Connector housing assembly

Abstract

A connector housing assembly is disclosed. The connector housing assembly includes a housing, an intermediate piece, and a heat dissipation structure. The housing defines an upper receptacle and a lower receptacle stacked on each other in a vertical direction, the intermediate piece is disposed between the upper receptacle and the lower receptacle in the vertical direction, and the heat dissipation structure abuts against the intermediate piece in a front-rear direction perpendicular to the vertical direction. The connector housing assembly further includes a movable stopper. The movable stopper is movably disposed on the housing and is movable along the front-rear direction between a first position, at which the movable stopper is close to the heat dissipation structure, and a second position, at which the movable stopper is away from the heat dissipation structure and is configured to function as a position limiter for a plug connector inserted into the lower receptacle.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to the field of electrical connector technology, and more specifically, to a connector housing assembly. Background Technology

[0002] Existing multilayer connector assemblies typically include a stacked connector housing assembly and a separately mounted stacked connector body. In specific applications, the connector body is mounted onto the circuit board using SMT (Surface Mount Technology), and then the housing assembly is mounted onto the circuit board using a press-fit method, resulting in a separate structure. During the assembly process onto the circuit board, the insertion limiting structure of the lower port (also known as the "lower socket") of the housing assembly can interfere with the SMT connector, which is a technical problem that the industry urgently needs to solve.

[0003] Furthermore, to address the heat dissipation issue, heat dissipation structures need to be installed above both the upper port (also known as the "upper connector") and the lower port. The heat dissipation structure above the lower port is positioned near the intermediate component that separates the upper and lower ports. In existing products, the layout of the lower heat dissipation structure above the lower port also presents certain technical challenges to the design of the insertion limiting structure for the lower port. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to solve at least one aspect of the aforementioned problems and defects existing in the prior art.

[0005] The present invention provides a connector housing assembly that solves the technical problem that the insertion limiting structure of the lower port of the existing stacked connector housing assembly interferes with the assembly of SMT type connectors.

[0006] According to one aspect of the present invention, a connector housing assembly is provided, comprising:

[0007] A housing, the housing being defined by an upper socket and a lower socket that are stacked on top of each other in a vertical direction;

[0008] The intermediate component is disposed between the upper socket and the lower socket in the vertical direction; and

[0009] A heat dissipation structure, wherein the heat dissipation structure abuts against the intermediate component in a front-back direction perpendicular to the vertical direction; and

[0010] A movable stop is movably disposed on the housing and movable between a first position and a second position along the front-rear direction, wherein in the first position the movable stop is close to the heat dissipation structure, and in the second position the movable stop is away from the heat dissipation structure and is configured to limit the plug connector inserted into the lower socket.

[0011] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the movable stop includes: a first portion extending in the front-rear direction; a second portion extending upwardly from the rear side of the first portion along the vertical direction, the second portion abutting against the heat dissipation structure when the movable stop is in the first position; a third portion extending forwardly from the upper side of the second portion along the front-rear direction; and a stop portion extending downwardly from the front side of the first portion along the vertical direction, the stop portion extending into the lower socket for stopping a plug connector inserted into the lower socket.

[0012] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the housing includes first slide rail grooves respectively formed on the left and right side walls of the housing, the first slide rail grooves extending along the front-back direction; and the end sides of the first portion in the left-right direction perpendicular to both the front-back direction and the up-down direction are respectively movably supported in the first slide rail grooves.

[0013] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, when the movable stop is in the first position, the first portion is supported at one end of the first slide rail groove; when the movable stop is in the second position, the first portion is supported at the opposite end of the first slide rail groove.

[0014] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the housing further includes second slide rail grooves respectively formed on the left and right side walls of the housing, the second slide rail grooves extending along the front-rear direction and located above the first slide rail groove; and the end side of the third part in the left-right direction is movably supported in the second slide rail groove.

[0015] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the third part further includes two cantilever arms that extend along the front-back direction and are spaced apart from each other in the left-right direction.

[0016] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, each cantilever further includes a reinforcing rib that protrudes upward from the corresponding cantilever in the vertical direction; the housing further includes an abutment spring that is bent from the first slide groove of the housing toward the interior of the housing and inclined downward in the vertical direction; wherein the reinforcing rib and the abutment spring are configured such that when the movable stop is in the first position, the abutment spring abuts against the reinforcing rib to prevent the movable stop from sliding freely relative to the housing.

[0017] According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the reinforcing rib protrudes upward from at least a portion of the corresponding cantilever.

[0018] According to another exemplary embodiment of the invention, the reinforcing rib protrudes upward from the entire corresponding cantilever.

[0019] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the contact force between the reinforcing rib and the abutting spring is less than 5N.

[0020] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the front end of each cantilever bends downward in the vertical direction to form an abutment portion, and the abutment portions of the two cantilever arms are respectively close to the left and right sidewalls of the housing.

[0021] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the second part of the movable stop is entirely located inside the housing, and the end sides of the second part in the left-right direction are respectively close to the left and right sidewalls of the housing.

[0022] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the cross-section of the movable stop is C-shaped.

[0023] The connector housing assembly provided according to the foregoing exemplary embodiments of the present invention provides a movable stop near the heat dissipation structure for limiting the insertion of a plug connector into the lower socket. This movable stop is movable relative to the housing, and can switch between a first position near the heat dissipation structure and a second position away from the heat dissipation structure along the insertion direction (i.e., the front-to-back direction) of the plug connector. In the first position, the movable stop does not interfere with the assembly of the SMT connector, while in the second position, it effectively limits the insertion of the plug connector, thereby solving the technical problem that the insertion limiting structure of the lower port of existing multilayer connector housing assemblies interferes with the assembly of SMT connectors. The connector housing assembly provided according to the foregoing exemplary embodiments of the present invention, through the abutment engagement between an abutment spring provided on the housing and a reinforcing rib formed on the cantilever of the movable stop, appropriately increases the resistance to sliding of the movable stop relative to the housing, thereby preventing the movable stop from sliding freely relative to the housing. The connector housing assembly provided according to the foregoing exemplary embodiments of the present invention can prevent undesirable biasing and displacement of the movable stop during movement due to inconsistent movement of the two cantilevers by making the abutment formed on the cantilever and / or the second part formed on the movable stop close to the side wall of the housing.

[0024] Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, and will help to provide a comprehensive understanding of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0025] Figure 1 A perspective view of a connector housing assembly according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0026] Figure 2 show Figure 1 The diagram shows a side view of the connector housing assembly, with the movable stop in the first position.

[0027] Figure 3 show Figure 1 The diagram shows a side view of the connector housing assembly, with the movable stop in the second position.

[0028] Figure 4 show Figure 1 The diagram shows a perspective view of the connector housing assembly, with a portion of the housing omitted to show the internal structure, in which the movable stop is in the first position;

[0029] Figure 5 show Figure 1The diagram shows a perspective view of the connector housing assembly, with a portion of the housing omitted to show the internal structure, in which the plug connector has been inserted into the lower socket and the movable stop is in the second position.

[0030] Figure 6 show Figure 1 The diagram shows a three-dimensional view of the intermediate component, heat dissipation structure, and movable stop in the connector housing assembly, with the movable stop in the first position.

[0031] Figure 7 show Figure 6 A schematic diagram of one embodiment of the movable stop shown;

[0032] Figure 8 Showing from another perspective Figure 7 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of the movable stop shown; and

[0033] Figure 9 show Figure 6 A schematic diagram of another embodiment of the movable stop shown. Detailed Implementation

[0034] The technical solution of the present invention will be further described in detail below through embodiments and in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In this specification, the same or similar reference numerals indicate the same or similar components. The following description of the embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings is intended to explain the overall inventive concept of the present invention and should not be construed as a limitation thereof.

[0035] Furthermore, in the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth for ease of explanation to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments disclosed herein. However, it will be apparent that one or more embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and apparatuses are illustrated to simplify the figures.

[0036] According to a general technical concept of the present invention, a connector housing assembly is provided, comprising: a housing, an intermediate member, and a heat dissipation structure. The housing defines an upper socket and a lower socket that are stacked on top of each other in a vertical direction, the intermediate member is disposed between the upper socket and the lower socket in a vertical direction, and the heat dissipation structure abuts against the intermediate member in a front-rear direction perpendicular to the vertical direction. The connector housing assembly further includes a movable stop. The movable stop is movably disposed on the housing and is movable between a first position and a second position in a front-rear direction, wherein in the first position the movable stop is close to the heat dissipation structure, and in the second position the movable stop is away from the heat dissipation structure and is configured to limit the insertion of a plug connector into the lower socket.

[0037] like Figures 1 to 8As shown in the illustrated exemplary embodiment, a connector housing assembly 100 is provided. The connector housing assembly 100 includes a housing 110, an intermediate member 120, and a heat dissipation structure 190. The housing 110 defines an upper socket 110A and a lower socket 110B that are stacked on top of each other in the vertical direction Y. The intermediate member 120 is disposed between the upper socket 110A and the lower socket 110B in the vertical direction Y. The heat dissipation structure 190 abuts against the intermediate member 120 in the front-rear direction X, perpendicular to the vertical direction Y. The connector housing assembly 100 further includes a movable stop 130. The movable stop 130 is movably disposed on the housing 110 and is movable along the front-rear direction X between a first position P1 and a second position P2, wherein at the first position P1 the movable stop 130 is close to the heat dissipation structure 190, and at the second position P2 the movable stop 130 is away from the heat dissipation structure 190 and is configured to engage a plug connector 200 (e.g., inserted into the lower socket 110B) with the heat dissipation structure 190. Figure 5 As shown, for clarity, Figure 5 Only the plug connector 200 inserted into the lower socket 110B is shown, while the plug connector inserted into the lower socket 110A is omitted. This serves a limiting function. It should be noted that, for ease of description, the direction in which the plug connector 200 is inserted into and removed from ports 110A and 110B is defined as the front-rear direction X (where, in the front-rear direction X, the insertion direction of the plug connector 200 is the front direction, and the removal direction is the rear direction). The direction in which the upper and lower sockets 110A and 110B of the housing 110 are stacked is defined as the vertical direction Y, and the direction perpendicular to both the aforementioned front-rear direction X and vertical direction Y is defined as the left-right direction Z. It should be noted that the "heat dissipation structure" described in this article mainly refers to the lower heat dissipation structure used for heat dissipation at the lower socket. According to an embodiment of the present invention, a movable stop is provided near a heat dissipation structure to limit the insertion of a plug connector into a lower socket. This movable stop is movable relative to the housing. The movable stop can switch between a first position close to the heat dissipation structure and a second position far from the heat dissipation structure along the insertion direction (i.e., the front-to-back direction) of the plug connector. In the first position, the movable stop does not interfere with the assembly of the SMT connector, while in the second position, the movable stop effectively limits the insertion of the plug connector. This solves the technical problem that the insertion limiting structure of the lower port of the existing multilayer connector housing assembly interferes with the assembly of the SMT connector.

[0038] Specifically, such as Figures 1 to 8As shown, in the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the movable stop 130 includes: a first portion 131 extending in the front-rear direction X; and a second portion 134 extending upwardly in the vertical direction Y from the rear side of the first portion 131, wherein the second portion 134 is located when the movable stop 130 is in a first position P1 (e.g., ...). Figure 4 The movable stop 130 is positioned against the heat dissipation structure 190 in the state shown; a third portion 133 extends forward along the front-rear direction X from the upper side of the second portion 134; and a stop portion 132 extends downward along the vertical direction Y from the front side of the first portion 131, wherein the stop portion 132 extends into the lower socket 110B to stop the plug connector 200 inserted into the lower socket 110B. Exemplarily, the cross-section of the movable stop 130 can be C-shaped. Specifically, as shown... Figure 8 As shown, the cross-sections of the first part 131, the second part 134, and the third part 133 of the movable stop 130, perpendicular to the left-right direction Z, are C-shaped.

[0039] Specifically, such as Figures 1 to 8 As shown in the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the housing 110 includes first slide rail grooves 111 respectively formed on the left and right sidewalls 180 of the housing 110, the first slide rail grooves 111 extending along the front-rear direction X. The end sides 1310 of the first portion 131 of the movable stop 130 in the left-right direction Z, which is perpendicular to both the front-rear direction X and the up-down direction Y, are movably supported in the first slide rail grooves 111. The housing 110 also includes second slide rail grooves 112 respectively formed on the left and right sidewalls 180 of the housing 110, the second slide rail grooves 112 extending along the front-rear direction X and located above the first slide rail grooves 111. The end side 1330 of the third portion 133 of the movable stop 130 in the left-right direction Z is movably supported in the second slide rail grooves 112. In other words, in the connector housing assembly provided by the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the movable stop 130 moves relative to the housing 110 by means of a first portion 131 being slidable relative to a first slide rail groove 111 and / or a third portion 133 being slidable relative to a second slide rail groove 112, thereby realizing the switching of the movable stop 130 between a first position P1 and a second position P2. Thus, during the insertion of the plug connector 200 into the lower socket 110B, the movable stop 130 moves from such position P1 to the lower socket 110B. Figure 2 and Figure 4 The first position P1 shown is switched to as follows Figure 3 and Figure 5 The second position shown is used to limit the position of the plug connector 200.

[0040] Specifically, such as Figures 1 to 8 As shown, in the illustrated exemplary embodiment, when the movable stop 130 is in the first position P1 (e.g., Figure 2 and Figure 4 In the state shown, the first part 131 is supported at one end of the first slide rail groove 111; when the movable stop 130 is in the second position P2 (as shown), the first part 131 is supported at one end of the first slide rail groove 111; Figure 3 and Figure 5 In the state shown, the first part 131 is supported at the opposite end of the first slide rail groove 111. That is, the range of movement of the movable stop 130 can be determined by the positioning and length of the first slide rail groove 111, i.e., the first position P1 and the second position P2.

[0041] More specifically, such as Figures 1 to 8 As shown in the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the third portion 133 of the movable stop 130 further includes two cantilever arms 1331, which extend along the longitudinal direction X and are spaced apart from each other in the lateral direction Z. By symmetrically designing the two cantilever arms 1331 on both sides in the Z direction, the stability of the movable stop 130 in movement relative to the housing 110 can be improved, thereby more advantageously enabling the movable stop 130 to switch between the first position P1 and the second position P2. Of course, in embodiments not illustrated, the third portion 133 of the movable stop 130 may also extend forward completely along the longitudinal direction X from the upper side of the second portion 134, i.e., it may be a plate-like structure similar to the second portion 134, rather than cantilever arms that only extend forward from the upper side of the second portion 134 on both sides in the Z direction.

[0042] Furthermore, such as Figures 1 to 8 As shown in the illustrated exemplary embodiment, each cantilever 1331 of the movable stop 130 further includes a reinforcing rib 135, which protrudes upward from the corresponding cantilever 1331 in the vertical direction Y. The housing 100 also includes an abutment spring 123, which is formed by bending from the first slide groove 111 of the housing 110 toward the interior of the housing 100 and is inclined downward in the vertical direction Y. The reinforcing rib 135 and the abutment spring 123 are configured such that when the movable stop 130 is in the first position P1, the abutment spring 123 abuts against the reinforcing rib 135 to prevent the movable stop 130 from sliding freely relative to the housing 110. Figures 1 to 8 In the exemplary embodiment shown, the reinforcing rib 135 protrudes upward from at least a portion of the corresponding cantilever 1331, that is, the reinforcing rib 135 does not penetrate the entire cantilever 1331 in the Z direction, such as... Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown. And as in... Figure 9 In another exemplary embodiment shown, the structure of the movable stop 130' is similar to... Figure 7 and Figure 8The movable stop 130 in the illustrated embodiments has a basically the same structure, the only difference being the reinforcing rib 135'. Specifically, the reinforcing rib 135' protrudes upward from the entire corresponding cantilever 1331, that is, the reinforcing rib 135' extends through the entire cantilever 1331 in the Z direction. Furthermore, in the exemplary embodiment, the abutment spring 123 can be formed by bending the portion cut when the second slide rail groove 112 is formed on the side wall of the housing 110.

[0043] It should be noted that the abutment engagement between the reinforcing rib 135 and the abutment spring 123 described herein is not designed to completely prevent the movable stop 130 from sliding relative to the housing 110, but rather to prevent unintended, arbitrary sliding of the movable stop 130 relative to the housing 110 in case of accidents or other unforeseen circumstances. In design, the abutment force between the reinforcing rib 135 and the abutment spring 123 can be less than or equal to a certain preset value, such as 5N. Therefore, when the plug connector 200 is inserted into the lower socket 110B with a normal force, the insertion force of the plug connector 200 is typically greater than 5N. This insertion force can overcome the abutment force between the reinforcing rib 135 and the abutment spring 123 to smoothly insert into the lower socket 110B and force the movable stop 130 to move from its first position P1 to its second position P2. According to the connector housing assembly provided in the embodiment of the present invention, the abutment engagement between the abutment spring provided on the housing 110 and the reinforcing rib formed on the movable stop appropriately increases the resistance to sliding of the movable stop relative to the housing, thereby preventing the movable stop from sliding randomly relative to the housing.

[0044] Specifically, such as Figures 1 to 8 As shown in the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the front end of each cantilever 1331 bends downward in the vertical direction Y to form an abutment portion 1332, and the abutment portions 1332 of the two cantilever 1331 are respectively close to the left and right sidewalls 180 of the housing 110. In this way, by having the abutment portions 1332 of the two cantilever 1331 respectively close to the left and right sidewalls 180 of the housing 110, undesirable bias and displacement of the movable stop 130 during movement due to inconsistent movement of the two cantilever 1331 can be prevented.

[0045] Specifically, such as Figures 1 to 8 As shown in the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the second portion 134 of the movable stop 130 is entirely located inside the housing 110, and the end sides 1340 of the second portion 134 in the left-right direction Z are respectively close to the left and right sidewalls 180 of the housing 110. In this way, by having the end sides 1340 of the second portion 134 in the left-right direction Z respectively close to the left and right sidewalls 180 of the housing 110, undesirable biasing and displacement of the movable stop 130 during movement due to inconsistent movement of the two cantilever 1331 can be further prevented.

[0046] Those skilled in the art will understand that the embodiments described above are exemplary and can be improved upon. The structures described in the various embodiments can be freely combined without causing any conflict in structure or principle.

[0047] Although the invention has been described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, the embodiments disclosed in the drawings are intended to illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention and should not be construed as limiting the invention.

[0048] While some embodiments of the present general inventive concept have been shown and described, those skilled in the art will understand that changes may be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the present general inventive concept, the scope of which is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

[0049] It should be noted that the word "comprising" does not exclude other elements or steps, and the words "a" or "an" do not exclude multiple elements. Furthermore, any reference numerals in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A connector housing assembly (100), characterized in that, The connector housing assembly (100) includes: A housing (110) is defined by an upper socket (110A) and a lower socket (110B) that are stacked on top of each other in the vertical direction (Y); Intermediate component (120), the intermediate component (120) being disposed in the vertical direction (Y) between the upper socket (110A) and the lower socket (110B); and A heat dissipation structure (190) abuts against the intermediate member (120) in a front-back direction (X) perpendicular to the vertical direction (Y); and A movable stop (130) is movably disposed on the housing (110) and is movable along the front-rear direction (X) between a first position (P1) and a second position (P2), wherein at the first position (P1) the movable stop (130) is close to the heat dissipation structure (190), and at the second position (P2) the movable stop (130) is away from the heat dissipation structure (190) and is configured to limit the plug connector (200) inserted into the lower plug (110B).

2. The connector housing assembly (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The movable stop (130) includes: The first portion (131) extending in the front-rear direction (X); A second part (134) extends upward from the rear side of the first part (131) along the vertical direction (Y), and the second part (134) abuts against the heat dissipation structure (190) when the movable stop (130) is in the first position (P1). The third part (133) extends forward by bending from the upper side of the second part (134) along the front-rear direction (X); and A stop portion (132) extends downward along the vertical direction (Y) from the front side of the first portion (131), the stop portion (132) extending into the lower socket (110B) to stop the plug connector (200) inserted into the lower socket (110B).

3. The connector housing assembly (100) according to claim 2, characterized in that, The housing (110) includes first slide rail grooves (111) respectively formed on the left and right sidewalls (180) of the housing (110), the first slide rail grooves (111) extending along the front-rear direction (X); and The end sides (1310) of the first part (131) in the left-right direction (Z) perpendicular to both the front-back direction (X) and the up-down direction (Y) are movably supported in the first slide rail groove (111).

4. The connector housing assembly (100) according to claim 3, characterized in that, When the movable stop (130) is in the first position (P1), the first part (131) is supported at one end of the first slide rail groove (111); when the movable stop (130) is in the second position (P2), the first part (131) is supported at the opposite end of the first slide rail groove (111).

5. The connector housing assembly (100) according to claim 3, characterized in that, The housing (110) further includes second slide rail grooves (112) respectively formed on the left and right side walls (180) of the housing (110), the second slide rail grooves (112) extending along the front-back direction (X) and located above the first slide rail groove (111); and The end side (1330) of the third part (133) in the left-right direction (Z) is movably supported in the second slide rail groove (112).

6. The connector housing assembly (100) according to claim 3, characterized in that, The third part (133) further includes two cantilever arms (1331) that extend along the front-rear direction (X) and are spaced apart from each other in the left-right direction (Z).

7. The connector housing assembly (100) according to claim 6, characterized in that, Each cantilever (1331) also includes a reinforcing rib (135) that protrudes upward from the corresponding cantilever (1331) in the vertical direction (Y); The housing (110) further includes an abutment spring (123), which is formed by bending from the first slide rail groove (111) of the housing (110) toward the interior of the housing (110) and is inclined downward in the vertical direction (Y); The reinforcing rib (135) and the abutting spring (123) are configured such that when the movable stop (130) is in the first position (P1), the abutting spring (123) abuts against the reinforcing rib (135) to prevent the movable stop (130) from sliding freely relative to the housing (110).

8. The connector housing assembly (100) according to claim 7, characterized in that, The reinforcing rib (135) protrudes upward from at least a portion of the corresponding cantilever (1331).

9. The connector housing assembly (100) according to claim 7, characterized in that, The reinforcing rib (135) protrudes upward from the entire corresponding cantilever (1331).

10. The connector housing assembly (100) according to claim 7, characterized in that, The contact force between the reinforcing rib (135) and the abutting spring (123) is less than 5N.

11. The connector housing assembly (100) according to claim 6, characterized in that, The front end of each cantilever (1331) bends downward in the vertical direction (Y) to form an abutment (1332), and the abutment (1332) of the two cantilever (1331) are respectively close to the left and right sidewalls (180) of the housing (110).

12. The connector housing assembly (100) according to claim 3, characterized in that, The second part (134) of the movable stop (130) is entirely located inside the housing (110), and the end side (1340) of the second part (134) in the left-right direction (Z) is close to the left and right side walls (180) of the housing (110).

13. The connector housing assembly (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that, The cross-section of the movable stop (130) is C-shaped.

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