-shaped, and the contact area between the metal guide post 7 and the bending protrusion 24 is large, reducing the resistance during conduction and thus making the conductivity of the metal guide post 7 and the contact terminal 4 optimal. Under the squeezing force of the bending protrusion 24, the sidewall of the bending protrusion 24 of the contact terminal 4 can fit tightly against the peripheral side of the metal guide post 7, so the metal guide post 7 and the contact terminal 4 can achieve a very stable electrical connection, preventing power loss or momentary disconnection between the metal guide post 7 and the contact terminal 4. Therefore, this device can carry digital signals requiring a stable electrical connection.

[0030] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the contact terminal 4 has a hollow structure, the metal guide post 7 is inserted into the contact terminal 4 with an interference fit, and the upper end of the contact terminal 4 is provided with a guide portion 9 in the shape of a flared mouth (e.g., Figure 3As shown), the guide portion 9 has at least one deformation groove 10 axially opened on its peripheral side. The guide portion 9 has a reduced diameter opening 11 with an inner diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the metal guide post 7 in its middle. The lower end of the metal guide post 7 is inserted into the reduced diameter opening 11 and is interference-fitted with the inner wall of the reduced diameter opening 11. In the above structure, the metal guide post 7 is cylindrical, and the contact area between the metal guide post 7 and the inner wall of the reduced diameter opening 11 is large, which reduces the resistance during conduction and makes the conductivity between the metal guide post 7 and the contact terminal 4 the best. When the metal guide post 7 is inserted into the contact terminal 4, the guide part 9, which has a flared structure, has a large opening, which can guide the insertion of the metal guide post 7 at an angle. Furthermore, because the guide part 9 has a reduced diameter opening 11 in the middle with an inner diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the metal guide post 7, and a deformation groove 10 is axially formed on the circumferential side of the guide part 9, when the lower end of the metal guide post 7 is inserted into the reduced diameter opening 11, the inner wall of the reduced diameter opening 11 fits tightly against the circumferential side of the lower end of the metal guide post 7. Simultaneously, the circumferential side of the guide part 9 expands its outer diameter through the deformation groove 10, and the inner wall of the reduced diameter opening 11 fits against the circumferential side of the metal guide post 7 in multiple places, effectively increasing the contact area between the contact terminal 4 and the metal guide post 7. Therefore, the metal guide post 7 and the contact terminal 4 can achieve a very stable electrical connection, and the connection between the metal guide post 7 and the contact terminal 4 will not experience power loss or momentary disconnection.

[0031] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the elastic body 6 and the metal guide post 7 are arranged in a linear array. Adjacent elastic bodies 6 are interconnected and have pre-set interval grooves 12. The bottom of the elastic body 6 is provided with a positioning groove 13. The upper end of the support plate 5 is provided with a convex ring 14 coaxial with the metal guide post 7. The convex ring 14 is inserted into the positioning groove 13. A deformation gap 15 is reserved between the bottom of the positioning groove 13 and the upper end face of the convex ring 14. Therefore, the elastic body 6 can be stably installed on the upper end of the support plate 5 through the insertion and cooperation of the positioning groove 13 and the convex ring 14. When the elastic body 6 is subjected to external force, it can deform downward through the deformation gap 15. Then, the bottom of the elastic body 6 touches the upper end of the convex ring 14 to generate a reaction force. Therefore, the elastic deformation force of the elastic body 6 can provide a stable upward elastic force to the metal contact block 8.

[0032] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the bottom of the base 3 is provided with a through hole 16 that is adapted to the contact terminal 4. The inner diameter of the through hole 16 is smaller than the outer diameter of the contact terminal 4. The peripheral side of the contact terminal 4 is provided with a notch 17 that penetrates the deformation groove 10. The lower end of the contact terminal 4 is elastically inserted into the through hole 16 through the notch 17, and the lower end of the contact terminal 4 is press-fitted with the through hole 16. The press-fitting of the lower end of the contact terminal 4 with the through hole 16 facilitates the installation of the contact terminal 4 on the base 3 and makes it less likely for the contact terminal 4 to detach from the base 3.

[0033] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the lower end of the contact terminal 4 is exposed on the bottom surface of the base 3 and extends with a lead 18, which is exposed on the side of the base 3 (e.g., Figure 1 (As shown). The pin 18 allows for easy soldering of the contact terminal 4 to an external circuit board, and also facilitates the fixing of the base 3 by soldering the pin 18.

[0034] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a shoulder 19 is provided on the peripheral side of the metal guide post 7 and on the bottom surface of the support plate 5. The shoulder facilitates the installation and positioning of the metal guide post 7 on the support plate 5, and also facilitates the metal guide post 7 to fix the support plate 5 and the elastic body 6 together through the shoulder and the metal contact block 8.

[0035] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the surfaces of the metal guide post 7, the metal contact block 8, and the contact terminal 4 are all provided with an electroplated layer. The electroplated layer can be made of gold or silver, which have good electrical conductivity and are very corrosion resistant, thus improving the corrosion resistance, mechanical properties, and electrical conductivity of the device.

[0036] Furthermore, the elastomer 6 in this embodiment is made of silicone, rubber, or elastic plastic. Silicone, rubber, or elastic plastic are all solid elastic materials, which have stable elasticity and the elasticity does not easily decay, thus providing stable elasticity.

[0037] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a rounded corner 20 is provided at the lower edge of the metal guide post 7. The rounded corner 20 facilitates the guiding and installation of the lower end of the metal guide post 7 into the contact terminal 4.

[0038] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the metal contact 8 is hemispherical (e.g., Figure 3 (As shown). Since the outer surface of the metal contact 8 is spherical, any point on the spherical outer surface can contact the external conductive contact 21, so the top of the hemispherical metal contact 8 can make good contact with the external conductive contact 21.

[0039] To facilitate understanding of this embodiment, the principle that increasing the conductor's area reduces resistance is explained. According to Ohm's law, the formula for calculating resistance is: R = pL / S. P is the dielectric constant, which is related to the material of the resistor and is considered a constant. L is the length of the resistor, and S is its cross-sectional area. When a copper conductor is stretched, L increases and S decreases, thus reducing the resistance. For example, high-voltage electricity undergoes a voltage boosting process during transmission. Because current is lost during transmission, excessive current would increase copper losses. In this case, increasing the cross-sectional area of ​​the transmission wire can be used, which is equivalent to adding a resistor in parallel. The total resistance will be smaller than any single individual resistor, but this consumes a lot of material. Therefore, increasing the voltage reduces the current significantly, thus reducing losses. So, when the conductor length remains constant, increasing the cross-sectional area reduces the total resistance. Therefore, due to the optimized design of the overall structure, the metal contact 8 and the external conductive contact 21 can effectively increase the contact area when making stable electrical contact. The lower end of the metal guide post 7 and the inner wall of the contact terminal 4 can also effectively increase the contact area when making stable electrical contact. The values ​​of each contact area are stable. According to Ohm's law, increasing the area of ​​the conductor can reduce the resistance, thereby reducing the resistance when the current passes through the contact terminal 4, the metal guide post 7, the metal contact 8 and the external conductive contact 21. The electrical properties will actively seek the path with the least resistance to conduct the current. Therefore, a larger contact area can carry a larger stable current, thus greatly meeting the actual needs of users. Its structure is simple, easy to use, and has stable conductivity.

[0040] The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and do not limit the scope of the patent. Any equivalent structural or procedural transformations made based on the description and drawings of the present invention, or direct or indirect applications in other related technical fields, are similarly included within the scope of patent protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A flexible connector with an integrated male and female connector, characterized in that: The device includes a female connector assembly and a male connector assembly installed on the female connector assembly. The female connector assembly includes a base and at least one contact terminal, which is installed inside the base. The male connector assembly includes a support plate and an equal number of elastic bodies and metal guide posts as the number of contact terminals. The support plate is fixedly installed on the upper end of the base. The metal guide posts are movably inserted and installed on the support plate. The upper end of the metal guide post is provided with a metal contact block, and the lower end is in elastic contact with the contact terminal. The elastic body is movably sleeved on the metal guide post and installed between the contact terminal and the support plate. The elastic bodies and metal guide posts are arranged in a linear array. Adjacent elastic bodies are interconnected and have a pre-set interval groove. The bottom of the elastic body is provided with a positioning groove. The upper end of the support plate is provided with a convex ring coaxial with the metal guide post. The convex ring is inserted into the positioning groove. An expansion joint is reserved between the bottom of the positioning groove and the upper end face of the convex ring.

2. The elastic connector with integrated male and female connectors as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The base has a receiving cavity adapted to the contact terminal. The upper end of the contact terminal has a bent protrusion located in the receiving cavity. When the metal guide post is inserted into the receiving cavity, the bent protrusion and the side wall of the receiving cavity can compress and fix the metal guide post.

3. The elastic connector with integrated male and female connectors as described in claim 1, characterized in that: When the contact terminal has a hollow structure, the metal guide post is inserted into the contact terminal with an interference fit. The upper end of the terminal is provided with a guide part with a flared structure. The circumferential side of the guide part is provided with at least one deformation groove. The middle part of the guide part is provided with a reduced diameter orifice with an inner diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the metal guide post. The lower end of the metal guide post is inserted into the reduced diameter orifice and is interference-fitted with the inner wall of the reduced diameter orifice.

4. The elastic connector with integrated male and female connectors as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The bottom of the base is provided with a through hole that is adapted to the contact terminal. The inner diameter of the through hole is smaller than the outer diameter of the contact terminal. The peripheral side of the contact terminal is provided with a notch that penetrates the deformation groove. The lower end of the contact terminal is elastically inserted into the through hole through the notch, and the lower end of the contact terminal is interference-fitted with the through hole.

5. The elastic connector with integrated male and female connectors as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The lower end of the contact terminal is exposed on the bottom surface of the base and extends with a pin, which is exposed on the side of the base.

6. The elastic connector with integrated male and female connectors as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The metal guide post has a shoulder on its peripheral side and on the bottom surface of the bearing plate.

7. The elastic connector with integrated male and female connectors as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The surfaces of the metal guide posts, metal contacts, and contact terminals are all coated with an electroplating layer.

8. The elastic connector with integrated male and female connectors as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The elastomer is made of silicone, rubber, or elastic plastic.

9. The elastic connector with integrated male and female connectors as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The lower edge of the metal guide post is rounded.

Images