Board-to-board connector assembly

Abstract

The present application is a board-to-board connector assembly including a receptacle connector and a plug connector which are mated to each other. The receptacle connector includes a first body, a plurality of first terminals, and a pair of first metal pieces. The first body has a center island structure and a first receiving groove surrounding the center island structure. The first terminals are respectively arranged on a first side and a second side opposite to each other in the first receiving groove. The first metal pieces are respectively arranged on a third side and a fourth side opposite to each other in the first receiving groove. The first metal pieces have a base portion extending to a bottom of the third side or the fourth side, and a pair of first elastic arms extending from the base portion and facing away from each other.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to a connector assembly, and more particularly to a board-to-board connector assembly. BACKGROUND

[0002] Board-to-board connectors are used to connect different circuit boards, having a receptacle connector and a plug connector to be mounted on different circuit boards respectively, thereby connecting the circuit boards with each other. In mobile devices such as smart phones, the size of the board-to-board connector assembly is very small, resulting in reduced structural strength and service life of each connector.

[0003] Furthermore, the above-mentioned reduction in structural strength also affects the plugging and unplugging actions of the male end (plug) and female end (receptacle), that is, some structures are damaged due to structural interference during the process of pulling apart the male end and the female end due to reduced strength or terminal spring force.

[0004] Therefore, how to improve the structural strength of the board-to-board connector to maintain and withstand the plugging and unplugging actions of the male end and the female end is a problem that needs to be solved by relevant technical personnel. SUMMARY

[0005] The present invention provides a board-to-board connector assembly, comprising a receptacle connector and a plug connector which are connected to each other. The receptacle connector comprises a first body, a plurality of first terminals, and a pair of first metal pieces. The first body has a central island structure and a first accommodating groove surrounding the central island structure. The first terminals are arranged on the first side and the second side of the first accommodating groove opposite to each other. The first metal pieces are arranged on the third side and the fourth side of the first accommodating groove opposite to each other. The first metal pieces have a base portion extending to the bottom of the third side or the fourth side, and a pair of first spring arms extending from the base portion and facing away from each other.

[0006] Preferably, the first spring arms and part of the first terminals are arranged in the same line.

[0007] Preferably, the first spring arms are power terminals of the receptacle connector.

[0008] Preferably, the first metal pieces comprise three saddle portions arranged in a meandering shape on the periphery of the first body, the base portion extends from the middle saddle portion, and each saddle portion contacts three different surfaces of the first body.

[0009] Preferably, the first metal pieces comprise three saddle portions arranged in a meandering shape on the periphery of the first body, and the first spring arms are inclined inwardly towards the first and third saddle portions.

[0010] Preferably, the first metal pieces further comprise a second spring arm extending from the base portion to the central island structure, and the second spring arm is located between the first spring arms.

[0011] Preferably, the first accommodating groove is a through hole at the third side and the fourth side, and the base is exposed from the bottom surface of the first body via the through hole.

[0012] Preferably, the plug connector comprises a second body, a plurality of second terminals, and a pair of second metal pieces. The second body has a second accommodating groove. The second terminals are respectively arranged at opposite sides of the second body. The second metal pieces are arranged at the other opposite sides of the second body. When the plug connector is mated with the receptacle connector, the second body is inserted into the first accommodating groove, the island structure is inserted into the second accommodating groove, and the first metal pieces abut against the second metal pieces via the first elastic arms.

[0013] Preferably, the second metal pieces cover five different surfaces of the second body.

[0014] Preferably, the second metal pieces further have inclined surfaces to abut against and guide the second elastic arms of the first metal pieces when the plug connector is mated with the receptacle connector.

[0015] Based on the above, the board-to-board connector assembly is composed of the plug connector and the receptacle connector which are mated with each other, wherein the pair of first metal pieces of the receptacle connector, in addition to being combined to the opposite sides of the first body, further form the base extending to the bottom of the accommodating groove of the first body and the first elastic arms extending from the base and facing away from each other. Accordingly, the first elastic arms can further serve as the structure for electrical connection with the plug connector, thereby increasing the electrical contact area between the board-to-board connector assembly and being suitable for large current transmission operation with better structural stability. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0016] Figure 1 is a schematic view of a board-to-board connector assembly according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0017] Figure 2 is an exploded view of the board-to-board connector assembly of Figure 1

[0018] Figure 3 is an exploded view of the receptacle connector of Figure 2

[0019] Figure 4 is a partial schematic view of the receptacle connector of Figure 2 from another perspective.

[0020] Figure 5 is an exploded view of the plug connector of Figure 2

[0021] Figure 6 and Figure 7 are respectively Figure 1 are cross-sectional views of the board-to-board connector assembly of from different perspectives.​​​

[0022] Symbol explanation

[0023] 10: board-to-board connector assembly

[0024] 21, 22: circuit board

[0025] 100: receptacle connector

[0026] 110: first body

[0027] 111: middle island structure

[0028] 112: first accommodating groove

[0029] 120: first metal piece

[0030] 130: first terminal

[0031] 200: plug connector

[0032] 210: second body

[0033] 211: second accommodating groove

[0034] 220: second metal piece

[0035] 221: slope surface

[0036] 230: second terminal

[0037] A1, A2, A3: saddle portion

[0038] A4: base portion

[0039] A5, A6: first elastic arm

[0040] A7: second elastic arm

[0041] A11, A31: inner inclination

[0042] B1, B2, B3, B4, B5: L-shaped member

[0043] C1: center axis

[0044] R1: first side

[0045] R2: second side

[0046] R3: third side

[0047] R4: fourth side

[0048] X-Y-Z: rectangular coordinate DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0049] Figure 1is a schematic view of a board-to-board connector assembly according to an embodiment of the present application. Figure 2 is Figure 1 is an exploded view of the board-to-board connector assembly of Figure 1 and Figure 2 In this embodiment, the board-to-board connector assembly 10 includes a receptacle connector 100 and a plug connector 200 which are mated with each other, wherein the receptacle connector 100 is disposed on a circuit board 21 and the plug connector 200 is disposed on a circuit board 22, for example, to enable electrical connection between the circuit boards 21, 22 when the receptacle connector 100 and the plug connector 200 are mated.

[0050] Figure 3 is Figure 2 is an exploded view of the receptacle connector of Figure 2 and Figure 3 The receptacle connector 100 of this embodiment includes a first body 110, a plurality of first terminals 130, and a pair of first metal pieces 120. The first body 110 has a middle island structure 111 and a first receiving groove 112 surrounding the middle island structure 111. The first terminals 130 are disposed in the first receiving groove 112 on a first side R1 and a second side R2 opposite to each other, respectively. The first metal pieces 120 are disposed in the first receiving groove 112 on a third side R3 and a fourth side R4 opposite to each other, respectively. Further, the first metal pieces 120 have a base portion A4 extending to a bottom of the third side R3 or the fourth side R4, and a pair of first elastic arms A5, A6 extending from the base portion A4 and facing away from each other.

[0051] Further, as shown in Figure 3 , the first metal pieces 120 include three saddle portions A1, A2 and A3 disposed on a periphery of the first body 110, and the saddle portions A1-A3 are arranged in a meandering shape and straddle the first receiving groove 112, so that each of the saddle portions A1-A3 contacts three different surfaces of the first body 110. Figure 3 For example, the saddle portion A3 contacts a right side surface, a top surface of the first body 110 and an inner side surface of the first receiving groove 112.

[0052] Figure 4 is Figure 2 is a partial view of the receptacle connector of Figure 3 and Figure 4 In addition, the middle saddle portion A2 further extends the above-mentioned base portion A4, and the first receiving groove 112 is a through hole at the third side R3 and the fourth side R4, so that the base portion A4 of the first metal piece 120 is exposed from a bottom surface of the first body 110 via the through hole (e.g., the fourth side R4). Figure 4 is exposed from the bottom surface of the first body 110.

[0053] It is to be noted that the first terminals 130 of the present embodiment are arranged in two rows on the first body 110, and the first metal pieces 120 have the first elastic arms A5, A6 arranged in the same line with some of the first terminals 130, so the four first elastic arms A5, A6 of the two first metal pieces 120 are arranged in the same two rows as the first terminals 130. Accordingly, the first elastic arms A5, A6 of the present embodiment are used as power terminals of the socket connector 100, and because the first metal pieces 120 have larger volume and surface area than the first terminals 130, they can more suitably transmit large current.

[0054] In addition, the first body 110 is electrically insulating, and the first terminals 130 and the first metal pieces 120 can be integrated with the first body 110 by insert molding. For the first body 110 and the first metal pieces 120, in addition to improving the bonding strength by contacting the different three surfaces of the first body 110 through the saddle portions A1-A3, the first metal pieces 120 also provide larger contact area when the first elastic arms A5, A6 are used as power terminals of the connector through the base portion A4 extending to the bottom of the first receiving groove 112 and the first elastic arms A5, A6 extending from the base portion A4, so the socket connector 100 can be adapted to transmit larger current.

[0055] Figure 5 is Figure 2 an exploded view of the plug connector. Figure 6 and Figure 7 are Figure 1 cross-sectional views of the board-to-board connector assembly of Figure 6 and Figure 7 from different angles, in which the orthogonal coordinates X-Y-Z and the central axis C1 are provided for the identification of the cross-sectional orientation of Figure 2 and Figure 5 In the present embodiment, the plug connector 200 includes a second body 210, a plurality of second terminals 230, and a pair of second metal pieces 220, which are made of the same material as the first body 110, the first terminals 130, and the first metal pieces 120 as described above. The second body 210 has a second receiving groove 211. The second terminals 230 are arranged on opposite sides of the second body 210, respectively. The second metal pieces 220 are arranged on the other opposite sides of the second body 210. As shown in Figure 2 and Figure 7 When the plug connector 200 is connected with the socket connector 100, the second body 210 is inserted into the first receiving groove 112, the island structure 111 is inserted into the second receiving groove 211, and the first metal pieces 120 abut against the second metal pieces 220 through the first elastic arms A5, A6.

[0056] Further, as shown in Figure 5As shown, the second metal member 220 includes L-shaped components B1, B2 and B3 which are adjacent to each other to form a M-shaped profile, each of the L-shaped components B1-B3 contacts one top surface and one side surface of the second body 210, so that the three L-shaped components B1-B3 partially surround the second body 210, and there is a gap between two adjacent L-shaped components B1, B2 (or B2, B3) to expose the corner of the second body 210, thereby providing the effect of structural limiting. Meanwhile, the L-shaped component B2 in the middle further forms two L-shaped components B4, B5 extending to the bottom surface of the second body 210, so that the second metal member 220 covers five different surfaces of the second body 210. As with the aforementioned socket connector 100, the second metal member 220 and the second terminal 230 are integrated with the second body 210 by insert injection, and the bonding strength of the second metal member 220 and the second body 210 is improved by the aforementioned covering feature.

[0057] Please refer to Figure 3 , Figure 5 and Figure 6 , in this embodiment, the first metal member 120 further includes a second elastic arm A7 extending from the base A4 to the middle island structure 111, and the second elastic arm A7 is located between the first elastic arms A5, A6 which face away from each other. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 5 and Figure 6 , the second metal member 220 also has a slope surface 221 which is arranged along the three adjacent L-shaped components B1-B3, and has an included angle with respect to the plug-in direction of the connector, and the included angle is less than or equal to 45 degrees, so that when the plug connector 200 is connected with the socket connector 100, the slope surface 221 abuts and guides the second elastic arm A7 of the first metal member 120, thereby avoiding damage to the terminal caused by impact during connection.

[0058] Please refer to Figure 3 and Figure 7 , the first metal member 120 of this embodiment has inner inclinations A11, A31 at the first and last of the three adjacent saddle portions A1-A3, and the pair of first elastic arms A5, A6 are respectively directed towards the inner inclinations A11, A31. In addition to providing guidance for the plug connector 200 when the connector is connected, the inner inclinations A11, A31 can also act as a barrier to the first elastic arms A5, A6 along the plug-in axis (Z-axis) of the plug connector 200 and the socket connector 100. It should be noted that the barrier does not necessarily occur, but if the plug connector 200 is pulled away from the socket connector 100 along the positive Z-axis direction, and the first elastic arms A5, A6 are deformed and pulled away together along the positive Z-axis direction due to excessive clamping force, the presence of the inner inclinations A11, A31 can ensure that the aforementioned situation is prevented.

[0059] To sum up, in the above-mentioned embodiments of the present application, the board-to-board connector assembly is composed of the plug connector and the socket connector which are butted to each other, wherein the pair of first metal pieces of the socket connector, in addition to being combined to the opposite sides of the first body, further forms a base extending to the bottom of the accommodating groove of the first body and a first elastic arm extending from the base and facing away from each other.

[0060] Accordingly, the first elastic arm can be arranged in two columns with the first terminal as the power terminal of the socket connector, so that the first metal piece with larger area can be used as the basis for larger current transmission operation in addition to improving the bonding strength with the first body. Furthermore, the second metal piece of the corresponding plug connector has a slope surface corresponding to the first elastic arm, which is used as a guide when the connector is butted. In addition, the socket connector also has an inwardly inclined structure facing the first elastic arm, which has the effect of stopping the first elastic arm in addition to the guiding effect of the aforementioned slope surface when the plug connector is unfortunately pulled out of the socket connector and the first elastic arm is deformed and faces the situation of being pulled out.

[0061] In this way, the board-to-board connector assembly can perform larger current transmission operation under the premise of better structural stability and plug-pull resistance according to the above simple structure.

Claims

1. A board-to-board connector assembly, characterized by: a receptacle connector, comprising: a first housing having a middle island structure and a first receiving slot surrounding the middle island structure; a plurality of first terminals respectively arranged on a first side and a second side of the first receiving slot, the first side and the second side being opposite to each other; a pair of first metal pieces respectively arranged on a third side and a fourth side of the first receiving slot, the third side and the fourth side being opposite to each other, wherein the first metal piece has a base portion extending to a bottom of the third side or a bottom of the fourth side, and a pair of first elastic arms extending from the base portion and facing away from each other, the first metal piece comprises three saddle portions arranged on a periphery of the first housing, the three saddle portions adjacent to each other are arranged in a meandering shape, a middle saddle portion of the three saddle portions extends the base portion, each of the saddle portions contacts three different surfaces of the first housing, the first and last saddle portions of the three saddle portions adjacent to each other have inwardly inclined structures, and the pair of first elastic arms respectively faces the inwardly inclined structures of the first and last saddle portions; and a plug connector for mating with the receptacle connector, the inwardly inclined structures of the first and last saddle portions of the first metal piece of the receptacle connector provide a guide for the plug connector when the plug connector is mated with the receptacle connector, and the inwardly inclined structures have a stop effect for the first elastic arms when the plug connector is pulled away from the receptacle connector.

2. The board-to-board connector assembly according to claim 1, wherein: The first elastic arms are arranged in line with part of the first terminals.

3. The board-to-board connector assembly of claim 1, wherein: Each of the first elastic arms is a power terminal of the receptacle connector.

4. The board-to-board connector assembly of claim 1, wherein: The pair of first metal pieces further comprises a second elastic arm extending from the base portion to the middle island structure, and the second elastic arm is located between the pair of first elastic arms.

5. The board-to-board connector assembly of claim 1, wherein: The first receiving slot is a through hole on the third side and the fourth side, and the base portion is exposed from a bottom surface of the first housing through the through hole.

6. The board-to-board connector assembly of claim 1, wherein: The plug connector comprises: a second housing having a second receiving slot; a plurality of second terminals respectively arranged on opposite sides of the second housing; and a pair of second metal pieces arranged on the other opposite sides of the second housing, wherein when the plug connector is mated with the receptacle connector, the second housing is inserted into the first receiving slot, the middle island structure is inserted into the second receiving slot, and the pair of first metal pieces abuts against the pair of second metal pieces through the first elastic arms.

7. The board-to-board connector assembly of claim 6, wherein: The second metal piece covers five different surfaces of the second housing.

8. The board-to-board connector assembly of claim 6, wherein: The second metal piece further has a slope surface for abutting against and guiding a second elastic arm of the pair of first metal pieces when the plug connector is mated with the receptacle connector. 9.A receptacle connector, characterized by: a first housing having a middle island structure and a first receiving slot surrounding the middle island structure; a plurality of first terminals respectively arranged on a first side and a second side of the first receiving slot, the first side and the second side being opposite to each other; a pair of first metal pieces respectively arranged on a third side and a fourth side of the first receiving slot, the third side and the fourth side being opposite to each other, The pair of first metal pieces has a base extending to the third or fourth side bottom and a pair of first elastic arms extending from the base and facing away from each other. The first metal piece includes three saddles arranged in a meandering shape on the circumference of the first body. The middle saddle extends from the base. Each of the saddles contacts three different surfaces of the first body. The first and last saddles have inwardly inclined structures. The pair of first elastic arms respectively faces the inwardly inclined structures of the first and last saddles. A plug connector is connected to the socket connector. The inwardly inclined structures of the first and last saddles guide the plug connector when the plug connector is connected to the socket connector. The inwardly inclined structures stop the first elastic arms when the plug connector is pulled away from the socket connector.

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